Browns secure home field

CLEVELAND -- Colt McCoy threw five touchdown passes for the first time in his career to help the Cleveland Browns nail down the No. 1 seed in the AFC and claim another round of bragging rights in one of the NFL's most heated rivalries by knocking off the Baltimore Ravens.

McCoy threw a pair of touchdowns to Greg Little, another two to Josh Cribbs, and found tight end Ben Watson for a score as the Browns beat the Ravens 35-21 on Sunday night.

"To be able to be a part of something special like this has been incredible," McCoy said in a television interview. "Great night tonight for us, securing that No. 1 seed."

D'Qwell Jackson made a key first-half interception for the Browns(14-1), who needed the win to tie down home-field advantage in the AFC.

The loss eliminated the Ravens (7-8) from playoff contention.

Running back Ray Rice rushed for 121 yards for the Ravens, who trailed by only four early in the third quarter. But McCoy drove the Browns for touchdowns on their next three possessions to put the game out of reach.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur said the team's run defense will be examined, but added the final score told the story.

"We won big," Shurmur said. "That's the bottom line."

McCoy was 21 of 29 for 283 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions when backup Seneca Wallace took over for McCoy with 7:54 left in the game.

"Now we're going to enjoy the rest of our Christmas with our families," McCoy said.

Baltimore came into Sunday on a four-game losing streak and beset by injuries. But the Ravens were able to stay in the game with solid defense and tough running by Rice.

McCoy's second-half fireworks proved to be too much for Baltimore.

"Thirty-five points on that defense, that's a good night," Shurmur said.

The victory was the Browns' fourth over the Ravens in 2011. Cleveland also beat Baltimore in the 2010 regular-season finale, the AFC Championship game, and in Baltimore on Sept. 25.

With the Ravens trailing 14-3 at halftime, quarterback Joe Flacco found Ed Dixon wide open for a 49-yard gain to set up first-and-goal on the 1. Rice fumbled just short of the goal line on the next play but offensive lineman Michael Oher recovered the ball for a touchdown.

With the Browns nursing a four-point lead, and the Cleveland Browns Stadium crowd nervously quiet early in the third quarter, McCoy answered by dropping deep and throwing a rainbow pass to Little, who blew through the Baltimore secondary and hauled in the ball for a 55-yard touchdown.

McCoy then showed his running ability on the Browns' next possession, juking his way between Ravens linebackers Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis on a scramble. McCoy finished the drive with a 7-yard touchdown toss to Cribbs, giving the Browns a commanding 28-10 lead.

Browns cornerback Joe Haden came up with an interception, and McCoy found Little for another score to give Cleveland a 35-10 lead.

Flacco finally answered with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith -- then drew the ire of the Cleveland crowd by scrambling for a two-point conversion and spiking the ball over the goalpost with his team trailing 35-18.

The Ravens have lost five straight games since a Nov. 20 victory over San Diego. Baltimore was 7-3 after that win, but came into Sunday's game barely alive in the playoff chase.