Tag: Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns

2020 Browns schedule: Cleveland gets just 2 primetime games

The Browns saw their primetime dates cut in half from 2019

After a year of being the media darlings, the 2020 Cleveland Browns will be much less conspicuous on the national scene. The schedule features just two primetime games for Kevin Stefanski’s Browns.

That’s a sharp contrast to last year. The buzzy Browns had four games on the national primetime schedule, projected as rising stars with trendy young standouts like Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett, Odell Beckham Jr. and Nick Chubb. Freddie Kitchens and his staff couldn’t handle the spotlight and weren’t ready for primetime.

Losing some luster off the national profile can only help Stefanski in his rookie coaching season. His Browns are more under the radar, not the chosen buzzworthy team. The Browns play just once on Thursday Night Football and one Monday Night Football date.

Week 2 will be the debut of Joe Burrow on the national stage. The No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft leads his Bengals into FirstEnergy Stadium for Thursday Night Football on Sept. 17th. That’s right — the attention in Cleveland’s first primetime game won’t even be focused on the Browns.

The Monday Night Football home date with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14 could be a huge game. Lamar Jackson vs. Baker Mayfield. The Browns’ star-studded supporting cast against the Ravens’ relative no-names around their MVP star. That game is an easy sell even if the Browns, or the Ravens, fall well short of expectations.

Another game could get flexed into primetime in Weeks 15 and 16. Hopefully these Browns will be deserving of getting flexed into those situations instead of being moved out.

Check out game-by-game score predictions from around the NFL Wires network:

Buf / Mia / NE / NYJ // Bal / Cin / Cle / Pit // Hou / Ind / Jax / Ten // Den / KC / LV / LAC //// Dal / NYG / Phi / Was // Chi / Det / GB / Min // Atl / Car / NO / TB // Ari / LAR / SF / Sea

Ravens are huge favorites against Browns in Week 1 to open 2020 season

The Baltimore Ravens 2020 schedule was just released and they debut as massive favorites over the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.

The Baltimore Ravens 2020 schedule was just released and oddsmakers are already set to take your bets. Week 1’s odds are up and at least one oddsmaker is a huge believer in the Ravens this season.

Going up against the Cleveland Browns to open the season, BetMGM has Baltimore as 7.5-point favorites right now. That’s a massive spread and it’s tied for the second-highest of the week thus far, falling behind the Arizona Cardinals at the San Francisco 49ers which debuted at 8.5 points.

With such a huge spread already set up, some might be tempted to put down some money to take advantage of it. No matter which way you bet — for or against the Ravens and the points — a $100 bet would be a $91 payout if you won.

Though Baltimore struggled early last year, losing to Cleveland in Week 3, it marked their last loss of the 2019 season. The Ravens demolished the Browns, in Cleveland, in Week 16, 31-15. Quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 64.5% of his passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 103 rushing yards on 17 attempts.

In our early score predictions, I had it being a far closer game, with the Ravens winning by just five points. But if you’re the betting type and think you know how the game will go, take advantage of BetMGM’s hefty spread.

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These 6 games will make or break the Browns 2020 season

These 6 games will make or break the Browns 2020 season

The NFL has released the 2020 schedules and with all that is going on in the world, anticipation is at an all-time high. The Cleveland Browns are entering the season with a ton to prove with yet another new coaching staff trying to find their way to success and this schedule provides us a road map on how it’s possible. Here are the four most important games on the slate.

Week 2: September 17 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Thursday Night Football) & Week 7 October, 25 at Cincinnati

Cleveland opens the season up against the defending AFC North Champions, Baltimore Ravens, but their week two contest against the Bengals is far more important. The Week 2 contest is on prime-time in front of the entire country and Cincinnati is a team the Browns need to win convincingly against early.

No one is going to expect a first-time head coach with a team in transition to kick the doors down on the Ravens so early in the season, but Cleveland needs to keep the Bengals in the cellar and they need to double down in Week 7 as well.

Week 10: November 15 vs Houston Texans

Despite not being a divisional game, this game is still extremely important, because it will be Kevin Stefanski and his staff’s first opportunity to showcase how good they are off a bye week and Houston is no joke.

By the time Week 10 rolls around, we will have a solid idea of how good this team is. If the Browns can provide a beatdown to a playoff-caliber team like the Texans, it’s a good sign.

Week 11: November 22 vs Philadelphia Eagles

Right after playing Houston, Cleveland gets to stay at home and take on another extremely well-coached, playoff-caliber team in Philadelphia. With the tumultuous offseason the Texans have faced, it’s difficult to predict them being a good team again in 2020, but all signs point to the Eagles being better this season. Philadelphia is a difficult midseason test for the Browns.

