Ravens win, clinch playoff berth

CLEVELAND - Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens backed up their brash talk, and walked into the AFC playoffs.

Don't they always?

Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, Lewis and the rest of Baltimore's tenacious defense bottled up Cleveland's Peyton Hillis, and the Ravens clinched their third straight playoff appearance with a 20-10 win over the Browns Sunday.

Ed Reed intercepted Cleveland rookie quarterback Colt McCoy twice as the Ravens (11-4) stayed in contention for the AFC North title. They remain tied with Pittsburgh for the division lead with one game left. Next week, Baltimore hosts Cincinnati while the Steelers visit Cleveland.

Lewis promised Hillis would not repeat his 144-yard performance against Baltimore in Week 3, and the big, bruising back didn't come close, rushing for 35 yards on 12 carries.

McCoy threw three interceptions and the Browns (5-10) did nothing to help embattled coach Eric Mangini, who fell to 10-21 in two seasons and awaits a postseason review by president Mike Holmgren.

Flacco threw a 15-yard TD to T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the second quarter and a 22-yarder to Derrick Mason in third as the Ravens built a 20-10 lead and turned things over to their stingy defense.

Lewis, the Ravens' undisputed leader, pledged Hillis would have a long day. Asked about the back's success against Baltimore on Sept. 26, Lewis scoffed, "A blind cat will find a meal every once in a while. When we get back to Cleveland, it'll definitely be a different outcome. It won't happen again."

The Browns were aware of Lewis' comments and didn't like them.

Fullback Lawrence Vickers exchanged words with Lewis during warmups and unassuming Browns guard Eric Steinbach mocked the flamboyant linebacker's pregame dance routine when he emerged from Cleveland's tunnel for introductions.

Lewis and his teammates, though, never let Hillis or the Browns get going. Reed rammed his helmet into Hillis' ribs on his second carry and he wasn't the same the rest of the day.

Billy Cundiff kicked field goals of 27 and 40 yards as Baltimore won its sixth straight over Cleveland.

Time could be running out for Mangini, whose questionable clock management at the end of the first half had Browns fans befuddled.

Phil Dawson's 30-yard field goal with three seconds left before halftime brought Cleveland within 13-10, but the Browns wasted a ton of time between plays on the drive. Mangini went to the locker room possessing two timeouts.