Tag: Bailey Zappe

Zach Orr just keeps upping the score, Ravens clinch AFC North

Over the last three games, the Baltimore Ravens defense are allowing opponents just 11 points per game. DC Zach Orr deserves his credit.

Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr is catching stride at the perfect time of year. Over the last three games, Orr’s defense has allowed opponents an average of 9.7 points per game, bringing punishing play on defense and flocking the way the Ravens have throughout franchise history.


Orr’s mike linebacker Roquan Smith featured seven assisted tackles in the 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns. The defensive unit has designated leaders at all three levels to help ensure the agenda of making the opposing offensive miserable. The Ravens continue to lead the entire NFL in rushing yards and opponent rushing yards allowed per game. Certainly, a universal understanding of the front seven should go as a credit to both the offensive and defensive line coaches for the Ravens, who make it all happen in the trenches.


Ultimately, while Orr builds momentum with his unit heading into the season’s biggest stage, Ravens fans can only stand in awe. From here on out, it’ll be win or go home for the Ravens, and hopefully, they have what it takes to make a push to the Super Bowl.

Steelers fans react to Ravens taking AFC North divisional title

Steelers fans respond as the Baltimore Ravens clinch the AFC North title, overtaking Pittsburgh after a late-season collapse.

Although fans of the Black and Gold were prepared for the Baltimore Ravens to defeat the Cleveland Browns—and ultimately claim the AFC North crown—it didn’t make the outcome any easier to accept.

From the Pittsburgh Steelers holding a two-game lead in the AFC North to losing three straight games in Weeks 15–17, disappointment hangs heavy in the Steel City. The three-game losing streak—including a loss to the Ravens—allowed Baltimore to overtake the Steelers in the divisional title race.

Heading into Week 18, the Steelers’ only hope of finishing atop the AFC North rested on the Bailey Zappe-led Cleveland Browns pulling off an upset against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

However, reality quickly set in as Zappe threw a pick-six to Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins early in the contest.

The Browns fought back to close the gap but ultimately fell to the Ravens, 35–10—spelling disaster for the Steelers’ divisional title hopes.

Here are some of the most passionate Steelers fan reactions to the Week 18 contest between the Browns and Ravens.

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Browns end touchdown drought in fourth quarter against Ravens

The Browns find the endzone in the fourth quarter against the Ravens. Finally.

The Cleveland Browns have finally found the endzone.

With under 12 minutes left in the game, Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe connected with tight end Jordan Akins for a 16-yard touchdown, ending the team’s 24-drive touchdown drought. Kicker Dustin Hopkins added the extra point to trim Baltimore’s lead to 21-10.

Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy had a productive series in his final game of the season, hauling in three catches for 26 yards, including a key third-and-four conversion to extend the drive. Rookie Jamari Thrash appeared to score his first NFL touchdown on a 30-yard play, but the ruling was overturned upon review and called incomplete.

Zappe has completed 12 of 24 passes for 134 yards with a touchdown and an interception, though the pick-six remains the game’s most pivotal play. Akins leads the team in receiving with six catches for 60 yards, while all of Jeudy’s contributions came on this scoring drive.

Cleveland will need defensive stops and at least two more scoring drives to spoil the Ravens’ bid to win the AFC North.

Sights and sounds from the first half as the Ravens hold a 14-3 lead over the Browns

Sights and sounds from the first half as the Ravens hold a 14-3 lead over the Browns

Baltimore holds a 14-3 lead over Cleveland in the season finale, but all fans and experts can wonder is whether Zay Flowers sustained a serious injury when he was forced to exit with a knee injury.

Flowers had one catch on two targets before exiting, and his injury came shortly after Rashod Bateman was slow to get up after a big hit. Even with the Browns playing stout defense, the Ravens are 30 minutes from clinching the AFC North.

Derrick Henry has six carries for eight yards, and the Ravens have been held to 76 yards rushing in the first half.

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Bailey Zappe throwing a brutal pick-6 right to Nate Wiggins summed up the Browns’ awful season

Welp.

It’s not fair to Cleveland Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe that he was stuck starting for the team in its final game of the 2024-25 season.

Zappe is somehow the 40th Cleveland starting quarterback since 1999, which is really hard to wrap your head around.

The quarterback misery really runs deep for that franchise, and Zappe won’t fix the problem, at least not by early returns from Saturday’s game.

In his first Browns start in Baltimore, Zappe threw an ugly pick-6 in the first quarter right into the hands of Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins.

Wiggins had a clear lane to catch the ball and ran it right into the end zone for Baltimore’s first touchdown of the game.

Welp. Poor Zappe. There’s always next year!

Feature image courtesy of ESPN. 

