Ravens Set Sights on AFC North Crown in Regular Season Finale Against Browns
The Week 18 regular-season finale has finally arrived, with the playoffs set to begin next week in the Wild Card round for both conferences. Before that, the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns will square off at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday evening in their second divisional matchup. The Ravens are focused on capturing the AFC North Division title. With a win over the Browns, Baltimore would clinch their second straight division title, their fourth since 2018, when quarterback Lamar Jackson became the starter. This would lock in the AFC’s third seed and secure a home playoff game in the Wild Card round. If the Ravens can’t get the job done against Cleveland, they can still clinch the division if the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Bengals later that night. However, head coach John Harbaugh and the team prefer to take care of business themselves and avoid leaving it to chance.
The Ravens will face a Browns squad whose 2024 season has been largely lost from the start. Cleveland has started three different quarterbacks this season, Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson leading to a 3-13 record and last place in the division with five consecutive losses. Heading into Saturday’s matchup, the Ravens will be seeking revenge, as one of their season losses came against the Browns in Week Eight. That game was one of Baltimore’s sloppier performances, marked by dropped passes, penalties, and several missed interception opportunities, though they still could have won despite the errors. As of Wednesday, it appears the Ravens won’t be facing Jameis Winston again, as Thompson-Robinson has started the past two weeks for Cleveland.
Despite the change at quarterback, the Browns’ offense remains one of the worst in the league and has arguably gotten worse. Cleveland averages the fewest points per game, 15.5, and holds the 27th-ranked offense, averaging 305.3 yards per game. Thompson-Robinson has struggled in his last two starts, completing just 51.3% of his passes for 427 yards, with no touchdowns, six interceptions, and seven sacks. As a result, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that he is “working through” the quarterback situation, leaving open the possibility that Bailey Zappe, signed earlier this season from the Chiefs' practice squad, could see some snaps to see if he performs better.
While the Ravens’ defense has yet to face Zappe, they are familiar with Thompson-Robinson, who made his NFL debut against them last season. In that game, the Ravens’ defense dominated, forcing three interceptions and holding him to 19 completions on 36 attempts for 121 yards in a 28-3 blowout win. Since Week 11, the Ravens’ defense has dramatically improved after early-season struggles. They now allow the fewest net yards per game, 267.0, the fewest points per game, 16.3, and boast the NFL’s best third-down defense, with opponents converting just 29.1% of the time over the past six games. Baltimore will look to continue their defensive momentum against Cleveland’s sluggish offense and finish the regular season strong heading into the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Ravens’ top-ranked offense, coming off arguably their best outing of the season on Christmas Day in a 31-2 win over the Houston Texans, will look to take advantage of a Browns defense that has dealt with injuries and inconsistencies. For the Ravens to come out on top and avoid another upset against Cleveland, their offensive line will need to contain the Browns’ top defensive threat, veteran edge rusher Myles Garrett, who is tied for the most sacks in the league with 14 and is tied for the eighth-most forced fumbles with three. In the first matchup this season, the Ravens did a good job of containing Garrett, holding him to just an assisted tackle and one QB hit on Jackson. Additionally, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz crafted a solid game plan to limit Derrick Henry, the NFL’s second-leading rusher, holding him to just 73 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. After recording his second straight 100-plus yard rushing performance and his eighth of the season, Henry will aim to dominate the Browns’ 19th-ranked run defense as the Ravens look to clinch the division title in front of their home fans.
