Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns: 5 Players To Watch
By Brett Foote
Sep 11, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett (29) runs with the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Justin Forsett
We contemplated slotting Bernard Pierce in here, because the Ravens proved in week two that they intend to use him primarily between the tackles. But the Browns have been a big problem against the run this season, receiving a positive grade from PFF. Even though the Saint’s Mark Ingram had some success last week, this is going to be a tough team to run against.
There is a good possibility that Pierce will find little room to run between the tackles, so the Ravens might be forced to give some extra carries to the shifty and speedy Justin Forsett. Linebacker Barkevious Mingo (3.0) and defensive end Billy Winn (1.9) have been especially dominant against the run in the first two weeks of the season.
But as we previously mentioned, the Browns have been downright terrible against the pass. Combine that with their ferocious pass rush, and Joe Flacco needs guys that he can quickly dump passes to in the short to intermediate range. Forsett has proven that he has the hands to be a strong safety valve for Flacco, and he has been better in pass protection (0.4) than Pierce (0.1) as well.