The AFC North was one of the toughest divisions in football last season, but one of the teams fighting for dominance last year, the Baltimore Ravens, is fighting to avoid being stuck in the basement on Sunday. The Ravens will be playing the rival Cleveland Browns, the only team from the division to not make the playoffs last season.
Browns vs. Ravens 2015 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Both teams are fighting for second-to-last place in the AFC North and are looking for a win streak.
Cleveland seems to be making good decisions, though when it comes to the quarterback position it didn't have many options. The Browns went with Josh McCown in free agency and fortunately for them, McCown has looked solid in recent weeks. McCown played one of the best games of his career despite the loss to the San Diego Chargers last week, becoming only the fourth player in Browns history to throw for 300-plus yards in consecutive games. He's had two touchdown passes in each of his two games as starter, and is starting to gain some momentum under center.
McCown connected with Gary Barnidge for a pair of deep passes and to Taylor Gabriel for a two-point conversion to cap off a 10-play touchdown drive in the final minutes last week. Receiver Brian Hartline was sidelined with a rib and thigh injury, but postgame X-rays were negative and he should return soon.
The Browns have two surprise offensive playmakers with rookie Duke Johnson and Barnidge. Johnson has recorded 15 receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown, and Barnidge has added strength to the tight end position with 235 yards and two touchdowns this season.
With an offense that has seemingly found a rhythm, the defense now has to step up to keep the team from the same last-minute fate as in Week 4. The team's only interception this season was courtesy of safety Tashaun Gipson, who rolled his ankle against San Diego on an attempted tackle of running back Danny Woodhead.
A thin secondary will be good news for the Ravens, who have been plagued with injuries and ineffective play the first quarter of the season. Quarterback Joe Flacco has had limited passing options, relying heavily on veteran receiver Steve Smith.
Smith was ruled out against Cleveland with a back injury, and rookie Breshad Perriman is sidelined with a knee issue. Flacco will have to work with Kamar Aiken, Marlon Brown and rookie Darren Waller.
With the deep threat limited, the team will have to establish a rush attack to stay competitive. The team finally got the running game on track against the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Week 4 win when Justin Forsett rushed for 150 yards in the outing.
The Ravens’ defense has struggled to stay strong throughout four quarters, and has let late-game comebacks end in defeat. They showed improvement against the Steelers, stopping them in overtime in key fourth down situations. The embattled secondary even stood the test against prolific wideout Antonio Brown, limiting him to only 42 yards on the night.
A win this week could be season-changing for both teams, who are trying to gain ground in an AFC North race that currently belongs to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens are 7-0 at home against the Browns, but a McCown-led team could set a new standard for Cleveland.
How to watch
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Md.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
Online: NFL Game Pass
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