Dawg Pound Daily
FanSided

Cleveland Browns vs. Ravens: Predicting the final game’s outcome

By Randy Gurzi

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 15: Wide receiver Antonio Callaway #11 of the Cleveland Browns is congratulated after scoring a fourth quarter go-ahead touchdown against the Denver Broncos at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 15, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 15: Wide receiver Antonio Callaway #11 of the Cleveland Browns is congratulated after scoring a fourth quarter go-ahead touchdown against the Denver Broncos at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 15, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 7
Next
CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 07: Christian Kirksey #58 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates defeating the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns won 12 to 9. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 07: Christian Kirksey #58 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates defeating the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns won 12 to 9. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Writer: Elliot Kennel

Game: Cleveland Browns (7-7-1) at Baltimore Ravens (9-6)

Summary: The football world hasn’t quite caught onto the fact that these are two of the top teams in the NFL right now. The Ravens are as hot as the Browns.  Lamar Jackson hasn’t matured as a passer yet, but as a run-first quarterback, he is already dangerous enough. The Ravens’ defense is ranked number one in the NFL.

Naive sportswriters claim that defense doesn’t matter in 2018, but they are wrong.  Offensively, the Ravens have been way out in front in rushing yardage in the Lamar Jackson era.

The Ravens are led by an insanely strong running game averaging 218.5 yards per game since Jackson took over. That is absolutely insane and way beyond what anyone else in the NFL can do. Meanwhile, the Browns rank 24th in rushing defense, giving up 124.5 yards per game.

More. 15 best running backs of all-time. light

That is not a good matchup. Passing-wise, Jackson has been sharply criticized, but his passer rating of 84.9, while nothing to write home about, is actually higher than Joe Flacco‘s 84.2. If you lead the NFL in total defense as well as rushing offense, that’s a pretty good formula to go deep in the playoffs, and even go to the Super Bowl.

It’s too much for the young Browns to overcome. Though performing brilliantly on offense, they can not stop the run this year.  If Lamar Jackson & Co. can avoid turnovers, they will win the game, burying the Browns under 250 rushing yards.  Round one of what promises to be a series of epic confrontations between Mayfield’s Browns and Jackson’s Ravens will go to the Ravens.

Final score: Baltimore 27, Cleveland 20

Home/Browns News