Cleveland Browns
vs.
Baltimore Ravens
Week 2
NFL Pick
9/17/17
By Jason Green
No shock that the Browns lost their first Game of the season to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they had a pretty good showing from their rookie QB DeShone Kizer and their defense. Cleveland is over a TD underdog in this Game and they have a tough hill to climb facing a Ravens’ defense that pitched a shutout in their season opener. Last season the Browns played the Ravens close in Cleveland, but on the road they lost badly 28-7.
To say the Ravens season opening win was impressive would be an understatement. They played well on both sides of the ball, forced five turnovers, and they were on the road. They had five sacks in the Game and face a Cleveland offensive line that GAve up seven sacks in their opener.
While Kizer was sacked seven times in the 21-18 loss to the Steelers he still had a good Game passing for 222 yards with one TD, a rushing TD, and one pick. Four players had at least 32 receiving yards led by Corey Coleman (5 rec 53 yards 1 TD), but he did not get much help from the run Game. The Browns only rushed for 57 yards in the Game with Isaiah Crowell being the lead rusher with only 33 yards on the ground averaging a weak 1.9 yards per carry. He has a tough task facing a Baltimore run D that held the Ravens to 77 rushing yards last week.
The Ravens beat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-0 in their first Game of the season where they only had 268 yards, but only GAve up 221. They killed QB Andy Dalton picking him off Four times, sacking him five times, and forcing a fumble. QB Joe FlACCo only passed for 111 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT, but the Ravens got a solid ground Game rushing for 157 yards. TerraNCe West and Javorius Allen combined to rush for 151 of those yards.
The Cleveland pass defense was not great in their opening loss, but their run defense holding the Steelers to only 35 yards and star RB Le’Veon Bell to 32 yards on 10 carries.
Key Betting Trends
The Browns are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 road Games, 6-20-1 ATS in their last 27 Games overall, and in their last 7 road Games the Over record is 6-1.
The Ravens are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home Games, 2-5 ATS vs. a team with a losing record, and in their last 13 home Games they have an Under record of 9-4.
The Browns are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Games facing the Ravens in Baltimore.
In the last 6 Games between these teams in Baltimore the Under record is 5-1.
Jason’s Pick: Even in the loss last week the Browns had to come out of that Game with a little confideNCe. Ok, so they are on the road, facing a tough Baltimore defense that played great last week, and they are the Browns. Still, Kizer showed something in the loss to Pittsburgh and he will have a good Game again and Cleveland will not lay down. The Browns may not get the W, but for the 6th time in their last eight Games in Baltimore they will cover the spread.