The Cleveland Browns stayed in the thick of the playoff race, surviving Baltimore\u2019s late comeback for a 24-22 win Sunday over the Ravens, who lost superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson with an ankle injury.<\/b>
\nCLEVELAND (AP) \u2014 Myles Garrett wasn\u2019t going to let this season escape his grasp \u2014 or get away from the Browns. Displeased with an overall lack of focus during practice last week, Cleveland\u2019s star defensive end spoke up and challenged his teammates, urging them to do more, pushing them to be better. Garrett backed up his words. He scored his first career TD and Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes as the Browns stayed in the thick of the AFC playoff race, surviving Baltimore\u2019s late comeback for a 24-22 win Sunday over the Ravens, who lost superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson with a sprained right ankle. Garrett stripped Ravens backup QB Tyler Huntley, scooped up the fumble and rambled 15 yards for a TD in the first half as the Browns (7-6) built a 24-3 lead and held off the injury-riddled Ravens (8-5). Following Friday\u2019s practice, Garrett made some pointed comments toward his teammates that some interpreted as trouble inside Cleveland\u2019s locker room. Instead, it seemed to be a message of inspiration. \u201cThat\u2019s the type of player Myles is,\u201d said cornerback Denzel Ward, who made a tackle to stop Baltimore\u2019s final drive. \u201cHe\u2019s a leader for our team. That\u2019s what he\u2019s got to do. He challenged everybody. Even though he challenged us, Myles, he\u2019s going to come in and back it up, though, as well. \u201cHe\u2019s going to go out there, make plays. We needed it.\u201d Garrett said he didn\u2019t worry about any negative feedback about his remarks. His teammates knew they were well intentioned. \u201cI\u2019ve got to stand there for what I want out of this team and what we want to achieve and if I have a vision, I want everybody to be part of it and I\u2019m going to lead it,\u201d he said. Healthier than he\u2019s been in weeks following Cleveland\u2019s bye, Mayfield connected with Jarvis Landry and Austin Hooper on first-half scores as the Browns avoided fading out of the playoff picture. Of course it helped that Jackson went down on the first play of the second quarter and didn\u2019t return. The 2019 NFL MVP was unable to put any weight on the ankle, a frightening and concerning sight for the AFC North-leading Ravens, who have been overrun by injuries this season. Coach John Harbaugh said Jackson will undergo further examination on Monday. \u201cWhen Lamar went down, I started becoming more aware of the situation,\u201d said Huntley, who started for an ill Jackson on Nov.21 at Chicago. \u201cI knew at that moment I had to lock in. And after that fumble, I was very locked in because I couldn\u2019t make any more mistakes.\u201d Huntley spent much of the second half scrambling from trouble, but he kept Baltimore close and the Ravens, who trailed 24-6 at half, pulled within 24-22 on Huntley\u2019s 8-yard TD pass to Mark Andrews with 1:17 to go. Baltimore then recovered an onside kick, but couldn\u2019t convert on fourth-and-6 as Ward tackled receiver Rashod Bateman well short of the marker and the Cleveland crowd could finally exhale. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker made field goals of 50,42 and 55 yards. The Browns opened their 21-point lead late in the second quarter when Garrett set Cleveland\u2019s single-season sacks record in style \u2014 scoring on the play. With the Ravens at their own 20, Garrett got around left tackle Alejandro Villanueva and knocked the ball free from Huntley. Garrett scooped it up and went down the left sideline for the score. \u201cIt was a great play,\u201d said Browns end Jadeveon Clowney, who had a key late sack. \u201cI was trying to tip it to myself. I saw him come up there and get it and I was like, \u2018You\u2019ve got the whole trifecta \u2014 the sack, the fumble recovery and the touchdown.\u2019 \u201cGreat play by a great player.\u201d Moments after his TD, Garrett was shown on the giant scoreboard, the star shook his head and said, \u201cI\u2019m not done.\u201d Neither are the good-one-week-bad-the-next Browns, whose postseason chances would have been badly damaged with a loss. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to be going into the building these last four games for nothing,\u201d Clowney said. \u201cWe know we\u2019ve got something to keep playing for right now.\u201d ODDS AND ENDS Andrews had 11 catches for 115 yards and broke Baltimore\u2019s single-season record for yards receiving by a tight end, surpassing Todd Heap\u2019s 855 in 2005.\u2026 Huntley went 27 of 38 for 270 yards \u2014 225 after halftime.\u2026 Baltimore was 1 of 12 on third-down conversions, but 3 of 4 on fourth down. MYLES\u2019 MARK Garrett broke the club sacks record he came in sharing with Reggie Camp (14,1984). The Browns have players with higher numbers, but the league didn\u2019t count sacks as an individual statistic until 1982. INJURIES Ravens: DT Calais Campbell (thigh) was hurt in the first quarter and didn\u2019t return.\u2026 WR Tylan Wallace (concussion) got hurt in the second quarter. Browns: RB Kareem Hunt hurt his left ankle while making a third-down catch in the first quarter. It was Hunt\u2019s second game back after missing five with a calf injury.\u2026 Mayfield was checked for a concussion and cleared in the third quarter. Backup Case Keenum replaced him for one play. UP NEXT Ravens: Host the Green Bay Packers on Dec.19. Browns: Are home against Las Vegas on Dec.18, the first of two consecutive Saturday games. ___ More AP NFL coverage: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/nfl and https:\/\/twitter.com\/AP_NFL Copyright \u00a9 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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