Eyeing Six Straight: Ravens’ Game Plan to Overcome the Browns in Week Eight
The Baltimore Ravens are getting set for their second divisional matchup of the season in Week Eight on Sunday afternoon as they ride high on a five-game winning streak, with their latest win coming on Monday Night Football over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This weekend, the Ravens will face the struggling Cleveland Browns, who enter Week Eight with a 1-6 record and have encountered major changes to their offense. Last week, starting quarterback Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles in their loss to the Bengals, giving veteran Jameis Winston the opportunity to energize a Browns’ offense that ranks last in the NFL and is averaging only 15.6 points per game. With the Ravens looking to extend their winning ways another week and put another dagger into a Browns season that is slowly slipping away, here are the biggest keys to victory for the Ravens entering Week Eight.
Rattle Jameis Winston
Heading into the matchup against the Browns, one of the Ravens' biggest strategies should be to apply consistent pressure on the quarterback and make the pocket uncomfortable for Winston. At 30 years old, Winston is in his 10th NFL season and his first with the Browns after spending most of his career with the Buccaneers and Saints. This will be his first career start since 2022 with New Orleans. The former number-one overall pick in 2015 was once a regular starter for both the Buccaneers and the Saints. However, inconsistent play and injuries led him to a backup role entering this season with the Browns. If the Ravens’ pass rush, led by veteran Kyle Van Noy, who is tied for the fourth-most sacks in the league with seven, alongside Odafe Oweh, can consistently pressure Winston, forcing him into ill-advised throws, they’ll be well-positioned to deliver a dominant defensive performance after allowing 30-plus points in each of the past three games.
Stop the Browns’ Running Game Early On
Surprisingly, against the Buccaneers last week, the Ravens’ run defense delivered a poor performance compared to their usual dominance in stopping opposing teams’ running attacks. The Bucs became the first team all season to rush for over 100 yards in a single game against the Ravens’ top-ranked run defense, which is led by run-stoppers Nnamdi Madubuike, Michael Pierce, and Travis Jones. A major factor in the Bucs' success last week was the Ravens’ defense coming out sluggish in the first quarter, falling behind 10-0 early on and allowing the Bucs’ two primary running backs to gain some big runs to start the game. Ultimately, this opened up play-action passes for the Bucs’ offense as well. This week, the Ravens will be going up against the Browns’ four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb, who made his return last week after completing his recovery from a second major knee surgery he suffered last season in Week Two. The Ravens must avoid allowing Chubb to gain traction on the ground in the early portions of the game, as this would force Winston and the Browns’ passing game to become one-dimensional if they limit Chubb's effectiveness.
Avoid the “Trap Game”
The Ravens will be going up against a desperate Browns team searching for any positive momentum in what appears to be a lost season, as they traded away their top receiver, Amari Cooper, to the Buffalo Bills a couple of weeks ago. Historically, the Ravens have had a pattern of playing down to lesser competition, which was on display in their home opener loss to the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this season, although the Ravens’ offense has since evolved into one of the league’s best. Meanwhile, the Browns would be more than happy to put a stop to the Ravens’ winning streak against a divisional foe. If the Ravens can avoid the classic 'trap game' that occurs to many teams each season, come out strong on offense, and avoid a slow start, even with the possible absence of star receiver Zay Flowers, who is dealing with an ankle injury, then they will be able to put their fans' worries to rest.
