The Cleveland Browns will travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens, a divisional foe, for a Thursday Night Football showdown. When both teams met for the first time in Week 2, the Ravens won, 25-20.
Browns vs. Ravens 2016 picks and predictions: There’s a little hope for Cleveland
Not all the experts are picking the Ravens -- just most of them.
The Browns are the only winless team in the NFL. Indeed, they have issues at quarterback, but the defense has been underperforming all season. Cleveland has surrendered 34 touchdowns so far this season and allows more yards than every team except the San Francisco 49ers.
In the Browns' 35-10 loss against the Dallas Cowboys, their defense gave up five touchdowns. Cleveland’s linebackers couldn't clog up rushing lanes, and the secondary had too many busted coverages.
On offense, Cleveland had success moving the ball but couldn't score in the red zone. Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler made exceptional throws, but he didn't have much time in the pocket to make decisions. Dallas sacked him four times. The Browns also struggled on the ground, leaving them with only 45 rushing yards for the game.
Cleveland is going to have a tough time moving the chains on Thursday. The Ravens have the second-best defense in the league. Baltimore’s stingy, physical defense will make its presence felt on Thursday night, but the Ravens’ offense is just 28th in the NFL.
On offense, quarterback Joe Flacco has 2,078 passing yards to go along with six touchdowns and seven interceptions. He is not having a great year, but he is doing just enough to keep Baltimore competitive. Coming off of a 21-14 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, the Ravens are 4-4 and atop of the AFC North.
Baltimore’s ground game, led by running back Terrance West, isn't doing too well. West has 445 rushing yards and three touchdowns so far, but he is only averaging 4 yards per carry. The Ravens are not getting explosive runs.
However, Baltimore could be able to find a lot of success on the ground against Cleveland’s 31st-ranked rushing defense. Do not underestimate the Browns, though. They usually play well against Baltimore.
Yet, most experts agree that as long as the Ravens play great defense and run the ball, they should come away with the victory. At CBS Sports, John Breech is the only expert who thinks Cleveland can pull off the upset. Likewise, the majority of ESPN’s panel is picking Baltimore.
Here at SB Nation, it’s a similar story. Only Stephen White believes the Browns will win.
| Game | RVB | Stephen White | Thomas George | Jeanna Thomas | Adam Stites | Tyler Tynes | Louis Bien | Joel Thorman | Fooch | OddsShark computer |
| CLE vs BAL | BAL | CLE | BAL | BAL | BAL | BAL | BAL | BAL | BAL | BAL |
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