Ravens’ running game punishes Browns

Cleveland defense surrenders 290 yards rushing; 204 to Rice.

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By Associated Press 10:03 PM Sunday, December 4, 2011

CLEVELAND — The game had no business being close, and suddenly grew tight. Baltimore’s lead had slipped on a slick field.

That’s when Ray Rice ran wild.

Rice broke loose for a 67-yard run in the third quarter on the way to a career-high 204 yards as the Ravens kept pace with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North by running roughshod over the Cleveland Browns 24-10 on Sunday.

Rice and Ricky Williams had short touchdown runs and Lardarius Webb returned a punt 68 yards for a TD in the fourth for the Ravens (9-3), who toyed with the Browns (4-8) on a dreary, drizzly day.

Baltimore racked up 290 yards rushing, and was in such control that quarterback Joe Flacco took a knee three times to run out the final two minutes.

“They just flat out whupped us up front,” Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson said. “They embarrassed us. It was a slap in the face.”

With Flacco’s passes affected by gusty winds that pushed two Billy Cundiff field-goal attempts wide, the Ravens turned to Rice, who followed his blockers and posted the third-highest rushing total in franchise history.

“I give it all to the offensive line,” Rice said. “I get the glory because I get the yards. But the line, what they do, that’s how things happen”

Cleveland lost for the fifth time in six games, and the banged-up Browns have just three days to prepare for the Steelers, the division’s other resident heavy.

Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs believes Cleveland has a long way to go to catch the North’s leaders.

“It’s a big gap,” he said.

The Ravens should have been up by three scores in the third quarter. But when Phil Dawson kicked a 21-yard field goal following a Baltimore turnover, the Browns were within 10-3.

Rice then broke their backs.

Quarterback Colt McCoy finished 17 of 35 for 192 yards and a TD. But he fell to 0-7 in his career against division opponents, and did little to convince team management he should be their QB of the future.

His teammates didn’t help, dropping at least four passes. Trailing 10-0, tight end Evan Moore let a sure TD slip through his hands in the end zone.

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