The Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens will meet Saturday in NFL action from M&T Bank Stadium. Here’s a Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Ravens vs Browns pick.
Cleveland Browns Betting Preview
The Browns’ season got off to a rough 2-7 start with wins against only the Jaguars and Ravens. After the bye week, Cleveland hit a 1-5 stretch with losses to the Saints, Broncos, Steelers, Chiefs, and Bengals in the next six games.
On Sunday versus Miami, the Browns continued their skid with another pretty miserable outing. Cleveland went into the locker room with a 6-3 deficit, then failed to score at all in the second half (giving up points in each quarter along the way) for a 20-3 defeat in the end. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson finished with 170 yards and an interception. Leading the rush was D’Onta Foreman with 49 yards off 13 carries, while Jerry Jeudy caught 12 balls for 94 yards total.
Cleveland has been pretty miserable this year when it comes to scoring. They’re averaging just 15.5 points per game and giving up 25.0 on the other side. The Browns have more interceptions (21) than they do passing touchdowns (18). The running game averages a tepid 97.0 yards per game and has accounted for just eight touchdowns so far.
Baltimore Ravens Betting Preview
Over on the Ravens’ side, they managed an 8-5 run before their bye week. Baltimore fell to the Chiefs, Raiders, Browns, Steelers, and Eagles in that time. Since the opening Sunday, the Ravens have beaten the Giants, Steelers, and Texans.
Matched up against Houston on Christmas Day, the Ravens were ahead 17-2 by the break. Baltimore scored a couple times in the third and rolled to the win 31-2. QB Lamar Jackson finished with 168 yards and two TDs through the air while also rushing four times for 87 yards and another score. Derrick Henry rushed 27 times for 147 yards and a score of his own, while Mark Andrews led the receivers on two grabs for 68 yards and a TD.
Baltimore is scoring well this year with 30.2 points per game and 58 total touchdowns. The Ravens have 39 touchdowns through the air (alongside four interceptions) and 19 scores on the ground. The rush game has been a nice complement to the pass; Baltimore averages 185.6 yards per game via the run.
Why the Baltimore Ravens will win
- The Ravens have won each of their last 12 home games against AFC opponents on a losing streak.
- The Browns have lost each of their last 10 games as road underdogs when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- The Browns have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games.
- The favorites have covered the spread in each of the Browns’ last five games.
- The Ravens have scored the first touchdown in nine of their last 10 games as favorites against AFC North opponents.
- The Ravens have won the first quarter in each of their last six home games against the Browns following a road win.
- The Browns have lost the first half in each of their last 10 road games against AFC North opponents.
Why the Cleveland Browns will win
- The Ravens have lost five of their last six January games as home favorites against AFC opponents.
- The Browns have won four of their last five games as underdogs following a home loss.
- The Ravens have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine home games against teams that held a losing record.
- The Browns have covered the spread in seven of their last eight games as underdogs following a home loss.
- The Ravens have lost the first quarter in each of their last five January games against AFC North opponents.
- The road team has won the first half in four of the Ravens’ last five games.
Total Points Facts
- Ten of the Ravens’ last 11 January games as favorites have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Browns’ last five games as road underdogs following a home loss have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Four of the last five games between teams from the same division have gone OVER the total points line.
Baltimore Ravens Player Prop Facts
- Lamar Jackson has recorded 237+ passing yards in eight of the Ravens’ last 10 regular season games as home favorites.
- Lamar Jackson has recorded 54+ rushing yards in each of his six previous January appearances with the Ravens as favorites.
- Zay Flowers has recorded 71+ rushing and receiving yards in each of the Ravens’ last four games following a road win.
- Derrick Henry has scored at least one touchdown in each of his last seven home appearances against teams with a losing record.
- Isaiah Likely has recorded 26+ receiving yards in each of the Ravens’ last nine games following a road win.
- Lamar Jackson has recorded 20+ completions in 15 of his last 19 appearances following a road win.
- Heading into Week 18, Lamar Jackson ranks 1st amongst qualified players for passer rating (121.6) this season.
Cleveland Browns Player Prop Facts
- Jameis Winston has recorded 269+ passing yards in four of his last five road appearances as a starter.
- Jerome Ford has recorded 58+ rushing yards in four of his last five appearances following a home loss.
- Jerry Jeudy has scored a touchdown in three of the Browns’ last four road games.
- David Njoku has recorded 42+ receiving yards in each of his last 11 road appearances against AFC opponents.
- Jameis Winston has recorded 23+ completions in each of his last five road appearances as a starter.
- Heading into Week 18, Myles Garrett ranks T1st in the NFL in sacks (14.0) this season.
Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns Prediction
I’ll just stay with the Ravens, but if the line inflates too much further I’d reconsider. The 18-point margin is quite a bit, even when you consider that the Ravens are the only ones with anything to play for. Divisional matchups are almost always competitive, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see this one (somewhat) close as well. Baltimore rolled right past Houston in their last game, notching 25 first downs and 432 total yards (251 rushing). It was a well-disciplined win, with the Ravens posting zero turnovers and just three penalties along the way. That bodes well for this team heading into the playoffs—and Baltimore controls their own destiny in that regard. A win will give them the division. Considering the Ravens have posted 31 or more points in three straight games, things are looking good.
As for Cleveland, they can draw strength here from the fact that they beat the Ravens the last time these teams met up. The Browns posted 401 total yards in that 29-24 finish, with 321 of those coming through the air. Cleveland is going to have to put up another big aerial performance on the road in order to compete here, but I don’t think the Browns have got it in them.
All of that said, the Ravens will have to dispatch the specter of a 29-24 loss the last time these teams met up on October 27. Baltimore posted 387 yards in that one (263 passing) but also gave up 401 yards (321 passing) on the other side. Cleveland’s 23-14 run in the second half proved to be the difference. I like the Ravens to post a cleaner effort here and power out the win/cover.