4 Keys to Victory for the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns open as underdogs

The Cleveland Browns open as slight underdogs as they prepare for the prime-time spotlight on Monday Night vs. the Baltimore Ravens. This game is equally as important as last week’s victory vs. the Titans as the Browns could all but suck all the life out of their division rival.

Cleveland started with a real bang last week but squandered a huge lead and walked out of Tennessee as six-point winners in a game that was dominated by the Browns offense. While that was by far the biggest win of the season, there is no time to rest as the Ravens is another divisional game the Browns need to win. Below are four keys for a browns victory.

4. Win the coaching battle

Ravens coach John Harbaugh is often thought of as one of the best in the NFL. Greg Roman the offensive coordinator and Don Martindale the defensive coordinator are also two of the best in the game at their positions. That can’t be a factor on Monday night. The Ravens are too talented to also out game plan the Browns.

While head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt have done a tremendous job for most of the season (all but two or three games), Joe Woods on the defensive side of the ball has been out-schemed a lot in 2020. However, last week vs. the Titans, Woods had a tremendous game plan and stopped one of the best rushing attacks in the league.

There is no room for error this week. Stefanski has to be careful with his challenges and managing the clock, and Woods must have the defense prepared to handle Lamar Jackson and his cast. Coaching is one of the most underrated positions in the NFL, but just look at the Patriots, it matters greatly.