Tag: Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns

Browns Injury Report: 10 listed on Wednesday’s report with Ravens three days away

The Browns have a lengthy injury list.

The Cleveland Browns are looking to get back in the win column after losing to the Cincinnati Bengals. On a short week, the Browns are set to host another AFC North foe as the Baltimore Ravens are coming to town on Saturday. The Browns, however, are dealing with a pretty long injury list as they look to retake the field in three days.

However, the good news for the Browns is that quarterback Lamar Jackson has not practiced yet this week either. Should the Browns get Tyler Huntley under center, their already favored odds could continue to increase.

Who appeared on the Browns’ injury list? We take a look here.

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Browns will salute the Kardiac Kids with white facemasks vs. Ravens

The Browns are saluting the Kardiac Kids this weekend

After wide receiver Jaelon Darden hinted at it on his Instagram, the Cleveland Browns have confirmed they will be saluting the Kardiac Kids this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens by sporting white facemasks instead of their usual brown ones.

The Browns have not worn white facemasks since 2005 when they transitioned to grey ones. They have since worn brown facemasks since 2015. White is the cleanest look and one the Browns should go back to full-time starting in 2023. Hopefully, this turns into more than a one-week celebration and the Browns return to their roots with a white facemask in the future beyond this matchup against the Ravens.

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Browns as 2.5 point favorites over Ravens signifies doubt around Lamar Jackson

Is Lamar Jackson’s playing status this weekend in doubt?

Despite being three and a half games behind them in the standings, the Cleveland Browns are 2.5-point favorites over the Baltimore Ravens as the books open up. This would seem to indicate the status of Ravens’ quarterback, Lamar Jackson, is in doubt after missing yesterday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On a short week, Vegas believes the Ravens will once again turn to Tyler Huntley against the Browns on Saturday afternoon at 4:30 PM.

Sitting at 5-8 after an ugly loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns will need to win out and they need some other magic to happen in order to sniff the playoffs. That all starts, however, with a win this Saturday over their divisional rival.

Browns Ravens Lamar Jackson

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NFL sets the Browns-Ravens game in Week 15 for a Saturday kickoff

The Browns will host the Ravens on Saturday, December 17th

The NFL set the date and time for a few December games that had remained in “to be determined” status on Monday. One such game is the matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium in Week 15.

The AFC North matchup is now scheduled as part of a Saturday tripleheader to be broadcast on the NFL Network. Cleveland will host Baltimore on Saturday, December 17th at 4:30 p.m. ET.

It’s the middle game of the tripleheader, coming after the Colts visit the Vikings and before the Dolphins vs. Bills nightcap. Baltimore won the first meeting back in Week 7, beating Cleveland 23-20.

Get out the calendars and adjust accordingly.

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Myles Garrett sets the Browns single-season sack record and scores a TD in the process

Myles Garrett set the Browns single-season sack record with a strip-sack and TD recovery against the Ravens

Myles Garrett set a Browns defensive record and made it count on the scoreboard, too.

Garrett broke his tie with Reggie Camp for the Browns’ single-season sack record with a spectacular strip-sack of Ravens QB Tyler Huntley. Garrett’s 15th sack of the season topped Camp’s 14 back in 1984. The record-breaker came in Cleveland’s 13th game, while Camp needed 16.

Even better, Garrett scooped up the loose ball and scampered into the end zone for a Browns touchdown on the play. After a brief review that proved Garrett knocked the ball out before Huntley started his throwing motion, the Browns expanded the lead to 24-3 in the second quarter.

Unique schedule quirk with Ravens plays to the Browns advantage

The Browns play the Ravens back-to-back around their Week 13 bye

The 2021 Cleveland Browns schedule is officially out, and we have all had some time to digest the peculiar-looking 18-week season. Although the extra week of games makes the schedule seem a bit strange, a certain portion of the Browns schedule catches the eye when looking it over. In Week 12 the Browns will travel to Baltimore to play on Sunday Night Football followed by a bye week in Week 13 and a home game with the Ravens at 1:00 p.m. EST in Week 15.

The Week 12 game in Baltimore is one that gets highlighted immediately. It is in primetime on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, and it is the first time the Browns will meet the Ravens in 2021. All AFC North games carry extra significance, but the Ravens appear at this point to be the Browns greatest competition to win the AFC North in 2021. Not to mention they lost twice to them last year including potentially the best NFL game of the season in Week 14 at home on Monday Night Football 47-42.

The Browns were able to exercise quite a few demons last season on their way to an 11-5 record and the divisional round of the playoffs, however the Ravens were not one of them. In order to take the next step, they will need to at least split with the Ravens 2021.

Advantages of unusual schedule with Ravens

Playing the Ravens twice in three weeks with a bye in between does have some built-in advantages. First, the Ravens do not have a bye in between the two games and must travel to Pittsburgh in Week 13. The Browns will be able to rest, recover and adjust for the second match-up with the Ravens for two weeks while the Ravens must play another AFC North rival.

Another advantage of the scheduling with Baltimore is the freedom to focus only on Baltimore for three straight weeks. The Ravens are difficult to prepare for. Lamar Jackson and their run-first offense requires specialized preparation. It is unlike any other offense they face all year. Not having to get ready to face them on two separate occasions in between matchups with other opponents lightens up the rest of the schedule and allows the Browns to block off a three-week period in which they can dedicate their attention to the Ravens’ unique style of play.

