The Browns have lost three games to Tier 3 quarterbacks among their four losses. Now they'll face former league MVP Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. (USA Today)
Cleveland Browns scouting report: Baltimore Ravens
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst on the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, 1 p.m., in M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
Record: 3-3.
Last game: Lost to New York Giants, 24-20, on Oct. 16.
Coach: John Harbaugh, 151-99, 15th year.
Series record: Ravens lead, 34-12.
Last meeting: Browns won, 24-22, Dec. 12, in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is ninth overall (sixth rushing, 24th passing), defense is 25th overall (eighth rushing, 28th passing) and turnover differential is plus-4.
Things to watch
1. The Ravens replaced defensive coordinator Don (Wink) Martindale with former linebackers coach Mike Macdonald, and the results have not been great. Schematically, the defense transformed from running the most blitzes to the fewest. Macdonald relies on the defensive front to apply pressure and the secondary plays a lot more zone. The pass rush has missed injured linebacker Tyus Bowser (who may be back this week) and edge rushers Justin Houston and David Ojabo (neither will be back). The Ravens have blown double-digit leads in each of their three losses. Exacerbating those breakdowns was the fact Martindale, relocated to the Giants, held the Ravens to their second-lowest point total last week in a 24-20 Ravens loss.
2. The offense has contributed to the blown leads. The running game has had difficulty possessing the ball in the fourth quarter. Lead back J.K. Dobbins has not played a full game yet and is averaging only 3.5 yards a rush on 35 attempts. Kenyan Drake became the first Ravens back to crack 100 yards last week. Quarterback Lamar Jackson (451 yards rushing) is on his way to a third 1,000-yard rushing season.
3. Jackson’s played a huge part in the losses, too. A late interception in the end zone cost the Ravens a win over Buffalo. Against the Giants, Jackson had a botched snap on third down, an interception and a lost fumble on a strip sack in the last 3 ½ minutes. In his three full seasons, Jackson averaged nine interceptions. This year, he has six in six games. Jackson’s passing is suffering because the Ravens’ always-problematic receiving situation is as bleak as ever. With Rashod Bateman out with a foot injury, the Ravens got only 45 yards from wide receivers last week. Go-to tight end Mark Andrews is having another Pro Bowl year (39 receptions, 455 yards, 5 touchdowns), but defenses can double him because of lack of respect for the wideouts.
4. In the past two seasons, the Ravens introduced a new long snapper and a new holder/punter into their kick placement team, and kicker Justin Tucker keeps rolling along. Tucker’s records include: best field-goal percentage of all time (91.1), seven consecutive seasons of 30+ field goals made, longest field goal in history (66 yards), and seven game-winning field goals with no time remaining. His miss from 56 yards last week snapped a streak of 10 in a row made from 50+.
Did you know … ?
1. The Eagles are the only other team to hold double-digit leads in every game this year. They’ve won them all.
2. The Browns have given up a league-high 67 points in the fourth quarter. The Ravens are next-worst with 64.
3. The Ravens have forced at least one turnover in eight straight games – longest streak in the NFL. Their plus-4 turnover differential is tied for second in the league this year. The Ravens were minus-11 last year, their worst mark in the Harbaugh era.
4. Harbaugh is 23-5 against the Browns. That’s better than Mike Tomlin’s record of 24-7-1.
Small world: Executive VP Ozzie Newsome is the Browns’ all-time leader in receiving yards and is one of 17 members of the Browns in the Pro Football Hall of Fame … President Sashi Browns was Browns legal counsel 2013-15 and was executive VP/football operations from 2016-17 … Director of player personnel George Kokinis was Browns GM for half a season in 2009 … Guard Kevin Zeitler played for the Browns 2017-18 … Run game coordinator/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver coached Browns defensive line 2014-15 … Offensive coordinator Greg Roman attended John Carroll University.
