The playoffs are a pipe dream for the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to play for the rest of the season. The race to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft is heating up and both teams are in prime contention to claim that spot.
Ravens vs. Browns 2015, ‘Monday Night Football’ preview: Battle for No. 1 draft pick heats up in Cleveland
There’s no such thing as tanking in the NFL, right?
Entering Monday, the Tennessee Titans hold the coveted spot with a 2-9 record, but lurking right behind them are the Browns (2-8) and a trio of 3-8 teams (49ers, Cowboys, Chargers). The Ravens (3-7) would fall into that muddled group with a loss. Heading into this week's slate, Football Outsiders gave Cleveland (31.9 percent) the best odds to get the top pick; Baltimore was fourth at 10.7 percent.
The Browns are probably the most desperate team given their uncertainty at the quarterback position beyond this season. Johnny Manziel, who just a couple weeks ago was named the starter for the remainder of the schedule, got himself benched when video surfaced of him out partying during the bye week. He was demoted to third-stringer, sending a clear signal that his immediate future with the franchise is cloudy at best. Thirty-six-year-old Josh McCown will resume his duties as the No. 1 guy, after injuries had sidelined him for the previous two games.
The Ravens' current quarterback situation isn't much more favorable with the news that Joe Flacco suffered a season-ending torn ACL injury in their win over the Rams. Flacco was just the latest in a devastating string of injuries for Baltimore, who also lost Justin Forsett to a broken arm in that same game.
Their injured reserve list almost reads like a Pro Bowl roster. It includes: their starting quarterback (Flacco), starting running back (Forsett), best wide receiver (Steve Smith), starting center (Jeremy Zuttah), first-round pick (Breshad Perriman), and best pass rusher (Terrell Suggs).
Baltimore now turns to 34-year-old Matt Schaub, who hasn't started a game in two years, as it tries to salvage this nightmare season. Barring a miraculous turnaround, the Ravens will finish with a losing record for the first time under coach John Harbaugh and could easily challenge the 1996 team for the worst record (4-12) in franchise history.
Digits
Despite all of that missing talent, the Ravens have actually been competitive in every game this season, becoming the first team in NFL history to have its first 10 games decided by eight points or fewer. Unfortunately, they’ve managed to lose seven of those contests, while winning only three.
The problem is that they’ve been forced to play catch-up too often. The Ravens have been outscored by 50 points in the first three quarters (26th in the NFL), but have outscored their opponents by 27 points in the fourth quarter and overtime (6th in the NFL). Costly errors and mistakes have really hurt them early, as they have worst turnover margin (-8) through three quarters in the league.
The Browns, on the other hand, have suffered their fair share of blowouts this season. Entering Week 12, they were the only team that had suffered four losses of at least 18 points, and their overall point differential of negative-91 was better than only San Francisco (-113). Their last four games prior to the bye have been especially brutal: losses by 18, 14, 21 and 21 points to the Rams, Cardinals, Bengals and Steelers, respectively.
Johnny Football might be the more electrifying talent and has more upside, but the veteran McCown has actually been a decent option under center for the Browns this season. He ranks in the top-15 among qualified quarterbacks in nearly all of the traditional stats: 13th in passer rating, 11th in completion percentage, 14th in yards per attempt and ninth in touchdown-to-interception ratio. He’s had a few ugly games but also been stellar at times, including a monster 457-yard performance in a Week 5 win over the Ravens.
Who to Watch
Given the way that Baltimore's season has gone, it's not hard to imagine that this game will be a nail-biter. And that is probably where the Ravens have the advantage, with one of the most clutch kickers in the league on their side. After his latest heroics against the Rams, Justin Tucker is now 16 of 17 in his career on kicks in the fourth quarter or overtime with a chance to tie or put his team ahead. Those 16 makes are the most in the NFL since his debut in 2012.
The Browns trot out rookie kicker Travis Coons, who has made all 16 of his field goal attempts this season but somehow has whiffed on two extra points. Although he doesn't have nearly the same amount of experience kicking under pressure as Tucker, he has come through in crunch time this season. He drilled a game-tying 26-yard field goal with under two minutes remaining against the Broncos in Week 6, and he beat the Ravens with a 32-yard kick in overtime in Week 5.
How to Watch
When: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland
TV: ESPN
Announcers: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters
Online: WatchESPN
Odds
The Browns are a 2.5-point favorite at home and the over/under is 41, according to OddsShark.com.
Preliminary Judgment
The experts are going all in on the Browns for this game. The entire 13-member panel at ESPN picked Cleveland, while seven of the eight fellas at CBS Sports are also riding the home team. The only guy here at SB Nation headquarters that is taking a chance on Baltimore is Joel Thorman.
Further Reading
For more on the Ravens, head over to Baltimore Beatdown. To catch up on everything Browns, check out Dawgs By Nature.
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