The Baltimore Ravens have already shown that the Cleveland Browns are going to have trouble stopping Lamar Jackson:
The Cleveland Browns beat the Ravens 40-25 last September, but the offense had a better day than you remember. Lamar Jackson put up 247 yards passing and 66 on the ground. Jackson did have two interceptions, but he threw three touchdowns. Mark Ingram had 71 yards and averaged almost six yards per carry. Even on a good day for the Browns, stopping the Ravens offense is a problem.
In the second 2019 battle, Jackson had three more touchdowns and 238 passing yards. Jackson had over 100 rushing yards in the game and Gus Edwards and Mark Ingram combined for 121 yards. Mark Andrews had a huge day with six receptions for 93 yards and two scores.
If you’re keeping score at home, the Browns gave up a total of 485 passing yards and six touchdowns to Jackson last year. The Browns gave up 416 rushing yards to the Ravens and 56 points. If the Ravens defense didn’t vanish into thin air in the first 2019 game, the Ravens may have swept the Browns. The offense certainly put up a fair bit of production against the Browns defense in two games.
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The Browns didn’t spend the offseason giving themselves a brand new defense. They also have the disadvantage of seeing the Ravens in the first game. Greg Roman will surely have different tricks, new looks and the Browns will go up against all of this first. The Ravens wont catch their division foes by surprise. The Browns know the Ravens are good, but nobody knows what act two written by Jackson and Roman has lined up.
The Ravens already know that they will be able to put up big numbers on the ground in this game. 100 yards is just about a promise for the Baltimore ground game. 250 yards is a distinct possibility. If the Ravens have their way with the Browns on the ground, that sets up everything for the offense. The past suggests the Ravens will roll with their running game. If you want to go back to the 2018 season finale, the Browns gave up 296 rushing yards for the Ravens.
The Bottom line:
On a day that the Browns practically hailed as their “Super Bowl victory” the Ravens put up 25 points and a lot of yards. On a bad day for the Ravens, the Browns needed two picks from Jackson and a fumble from Mark Ingram to make their 40-25 win a possibility. On a bad day for the Browns, Jackson schooled them, Andrews showed that he was their match up nightmare and the purple and black had their way.
Here is what we already know about the season opener. Jackson is going to bring it and the run game is going to be strong. There’s no doubt about that. The question is whether Baker Mayfield and the Browns can have enough success on offense to give the Ravens a week 1 scare? That remains to be seen. If the Ravens defense shows up though, even a little, this should be a great start for the 2020 Ravens.,