Here's the deal, the Browns offensive line has gotten better in the last couple of weeks, but I don't think they'll be any match for the Ravens front seven. Take a look at how the team in black and purple completely dismantled the 49ers last week and it's easy to see why. That's a team with Frank Gore—a top-tier running back in the NFL—and he only gained 39 yards on 14 carries. Yikes. They sacked quarterback Alex Smith nine times and got 12 more QB hits. They didn't let San Fran into the redzone at all.
And they did all of that without Ray Lewis!
If Colt McCoy isn't scared...he should be.
McCoy has been sacked 26 times this year and has been knocked down a league leading 64 times. The Ravens D has a league leading 38 sacks and 16 forced fumbles. I don't think it's much of a stretch to say that when you put it all together, it doesn't spell good news for us, Browns fans.
If their is any silver lining, it's that we should have a full complement of running backs for the first time in months. Peyton Hillis was healthy last week, and I thought he had a pretty productive game (I don't think Shurmur used him very well towards the end of the game...but that's another story/another reason why I don't like our head coach). Montario Hardesty's calf should finally be ready to go, and Chris Ogbonnaya is also available.
It's probably worth noting that in the first game against Baltimore last year, Hillis had 144 yards on 22 carries. Could that happen today? Well, anything's possible, right?
On the defensive side of the ball, I really think we're going to have a tough time stopping Ray Rice. He's another great young running back in this league, as he both runs the ball and catches passes quite well. So far this season he has 722 yards rushing and 54 receptions for 537 yards—good for a total of 1,259 yards from scrimmage. I realize the passing defense has been a strong point for the Browns this season, and Flacco has been somewhat inconsistent, but without both Scott Fujita and TJ Ward, the defense is really going to have its hands full.
Look, I know the Ravens have had a few let-down games this year, as all of their losses have come to teams who were under .500 at the time of the game, and that quarterback Joe Flacco has been inconsistent, but I just don't see the Ravens coming into Cleveland for a division game and laying an egg. And let's be clear, the only way the Browns are going to win this game is if the Ravens lay an egg.
Since '08, the Browns have won a game each year that they just have no business winning—the Giants game on Monday Night Football in '08, the Thursday Night game against the Steelers in '09, and the Saints game last year—and that could very well happen today. Any given Sunday, right? That's why you play the game.
But let's just get to the bottom line.
The Prediction: BAL 31 - CLE 13
We'll probably get that touchdown in garbage time, because it's probably going to be a long day for the Browns offense—and that's with or without Ray Lewis on the field.
I'll see you at the half.
~MAS
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