NFL
By: Joey MacDonald
No team in the NFL is hotter than the Baltimore Ravens. A team that has won 3 consecutive games in a row. Especially with Lamar Jackson back after missing three games with a Hamstring injury, and leading the Ravens to another victory and their 2nd straight since returning against the Minnesota Vikings, 27-19. With that win, they move within one game of 1st place in the AFC North. And, speaking of the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens head to Cleveland to take on the Browns in an AFC North matchup on Sunday at 4:25 pm.
This matchup in Week 11 is a tale of two teams in the AFC North heading in opposite directions as the Baltimore Ravens continue their run towards a 3rd straight division title, while the Cleveland Browns could be looking at another finish in the cellar dweller in the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens, coming into this game, are coming off a victory over the Minnesota Vikings 27-19 in Week 10 in Minneapolis, while the Cleveland Browns are coming off a 27-20 loss to the New York Jets in New York in Week 10. Whenever there is a division matchup, it is a battle in a division game. This game will not only have an exciting player in quarterback Lamar Jackson, but it will have, in people’s opinion, the best defensive player in the NFL in Myles Garrett.
The Baltimore Ravens have won 3 consecutive games coming into this Week 11 matchup. After starting the season 1-5, fans and commentators began to think that the Ravens’ season was over. During that stretch, the Ravens’ defense was being scored on, and the team suffered injuries. Now, the Ravens are getting healthier, and the defense has not given up 20 points in the last three games. Additionally, the spark the Ravens needed was the return of their star quarterback, Lamar Jackson, who has recovered from injury. The Ravens now look like a team that can beat anybody when Lamar Jackson is under center. In Week 2, the Ravens dominated the Browns by beating them 41-17, and Lamar Jackson, in that game, threw for 19/29 for 225 yards and four touchdown passes. And, when looking at this game, this game has the makings of being a trap game for the Ravens.
The Cleveland Browns, on the other side, are heading in the wrong direction this season as they are sitting at the bottom of the barrel in the AFC North with a record of 2-7, and most likely heading towards a last-place finish and another high draft pick in the NFL draft in April. They have lost the last two games to the AFC East opponents, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets, and if things don’t turn around, the Browns might be looking for a new head coach come 2026, as well as a new quarterback for the future. The one bright spot the Browns have on this team is Defensive End Myles Garrett. Garrett, who has 11 sacks this season, continues to be a dominating force on the defensive side of the ball and is, in my opinion, the favorite for defensive player of the year. Dillon Gabriel will continue to get the nod as the starting quarterback, as he has started the five games since Joe Flacco got traded to the Cincinnati Bengals earlier in the season. And, with Baltimore coming to town, it could be a long day for the Browns in Week 11.
The Ravens in this game need to make sure that Myles Garrett doesn’t get behind the offensive line, and if he does, it could be hectic on Sunday. Derrick Henry will most likely have a day where he can run over 100 yards on the ground. The Ravens will likely need to be cautious in this game, as it has the potential to be a trap game for them. In comparison, the defense needs to continue to play lights out in the last few games, as they have been holding their opponents to under 20 points. The Ravens, with the way they’ve been playing over the last few games, have teams in the AFC nervous about their recent performance, and this trend will likely continue this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
Prediction: Ravens 38 Browns 16
