Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns Matchup Preview (12/12/21): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns Matchup Preview (12/12/21)

Week 14 features a matchup in Cleveland between AFC North rivals, Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns.  At 8-4, the Ravens are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-19.  John Harbaugh decided to go for two and the win, but Lamar Jackson’s pass was out of reach to a wide-open Mark Andrews.   The Ravens scored at least 17 points for the first time in their last four games.  The Browns are coming off a bye, but in their last game in week 12 they played and lost to the Ravens, 16-10 in Baltimore.  Cleveland at 6-6 has scored under 13 points in four of their last five games.  

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns Betting Odds

The Browns are a 2.5-point home favorite against the Ravens in week 14.  The Ravens are 5-7 against the spread this season; 3-3 on the road.  Baltimore is 4-0 against the spread in their last four games in week 14.  Cleveland is 1-6-1 against the spread in their last eight games following a bye week.  The Ravens are scoring 19 points per game on the road this season.  The Browns are scoring 18.5 points per game at home in 2021.  

Each team has been plagued by injuries this season.  The Ravens will be without All-Pro cornerback, Marlon Humphrey for the rest of the season due to a torn pectoral muscle.  The Browns right tackle Jack Conklin is out for the season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his right knee during the week 12 loss to the Ravens.

My Prediction: I’ll take the Ravens at +2.5, winning the game 21-16, going with under 42.5 points.

TV Schedule

Date: 12/12/21
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: FirstEnergy Stadium – Cleveland, OH
TV Coverage: CBS

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns Live Stream

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Baltimore Ravens Analysis

Leading the fifth ranked offense in the NFL averaging 387.9 yards per game, Lamar Jackson has accounted for 3,627 yards (2,865 passing and 762 rushing) of total offense this season.  He’s accounted for 18 touchdowns (16 passing and two rushing) in 2021, while averaging 260.5 passing yards per game.  In the loss to Pittsburgh, Jackson threw for 253 yards, one touchdown, an interception and had an 80.1 passer rating.  He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 18 straight games played, which is the longest streak in Baltimore history.  Jackson has been responsible for one or more touchdowns in 47 straight games played.  The 2019 NFL MVP has struggled this season with turnovers having already thrown a career-high 13 interceptions this season: including throwing four in the last meeting with the Browns in week 12.  In his previous two seasons combined he threw 15 interceptions.  If the Ravens are to advance far this season it is imperative for their quarterback to take care of the ball.

Marquise Brown is the Ravens leading receiver, with 65 receptions for 825 yards and six touchdowns.  In week 13, he had five catches for 55 yards.  With 169 catches, Brown has the most receptions among Ravens wide receivers in their first three seasons.  The first-round pick in 2019, has 21 touchdowns overall in 41 career games.  Tight End Mark Andrews is one of the most important players on the Ravens due to his ability to get open in tough situations.  In the loss to Pittsburgh, he had four receptions for 50 yards: averaging 12.5 yards per catch.  Andrews is the eighth player in Ravens history with at least 200 career receptions; he has 220 receptions in 57 career games.   He has at least 40 yards receiving in 11 straight games.  On the season, the former Oklahoma Sooner is second on the team in receiving with 64 receptions for 811 yards and five touchdowns.  

Baltimore’s rushing game is fourth in the league averaging 147.1 yards per game.  Quarterback Lamar Jackson is the Ravens leading ball carrier rushing for 762 yards on 131 carries: averaging 5.8 yards per attempt.  Jackson has rushed for over 100 yards in two games this season.   He has rushed for at least 50 yards 39 times in his career.  Overall, the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner has rushed for 3,668 yards on 613 carries in his career, averaging six yards per attempt.   Devonta Freeman has rushed for 376 yards in 11 games as a Raven this season.  He has at least 50 yards from scrimmage in five straight games.  Freeman has five touchdowns in his last seven games.

Defense, the signature strength of the Ravens franchise for the last 20 years has struggled this season.  The defensive unit is allowing 356.7 yards per game, ranking them 20^th in the NFL and allowing 21.7 points to their opponents.  

Baltimore Ravens Depth Chart

QB: Lamar Jackson
RB1: Devonta Freeman
RB2: Latavius Murray
RB3: Patrick Ricard
WR1: Rashod Bateman
WR2: Marquise Brown
WR3: Sammy Watkins
TE1: Mark Andrews

Cleveland Browns Analysis

The Browns offense is averaging 354.1 yards of total offense per game, ranking them 18^th in the NFL.  They’re scoring 21.2 points per game which ranks them 19^th in the league.  

Baker Mayfield tore his labrum in his non-throwing shoulder in week 2, he’s also battling left foot soreness and a right knee contusion that knocked him out of the game against the Patriots in week 10. In week 12 against the Ravens, Mayfield completed only 48.7% of his passes for 247 yards, one touchdown with a 79.4 passer rating.  On the season, Mayfield has been inconsistent, throwing for 2,413 yards, 11 touchdowns, six interceptions with a 62.2 completion percentage.  At times the fourth-year quarterback has overthrown receivers, thrown into double coverage, or simply looks clueless when reading a defense.  The former number one overall pick in 2018 currently ranks 26^th in the NFL with a 37.9 QBR.  At times he looks like a franchise quarterback, but other times he looks like he’s bordering on becoming another bust for the Browns. I expect Cleveland to explore the quarterback market to see if an upgrade or competition for Mayfield is out there.  

Nick Chubb is fourth in the league in rushing with 867 yards and his 5.8 yards per carry ranks him second in the NFL.  In week 12 against the Ravens, Chubb rushed for a paltry 16 yards on eight carries.  The fourth-year pro from Georgia has rushed for over 100 yards four times in 2021.  In his career he has rushed for 4,424 yards on 830 carries and 34 touchdowns.

The supremely talented Browns defense is allowing 315.6 yards per game this season ranking them third in the NFL.  They’re allowing 22.3 points per game, ranking them 12^th in the league.

Cleveland has 31 sacks as a team in 2021.  Myles Garrett has 14 sacks in 12 games this season which is second in the NFL.  He also has 15 tackles for loss and 28 quarterback hits this season.  Garrett is currently +160 to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Cleveland Browns Depth Chart

QB: Baker Mayfield
RB1: Nick Chubb
RB2: D’Ernest Johnson
WR1: Rashard Higgins
WR2: Donovan Peoples-Jones
WR3: Jarvis Landry
TE1: Austin Hooper

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns Daily Fantasy Picks

Justin Tucker is arguably the greatest kicker in NFL history.  He had made 56 straight field goals in the fourth quarter/overtime, which is the longest active streak in the NFL.  Tucker has made at least two field goals in a game 98 times in his career.   On the season he has made 25 fields goals and has gone 23 for 23 on extra point attempts (98 points).  The 10^th year pro has scored at least 128 points in all his seasons in the NFL.  If I was in a keeper league, he’d be one of my top targets to have on my roster.  

Battling a groin injury and in and out the lineup the past few weeks, Donovan Peoples-Jones is a player, I’d look to pick up if I was in a keeper league looking ahead to next season.  With the status of Jarvis Landry up in the air for next year, there’s a good chance Peoples-Jones could be the main target of Browns quarterbacks’ next season.  In nine games this season, he has 18 receptions for 340 yards and three touchdowns: he’s averaging 18.9 yards a reception.  He has big play ability that could eventually make him one of the most dangerous receivers in the NFL.