Cleveland Browns vs Baltimore Ravens: Game Prediction

Nov 1, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) pumps his fist after throwing a second quarter touchdown to Cleveland Browns wide receiver Brian Hartline (not pictured) against the Arizona Cardinals at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns actually stand a chance tonight against the Ravens on Monday Night Football.

The Cleveland Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens tonight after a 15-day break from the field.

The Browns enter tonight at 2-8, while the Ravens come in at 3-7 in what will be a battle for third-place in the AFC North.

As Browns fans may recall, if they can wade through the all the painful losses, the Browns actually beat the Ravens back in Week 5. It was the last time the team won, so it may seem like ages ago.

Not only was it a win, but it was Josh McCown‘s best game of the season. He threw for 457 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 33-30 overtime victory in Baltimore.

This game came a week after the brutal 30-27 loss against the San Diego Chargers, and a 2-3 record seemed to provide some hope.

Then came the loss against the Denver Broncos followed by four double-digit losses.

Then came Johnny Manziel‘s recurring antics and incidents.

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So here we are. It is Week 12 and the Browns are once again well out of playoff contention. But this primetime stage allows them to show that there is still indeed talent on this team, and that things will turn around soon.

It will be hard to mess this one up, as the Ravens will be without both Joe Flacco and Justin Forsett because of injuries.

Add in a relatively healthy Josh McCown and it looks like the Browns offense should have the upper hand on the Ravens. The running game is still a major liability and will continue to be for the rest of the season, so McCown may need to throw for at least 350 yards to secure a victory.

For reference, the Browns offense has rushed for a total of 756 yards this season, with the highest individual total being Isaiah Crowell‘s 72 yards against the Tennessee Titans.

So back to this game being played tonight.

A depleted Ravens team will come into Cleveland with Matt Schaub as their starting quarterback. They are coming off a win against the St. Louis Rams, but that was with Flacco as the quarterback.

Call it being a homer, but I see the Browns holding their own tonight. They have had two weeks to prepare, and McCown is a reliable option on this primetime stage. It won’t be a clean game, but it will be close and the Browns will find a way to win.

Prediction: Browns 24-Ravens 20