The Cleveland Browns host the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday within the penultimate dwelling recreation of the 2022 season.
The Browns extinguished their faint playoff hopes final week in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals that included the acquainted defensive breakdowns and a continued lack of ability to search out the top zone regularly.
Associated: Browns vs Ravens: Some extra weekly worries
The Ravens come into the sport sitting atop the AFC North standings and trying to stay undefeated in divisional video games.
The sport may even be the primary alternative for the house followers to see quarterback Deshaun Watson operating Cleveland’s offense, in order that ought to be a deal with not just for the followers but in addition the nationwide TV viewers tuning in on NFL Community.
Right here is every little thing that you must know because the Browns look to salvage one thing from one other loss season after they tackle the Ravens.
Sport Information
Information: Cleveland is 5-8. Baltimore is 9-4.
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m.
Stadium: FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland
TV: News5 within the Cleveland market, NFL Community for everybody else
Announcers: Wealthy Eisen, Kurt Warner, Steve Wyche (sidelines), Stacey Dales (sidelines)
Radio: ESPN 850, 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX
Announcers: Jim Donovan, Nathan Zegura, Jerod Cherry (sidelines)
Final assembly: The Ravens gained the final assembly, 23-20, in Week 7 of this season.
All-time collection: Baltimore leads the all-time collection, 35-12, however the Browns have cut up the previous 4 video games performed in Cleveland.
Uniform: The Browns will probably be sporting their finest uniform mixture of brown jerseys and orange pants, accented by the return of white face masks.
Climate: 33 levels with a 4 p.c change of precipitation. Winds at 17 mph from the west/southwest. (climate.com)
Damage report: Browns – Questionable: extensive receiver David Bell (thumb/toe). Ravens – Questionable: offensive deal with Morgan Moses (knee), punter Jordan Stout (knee) and proper guard Kevin Zeitler (knee). Out: quarterback Lamar Jackson (knee).
The road: Browns -3 (Draft Kings)
A Few Issues to Watch
Decide a QB: The Ravens come into the sport uncertain about who will probably be lining up at quarterback as starter Lamar Jackson is out with a knee damage and QB2 Tyler Huntley was knocked out of final week’s recreation in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers with a concussion.
Huntley cleared the league’s concussion protocol comparatively shortly and was in a position to return to observe this week, and whereas it seems he’ll play there may be nonetheless a chance that the Ravens will flip to undrafted rookie Anthony Brown.
The Browns confronted Huntley final season when he changed an injured Jackson and got here near rallying the Ravens from a 21-point deficit earlier than the Browns held on for the win. In that recreation, Huntley was 27-of-38 for 270 yards and added one other 45 dashing yards.
Brown was not fairly as spectacular in his aid position final week however did sufficient to assist Baltimore win the sport.
One factor working in Cleveland’s favor is that irrespective of who’s in at quarterback the Ravens run the identical offense, so the protection ought to be prepared for no matter Baltimore throws at them.
Watson’s sluggish construct: Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson regarded higher in his second begin of the season as he threw for 276 yards and truly led a drive that resulted in a landing.
There have been nonetheless points, nevertheless, most notably that he continues to carry onto the ball far too lengthy as he’s nonetheless making an attempt to get himself again into processing issues at recreation velocity, which merely can’t be replicated in observe.
When requested about it this week, Watson continued to repeat that this stuff take time (quote by way of The Beacon Journal):
“I wish to proceed to enhance. I wish to be that participant every time I step on the sector, nobody can cease us, and that’s my mentality. However you must go on the market and proceed to point out that and take a look at to try this and never simply speak about it, however truly show it on the sector. I’m nowhere close to the place I wish to be, and this workforce is also nowhere close to the place we wish to be, so we gotta proceed to simply continue to grow and end the season robust.”
The Ravens will current one other problem for Watson, who’s 0-2 in his profession in opposition to Baltimore and has thrown two interceptions and brought 10 sacks.
It’s in all probability an excessive amount of to ask that Watson be on the high of his recreation so quickly after getting back from his 11-game suspension however anticipating him to choose up his choice making and eliminate the ball sooner shouldn’t fall into the class of asking an excessive amount of of him.
Defensive points return: After seemingly fixing issues on the defensive facet of the ball in wins in opposition to Tampa Bay and Houston, the Cleveland protection that everybody is accustomed to returned final week within the loss to the Bengals.
Cleveland’s protection as soon as once more didn’t deal with effectively, had breakdowns in protection on the mistaken instances, and for causes recognized solely to defensive coordinator Joe Woods, determined that there was no must pay further consideration to Cincinnati extensive receiver Ja’Marr Chase even supposing Chase was focused 15 instances and was the one wholesome receiving choice for quarterback Joe Burrow.
The Ravens operating recreation presents its regular drawback this week as Baltimore comes into the sport tied for second within the league in dashing yards (2,108), is second in yards per carry (5.2), is the league’s finest in dashing for first downs (32.8) and is eighth in dashing touchdowns (13). Baltimore additionally welcomed operating again J.Ok. Dobbins again to the lineup final week and all he did was rush for 120 yards and common eight yards per carry.
The scenario is additional difficult by the Browns shedding linebackers to damage on what looks like a weekly foundation as they’ve positioned Sione Takitaki and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on injured reserve after the previous two video games. Mix that with the continued underwhelming play of the defensive tackles, and it might be one other lengthy day for the protection if they’ll’t calm down and get again to enjoying moderately sound soccer.
Sport Notes
- Vast receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones set a profession excessive in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (114) final week in opposition to the Bengals. He must common 62.25 yards per recreation the remainder of the season to have the primary 1,000-yard receiving season of his profession.
- With a win on Saturday and once more within the season finale in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns will end with 4 wins within the AFC North Division for the primary time ever.
- Working again Nick Chubb wants simply 50 extra dashing yards to grow to be the fourth participant in franchise historical past to hurry for a minimum of 6,000 yards in his profession.
- Kicker Cade York is one profitable further level away from tying Jeff Jaeger for probably the most further factors made by a Cleveland rookie, with 29.
- Since scoring 32 factors in opposition to the Bengals in Week 8, Cleveland’s offense has scored simply 76 factors whole within the final 5 video games.
- Baltimore tight finish Mark Andrews has 40 receptions for 510 yards and 7 touchdowns in 9 profession video games in opposition to the Browns.
- Cleveland elevated extensive receiver Daylen Baldwin and linebacjker Tae Davis from the observe squad for the sport.
A Last Quote
Defensive finish Myles Garrett on defensive coordinator Joe Woods (quote by way of cleveland.com):
“I imply, so far as following Joe’s lead, we’re all the time going to try this. He’s high canine within the room and when he says one thing it goes. And if we now have any modifications in thoughts or issues that we’d love to do or appears to be like that we predict we’d prefer to see, he’s open to concepts. So we’re simply going to comply with his lead for this subsequent recreation, the subsequent 4 video games. As a result of he’s going put us in place to win.”
These are just some issues to control; now it’s time to have your say. What are you searching for from the Browns in Saturday’s recreation in opposition to the Ravens?
