Browns Game Preview: Week 4 vs. Ravens (2024)


Browns at Ravens -- Week 4
Where:M&T Bank Stadium(grass, outdoors), Baltimore, Md.

When:Thursday, 8:20 p.m., ET (NBC local, NFL Network)

Spread:Ravens by 13

Forecast:61 degrees, virtually no wind, 60 percent chance of showers

Records:Browns (Overall: 0-3, AFC North 0-1), Ravens (Overall: 2-1, AFC North: 1-0)

Past results:Two most recent regular-season meetings: Dec. 24, 2011: Ravens 20, Browns 14; Dec. 4, 2011: Ravens 24, Browns 10. Series record: Ravens hold 19-7 (including last eight).

What matters:The Browns have a bad week for a short week. They performed poorly in every facet of the game at home against Buffalo on Sunday and now must play a far superior opponent on the road coming off a huge, emotional victory against New England. A secondary playing without premier cornerback Joe Haden (suspension) will be severely tested against a high-powered passing offense playing at peak efficiency. The Ravens’ frequent use of the no-huddle will provide an additional challenge. A Browns offensive line that struggled in both run blocking and pass protection against a tough Bills front four will have their hands full again against a savvy and talented Ravens front seven. The Browns can save what appears to be a lost season and turn it in the right direction with an upset here. With new owner Jimmy Haslam sure to be approved on October 16, the jobs of coach Pat Shurmur and GM Tom Heckert are on the line. The Browns might need to show they are making progress to give them the best chance to stick around. That is, unless Haslam has already made up his mind about their futures.

Who matters:Shurmur seems to be losing patience and appears unafraid to make changes. It appears that WR Greg Little is on a short leash. His Usain Bolt pose after infrequent catches with the Browns losing are over on his orders. The secondary remains in flux. Look for FS Usama Young to remain the starter over Eric Hagg, who went from starting to being inactive against Buffalo. Tashaun Gipson should also receive plenty of reps. Among the few pleasant surprises defensively have been LB Craig Robertson and rookie tackle Billy Winn, a fifth-round pick who received far more playing time than third-rounder John Hughes against the Bills. Winn slapped down successive Ryan Fitzpatrick passes in that game and is emerging as a force inside. Quarterback Brandon Weeden irked Shurmur a bit by proclaiming he was happy with his performance on Sunday, but can make up for it with a strong game. He was inconsistent against Buffalo, but his receivers did him no favors with drops in the open field. Weeden would be helped if the offensive line opens holes for rookie RB Trent Richardson, which it failed to do on Sunday. Neither the ground game nor aerial attack will be productive without the other working efficiently.

Key matchups:QB Brandon Weeden vs. FS Ed Reed.Reed remains one of the premier ball-hawks in the NFL despite his advanced age. Richardson must be aware of his presence at all times without becoming fearful of throwing the ball. Reed has specialized in picking off passes against the Browns over the years and is likely drooling over the prospect of adding the rookie Weeden to his list of victims.SS T.J. Ward vs. TE Dennis Pitta.Pitta has emerged as one of the more dangerous pass-catching tight ends in the game and Ward is fine against the run, but has struggled at times in coverage. The Ravens have enough weapons. The Browns don’t need Pitta to become a problem.

Injuries of note:WR Mohamed Massaquoi (hamstring) has not practiced this week, but offensive coordinator Brad Childress said on Tuesday that he expects him to play. He had been the team’s best wide receiver in the first two games. The blocking of TE Alex Smith (concussion) was sorely missed on Sunday against Buffalo, though Jordan Cameron is improving in that area and showed his talent as a pass-catcher with five receptions. The Browns are expecting starting DT Phil Taylor (pectoral) back in a few weeks.

Inside stuff:Shurmur and Childress obviously feel that having a strong pass-catching threat is of paramount importance at the backup running back spot. If there’s any running to do, it will be done by Richardson. That’s why Brandon Jackson, who was impressive in the preseason, has been inactive the last two weeks and Montario Hardesty has yet to touch the ball on offense. The Browns have instead used Chris Ogbonnaya on third downs. Ogbonnaya has contributed nine receptions in the last two games.

Connections:The Ravens, of course,werethe Browns before 1996. Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome was the best tight end in Browns history and spent five years in their pro personnel department before the move of the franchise to Baltimore. Ravens senior personnel assistant George Kokinis spent part of his ill-fated 2009 season as the Browns’ general manager.

Stat you should know:Browns DE Jabaal Sheard registered 8.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in 2011 and has none of either this season. He has applied some pressure on quarterbacks and has registered two pass breakups, but Sheard and DT Ahtyba Rubin have yet to register a sack. Defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said Tuesday that Sheard is getting more attention and has been chipped more often in pass rushing situations than he was last year.

