The Baltimore Ravens have produced an assured performance at the M&T Bank Stadium to comfortably beat the Cleveland Browns 23-16.
On a night where the regular NFL officials returned to action after the pay dispute with the league came to an end, the referees were rarely tested in a scoreless first quarter.
Joe Flacco, the quarterback for the Ravens, finally picked a gap in the Browns defence to find Torrey Smith with an 18-yard pass touchdown.
Justin Tucker missed the resulting kick but made amends a couple of minutes later with a 45-yard field goal.
Trent Richardson was able to complete a short run for the Browns, with Phil Dawson making no mistake with his boot to close the gap on the stroke of half-time.
The Ravens restored their nine-point lead in the third quarter when Flacco completed a long phase of play from just one yard out.
Dawson kicked a 51-yard field goal but his good work was quickly outdone when Cary Williams returned an interception from 63 yards to put the contest beyond the Browns.
Two more field goals from Dawson did nothing but reduce the size of the defeat for the visitors and Cleveland's search for a first win of the season will continue into week five.
Callum Mulvihill
