Ravens vs. Browns: Week 9 Preview

Ravens Preview Week 9

Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

At

Cleveland Browns (2-6)

Sunday 1pm Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, OH

Road games are never easy, and road games against a team with nothing to lose who also is a division rival are even harder.  The Ravens will have a tough test when they travel to Cleveland to battle a much improved Browns team. The Brows have both of their wins at home and one of their homes losses was by 1 point, so these aren’t the same Browns that have been perennial doormats for the last decade. In fact the Browns were very close to beating the Ravens in Baltimore this year and they will not be intimidated. The Ravens got lambasted in their last game, and after coming off a bye, will they come out flat or motivated to prove they are a better team than their 30pt loss against the Texans? That is the question, here is my take.

Ravens offense vs. Browns defense:

I am and always will be a Joe Flacco supporter but he looks like a completely different quarterback on the road as opposed to at home and that is the main reason the Ravens have struggled on the road (5-6 in their last 11 games).  I am no offensive genius but here’s an idea to take pressure off Flacco, HAND THE BALL TO RAY RICE OFTEN!!  The Browns defense gives up an average of about 130 rushing yards per game so a steady dose of Ray Rice should be exactly the remedy for the Ravens road struggles. 25 total touches for Rice will open up the pass game and allow Flacco to make plays.

Advantage: Ravens

Browns offense vs. Ravens defense

As bad as the Browns defense has been statistically, the Ravens defense has been worse. The Ravens come into the game yielding an average of 400 yards of total offense, 140 of it on the ground, so Browns rookie running back should be licking his chops.  Unlike previous years, stopping the Browns rushing game doesn’t mean you can stop their offense. Brandon Weeden keeps getting better and he threw for 300 yards in the first meeting against the Ravens and Weeden has found a deep play threat in Josh Gordon who can take it to the house every time he touches the ball.  This Browns offense can score on the Ravens, especially if they can’t find a way to stop Richardson.

Advantage: Browns

Special Teams:

Both teams possess good return men(although Josh “MTV” Cribbs has been better throughout his career) and also very good field goal kickers.  The Browns stadium can be a challenge with the field likely being choppy and the wind, so it will be interesting to see how Tucker can adapt to those conditions. As always special teams could make a difference between a win and a loss. Whoever wins on special teams, will likely win this game.

Prediction:

I am sure when before the season when every Ravens fan was going game by game predicting wins and losses (you know you did it) we all certainly had the Ravens winning both games against the Browns without even thinking twice about it. I was definitely one of those people but this game worries me a lot. If the Ravens come out flat they will lose. If their offense is stagnant lie it tends to be on the road they will lose.  Not only would I not be shocked if the Browns one, I would not even be surprised. The Ravens are clearly the better all-around team but for whatever reason they struggle immensely on the road. The main reason I am picking the Ravens is that I am going to the game with 100 of closest friend and I refuse to go all the way out there and see a loss. Hopefully it’s a happy ride back to Charm City.

Ravens 23 Browns 20

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About the Author: Marco Romanell

I have spent my entire 30 years living in Maryland and I love everything about this city. Despite the bad reputation the city has, Baltimore will always be a special place to me and I love living here. There is nothing better then Sunday afternoons at M&T Bank Stadium and summer nights at Camden Yards when the Yard is packed. You can find me all over the city so don't hesitate to share your opinion of me good or bad. Who knows, if you see me out maybe I will buy you a Natty Boh. Lets go Ravens and Lets go O's!!! Follow me on Twitter at @MRomanell.