Looking ahead:At least the Browns will have more time to prepare next week for a game at the New York Giants. But unless they perform significantly better than they did against the Bills, they will most assuredly be 0-5. They return home the following week to play Cincinnati. Haden is scheduled to return from his suspension for that game.

Prediction:Ravens 31, Browns 13

Stay dialed in on theBrowns on Twitter at@CBSBrownsthroughout the season with on-site updates from CBSSports.com RapidReports correspondent Marty Gitlin.

Browns Game Preview: Week 4 vs. Ravens (2024)

FAQs

Who is predicted to win between the Browns and the Ravens? ›

The Ravens are the favorites, expected to win by at least a field goal but less than a touchdown (currently -6).

What is the line on Browns vs Ravens? ›

Ravens vs. Browns over/under: 38 points. Ravens vs. Browns money line: Ravens -286, Browns +230.

Are the Ravens better than the Browns? ›

The two AFC North rivals have played twice annually since 1999 when they represented the bygone AFC Central Division. The rivalry has been relatively one-sided; Baltimore holds an advantage of 36–14 against Cleveland. The two teams have yet to meet in the playoffs.

How to watch Browns vs. Ravens? ›

How to watch today's Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens game: Livestream options, starting time, more
  1. WATCH THE GAME ON SLING TV.
  2. $30 at Sling TV.
  3. Start your FuboTV free trial.
  4. $77 per month at Hulu.
  5. $58 at Amazon.
  6. $7 per month at NFL+
Nov 12, 2023

Can the Browns reach the playoffs? ›

Cleveland Browns Playoff Chances FAQs

What are the Browns' playoff chances? The Browns have a 40% chance to make the 2024/2025 playoffs. Do the Browns have a chance to make the playoffs? The Browns officially locked in a playoff spot for 2023-24.

Do the Ravens own the Browns? ›

The Ravens originated when Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell decided to relocate his historic franchise, and he reached a deal with the city of Baltimore to move his team in 1996.

How many times did the Browns beat the Ravens? ›

The Cleveland Browns have a record of 14-36 against the Ravens all-time.

Who has the most wins against the Browns? ›

The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most wins by a team versus the Browns, with 79 wins.

How good is the Browns offensive line? ›

Despite the loss of Callahan, one analyst who specializes in breaking down trench play expects the Browns to field a top unit ahead of the 2024 season. Brandon Thorn who puts out his annual rankings for Establish the Run, ranked the team as having the third-best offensive line in the league in his latest ranking.

Who is the Browns biggest rival? ›

On the latest episode of his podcast QB Unplugged, Watson talked about the Browns rivalries with each of their AFC north foes. One, is an in-state rival in Cincinnati. One if the city that originally stole Cleveland's team in 1995. It's the third one though, Pittsburgh, that remains the biggest of them all.

Who is the Ravens' biggest rival? ›

Who Are the Baltimore Ravens' Biggest Rivals? Besides the Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens' biggest rivals are the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots. The Ravens also have a fierce rivalry with the Tennessee Titans.

Who has beaten the Ravens the most? ›

The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most wins by a team against the Ravens, with 32 wins.

Why aren't the Browns on Fox? ›

Due to blackout restrictions, a game can't be shown on a network directly against a game involving a team in their home market. This means the Browns won't be shown on FOX when the Detroit Lions are playing, as FOX is the Lions' home market and their games are broadcast on FOX.

Is the Browns game free on Amazon Prime? ›

Prime members in the U.S. can watch Thursday Night Football on Prime Video for no additional fees by clicking “Watch.”

How to watch Cleveland Browns today? ›

Watch Browns games live on FOX. Watch Browns games live, locally on NBC.

What is the record between the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens? ›

The Cleveland Browns have a record of 14-36 against the Ravens all-time.

What are the odds for the Browns to win their division? ›

Browns Division Odds

Baltimore Ravens: +135. Cincinnati Bengals: +165. Cleveland Browns: +500. Pittsburgh Steelers: +700.

Do the Browns have a chance to win the Super Bowl? ›

While our computer ranking puts Cleveland eighth-best in the NFL in terms of winning the Super Bowl, the team's Super Bowl odds rank comes in much worse, ranking it 15th-best. With odds of +4000, Cleveland has been given a 2.4% chance of winning the Super Bowl.

What are the chances of the Ravens making the playoffs? ›

The Ravens are given a 74.4% chance to make the postseason, based on the implied probability of the odds above.

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