The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Browns want to be more than spoilers
Cleveland can clinch first winning record since 2007
The Browns can sabotage the Ravens’ playoff chances and accomplish much more by winning their final game of the season on Dec. 30 in Baltimore.
The Browns haven’t won their final game since 2009, when they beat the Jaguars, 23-17, to end Eric Mangini’s first season as head coach with four straight victories. Those four straight wins saved Mangini’s job and also mark the Browns’ longest winning streak since 1994. The current Browns can match that by beating the Ravens.
At 7-7-1, a victory would give the Browns their first winning record since they were 10-6 in 2007.
They have already swept the Bengals. Beating the Ravens would give the Browns their first series sweep over Baltimore since 2007 and their first sweep of two AFC North division rivals for the first time since the NFL realigned to eight four-team divisions in 2002.
A victory would also make interim head coach Gregg Williams 6-2 since replacing fired Hue Jackson halfway through the season.
Beating the Ravens will not be easy. The Ravens are the top-ranked defense in the NFL, they’ve allowed
the fewest points (263) in the league, they’ve won five of their last six games and
they are playing to continue their season. If the Ravens win, they are division
champions. If the Browns beat them, the Ravens are out of playoff contention unless the Bengals upset the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Both games kick off at 4:25 p.m.
On top of all that, the Browns will be without cornerback Denzel Ward, who will miss the game because of a concussion suffered last week playing the Bengals.
“I think you think about (knocking the Ravens out of playoff contention), but for us honestly, it’s trying to go out there and finish at 8-7-1 more than anything,” left guard Joel Bitonio said. “Whatever kind of happens after that happens. We’re really focused on ourselves. Gregg has done a really good job of trying to be
1-0 each week and treating kind of each game as a playoff game, even though we’re not in the playoffs.”
The Browns beat the Ravens, 12-9, in overtime on Oct. 7 behind a 19-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Rashard Higgins and two field goals by Greg Joseph. The Ravens rolled to 410 net yards, but got all their scoring on three field goals by Justin Tucker.
The Ravens’ offense has changed since the Browns beat them 12 weeks ago. Joe Flacco, 17-3 lifetime against the Browns, is now backing up rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson is 5-1 as a starter. He leads the Ravens with 127 rushing attempts (405
yards). He has thrown six touchdown passes and three interceptions. The Browns are preparing for Jackson as a dual threat.
“He’s a very elusive runner,” Browns safety Damarious Randall said. “He’s a very tough runner. He’s very difficult cover. Obviously, you’ve seen they have been the No. 1 rushing offense since he’s taken over at quarterback and they’re 5-1. He is a great, great quarterback and just kind of looking forward to the matchup.”
The game will be a duel of rookie quarterbacks. Mayfield needs two touchdown passes to tie the rookie record of 26 set by Peyton Manning in 1998. Beating the Ravens would make him 7-6 as the Browns’ starter.