Browns’ Gary Barnidge uses butt to make touchdown catch

The Ravens defense is known for being stingy and striking fear into opponents.

Have the Ravens lost their championship luster?

Because Dean Pees defensive play-calling is down right very bad, that’s how.

From Ray Lewis to Ed Reed to Terrell Suggs, the Ravens defense built a tradition for winning championships, not losing games. You could sense that the letdown was coming, and it did quickly.

The Browns defense did what it had to do in the extra period but was fortunate to hold the Ravens to a game-tying field goal in regulation.

First, McCown directed a 13-play, 75-yard drive that was extended by a hands-to-the-face penalty call against Jason Babin on a third-down incompletion from the Baltimore 15. He now has 65 yards, four catches, no touchdowns. Barnidge, who has become quarterback Josh McCown’s No. 1 target, has 374 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Freeman slipped, the ball hit him in the back, before he somehow managed to have the awareness to pick the ball up before it hit the turf. Rob Carr/Getty Images Gary Barnidge pulls the ball from his thigs to get control of the pigskin. The veteran quarterback’s performance, especially Sunday’s against the Ravens, has eliminated a good chunk of the outside chatter surrounding that decision. The Browns, by the way, are now 7-2 against the spread as a road dog the past nine times they’ve been in that spot… Just like Esiason, he is an unlikely answer to the trivia question as to who has the team’s record for passing yards in a single regular season game as well as the first quarterback in team history to throw for 300 yards in 3 straight games.

The offensive lineman took a jab at the Browns fanbase that wants to see Johnny Manziel at quarterback.

New England scored the game’s first touchdown on Brady’s sneak from the 1-yard line with 3:39 left until halftime to make it 10-3.As much as the Patriots struggled, the Cowboys were worse. He dominated whoever was lined up across from him and Pees never made the necessary adjustments.

NOTES: Cowboys DE Greg Hardy and LB Rolando McLain made their season debuts after completing four-game suspensions. It’s not like the Ravens were trying to slow down Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. That’s why something has to give.

For his part, McCown isn’t getting caught up in his recent success. He had Hall of Famer Ray Lewis. Pettine said it’s possible McCown could be kept out of a practice. He had a Terrell Suggs to rush the passer. That may be true, but this also sounds like a coach throwing his players under the bus rather than admitting that what he’s doing isn’t working. Jimmy Smith has shown that he can be an effective corner when put in proper situations. In 1993, Esiason went to the Jets where he played decently but the team proved to be a disaster.

Rodgers was 19 of 30 for 241 yards with long scoring strikes to receivers Ty Montgomery and James Jones, but threw two interceptions. For a few reason, the Ravens can not make a play in the clutch moments of the game.

I see Duke Johnson catching passes and running pretty effectively. His status for Sunday’s game in San Francisco has not yet been determined. You can not blow so many games late in games. The Browns continually give up one or two big runs per game.

Esiason was 35 and signed up to be in a similar role as Josh McCown.

It would have taken a full week of waiting to get it, but if you were a patient enough Buffalo Bills backer, you could have cashed in on Sunday – and in dramatic fashion.