AFC Game Of The Week
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
Ravens: I’ve been watching them for years. Every year when I do, I’ve noticed many of their teams have had the same identity. Most of the time, they have a consistent running game to lean on and the defense is usually stingy and physical. This year, I’m unsure of who this team is. I understand the injury bug has truly hampered them. You lose Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins before the season starts and those guys are key contributors to the ground attack. Next, you lose Marcus Peters who’s your best cover corner and you saw the impact he makes. Then, they’re without DeShon Elliot and Marlon Humphrey, two more key pieces in the secondary. If you look at their last four games, the Ravens haven’t cracked 20 points in either of them. Now, I ask this question: Who exactly are they? Are they the team that blew the Chargers out back in October? Or, is this the team we’ve been seeing all year long? The group starts slowly but finds its way back into the game. Ever since the Dolphins game, the Ravens offense I feel has been figured out. Defenses are sitting at the line of scrimmage, closing up those running lanes and daring Lamar Jackson to beat them with his arm from the pocket. He can’t do it consistently. They’ll look to get back to the win column on Sunday.
Browns: After last year’s success, the expectations were high entering the season. You return a majority of the roster you had last year, the reigning coach of the year returns and you’re coming off a year where you made the playoffs for the first time since 2002. This year has been nothing but inconsistency for them. After the first four games, they were 3-1 at one point. That’s hard to believe, isn’t it? However, I’m a guy that focuses on what have you done for me lately. I can list what’s happened. The Browns released Odell Beckham, they win a game by 25 in Cincinnati, lose badly in Massachusetts against the Patriots, barely get by the Lions, and fall short to Baltimore. This team is fool’s gold. That’s the perfect description for them. One week, they look to be a team to watch for. When I talked about them a few weeks back, I said they tend to drift away from their identity which is running the ball. They have arguably the best one-two punch in Chubb and Hunt. Run the football. When you do, good things happen and Baker Mayfield benefits because he can use play-action to throw the ball. I don’t think the Browns will do much of anything until they move on from Baker. The bye week is over and they’ll face the team they saw before the bye week.
Ravens X-Factor: Tyus Bowser– He’s come on as a key piece for this Baltimore defense. The versatility he displays is what has kept the Ravens in games. Tyus can line up on the right or left side and he’s disruptive no matter where you put him. He has a variety of moves to get to the quarterback. I see choppy hands when trying to get past a blocker, he has the speed on the edge to turn the corner and plays with speed to power at all times.
Browns X-Factor: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah– I loved his game at Notre Dame. Each week, I was raving about him during last year’s college football season. When the Browns drafted him, I immediately said he fell right into the laps of Cleveland. First, he’s a tackling machine. He will find his way to that football at all costs. The next thing Jeremiah is doing is dominating with athleticism and instincts. This is someone who will be a terror in the league for years to come.
Final Analysis: When they last met in week 12, it was such a sloppy game. Lamar threw four interceptions. The Browns’ offense couldn’t get much of anything going either. It was a game solely dominated by defense. Two weeks later, they meet again in a key divisional showdown. Can the Ravens snap out of this offensive funk? Lamar can’t be the leading passer and rusher. If I’m Baltimore, establish the quick passing game to attack a stingy Browns defense. What Baker shows up? He can be hit or miss. I’d try to attack that Baltimore secondary and use a balanced offensive attack. Lots of Hunt and Chubb will help. The last two meetings between these two were close games. Let’s see what the next meeting brings us.
Prediction: Ravens 19, Browns 14
