>The Cleveland Browns have a forecast 54% chance to win against The Baltimore Ravens with a spread of -1.0/1.0 and an over/under of 44.0. The Cleveland Browns are 0 – 0 against The Baltimore Ravens in the 2021-22 Season.
— Sunday, November 28th Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens
The AFC North race is the tightest in the NFL, with all four teams over .500 and within two games of each other in the loss column. Starting this week, the division-leading Baltimore Ravens (7-3) will play four straight games against North foes, starting with a home game against the 6-5 Cleveland Browns. Kickoff from Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium is set for 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday and will be televised by NBC.
These teams have not met yet this season and will play again in Cleveland on December 12. Baltimore swept the season series last year and have won four of the last five. The Browns trail the all-time series 33-11 and last won in Baltimore in 2015.
Mayfield Struggling for Browns
The Browns are 5-6 ATS this season, and the over is 6-5 in their games. They have the best rushing offense in the NFL at 156.8 yards per game and should get Kareem Hunt back off IR this week. The defense ranks fourth in total yards allowed, seventh against the run (101.4), and eighth against the pass (215.4).
Getting Hunt back is huge for the Browns, who also endured multiple games without leading rusher Nick Chubb. Chubb ran for 130 yards in last week’s win over Detroit and has 851 yards with six touchdowns on the season. Hunt has 522 total yards this season, 20 receptions, and five touchdowns as he returns from a calf injury.
Mayfield has played through injuries this season, and he has thrown six interceptions with just ten touchdowns. Last week he was 15-for-29 for 176 yards, and he hasn’t thrown for more than 250 yards in a game since October 17. Last year he threw for 532 yards in two games against Baltimore with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Donovan Peoples-Jones are both questionable with injuries. Tight end David Njoku leads the Browns with 372 receiving yards while tight end Austin Hooper leads the team with 28 receptions, and both have two touchdowns. If Landry and Peoples-Jones aren’t available, Cleveland will be down to Rashard Higgins, who has 15 catches on the season and probably backed up by practice team players.
Jackson Set to Return for Ravens
The Ravens played last week without MVP candidate Lamar Jackson, but their star quarterback should return from a non-COVID illness this week. On the season, they are 4-6 ATS, and the over is 5-5 in their ten games. The Ravens rank third in the NFL in rushing (151 ypg) and second against the run (88.6 ypg).
In nine games this season, Jackson has 2,447 passing yards and a team-leading 639 rushing yards. Overall he has accounted for 16 touchdowns and has thrown eight interceptions. In his place last week, Tyler Huntley threw for 258 yards to beat the Bears with a late touchdown drive.
Devonta Freeman has taken over as the top Ravens running back with 272 yards and three touchdowns. Latavius Murray returned last week after missing four weeks, and he had 32 yards against the Bears. With Murray back in the fold, the Ravens cut Adrian Peterson, and they have also let Le’Veon Bell go this season.
Marquise Brown is not only the deep threat for the Ravens but also the leading receiver at 52 catches for 719 yards and six touchdowns. Sammy Watkins has 22 catches for 347 yards, while Devin Duvernay has 23 catches for 203 yards and two scores. Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews had four touchdowns to go with a team-best 56 catches and 696 yards.
Betting Analysis
- Cleveland Browns +3.5 (-110). Money Line +155
- Baltimore Ravens -3.5 (-110). Money Line -160
- Total Points 47 (Over -110. Under -110)
Jackson has dominated this matchup in his three seasons with a 4-1 mark against Cleveland with ten passing touchdowns and four rushing scores. The Browns have scored more than 17 points in a game just once since October 10, and they will be hard-pressed to keep up with the Ravens if Jackson is back to his MVP form.
Betting Pick: Ravens -3.5 (-110)
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