ExtremeRavens Posted 11 hours ago Posted 11 hours ago Now riding a three-game win streak, the Ravens (4-5) are within striking distance of .500. They’ll head to Cleveland this weekend for a divisional matchup against the lowly Browns (2-7), who they beat up Week 2 amidst the worst stretch of Baltimore’s season. Who will have the advantage this time around? Ravens passing game vs. Browns pass defense Here’s four words that every Ravens fan needs to hear for sake of their sanity: Lamar Jackson is fine. Jackson missed one practice with lingering knee soreness that bothered him after the win in Minnesota. But he’s good to go. Coming off one of his best career outings against a team that blitzed him relentlessly while arriving to the postgame locker room noticeably unsatisfied is a lethal recipe versus the same defense he pummeled for four touchdowns two months ago. Jackson has thrown five touchdowns in his two games since returning from injury and said Thursday, “If anything, we need more points.” He’ll have to do so without wide receiver Rashod Bateman, who suffered an ankle sprain in Minnesota. Cleveland’s defense won’t roll over. The Browns are second in the NFL in fewest passing yards allowed per game. Much of that starts up front with an elite pass rush that has helped force opposing quarterbacks into eight interceptions this year. It’s a solid defense against a high-ceiling offense in potentially crummy weather. But offensive coordinator Todd Monken didn’t have much trouble in Week 2. With enough creativity, retaking the test shouldn’t be much different. EDGE: Ravens Browns passing game vs. Ravens pass defense A 40-year-old Joe Flacco was the Browns’ quarterback when these two teams met in Week 2. Shortly after, Cleveland traded Flacco to Cincinnati and promoted third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel. By most metrics, he ranks terribly. So much so that coach Kevin Stefanski is constantly peppered with questions about when a quarterback change may be imminent, either pivoting to rookie Shedeur Sanders or Bailey Zappe, who’s currently on the practice squad. None of them seem well-equipped to handle a resurgent Ravens defense, which has forced eight turnovers in their past four games. The Ravens also registered a dozen quarterback hits against Minnesota, their new single-game high this season. Pass rush has been a point of contention as Baltimore’s defense was searching for stability. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr said they’ve built in different looks since the bye week but last Sunday showcased “the best get-offs that we had when in true pass rush situations” this season. EDGE: Ravens Ravens running game vs. Browns run defense Baltimores’ worst rushing performance of the season came in Week 2. Cleveland’s defensive front stifled a healthy Ravens ground game. They totaled 45 yards on 21 carries and never found the end zone. They averaged 2.1 yards per attempt, one of just two times a defense has held them below at least four yards per carry this season. The Browns rank second in the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed per play (3.60). They’re also one of 10 teams to average under 100 yards allowed per game. “They are a disruptive front. They’re a really, really good defense,” running back Derrick Henry said. “They do a lot of different stunts and do the stunts well. They got Myles Garrett. I think they’re just a solid group, overall. … We know it’s going to be tough. Their defense is solid from top to bottom.” EDGE: Browns Browns running game vs. Ravens run defense Like many of the positional matchups in this game, the Browns and Ravens trending arrows are pointed in opposite directions. Cleveland picked up 76 yards on the ground versus New York; 75 of them came courtesy of Quinshon Judkins’ 22 carries. Judkins went for 61 on 10 last time he saw the Ravens. He’s topped 100 yards only once this season. That backfield is dreadful otherwise. And Baltimore’s run defense, which once ranked in the NFL’s mineshaft, has restricted three of their past four opponents to under 100 total rushing yards. EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Browns special teams The Browns aren’t good. The Jets aren’t much better. But Cleveland lost that Toilet Bowl by and large because of its special teams unit. Film analyst Lance Reisland, a longtime high school coach now picking apart the Browns, had this to say: “On the kickoff return, people are out of their lanes. Then you go back and watch the punt return, it’s even worse. There’s five or six guys within two yards of each other. So there’s no spacing.” New York scored 14 of 27 points on special teams. Kene Nwangwu housed a kickoff 99 yards. Less than a minute later, Isaiah Williams returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown. Browns safety Grant Delpit called it “unacceptable.” Baltimore, meanwhile, is having a special teams renaissance after an uncharacteristic down year last season. The rookie kicker is booting the ball well enough that nobody is talking about him. The punter is fielding questions about his career year. And an undrafted rookie forced a game-changing fumble in Minnesota. EDGE: Ravens Ravens intangibles vs. Browns intangibles The upswing Ravens are like the heavyweight fighter entering the ring amidst flashing lights and loud drums with a posse by his side. These Browns are standing in the same ring like they barely made weight. Only issue is that ring is in Cleveland. “It’s going to be cold. It’s going to be rainy. It’s going to be windy. It’s going to be on the shores of Lake Erie,” Harbaugh said, like he was setting the scene for a Northeast Ohio murder-mystery thriller. “We’re used to this; this is Cleveland, and this is how these games go.” Baltimore and Cleveland have split every season series dating to 2020. Every year, no matter how talented or incompetent, this AFC North matchup finds a way to get weird. EDGE: Browns Prediction These games are always weird. Neither side has swept the season series since 2020. “It’s never really a blowout,” fullback Patrick Ricard said. And the weather is almost certain to play a factor. But based on the antiparallel trend of both teams — Baltimore on a three-game heater and Cleveland unraveling behind a putrid rookie quarterback with the fewest yards per throw in the NFL — expect the Ravens to buck the trend in a close one. Jackson can still pick apart their secondary (in short-to-intermediate throws if the weather negates the long ball). And Baltimore’s defense has turned a corner in forcing turnovers. If it wasn’t a road divisional matchup, Sunday might have been a field day for the Ravens. They’ll still eek out a win and get to .500 on the year. Ravens 28, Browns 20 Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article Quote
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