Cleveland (0-1) at Baltimore (0-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
Against the spread: Browns 1-0, Ravens 0-1.
Series record: Ravens lead 37-15.
Last meeting: Ravens beat Browns 35-10 on Jan. 4 in Baltimore.
Last week: Browns lost to Bengals 17-16; Ravens lost to Bills 41-40.
Browns offense: overall (13), rush (30), pass (5), scoring (22).
Browns defense: overall (2), rush (T1), pass (2), scoring (12).
Ravens offense: overall (T2), rush (1), pass (17), scoring (2).
Ravens defense: overall (32), rush (18), pass (32), scoring (32).
Turnover differential: Browns minus-2, Ravens minus-1.
QB Joe Flacco will play in Baltimore for the first time as a visiting quarterback. Flacco played 11 seasons for the Ravens (2008-18) and led the franchise to its second Super Bowl title during the 2012 season. He remains the franchise leader in yards passing (38,245) and touchdown passes (212). He is 0-1 against the Ravens despite throwing for 309 yards with the Jets in loss in 2022. Flacco completed 31 of 45 passes for 290 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions last week.
RB Derrick Henry picked up where he left off a season ago, rushing for 169 yards and two touchdowns against Buffalo. But he also had a fumble late in the game that helped the Bills come back. He's emblematic of Baltimore's need to combine its overall dominance with better care of the ball.
Baltimore's offensive line against Cleveland's defensive front. The Ravens had little trouble moving the ball at Buffalo, but it's possible the Browns could provide a stronger test after holding Cincinnati to 141 total yards last week.
Browns; RT Jack Conklin (eye, elbow) is expected to be back after he left the first half of Sunday's game after being poked in the eye. DT Mike Hall (knee) is on track to make his season debut after missing last week.
Ravens: FB Patrick Ricard (calf) and TE Isaiah Likely (foot) missed last weekend's game and missed practice time this week. DT Nnamdi Madubuike (ankle) and CB Jaire Alexander (knee) were also on the injury report this week.
Baltimore beat Cleveland in the 2024 regular-season finale to wrap up the AFC North title. ... The Ravens are celebrating their 30th year in Baltimore at this game, which is their home opener. That move to Baltimore, of course, remains infamous in Cleveland. ... Although the Ravens have dominated the overall series, the teams have split their two games in each of the past four seasons.
Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski is 4-6 against the Ravens. ... RB Dylan Sampson had 93 scrimmage yards (64 rushing, 29 receiving) in his NFL debut last week. His eight catches were tied for the fourth most by a rookie running back in his first game. ... WR Jerry Jeudy has at least five catches and 60 yards receiving in 10 of his past 11 games. ... TE Harold Fannin's seven catches were tied for the second most by a rookie last week. ... Rookie LB Carson Schwesinger led the Browns with eight tackles last week. ... DE Myles Garrett had his 22nd game with at least two sacks. He has 8 1/2 sacks in 14 games against the Ravens. ... CB Denzel Ward has three interceptions in nine meetings vs. Baltimore. ... Five of Baltimore's first six opponents made the playoffs last season. Cleveland is the only team that didn't. ... Henry needs two more rushing TDs to tie Walter Payton (110) for fifth on the career list. He needs 103 yards rushing to equal Fred Taylor (11,695) for 17th all time. ... Baltimore's DeAndre Hopkins has at least one reception in each of his first 179 games. The record to start a career is 190 by Marvin Harrison. ... Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has led the team in yards rushing and passing 39 times. The record is 40 by Cam Newton. ... Jackson has produced at least two TD passes and a passer rating of 90 or higher in nine consecutive games, including playoffs. The only players to do it 10 times in a row are Aaron Rodgers (14), Philip Rivers (13), Peyton Manning (13), Tom Brady (12), Patrick Mahomes (11) and Drew Brees (10).
It's hard to recommend a QB from a double-digit underdog, but Baltimore's secondary struggled enough last weekend that maybe Flacco is an option? Especially since Cleveland may be playing from behind and need to pass.
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