It’s nice that the Ravens biggest obstacle is beating bad teams. That sets up perfectly for the postseason.
Baltimore travels to Cleveland for what some are calling a trap game for the red hot Ravens. After beating the 49ers on Thanksgiving, some think that Baltimore will be looking past the Browns and could be due for an upset against their AFC North foe. I’m not buying it.
There’s too much at stake for the Ravens as they maintain a tight lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers and even the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North. The Ravens know how important it is to stay on top as the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be a threat.
The Ravens are well aware of the Browns strengths and won’t underestimate them like they did the Jaguars and Seahawks earlier this season. “The thing that stood out was their defense, big physical guys running around,” linebacker Jarrett Johnson said this week. “They run the ball downhill offensively.”
Historically the Ravens have played well against Cleveland. As Aaron Wilson points out, Joe Flacco is a perfect 6-0 against them with eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
After already falling flat twice this season, the Ravens are looking to buck the trend. “We have to show up and play,” Johnson said. “We can’t afford to have a letdown.”
Baltimore has had a long time to plan for the Browns as they have ten days to prepare having last played on Thursday. Surely they have been focusing on avoiding the letdown and instilling the importance of this win into everyone on the roster. With an extra three days of preparation, look for a beatdown in Cleveland.
I understand why they would say that since the Ravens’ only losses have come to teams they should have whooped on, as you pointed out. It’s an easy talking point for the MSM to harp on, and the WWL is all about easily digestible ideas for the sports-watching masses. I think the Seahawks game was a real wake-up call for the team, and they should start to assert themselves. The Browns are no pushover; they have lost a fair number of close games. But we all know if the Ravens play to their ability it shouldn’t be a contest.