Week 1: September 13 @ Baltimore & Week 14: December 14 vs. Baltimore Ravens (Monday Night Football)

Cleveland needs to show that they belong in the top tier of the AFC and they need to get one win against Baltimore and I think most agree it would be ideal if they got the win at home late in the season in prime-time on Monday Night Football. Beggars can’t be choosers and if they can somehow steal the win in Week 1 — I’m all for it — but that seems like a taller task.

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The 8 best Browns games to stream and re-live on Game Pass

The 8 best Browns games since 2009 to stream and re-live on Game Pass

Stuck inside with nothing to do? Missing sports on television? Thanks to the NFL recently opting to make the Game Pass application free until May, you can scratch both itches with some Cleveland Browns football.

All games back to the 2009 season are free and able to be streamed on the app or on the NFL’s Game Pass website.

There are plenty of Browns games that should just be ignored. But even in some dark seasons in Cleveland’s football history there are some bright lights worthy of re-living. From an overtime thriller over the Ravens, the birth of the Peyton Hillis legend and Baker Mayfield’s stellar debut, here are the eight most worthwhile games to go back and watch from the last decade.

Enjoy!

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Ravens highlight: RB Justice Hill puts the final nail in the Browns coffin

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill effectively ended the Cleveland Browns’ season on an 18-yard rushing touchdown.

The Cleveland Browns threatened to make it a game in the fourth quarter, driving down and scoring a touchdown after some defensive miscues to bring the game to 24-15 with 8:01 left. The Baltimore Ravens still held a two-score lead after foiling the conversion, but things were far from guaranteed.

In response, the Ravens did what they have done so well this season: Grind down the clock with their punishing run game. Quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Gus Edwards ran all over the Cleveland defense, taking it to their 18-yard line.

From there, rookie running back Justice Hill ran it in untouched for his first NFL touchdown — an 18-yard run.

 

The Ravens burned almost five minutes off of the clock with that drive. Up 31-15, it would be the final nail in the Browns’ coffin. Not only did it effectively end the game but it also ended Cleveland’s playoff hopes, officially knocking them out of postseason contention.

In spite of a slow start to this game for both teams, the Ravens found their footing at the end of the first half and never looked back. They’ve now locked themselves in as the top seed in the AFC, making the road to Super Bowl LIV go through Baltimore.

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Lamar Jackson throws MVP-caliber TD to Mark Andrews vs. Browns

Lamar Jackson worked some magic to bring the Ravens to 14-6 at the end of the half, connecting with TE Mark Andrews on a perfect pass.

After a slow start, the Baltimore Ravens offense was able to shake off the rust.

After scoring on a two-play, 32-second drive to get the lead, Baltimore’s defense answered the call to force the Cleveland Browns to a three-and-out. With little more than a minute remaining in the game and no timeouts, quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense weren’t going to be denied.

Marching down the field, Jackson fought off would-be-tacklers to connect with tight end Mark Andrews for his second touchdown of the game.

It was an MVP-caliber throw from Jackson, putting the ball in the spot where only Andrews could catch it in spite of defenders breathing down his neck. It’s proof of ascension from Jackson this season as a passer and the perfect highlight to prove why he’s the MVP frontrunner.

As has been the case all game long, it also hit another big milestone for Jackson. He’s now tied with Cam Newton and Steve Young as the only quarterbacks to ever throw 35 touchdown passes and run for seven more touchdowns. It’s worth noting both those quarterbacks won the NFL’s MVP that season and went to the Super Bowl.

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Lamar Jackson highlight: Jackson sets new Ravens record for TD passes

Lamar Jackson’s 39-yard strike to Mark Andrews set a new Ravens single-season record for touchdown passes.

In a season full of highlights and displays of individual brilliance, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson set a new team record in the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns.

With his 39-yard strike to tight end Mark Andrews that gave the Ravens the lead over the Browns, Jackson now has 34 touchdown passes on the season (he threw his 35th right before halftime). This score breaks the tie for the previous single-season best for the Ravens shared by Jackson and Vinny Testaverde. Testaverde threw his 33 touchdowns back in 1996, the first year the Ravens played in the NFL.

With another touchdown throw right before halftime, Jackson now has an incredible 42 total touchdowns in 2019, with seven on the ground to go with his 35 through the air. What a special campaign this has been for the MVP front runner, and everyone else associated with the Ravens. But the Ravens still need more from him, with just a one-point lead with halftime looming.

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Mark Ingram goes over 1,000 rushing yards, sets Ravens record with Lamar Jackson

Ravens running back Mark Ingram has rushed for 1,000 yards for the third time in his NFL career.

Some people may have questioned just how much running back Mark Ingram had left in the tank after he signed with the Baltimore Ravens prior to the 2019 season. He was coming off a down year in New Orleans in which he rushed for just 645 yards — his lowest total since 2013. But it is safe to say that Ingram has justified the faith Baltimore showed in signing him.