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Former Patriots QB to start for Browns in Week 18 season finale

Bailey Zappe will get another chance to start on Saturday

Former New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe will get the start for the Cleveland Browns on Saturday when they take on the Baltimore Ravens in the Week 18 season finale.

Zappe was signed from the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad to the Browns’ active roster back in October. He has yet to make his debut with the Browns.

The Western Kentucky product started eight games for the Patriots in the previous two seasons. He had 2,053 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions during his run with the team.

The Patriots ultimately cut him at the end of training camp and decided to move forward with Drake Maye, Jacoby Brissett and Joe Milton III as their top-three options at quarterback.

Starting for the Browns will give Zappe a chance to show what he brings to the table for another team. In many ways, it represents a much-needed fresh start in his short NFL career.

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Ravens point spread vs. Browns rises after Cleveland names Bailey Zappe starting QB

Ravens point spread vs. Browns rises after Cleveland names Bailey Zappe starting QB

The Browns will hit the road to close out the 2024 season against their AFC North rival when they travel to Baltimore in Week 18 to face the Ravens.

Cleveland will be looking to stop an MVP candidate in QB Lamar Jackson and a playoff-bound Ravens team and could potentially earn a season sweep over the Ravens for the first time since the 2007 season.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe would see action in the last game of the season, with the former Patriots quarterback getting the start. Moments after Zappe was named the starter, the point spread rose again, nearing 20 points on BetMGM.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had the highest spread by a team in a game, at +26.5 points, against the Broncos on October 13, 2013.

Thompson-Robinson started as quarterback in Weeks 16 and 17 and has thrown for 427 yards, zero touchdowns, and six interceptions in six total appearances this season. Zappe started the season on the Chiefs practice squad but joined the Browns in Week 8 and has not seen game action this season. Zappe played 14 career games with the Patriots, throwing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Browns to play Bailey Zappe at QB vs. Ravens in Week 18

Cleveland Browns to play Bailey Zappe and at QB vs. the Baltimore Ravens in the Week 18 season finale

The Browns are heading to Baltimore, where they’ll face the Ravens on Saturday afternoon in the final regular-season game on ESPN and ABC. This will be the Browns’ second matchup against the Ravens this season. They hosted Baltimore in Week 8 at Huntington Bank Field and won 29-24.

Cleveland is 3-13 heading into Week 18 after a 20-3 loss to the Dolphins in Week 17, while the Ravens are 11-5 and lead the AFC North heading into Week 18. On Tuesday, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said he’s considering playing both Bailey Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson as quarterbacks.

On Thursday, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reported that Zappe will get the start.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that Winston (shoulder) will likely be inactive for Saturday’s game at Baltimore as the team’s emergency No. 3 quarterback.

Zappe, who was signed off Kansas City’s practice squad in October after Deshaun Watson ruptured his Achilles tendon, will be the Browns’ fourth starting quarterback this season and No. 40 since 1999.

Zappe went 4-4 in eight career starts for New England. The 25-year-old has thrown for 2,053 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Thompson-Robinson completed 24 of 47 pass attempts for 170 yards and one interception while rushing four times for 10 yards and losing a fumble in Sunday’s 20-3 loss to Miami.

Steelers road to the AFC North just got impossibly steep

The Browns will start their fourth different quarterback on Saturday.

The only way the Pittsburgh Steelers can win the AFC North is if they can beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday while at the same time the Steelers need the Cleveland Browns to upset the Baltimore Ravens. This was a tall task even if everything was right for the Browns but on Thursday it got even tougher.

According to multiple reports including ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, the Browns are starting Bailey Zappe which will be the Browns fourth starting quarterback this season.

 

It wasn’t as if the Browns had a great shot at beating the Ravens regardless of who is playing quarterback but given the circumstances, this could change the Steelers strategy for their Saturday night showdown with the Bengals.

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Report: Browns name their fourth starting QB of the season vs Ravens

The Browns have named their starting quarterback against the Ravens:

Looking to get to the end of the grueling 2024 season, the Cleveland Browns have named Bailey Zappe their starting quarterback.

For the second straight season, the Browns have started four different quarterbacks, as Tom Withers of the AP has reported. Head coach Kevin Stefanski stated that playing both quarterbacks is still on the table, but Dorian Thompson-Robinson told the media on Wednesday that he still did not know who would start.

That mystery has been solved.

Zappe has started eight NFL games in his career after he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. As the starting quarterback in New England, Zappe amassed a record of 4-4 (including beating the Jacoby Brissett-led Browns in 2022). He has thrown for over 2,000 yards in his two seasons with the Patriots, connecting on 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in that span.

The Browns have nothing but pride to play for as their season dwindles in Week 18. What is the worst that can happen?