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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer
BALTIMORE — In a battle of the NFL’s top two defenses, the Baltimore Ravens flexed their muscles first.
On the second play of the game, a blitzing Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton deflected a Deshaun Watson pass and returned the interception 18 yards for the touchdown. It was the first career touchdown and second interception for Hamilton, the No. 14 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
Tipped it to himself and walked it in 💪
📺: #CLEvsBAL on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kECSNGc6Bj pic.twitter.com/XjtL4YfUmC— NFL (@NFL) November 12, 2023
This also ended Baltimore’s streak of 27 games without a defensive touchdown, the longest active one in the NFL. The last Ravens defensive touchdown came in Week 17 of the 2021 season, when safety Chuck Clark had a pick-six against the Los Angeles Rams.
It was an all-too-familiar moment for Cleveland. This marked Watson’s second interception returned for a touchdown in two games with the Browns. This is the first time Watson has thrown multiple pick-sixes in a season since 2017 with the Texans, when he also threw two.
This game features two of the best defenses in the NFL. The Ravens lead the NFL in fewest points allowed, and the Browns top the league in fewest yards allowed.
On the Ravens’ opening drive, undrafted rookie running back Keaton Mitchell outran the Browns’ defense for a 39-yard touchdown. This comes one week after Mitchell scored on a 40-yard touchdown run. On Mitchell’s first 10 carries of his NFL career, he has totaled 178 yards, a 17.8-yard average.
Ravens rookie @_KeatonMitchell cuts outside for a 39-yard TD!
📺: #CLEvsBAL on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kECSNGc6Bj pic.twitter.com/PTmTQzwT6h— NFL (@NFL) November 12, 2023