With a six-yard scamper in the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns, Ingram went past the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season. This is his third season with 1,000 yards on the ground after getting there with the Saints in 2016 and 2017.

Ingram is the second Ravens player to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark this season after his teammate Lamar Jackson did so back in Week 14. Jackson and Ingram are the first pair of teammates to have 1,000 yards in the same season since Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams for the Carolina Panthers back in 2009. They’re also the first pair of Ravens to reach the mark together in a single season.

The Ravens will be looking for more from Ingram and the rest of the offense, as they currently trail the Browns 6-0.

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5 reasons the Ravens will win in Week 16

Let’s take a quick look at all the reasons the Ravens won’t let the Browns sweep the series in 2019.

In week 16, the Baltimore Ravens get a chance to avenge one of their two losses this season (arguably the worse of those two). Way back in week 4, Baltimore was all but humiliated in front of their hometown fans against what looked like a far superior Browns team.

How times have changed. Since that loss, the Ravens have regrouped, found their footing, won 10 straight games, clinched a playoff spot, successfully defended their AFC North crown, and are now one victory away from locking up home-field advantage in the playoffs.

The Browns on the other hand . . . are still the Browns; the perennial disappointment, who sit one loss away from their twelfth consecutive losing season and another early elimination from playoff contention (fun fact: the Browns have only had two winning seasons this century).

Unless they win this week.

Let’s take a quick look at all the reasons Baltimore won’t let that happen in week 16.

The Ravens’ Defense

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

What was Baltimore’s Achilles heel in the last meeting has become nearly a perfect counterpoint to this seasons’ electric offense. The additions of linebackers L.J. Fort and Josh Bynes, coupled with the acquisition of cornerback Marcus Peters, has completely turned around a defensive unit that looked like a catastrophe in Week 4. Not only have they catapulted themselves from 27th to 6th in terms of overall defense, but they have scored five touchdowns during their winning streak while generating more turnovers (18) than opponent touchdowns (15).

Sure, the Ravens’ offense has been putting up a record number of points, but their defense can wear down anyone and the Browns offense just doesn’t seem to match up.

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Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns sports betting odds and lines, with Week 16 NFL betting picks, tips and bets.

The Baltimore Ravens (12-2) and Cleveland Browns (6-8) will square off at FirstEnergy Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (on CBS). We analyze the Ravens-Browns sports betting odds and lines, with NFL betting picks and tips for the Week 16 matchup.

Ravens at Browns: Week 16 preview, betting trends and notes

Get some action on the game at BetMGM by placing a sports bet!

  • The AFC North Division champion Ravens look to lock up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a victory.
  • The Browns inexplicably won 40-25 back on Sept. 29 in Baltimore, their best showing of the season by far. Cleveland won outright as a 7-point favorite that afternoon.
  • The Ravens rank No. 2 in the NFL in total yards per game (409.7), while checking in first in rushing yards (202.1 YPG) and points  (33.7 PPG).
  • Defensively, Baltimore ranks sixth in the NFL with 314.3 YPG allowed, while ranking seventh in passing yards per game (218.1), fifth in rushing yards (96.1 YPG) and fourth in points allowed per game (18.4).
  • The Ravens are 7-1 ATS in the past eight games overall, and 4-0 ATS in the past four on the road, while going 5-1 ATS in the past six as a favorite.
  • Baltimore is just 1-7 ATS in the past eight games inside the AFC North Division, however.
  • Cleveland is 4-1 ATS in its past five divisional matchups, but just 6-22-2 ATS in the past 30 against teams with a winning record.

Ravens at Browns: Key injuries

Ravens: OT Ronnie Stanley (concussion) and LB Chris Board (concussion) are questionable.

Browns: C Joseph Tretter (knee), DT Sheldon Richardson (back), DE Olivier Vernon (knee), S Eric Murray (knee), RB Dontrell Hilliard (neck) and T Kendall Lamm (knee) are questionable.

Ravens at Browns: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 12:40 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Ravens 37, Browns 19

Moneyline (?)

The Ravens (-500) are a strong play on the road – but they’re a huge favorite. You can’t risk five times the return, and the Browns (+375) aren’t beating them again.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the moneyline returns a $2 profit with a Baltimore victory.

Against the Spread (?)

The RAVENS (-9.5, -115) have it all in front of them as they can lock up home-field advantage and make the playoffs go through Charm City with a win Sunday. They can also lock up some much-needed rest in Week 17 for key members of the team. Plus, they can exact a little revenge along the way.

Over/Under (?)

OVER 49.5 (-110) is worth a small-unit wager as the Ravens could come close to cashing it all on their own by winning this revenge game. The Over is 5-1 in their past six as a road favorite, while the Over is 5-2-1 in Cleveland’s past eight inside the AFC North.

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