The writers of Russell Street Report give their predictions for the Ravens’ matchup with the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Joe Polek
The Ravens added a speedy WR, but it will only be a threat this week. This week, the Ravens win by pounding the ball. The defense does what it needs, and the Ravens win 24-13, as they begin a win streak that will soon get them back to .500.
Mike Fast
Baltimore beats the Browns on Sunday, 31-20.
Baltimore is -3 in turnover margin this year, which ties them for 22nd in the league. On Sunday, they’ll still struggle with ball security and takeaways, as the two teams each commit two turnovers.
However, the extra few days of rest and momentum established by Justin Forsett and the offensive line comes in handy for John Harbaugh. The Ravens gain a total of at least 200 yards on the ground, and control the time of possession by at least six minutes.
Finally, Brandon Williams gets his first sack of the year, and his first sack since Week 6 of 2014, further boosting his bid to make the Pro Bowl.
Brian McFarland
It’s the Browns, so fans are going to expect a blow out, but I don’t see it playing out that way. These Browns have some potential and have shown the ability to produce explosive plays.
And, we all known how the Ravens’ D has a propensity for allowing explosive plays.
On offense, the good news for the Ravens is that they should have the chance to produce plays down the field, as the Browns are likely to sell out to stop the run (their weakness) and force the Ravens to beat them via the pass. The question is whether the WRs are up to the task?
While not always pretty, I expect they will have enough success doing so.
I’m expecting a high scoring game, with the Ravens prevailing 38-31.
Tony Lombardi
The Ravens v. Browns. Some say that’s Old Browns v. New Browns. I guess the Orioles are the old Browns too then – as in St. Louis. But I digress…
This week the Ravens look to move up in the AFC North Standings. If all plays out well – that being a Bengals loss against the Seahawks and a Steelers loss in San Diego, a Ravens win would put them 2 games out with 11 to play, a very manageable proposition.
Unfortunately the Bengals won’t cooperate. They will advance to (5-0) on the season and they will become this week’s media darlings. The Steelers will cooperate when they lose on Monday Night to the Chargers in the league’s worst stadium.
As for the Ravens, it won’t be pretty but ultimately they’ll get a 20-17 win led by Justin Forsett who will churn and burn for 150 yards and a score and move into second place in the division.
Here are a few other things you’ll see on Sunday:
– Two Ravens’ sacks by members of the secondary plus the first Ravens sack by Jason Babin
– Josh McCown will throw for more yards and have a better passer rating than Joe Flacco
– Kamar Aiken gets his first career 100-yard game
– Travis Benjamin scores from 50+ yards out
– The Browns leading rusher during the game will not eclipse 50 yards
– Maxx Williams scores his first career TD
Ryan Jones
It seems like all you have heard this week is how Justin Forsett is going to run all over the Browns awful run defense, and how Kamar Aiken needs to rise to the challenge to help offset the loss of Steve Smith Sr. With the Browns defensive game plan likely based around taking away both my guess is neither are as big a factor as everyone thinks they will be.
Joe Haden will be shadowing Aiken all day, and let’s be real, Haden is a way better corner than Aiken is a wide receiver. And with Mike Pettine challenging his front seven to step up, Cleveland will stack the box and make Joe Flacco beat them with his undrafted and rookie pass catchers. Forsett will still end up around 100 yards, but he’s going to have to grind them out.
This is finally the game where Marlon Brown reemerges, because frankly, he’s going to have to. Brown catches two TDs and Maxx Williams gets his first. 27-20 Ravens
Ken McKusick
The Ravens play well defensively and McCown/Manziel have difficulty with the Baltimore crowd and defense. Finally the Ravens are in position to defend a substantive lead and they do so in the 4th quarter, 27-13. It’s a balanced
offensive effort with the defense setting up at least 1 short field for a score.
Drew Forrester
The Ravens have never lost to the Browns in Baltimore since John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco showed up.
That won’t change this week, even though the wide receivers at John Carroll School might be better than what Flacco will have at his disposal on Sunday.
The Browns have gained some steam in Vegas this week because they went to San Diego and put up some points and McCown threw a few nice balls. When you’re analyzing Cleveland and their ability to compete, just “hanging around” in a game is like a half-a-win for them.
Forget what you saw in San Diego last week — the Browns are coming to Baltimore and getting their wings clipped. Flacco will figure out a way to use one of those receivers adequately enough to throw a touchdown pass and he’ll also run one in himself because, well, his legs are more reliable than Marlon Brown’s hands, I suppose. They’ll also get a rushing TD from Forsett and the defense will man-up like they typically do against bottom-feeder teams.
You’ll be able to catch the light rail home early, if you want.
Ravens 27 – Browns 10
Adam Bonaccorsi
Two 1-3 teams square off, with the loser gaining sole possession the AFC North cellar- a title nobody wants to own.
The Browns offense will come in feeling like they have some momentum but unfortunately for McCown & company, the Ravens can get in the backfield and stop the run much more effectively than their opponent Lst week(Chargers are 29th in Rush D with only 5 sacks on the season). The front 7 pressure of the Ravens should throw the passing game off a bit as well, where I expect to see Jimmy Smith come down with his 3rd pick of the season.
On the other side of the ball, I don’t exactly expect a Cam Cameron-esque ‘run-run-pass’ offense for the Ravens, but I expect to see a heavy dose of the running game, with Buck Allen stealing a redzone TD away from Forsett (and fantasy owners everywhere grumble), and the short pass game to get plenty of work. I’ll even go super bold and say the newly acquired Givens gets behind the Browns defense on a rare offensive snap and nabs a Flacco bomb!
In not a laugher, but it’s not close either.
BAL- 27
CLE- 17
Brian Bower
The Ravens do enough to squeak past the Browns 24-20 to get their first home win of the season.
Justin Forsett runs wild for 120 yards and two touchdowns and newly acquired wide receiver also finds the endzone.
Elvis Dumervil gets 2 sacks and rookie Za’Darius Smith forces a fumble.
Tyler Lombardi
Remember how frustrating this was last season before Joe Flacco hit Torrey Smith on two consecutive passes that gave the Ravens their first lead in the 4th quarter? I expect this game to be very much like that one. With everyone expect a high scoring game, just like matchups in the AFC North usually are, it will be a low-scoring affair that will require the Ravens to a big play late in the game for a win.
Fortunately, Darren Waller will be up to the task. He will use his length in a jump ball situation that will put the Ravens in a position to win the game.
Final score: Ravens 17 Browns 13
Out-of-town Ravens fans can use Hipmunk.com for Baltimore flights to get to M&T Bank Stadium for their Week 5 contest against the Browns. Hipmunk’s Baltimore hotel guide will complete the trip, putting fans near the stadium, near the airport or the most convenient option.
