NFL
By: Joey MacDonald
After blowing a 15-point lead and losing a heartbreaker to the Buffalo Bills 41-40, the Baltimore Ravens are looking for a bounce-back game in Week 2 against their divisional rival, the Cleveland Browns.
Both the Ravens and the Browns come into this game at 0-1, looking for their 1st win of this young season. The Ravens in Week 1 looked like they had 1-0 all wrapped up with less than 4 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. Then everything unraveled quickly. The Bills scored on a Josh Allen touchdown on 4th down, and then Derrick Henry fumbled the ball. The Bills scored again, and then got the ball last and went downfield quickly to set up a game-winning field goal, giving the Ravens a heartbreaking Week 1 loss.
The Browns, on the other hand, lost to their in-state rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, by the score of 17-16. The defense for the Browns played a respectable game against a high-powered offense of the Bengals and Joe Burrow at Quarterback. They held Burrow to only 14/23 for 113 passing yards, and had their 2 top WRs, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, held to a total combined of 59 yards of receiving for the day. And, their loss came in the last minute as Joe Flacco threw an interception and sealed a Cincinnati win over the Browns.
Now, coming into Week 2, both the Ravens and Browns are looking for 1st win of the season. The Ravens will have the three-headed monster on offense with Quarterback Lamar Jackson, Running Back Derrick Henry, and Wide Receiver Zay Flowers, who combined for most of the Offense in that Sunday night game against Buffalo, where Lamar Jackson had three total touchdowns, 2 in the air and one on the ground. While Derrick Henry had a big game on the ground by running for 169 yards on 18 carries, including two touchdowns, Zay Flowers continues to be Lamar’s #1 receiver by getting seven catches for 143 yards. And they should have a bounce-back game from Mark Andrews, who only had one catch for five yards. And having Andrews in the offensive game plan can go a long way toward the Ravens winning this game Sunday. The Ravens will need the three-headed monster to continue to make plays to win games, and that can start against the Browns this Sunday. And if the defense can play much more confidently and create some turnovers, then I believe they should win this game on Sunday.
While the Cleveland Browns will continue to have Joe Flacco started for their team, who made one mistake that cost them the game by throwing that interception in the 4th quarter. One positive for the Browns in this game is that they have, in my opinion, the best defensive player in all of football, Myles Garrett. And, if Myles Garrett can take advantage of a shaky offensive line of the Ravens, then it could be a field day for Garrett, but it will be tough to sack the most dynamic player in all of the NFL, Lamar Jackson.
While it’s indeed a must-win for both the Ravens and the Browns, I think that the Ravens’ offense will be too much for the Browns’ defense to handle in this game on Sunday as I believe that both Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will be running the ball a lot, which makes it easier for the offensive line to prevent Lamar Jackson from getting sacked by Myles Garrett. I believe that the Ravens will have a strong bounce-back game against them and should convincingly beat their division rival and get back on track as one of the top teams in the AFC.
And the Baltimore Ravens will also celebrate their 30th anniversary celebration, honoring all of the past and current Ravens who once donned the purple and back for this great franchise.
Prediction: Browns 13 Ravens 35
