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Browns vs. Ravens Preview: 3 Things to Know About Cleveland’s Week 8 Opponent

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Browns vs. Ravens Preview: 3 Things to Know About Cleveland’s Week 8 Opponent

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns fell to 1-6 on Sunday with a 21-14 loss at home to the Bengals. They will also likely be without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson after he suffered an Achilles injury.

It’s also unclear who will start Week 8 against the Ravens because Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who started in Watson’s place in the second quarter, suffered a finger injury. Jameis Winston finished the game.

As for the Browns’ next opponent, the Ravens have won four games in a row and will be in Tampa on Monday night to face Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers.

Here are three things to know about the Ravens before they meet in Week 8 in Cleveland.

1. Derrick Henry makes their running game even tougher.

The Ravens made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by signing Derrick Henry to a two-year contract. Somehow this move now looks even better than anyone could have imagined.

On Sunday, Henry led the NFL in rushing yards (704) and rushing touchdowns (eight). He’s also averaging a career-high 5.9 yards per carry.

He really benefited from not having the spotlight on him in the backfield. Playing next to Lamar Jackson allowed Henry to look as good as he has at any point in his career.

As of Sunday, the Ravens lead the NFL in yards per carry, and Henry’s arrival played a big role in that.

2. The Ravens have problems in pass protection.

Baltimore’s defense will likely take a step back this season after defensive coordinator Mike McDonald left to take the head coaching job with the Seahawks.

It’s no surprise that the Ravens haven’t been as strong on defense this season. They entered Sunday ranked 23rd in scoring (24.8 points per game).

In particular, skipping was a problem. They rank 31st in pass defense, 27th in passes allowed per attempt and 27th in touchdowns allowed.

The good news for them is that they are willing to keep up with anyone. But the concern could be that their weak pass defense could hurt them in the playoffs.

3. Despite a busy schedule, the Ravens are the hottest

The Ravens enter Monday night’s game in Tampa as one of the NFL’s hottest teams with four straight wins. What’s even more interesting is that they didn’t do it on a weak schedule.

Two of those wins came over last season’s division winners, the Cowboys and Bills. One came in Cincinnati against Joe Burrow and the AFC North rival Bengals, and the fourth came against Offensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jaden Daniels and the Commanders.

Baltimore has had a tough time getting back to the top of the AFC North after an 0-2 start, especially considering how it lost at home to Las Vegas in Week 2. But the Ravens deserve credit for more than just how they turned things around. , but who did they do it against?