Cleveland Browns – Baltimore Ravens
USA - NFL
The Cleveland Browns have been one of the pleasant surprises of the season so far. Their defense has been historically impressive. What their defensive unit has shown in the first three weeks hasn't been seen since 1999 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense. They have allowed the fewest yards, yards per play and first downs, plus they haven't conceded a single red zone touchdown. It's true that their defense boasts a lot of quality. Myles Garrett has been one of the best defensive players in the NFL for years, and now they have Za'Darius Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson. However, the biggest credit goes to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. He is one of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL, and after just three games with the Browns, it can be said that he has completely transformed the look of this team. On the other side, Deshaun Watson finally played against the Tennessee Titans the way he can, and if this becomes a regular occurrence, the Browns can go all the way. They have one of the best offensive lines in the league, so the season-ending injury to Nick Chubb was hardly felt. Jerome Ford has replaced him excellently, and Kareem Hunt is also there.
The Baltimore Ravens stand at 2-1, but the impression is that they don't look like contenders. No one expected them to lose to the Indianapolis Colts at home, but it happened last week (19:22). The only thing more shocking than that was kicker Justin Tucker missing a field goal for the win. That hardly ever happens to him. Obviously, there's a negative aura around the Ravens at the beginning of the season, and it doesn't help that they have a large number of injured players. In the previous game, they were without seven starters, and the situation won't be much better now. Some players will return, but the question is in what condition. The problem for the Ravens is that they haven't had much success against the Browns in the past few years, even when the opponent was much weaker than it is now.
Anyone betting against the Cleveland Browns and their defense is probably crazy. Not just this week, but as long as they maintain this level. Running against them is almost impossible. The Ravens are a heavy run team, but breaking through this Browns' wall will be tough. To win this away game, Lamar Jackson will have to throw a large number of yards, and that has often ended badly for the Ravens. It doesn't help either that some of his favorite targets are questionable for this game, and even if they play, they won't be at 100%.
The Browns currently have a vastly superior defense, they are healthier, playing at home, and the only thing that remains to be seen is whether Watson and the offense can play a smart game. If they stick to the game plan, they will be very close to another triumph.