Browns’ division title hopes hinge on avenging 28-3 loss to Ravens, now on their turf
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
BALTIMORE, MD
Four downs on Browns (5-3) v. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
First down: Thank you, A-Walk.
Like most teams, the Browns are trained by their coach to take “one game at a time.” They strive to go “1-0 every week.” They are hesitant to publicly label any game as any more important than the others. A common refrain is: “It’s a big game because it’s the next game.” That’s actually the line linebacker Anthony Walker delivered in front of cameras in his Wednesday locker room podium appearance when asked about the importance of this game against the division-leading Ravens. But on the next night, Walker appeared on the Kevin Stefanski Show on the Browns Radio Network and his tune changed. In a long-welcomed revelation of candor, the defensive captain said, “This is what you play the game for. Obviously, it’s still technically early in the season … games starting to mean a little more in December, January. But if I’m being honest, this is our playoffs. We start now. We put it on the table early that we want to win our division. We want to take that next step as an organization, as a team. You got to beat the teams that have continuously won our division, the Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. We gotta find a way to get those wins. And it starts now for us. This is a big week and should propel us until the rest of the season. But this is a Big One.” Given the Ravens’ 28-3 rout in Cleveland on October 1, a Browns loss would pretty much extinguish hopes of winning their first-ever – first-ever! -- AFC North title. Now, a win would narrow the Ravens’ lead to one-half game and make next Sunday’s home date against the Steelers the Next Big One.
Second down: Garrett’s DPOY hopes on line.
Myles Garrett has been basking in the afterglow of the Browns’ first shutout of his career. This week, Garrett ran through a “car wash” of national interviews extolling his and his team’s virtues. In them, Garrett was careful to articulate team goals ahead of personal goals at a time, ironically, he is receiving more national love for defensive player-of-the-year honors than ever. The reality is Garrett has wisely reached the conclusion, nearing age 28 and in his seventh NFL season, that the individual honors come to those who perform best in their team’s biggest games. The fact the Browns haven’t been in many big games certainly has hurt Garrett. This Big One against the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson presents Garrett a notable opportunity to win even more national and local love. Garrett has feasted on the Gardner Minshews and Clayton Tunes on the schedule. Historically, he has made few game-changing plays against Jackson – much like his personal record against the now-retired Ben Roethlisberger. In eight games against Jackson, Garrett has 4.5 sacks and another five quarterback hits, one batted pass and one fumble recovery. Not coincidentally, Jackson’s Ravens won seven of those eight games. (Garrett’s strip, scoop and score for his only career touchdown came at the expense of Jackson fill-in Tyler Huntley in a 2021 meeting in Cleveland.) Jackson casts one of the longest QB shadows in the league. So I asked defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz if Garrett needs to show up in this game for the Browns to win. “Yeah, I mean, he shows up big all the time,” Schwartz said. “I would say he just has to concentrate on being the best version of himself. And again, this game isn’t going to be our defense versus their defense or one player versus another player. It’s going to be the Ravens versus the Browns. And we all have our part to play in that. In big games like this, you need your big players to come up big and Myles will be ready for that.”
Third down: Opportunity beckons Watson.
Whether or not Deshaun Watson is 70 percent of his former self, 80 percent, 90 percent or 100 percent, the time is now for him to have a “signature” game. It’s a convenient moment for Watson. The season was thrown into near-chaos when he opted out of the first Baltimore game on October 1 at the 11th hour because of inflammation in his right shoulder, later diagnosed as a micro-tear of his right rotator cuff. So now Watson can avenge that interruption of his season with a signature performance against the Ravens that would thrust the Browns into true division contention. The Browns – coaches, front office and teammates – were excited by the reappearance of Watson’s accurate deep ball on two completions to Amari Cooper in the 27-0 obliteration of Arizona. This week Cooper called Watson the best deep-ball thrower he’s played with. “The one I caught last week when we’re up 20, it was perfect. It was right on the money. I don’t think I caught a more perfect deep ball than that,” Cooper said. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt gushed, “Felt like he was close to back to normal. He missed some things early shorter. But the long balls were indication of where we’re heading. We’re really happy.” Cooper has been the only wide receiver to establish a consistent connection with Watson. The only other receiver to prove a worthy recipient of Watson’s deep balls was Marquise Goodwin, but Watson and P.J. Walker haven’t been able to connect with him. Now with Goodwin out with a concussion, the Browns elevated Austin Watkins from the practice squad. It’s a further indication, perhaps, that Kevin Stefanski does intend to call on Watson’s deep throws as a means of jumpstarting the Browns’ halting offense.
Geron Christian, who wasn't on a team this year until joining the Browns 12 days ago, appeared to be Bill Callahan's choice to start at left tackle in the biggest game of the season. (Cleveland Browns)
Fourth down: Callahan, the Magic Man.
All week, offensive line guru Bill Callahan has tinkered with contingency plans to compensate for the loss to injuries of left tackle Jedrick Wills (knee) and right tackle Dawand Jones (shoulder, knee). Jones, of course, replaced original right tackle Jack Conklin (knee) who was lost in the first game of the season. So now, in the biggest game of the year against the Ravens’ top-ranked scoring defense (13.8 points per game) and NFL leader in quarterback sacks (35) , the Browns essentially will field their fourth and fifth offensive tackles. It appeared the Browns would play James Hudson at right tackle and recently signed street free agent Geron Christian at left tackle. Make no mistake: Stefanski has entrusted Callahan to make these calls. And for good reason. Callahan is the best in the business. He called on his personal “ready list” to bring aboard Christian, a six-year NFL veteran who was signed “off the street” on October 31. Christian was a third-round draft pick of Washington in 2018 when Callahan was that team’s assistant head coach and offensive line seer. Christian wound up starting six games for Washington in 2020 – after Callahan departed to Cleveland – before suffering the second knee injury of his career. His recovery has spanned four stints on practice squads with Miami, Kansas City and Houston (twice) before reuniting with Callahan in Cleveland. Can Callahan pull this off? Remember the 2020 season AFC divisional playoff game against the Chiefs? The Browns lost Wills after one play to an ankle injury, replaced him with journeyman Kendall Lamm, and then lost Lamm to an elbow injury in the second half. They finished the game with Blake Hance playing his only ever game at left tackle – the Browns still had a chance to win at the end.
The pick: Ravens 20, Browns 17.
My record: 5-3.
