What: Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns

When: Sunday 1 pm

Vegas Odds: Ravens (-2) OVER/UNDER 42

 

The Ravens and the Browns both come into this game at 1-1 with both teams winning last week. The Ravens steamrolled the shit out of the Steelers on Thursday Night Football 26-6. In an emotional game Joe Flacco threw for a pedestrian 166 yards, Bernard Pierce ran for 96, and Steve Smith caught 6 passes for 71 yards. The Ravens Defense forced 2 fumbles and held the Steelers to just 301 yards of total offense.

The Browns are riding high after Billy Cundiff kicked a late game winning field goal to beat Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints 26-24. Brian Hoyer threw for 204 yards and a TD, Terrance the Towson Tiger West rushed for 68 yards and a TD, and receiver Andrew Hawkins led the Browns with 6 catches for 70 yards and the crucial catch on the Browns final drive. The Browns defense returned a Drew Brees interception for a touchdown.

 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Can the Browns handle success?

There’s that old saying **“Everybody has success but only a few know what to do with it.”** Will the Browns be able to build off last weekend’s emotional win and come out with a win over the stolen Browns Ravens? Or will they come out flat like they did in the first game vs. Pittsburgh? If the Browns can jump out to a quick lead, I don’t think the Ravens will be able to dig themselves out of that hole.

 

Teacher vs. Mentor

Mike Pettine was an outside linebackers coach for the Ravens under Jim Harbaugh. Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans who were coached by current Ravens OC Gary Kubiak. I’m sure hours upon hours of film study were spent on the tendencies of the former coaching partners. It really doesn’t matter though, our coach can beat up your coach.

 

Ravens receiver/Browns cornerback matchup

Do you put Joe Haden on Torrey Smith or Steve Smith? It’s well documented that Haden struggles against the smaller, shifty, receievers. If I’m defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil I put Justin Gilbert/Buster Skrine on Stever Smith and leave Joe on an island with Torrey Smith.

 

Can Hoyer get to 5-1 as a starter?

His good hasn’t been great but his bad hasn’t been awful. If Hoyer can manage the game, hit the open receivers, and not have any turnovers I think we win this game. This Ravens defense isn’t what it used to be so there’ll definitely be opportunities to score. If Brian throws for 240+ yards with no turnovers the Browns have a very good shot at winning this game.

 

Will the crowd be as effective as it was last Sunday?

The crowd was deafening last Sunday forcing Drew Brees to burn a couple timeouts and confused the Saints offense at the line of scrimmage. If the crowd isn’t taken out of the game early expect the Dawg Pound to be an absolute madhouse. I hear the Ravens talk a lot of shit to the fans before the game. If there’s one thing I know about Browns fans it’s that they don’t take any shit and that they’ll give it right back. I fully expect Steve Smith to be a main target of the heckling and when the game is over expect Smith to claim the title of “Most Hated Raven.”

 

What can we expect out of Swagger?

Word on the street is that Swagger HATES birds and especially hates Ravens. Expect him to be running around the field all fired up with flames of hate in his eyes. Here’s to hoping he leaves Terrell Suggs a nice little brown present in his helmet and gives Terrell this face:

Prediction:

Browns 31 Ravens 20. Browns cover the (+2) spread and the game goes OVER 42.

Trends: Browns are 2-0 against the spread and both of their games have gone OVER

 

**I totally made that saying up**