Cleveland Browns Face Toughest Test In Weeks Against Baltimore Ravens

Ravens coach John Harbaugh could tell people didn’t believe him when he called the Browns a “really good football team” after Baltimore beat Cleveland 38-6 in Week 1. 

To be fair to Harbaugh’s doubters, there wasn’t much evidence to support his theory. The Browns managed as many third-down conversions (three) as turnovers; Baker Mayfield posted the seventh-worst quarterback rating (64.0) of his career; and Cleveland’s defense allowed 6.6 yards per play. 

That was 13 weeks ago. The Browns (9-3) haven’t lost in five. Mayfield hasn’t thrown an interception in six. The Browns defense ranks third in takeaways (20). 

Turns out, Harbaugh was right. 

“I thought that was an obvious statement,” Harbaugh said Thursday about his Week 1 comments. “I know some people in the media kind of rolled their eyes at the time, but to me, it was kind of a statement of the obvious.”

Here’s another obvious statement: Monday night’s Browns-Ravens game has massive playoff implications. After the Steelers’ Monday night loss to the Washington Football Team, the Browns (9-3) are suddenly live dogs in the AFC North race. The ninth-seeded Ravens (7-5) need every win they can muster to stay in the playoff picture. 

Both Browns fans and players are excited. Just ask running back Kareem Hunt, who falls in both categories. 

“Being born and raised here, it is huge,” Hunt said. “Everybody is happy. I have never seen it growing up. I definitely want to just keep rolling and keep winning.” 

Accomplishing that goal means the Browns will have to play much better than they did in the season-opener. Having 14 weeks of experience with Kevin Stefanski’s coaching staff will go a long way, but experience alone will not beat the talented Ravens. 

Mayfield still has to watch himself against Baltimore’s pass defense, which ranks ninth in opposing quarterback rating (89.3). The Browns haven’t faced a defense that ranks higher than 25th in that category during their four-game winning streak. 

The Browns defense has to find a way to contain Lamar Jackson, who has averaged 374 total yards per game and scored 11 touchdowns in four career starts against Cleveland. Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, the Browns’ main tool for stopping everything, called Jackson “slippery” and “Illusive” and said that Jackson is always aware of a pass rusher’s presence.

“You really just have to shoot your shot,” Garrett said of trying to tackle Jackson. “This guy is going to make you miss on a few and you are going to make those plays, but some of those — he is one of the best for a reason.”

Those numbers came against the old Browns, the cursed Browns. Cleveland doesn’t look like that team anymore. Mayfield said this week the Browns’ culture has changed.

But the Ravens are the best team Cleveland has played since they lost 38-7 to Pittsburgh in Week 6. As good as the Titans offense is, their defense isn’t. The Ravens are healthy, hungry — desperate, even, considering their precarious playoff positioning.

The Browns have already proven they’re a good team. They beat another good team in the Titans last week. 

Can they do it again? Against a good team with a good defense? 

“This is a very important one,” Mayfield said. “… It’s just those that you have to have down the stretch. We know they are a great team.”