Ravens vs. Browns Preview
The Baltimore Ravens will host the Cleveland Browns this week in an AFC North match-up. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from disappointing losses after the Browns fell to 0-2 and the Ravens lost to division rivals, the Bengals.
The Ravens have looked scary in defence as always. Scary good, of course, in allowing just 12 points-per-game after two weeks.
The Ravens D has yet to give up a touchdown (!) while holding opposing offences to just 214.5 total yards-per-game. Even without Ed Reed, who will return at some point this season, the Ravens are as tough as ever. Their two games were against the Bengals and
the Jets who are hardly offensive juggernauts, but they're no mugs either.
So if the Ravens haven't allowed a touchdown yet, how are they not 2-0? A stuttering offence that has only managed to score 10 points in each of the Ravens' games so far.
Joe Flacco finds himself under pressure at quarterback. Flacco, entering his third season, a year when quarterbacks are generally expected to perform, has thrown five interceptions and just one touchdown.
Flacco needs to start playing better soon. The Ravens signed Marc Bulger in the offseason and the rumblings that the Ravens should go with the veteran QB have already started. With a defence as good as they have, the Ravens need Flacco to, at the very least,
protect the football.
Flacco isn't the only one on the Ravens offence to struggle in the new season. Ray Rice has rushed for only 130 yards in two games. He has no touchdowns.
The Ravens certainly didn't expect their offence to be so anemic after they loaded up on receivers in the offseason to give Flacco more targets. Anquan Boldin headlines a group of signings that includes T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the injured Donte Stallworth.
The Cleveland Browns go into their first division game of the season on the back of two disappointing losses. An opening day loss to a very young Bucs team was followed up by a home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, warming up Eric Mangini's seat a little more.
Coach Mangini's job is hanging by a thread after the Browns opened the season by losing two of the easier games they'll have this season. They have a really tough schedule, and a brutal stretch that will see them play seven legitimate playoff contenders in
a row starts on Sunday with the Ravens.
The Browns will most likely be without starting quarterback Jake Delhomme, signed in the offseason, who did not practice on Thursday with what is suspected to be a high ankle sprain.
The Browns will turn to backup Seneca Wallace, who proved himself capable against the Chiefs, going 16/31 for 229 yards and a touchdown. Wallace did throw a costly interception that was returned for a touchdown in that game.
It's hard to gauge the Browns defence after just two games. They haven't given up a lot, but they've played the Bucs and the Chiefs. They haven't faced an offence as good as the Ravens, and could be in for a long day.
They'll probably have to take their rest when they can get it. They figure to be on the field a lot with the Browns offence in tough against the Ravens. The Ravens have been frustrated so far, but they've played against two really good defences and they could
go off in this one. Division games are usually close, but this one could get ugly.
Prediction: Ravens 31 Browns 9
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