Prediction: Ravens at Browns, 11.16.09
November 16th, 2009 | by Kevin Hanson |Tonight’s Monday Night Football matchup against the Cleveland Browns is a must-win game for the Baltimore Ravens, who have lost four of their past five games. But as poorly as the Ravens have played recently, the good news is the Browns are arguably the worst team in the league. The Ravens four losses have all come against division leaders — Cincinnati (twice), Minnesota and New England.
A win tonight improves the Ravens to 5-4 on the season and moves them into a tie with Jacksonville and Houston. All three teams would trail the two teams sitting in the AFC Wildcard spot — San Diego and Pittsburgh — by only one game with seven games to go.
The next three games after tonight’s game will be the most challenging part of the Ravens’ remaining schedule. The combined record of their next three opponents is 20-7 (.741). The combined record of their final four opponents is 13-36 (.361).
The Ravens will face the Colts, who have won 18 consecutive regular-season games, on a short week. Then they host Pittsburgh in a tough division battle and head to Green Bay to play the Packers the following week.
Their final four games are against Detroit (1-8), Chicago (4-5), Pittsburgh (6-3) and Oakland (2-7).
As long as the Ravens stay focused and don’t look ahead to their upcoming opponents, this game will be a blowout.
Prediction: Ravens 31, Browns 9
