CLEVELAND -- Lamar Jackson emerged from the locker room, saved the game and maybe Baltimore's season.
Back on the field after being sidelined by cramps, Jackson threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Brown and then set up Justin Tucker's 55-yard field goal with two seconds left, helping the Ravens to a wild 47-42 win over the Cleveland Browns that helped them stay in the playoff picture.
A Monday night game dripping with playoff intensity delivered with endless drama and stunning twists.
Tucker, who made 70 straight field goals inside 40 yards before he missed last week, had plenty of distance on his kick to give the Ravens (8-5) a much-needed win.
It was a gut punch for the Browns (9-4), who had rallied from a 14-point deficit to take the lead while Jackson was out.
The Browns had one last chance after Tucker's kick, but a series of laterals on the final play ended with a safety that affected gamblers all over the country. The Ravens were favored by three on the opening line.
The NFL's top two rushing teams combined for nine rushing touchdowns, tying a league record set in 1922.
Jackson rushed for two touchdowns while helping his teammates, who have overcome a covid-19 outbreak and numerous schedule changes so far in 2020.
With the Ravens down 42-35, Jackson returned from the locker room after backup quarterback Trace McSorley suffered a leg injury when he slipped on a slick FirstEnergy Stadium field that was tough for players to cut on all night.
"I'm still stretching and I'm like, 'We gotta go out there,'" he said. "It was fourth down, my guys were making great catches and we came out with the victory. As soon as I saw him go down, I came out of the locker room."
On fourth and 5, Jackson rolled to his right and found a wide-open Brown in the middle of the field. He easily outran Cleveland's defenders for the touchdown.
But Baker Mayfield wasn't going to be denied. He drove the Browns 75 yards, hitting running back Kareem Hunt for a 22-yard TD pass with 1:04 left.
Jackson, the reigning NFL MVP, then completed two straight passes to tight end Mark Andrews for 28 yards and moved the Ravens in range for Tucker, one of the most accurate kickers in league history.
Mayfield had shaken off a costly interception and brought the Browns back, scrambling from the pocket a la Jackson and scoring on a run with 6:33 left.
"There can either be good or bad to come from this," said Mayfield, whose 22-yard TD pass to Kareem Hunt with 1:04 left tied it. "You can start pointing fingers, but that's not this team. We know that we need to fight and make the plays to win when we need to."
Jackson was playing in his second game since returning from the covid-19 list. Before he left late in the third quarter with the Ravens leading 34-20, he had rushed for 124 yards and two TDs.
Baltimore7141313--47
Cleveland77622--42
First Quarter
Cle--Chubb 7 run (Parkey kick), 9:06.
Bal--L.Jackson 5 run (Tucker kick), 3:04.
Second Quarter
Bal--Edwards 11 run (Tucker kick), 7:49.
Cle--Chubb 14 run (Parkey kick), 4:16.
Bal--L.Jackson 17 run (Tucker kick), :30.
Third Quarter
Bal--Edwards 19 run (Tucker kick), 12:47.
Cle--Hunt 5 run (kick failed), 9:06.
Bal--Dobbins 1 run (kick blocked), 4:21.
Fourth Quarter
Cle--Higgins 21 pass from Mayfield (Peoples-Jones pass from Mayfield), 13:36.
Cle--Mayfield 5 run (Parkey kick), 6:33.
Bal--M.Brown 44 pass from L.Jackson (Dobbins run), 1:51.
Cle--Hunt 22 pass from Mayfield (Parkey kick), 1:04.
Bal--FG Tucker 55, :02.
Bal--safety, :00.
A--11,974.
BalCle
First downs2533
Total Net Yards385493
Rushes-yards32-23128-138
Passing154355
Punt Returns0-01-5
Kickoff Returns3-711-16
Interceptions Ret.1-170-0
Comp-Att-Int12-21-029-48-1
Sacked-Yards Lost4-220-0
Punts4-43.02-45.5
Fumbles-Lost1-07-0
Penalties-Yards8-698-75
Time of Possession28:0331:57
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Baltimore, Jackson 9-124, Dobbins 13-53, Edwards 7-49, Hill 1-4, McSorley 2-1. Cleveland, Chubb 17-82, Hunt 6-33, Mayfield 5-23.
PASSING--Baltimore, Jackson 11-17-0-163, McSorley 1-4-0-13. Cleveland, Mayfield 28-47-1-343, Landry 1-1-0-12.
RECEIVING--Baltimore, Andrews 5-78, Snead 3-29, M.Brown 2-50, Boykin 1-15, Edwards 1-4. Cleveland, Hunt 6-77, Higgins 6-68, Landry 6-52, Peoples-Jones 3-74, Njoku 3-45, Bryant 3-18, Chubb 2-21.
MISSED FIELD GOALS--Cleveland, Parkey 39.
