3 Ravens to watch in the Browns Week 7 matchup
It’s put up or shut time for the Cleveland Browns. With back-to-back AFC North matchups in front of them, they’re facing two must-wins before their bye. Here are 3 Ravens they must have on their radar.
The Cleveland Browns enter their Week 7 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens riding a three-game losing streak. There has been one continuous thread throughout the three losses; a porous defense. Even with the losing streak, the Browns still have everything they want to attain right in front of them.
Baltimore is tied for first place in the AFC North but is only one game ahead of Cleveland in the standings. This is the Browns’ last opportunity to stay in the playoff hunt and turn their season around at the same time. A loss in Baltimore and any hope for the 2022 season could very well be dead and buried before the bye week.
These two teams know each other inside and out. This game hinges on a few factors and will come down to whichever team is able to execute their game plan. Here are three Ravens that the Browns must keep in check if they want to escape Baltimore with a win.
3 Ravens that the Browns need to have a plan for
Raven to watch No. 3: Calais Campbell, DT
Calais Campbell is easy to spot. There aren’t many 6-foot-8, 300-pound defensive linemen in the NFL. The soft-spoken Campbell is still a giant on the football field.
However, Campbell’s size is not his most impressive stat; it’s his longevity. Campbell is now in his 15th NFL season. When you see Campbell’s 95.5 career sacks and 163 tackles for loss and then combine that with his six pro bowls and his All-Pro appearance in 2017, you start to see a path for Campbell to wind up in Canton.
But it is not his career accolades that put him on this list. In fact, Campbell isn’t the most effective defensive lineman on his own team at this point, that endorsement would go to Justin Madubuike.
The reason to keep your eye on Campbell this Sunday when the Browns come to M&T Bank Stadium is the favorable matchup he will draw. With All-Pro guard Wyatt Teller sidelined with a calf strain, Hjalte Froholdt will get his first NFL start. Congratulations Froholdt, here is your prize…Calais Campbell.
Don’t let the 15 years in the league fool you. Or the fact that Campbell rotates in and out more than he used to. The old warhorse still has some gas left in the tank, and the opportunity to go against a player making his first career NFL start likely has him licking his chops.