The fate of the AFC North will be tremendously impacted during these three weeks. The importance of the Browns’ ability to get a win against Baltimore is paramount in 2021. To be able to focus on just this matchup for three weeks is a luxury and not one afforded equally to the Ravens. Head coach Kevin Stefanski and his staff will get two weeks to adjust to whatever happens on Sunday night in Week 12. Moreover, they get to come home for the second matchup allowing the Browns players and coaches to be home for two straight weeks. Meanwhile, the Ravens will travel to Pittsburgh and then face the Browns in Cleveland in back-to-back weeks.

At first glance, Weeks 12, 13 and 14 on the schedule made many double-check to make sure it is not a mistake or a misprint. Now with some time to take a hard look at the schedule, it presents the Browns with an auspicious opportunity. When you take the Ravens out of the rest of the schedule it lightens the load on a week-to-week basis while simultaneously allowing them to dedicate three consecutive weeks to winning what likely will be the most important games on their schedule.

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The 6 most important games on the Browns 2021 schedule

Here are six games that stood out upon the official Browns schedule release.

The Cleveland Browns are coming off a fantastic 11-5 season in 2020, one which culminated in the franchise’s first playoff victory in the 21st century. There is considerable promise surrounding coach Kevin Stefanski’s young Browns in 2021.

If the Browns are to surpass last year’s tremendous steps in the winning direction, there are a few telling games on the 2021 schedule. How the Browns fare these key matchups or difficult challenges will tell a lot about if the 2021 regular season will be considered a success or not.

Here are the six games that stood out upon the official schedule release.

Baker Mayfield’s Hail Mary was the longest throw in air yards of 2020

Mayfield’s throw traveled over 70 yards in the air

So much for the pre-draft myth that Baker Mayfield doesn’t have an NFL arm. As if it needed any more disproving, Mayfield launched the longest throw in air yards of the entire 2020 season in Monday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Mayfield’s Hail Mary at the end of the first half flew from just behind the Browns’ 40-yard line and sailed out of the Ravens end zone. Ravens safety Chuck Clark wound up in the concussion protocol from crashing into the goal post in an attempt to track it down.

Both Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus charted the throw at over 70 yards from launch point to the ball landing just out of the back of the end zone. Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus noted that the throw is the second-longest in air yards traveled that PFF has ever tracked, since 2006.

It would be better if the pass was completed, obviously. But throw this back at anyone who tries to say Mayfield doesn’t have arm strength.

Ravens place 3 WRs including Marquise Brown on reserve/COVID-19 list

They were close contacts to a coach that tested positive and played on Monday night after that contact

Marquise Brown scored a key touchdown in the Baltimore Ravens’ win on Monday night over the Cleveland Browns. Less than two days after that game ended, Brown was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Brown is one of three Ravens wide receivers to be placed on the list on Wednesday, along with Myles Boykin and James Proche. They were all deemed as close contacts to a coach who tested positive.

The timing of that contact dates back to Monday — before the Ravens played in Cleveland. In theory, that could mean they unknowingly exposed Browns players and anyone in close contact (officials, training staff) to the virus.

Because the close contact occurred on Monday, the players will all be able to play for the Ravens on Sunday if they can pass COVID-19 tests through the week. That’s akin to what happened with Wyatt Teller heading into the Browns Week 13 game in Tennessee.

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Snap count notes: Browns shifted to 3 WR base offense vs. Ravens

For the first time all year 3 WRs played more than the No. 1 TE

Whether it was a function of top tight end Austin Hooper being out with injury or the plan of attack against the Ravens defense, the Cleveland Browns offense shifted hard to a three wide receiver attack on Monday night.

The third WR, rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones, played 58 snaps, or 70 percent of the available snaps. That is the highest percentage of action for the third wideout in the Kevin Stefanski era. One week earlier in the matchup against Tennessee, Peoples-Jones played 57 percent of reps and that was the prior season-high.

Jarvis Landry played 76 of the 83 offensive snaps, with Rashard Higgins close behind at 69. The top tight end, rookie Harrison Bryant, was on the field for just 55. David Njoku closely followed with 51.

The running back split again remained a close share, with Nick Chubb getting the slight advantage over Kareem Hunt, 44 to 39.

Also of note on the offense, Chris Hubbard filled in as both the backup left tackle for the four snaps Jedrick Wills missed and all five of the reps Wyatt Teller missed at right guard. Ja’Marcus Bradley played four snaps as the No. 4 wide receiver.

Cleveland’s defense was on the field for just 60 snaps against Baltimore, and no Browns defender played all 60. Cornerbacks Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell led the way at 59 apiece, followed by end Olivier Vernon at 58 and safety Andrew Sendejo at 55.

It was a linebacker-by-committee against the Ravens. B.J. Goodson topped the LBs with 50 reps, followed by Malcolm Smith (43), Sione Takitaki (28), Mack Wilson (17) and Jacob Phillips (10). Third safety Sheldrick Redwine was on the field for 13 of the 60 snaps.

Linebackers Tae Davis and Elijah Lee both saw action on 20 special teams reps but did not play on defense. Cornerback Tavierre Thomas had just one rep on defense but 27 on special teams.