Cleveland Browns rush defense must have a big game against Ravens

Run defense key for Cleveland Browns in Week 14

The Cleveland Browns will get a chance to face off against the team the decimated them in week one. On Monday, the Browns are scheduled to play the Baltimore Ravens in primetime.

As previously mentioned, the two teams already met earlier in the season where the Ravens started off their season defeating the Browns by a final score of 38-6.

Proving many skeptics wrong throughout the year, the Browns now have a 9-3 record compared to the Ravens 7-5. This is could end up being a big game for the Browns’ chances of securing a wildcard spot. For the Ravens, this game is crucial if they want to have any chance of remaining in playoff contention.

If the regular season were to end today, the Browns would have the first wildcard spot in the AFC and would be playing against the Tennesee Titans. A matchup they had last week that they handled incredibly well even after a slight collapse in the second half and won 41-35.

The Ravens are currently penciled in to be out of the playoffs, however, there is a chance they will still be able to make the cut. They are only one game out of being tied for the last wildcard spot. That spot is currently a two-way tie between the Indianapolis Colts and the Miami Dolphins.

With this being a high stakes game for both the Ravens and the Browns, both will be playing at the top of their games. Considering how bad the last matchup was for the Browns, some adjustments must be made.

Arguably the most important factor for the Browns winning the game will be their ability to stop the run. It’s true that the Ravens killed the Browns through the air in their last matchup. However, the Ravens have established themselves as one of if not the best rushing offense in the entire NFL.

Before their game against the Dallas Cowboys, the Ravens were ranked second in the league in rushing yards per game with 157.4. This is only two-tenths of a yard behind the league-leading Cleveland Browns who average 157.6 rushing yards a game. Against the Cowboys, the Ravens finished with 294 rushing yards and took the rushing yards per game title from the Browns.

The Ravens have the best rushing quarterback in the league in Lamar Jackson. Along with a trio of running backs who can take over a game. The Ravens rushing attack should be the focal point of the Browns defense to stop.

The Browns have proven that they can stop some of the best rushing teams in the NFL. Just last week they held Derrick Henry to 60 yards on 15 carries. Against the Ravens in their first meeting, the Browns held them to only 111 yards which are close to their average of rushing yards given up. This currently sits at around 104 rushing yards per game.

Although the Browns rushing defense has played at an elite level lately and at a top 10 level throughout the year, the Ravens have found great success on the ground lately. It should be the Browns’ top focus on the defensive side of the ball to put a stop to their rushing game and force Jackson to try to beat us through the air again.