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Game Preview: Baltimore Ravens face Cleveland Browns in AFC North clash

Roger Gonzalez
baltimore ravens
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The Baltimore Ravens have a chance to move into sole possession of first place in the AFC North on Sunday when they host the Cleveland Browns.

The Ravens are 3-3 and tied with the Bengals atop the division while the Browns are just like the Steelers, a game back. Both teams are coming off of losses last week, with the turnovers again being a big issue for Baltimore as they blew a big, late lead against the New York Giants.

With a tricky schedule coming up and a short week with an appearance on Thursday night football, getting a win here could be huge for their momentum.

Where to watch?

The game will air at 1 p.m. on CBS, and if you don’t have it on your local Fox, you’ll need NFL Sunday Ticket.

What to know about the Browns

The Browns are 2-4 and have lost three in a row after an encouraging start. A 38-15 loss at home to the New England Patriots was a concerning one as they made rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe look like a young Tom Brady. The defense has to be better if they are to have any chance here. While they got torn apart in the air, Lamar Jackson’s ability to run will obviously be something they need to zero in on. With quality on the back end, it will all be about getting pressure on Jackson from the outside. If the Browns can do that, they have a chance.

What to know about the Ravens

It all boils down to playing smarter. Be it throwing the late interception in their own half to gift the game to the Giants to the poor decisions against the Bills, the Ravens should be 5-1 at this point. They are the favorites here but they have to be sharper on offense. They are averaging just 19.6 points per game in their last three contests. Only four teams have thrown more interceptions than the Ravens, so even just playing a bit more cautious could go a long way to beat a team with a reeling defense.

Prediction

Baltimore 28, Cleveland 17

Roger Gonzalez

Roger Gonzalez

Roger Gonzalez is freelancer for Augusta Free Press. A native of Connecticut that grew up in Charlottesville, he is a graduate of Virginia Tech. He currently is a sportswriter with CBS Sports and has written for The Daily Progress, The Roanoke Times and other newspapers before getting into the digital sports journalism world.