Jackson throws 4 TD passes, and the Ravens close strong in a 41-17 victory over the Browns

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens finished this game better than they started it.

That was their most encouraging sign on a day they were expected to win comfortably and did.

Lamar Jackson threw four touchdown passes and Baltimore's defense harassed Joe Flacco throughout his return to Charm City as the Ravens dispatched the Cleveland Browns 41-17 on Sunday.

After blowing a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead at Buffalo last weekend, Baltimore was up by 10 with 15 minutes to play against the Browns before scoring 21 straight points to turn a tedious divisional struggle into a rout.

“That maturing as a football team to win games like that, they did that in this game,” coach John Harbaugh said. “This was a tough game. The score doesn't really indicate it, but this was a grind of a football game.”

The Ravens (1-1) managed only 81 yards of offense in the first half, and four of their five touchdowns were scored either by the defense or with the benefit of a short field.

“We gave them 21 points via a blocked punt, a fumble recovery and an interception. It’s just hard to win,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “It’s hard to win, period, but it’s hard to win when you do that. We’ll own it.”

After holding Cincinnati to 141 yards in a one-point loss last week, the Cleveland defense limited Derrick Henry to just 23 yards on 11 rushing attempts. The Ravens rushed for 45 yards, their lowest team total since Jackson took over at quarterback in 2018 — not counting games he's missed.

But the Browns (0-2) were mostly inept on offense. Flacco, the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Ravens playing his first game in Baltimore as an opposing player, went 25 for 45 for 199 yards and a touchdown, with an interception and a lost fumble.

The Ravens (1-1) led 10-3 at halftime despite having just four first downs. A 41-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins in the third quarter set Baltimore up with first-and-goal from the 1, but an incompletion, a false start, another incompletion and a sack by Myles Garrett forced the Ravens to settle for a field goal.

Then Flacco forced a pass that was intercepted by Nate Wiggins and returned 61 yards to the 5. Cleveland made Baltimore use all four downs from there, but Jackson finally found Devontez Walker for a 2-yard touchdown that made it 20-3.

Cleveland's lone TD came on fourth down in the third quarter, when Flacco's pass was nearly intercepted by Marlon Humphrey, but went through his arms and bounced right to Cedric Tillman for an 18-yard touchdown that made it 20-10. It was the second straight weekend the Ravens were victimized by a fourth-down pass that caromed to an opposing player for a TD.

Baltimore had a better fourth quarter this time. Jackson threw a 24-yard scoring pass to Walker with 13:26 remaining. Then Flacco fumbled on a sack by Tavius Robinson, and Roquan Smith scooped the ball up and went 63 yards for a touchdown.

“I felt like it took me back to my high school days playing running back,” said Smith, who also had three tackles for loss. “It was an awesome job by T-Rob being able to get the sack-fumble and I just reaped the reward being that close to the ball.”

Jackson added a 23-yard scoring pass to Hopkins, and the Browns relieved Flacco with rookie Dillon Gabriel after that. Gabriel threw an 8-yard scoring pass to Dylan Sampson with 1:50 to play.

The Ravens also made a big play on special teams in the second quarter when Jake Hummel blocked a punt, giving Baltimore the ball at the Cleveland 24. Jackson threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tylan Wallace to make it 10-0.

A fumble by Henry helped the Bills' comeback last weekend, and he put the ball on the ground again in the second quarter Sunday, but Wallace recovered for the Ravens — then scored his touchdown on the very next play.

Baltimore drafted Walker in the fourth round last year and he's played sparingly, but the contributions he's made have been meaningful. All three of his career receptions have been for touchdowns. He had one against the New York Giants in 2024.

“Tez is a very hard worker. We've seen it in camp since his rookie season last year,” Jackson said. “He's been grinding. All he needs is an opportunity.”

Cleveland WR DeAndre Carter and Baltimore RB Rasheen Ali left with concussions. ... Browns T Jack Conklin (eye, elbow) was inactive. ... Baltimore lost LB Kyle Van Noy to a hamstring injury. ... Ravens CB Jaire Alexander (knee) was inactive after struggling in the opener. ... Baltimore CB Marlon Humphrey injured his groin. Harbaugh said none of the Ravens' injuries were season ending.

Cleveland hosts Green Bay next Sunday. Baltimore hosts Detroit in a Monday night game.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins runs against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco throws under pressure from Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace scores ahead of Cleveland Browns cornerback Cameron Mitchell during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson passes against the Cleveland Browns during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins, left, celebrates after an interception with cornerback Chidobe Awuzie during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws under pressure from Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Maliek Collins during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco forcing a fumble during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media that the U.S. Coast Guard had boarded the Motor Tanker Veronica early Thursday. She said the ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to take part in the operation alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding as in previous raids. The military said the ship was seized “without incident.”

Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.

The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

The Veronica last transmitted its location on Jan. 3 as being at anchor off the coast of Aruba, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal. According to the data it transmitted at the time, it was partially filled with crude.

The ship is currently listed as flying the flag of Guyana and is considered part of the shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.

According to its registration data, the ship also has been known as the Galileo, owned and managed by a company in Russia. In addition, a tanker with the same registration number previously sailed under the name Pegas and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for moving cargoes of illicit Russian oil.

As with prior posts about such raids, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear that they see the actions as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Trump met with executives from oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro's capture.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)