Opponent Profile: Browns May Be Down To Their 3rd String QB
By Samuel Njoku
The Ravens no longer control their destiny. Thus is the cost of losing to the Houston Texans last Sunday. Now the Ravens have to beat the Cleveland Browns and get some help from others to punch their ticket to the postseason. But defeating their division foe will be no easy task.
Browns on Offense:
The Ravens may experience a bit of Déjà vu when they face the Browns on Sunday. The Browns were dealt a huge blow when they lost Johnny Manziel for the season with a significant hamstring injury suffered during their contest with the Carolina Panthers last week. Former starter Brian Hoyer played during that game in his relief but seems to have injured his shoulder in the process. That could mean that for the second straight game, Baltimore will play against a 3rd string quarterback. Of course the Ravens are hoping for a different result this game. Undrafted rookie QB Connor Shaw would be the next man up to battle the Ravens in the season finale.
If Shaw is indeed given the job, expect Cleveland to rely heavily on Isaiah Crowell much like the Texans with Arian Foster. A strong running attack will take pressure off of their quarterback and force Baltimore to adjust. The Browns have Josh Gordon on the outside and his ability should not be underestimated no matter who is placed under center.
Browns on Defense:
These aren’t the Browns that have routinely occupied the “Factory of Sadness” for many years. The Browns are now a respected franchise looking to take their team to the next level. The start of this turn around materialized soon after Cleveland established themselves of having one of the more impressive defenses in the NFL. This defense is centered around Pro Bowl CB Joe Haden who has been dealing with a shoulder injury. Rookie CB Pierre Desir has ball skills that a team like Baltimore would covet. He held Kelvin Benjamin to only 47 yards last Sunday. Expect Cleveland to have him try to accomplish the same against Torrey Smith if Haden is unable to go.
The real knock on this unit is their rush defense. They’ve been exposed the past couple of weeks and it was made evident especially on Sunday when Carolina rushed for over 200 yards against this unit. Baltimore didn’t fare well against the Texans on the ground, but will look to get back on track against Cleveland.
For more Ravens news and updates, visit Ravens Central.
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.
