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Ravens rout Browns, clinch AFC North title

Staff WritersReuters
Quarterback Lamar Jackson has helped Baltimore clinch the AFC North by beating Cleveland. (AP PHOTO)
Camera IconQuarterback Lamar Jackson has helped Baltimore clinch the AFC North by beating Cleveland. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP

Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes and Derrick Henry added two fourth-quarter scoring runs as Baltimore clinched the AFC North title with a 35-10 win over the visiting Cleveland.

Baltimore (12-5) will host a first-round play-off game next weekend as the No. 3 seed, while Cleveland (3-14) will start an off-season possibly rife with changes.

A play-off team last season, the Browns could earn the No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL draft if New England and Tennessee win on Sunday. They will draft no lower than third overall.

Jackson completed 16 of 32 passes for 217 yards while adding 63 yards on nine rushes, finishing the regular season with 41 touchdown passes and just four interceptions.

He also went over the 4,000-yard passing mark for the season, finishing at 4,172. Henry compiled 138 yards on 20 carries, giving him 1,921 yards and 16 rushing scores.

Bailey Zappe became Cleveland's 40th starting quarterback since it re-entered the NFL 25 years ago and completed 16 of 31 passes for 170 yards with a touchdown. He also tossed two interceptions, with Nate Wiggins returning the first one 26 yards to open the scoring at the 8:32 mark of the first quarter.

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Jackson increased the lead to 14-0 with 11:03 left in the first half, connecting with tight end Mark Andrews on a 12-yard touchdown pass.

The Ravens upped their advantage to 21-3 with 10:42 left in the third quarter when Jackson zipped a seven-yard dart over the middle to wide-open Rashod Bateman, finishing a 70-yard drive.

Zappe led the Browns' only touchdown drive of the day, hitting Jordan Akins for a 16-yard touchdown pass at the 11:33 mark of the fourth quarter.

Henry closed the game out by scoring on Baltimore's next two possessions.

In Saturday night's other game, Joe Burrow passed for 277 yards and a touchdown and Cade York kicked four field goals as Cincinnati kept their slim play-off hopes alive with a 19-17 win over the floundering Pittsburgh.

Burrow also threw an interception and his NFL record streak of consecutive games with at least 250 yards passing and three touchdowns came to an end.

But he did enough to propel the Bengals (9-8) to their fifth straight win and keep them in the mix until the season's final day.

Cincinnati will earn the seventh seed in the AFC if Denver loses to Kansas City and Miami either loses to or ties the New York Jets on Sunday.

Burrow completed 37 of 46 passes, including a 12-yard touchdown to Ja'Marr Chase on Cincinnati's first possession that gave the Bengals a lead they never gave up. Chase finished with 10 receptions for 96 yards to put the NFL's "Triple Crown" for receivers (catches, yards and touchdowns) within reach.

The Bengals' late run began after a 44-38 loss to the Steelers on Dec. 1 dropped them to 4-8. They haven't lost since, with Burrow playing at an MVP level and their once porous defense playing its best football of the season.

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