Ravens vs. Browns: The team with the edge at each position
On Sunday we will find out who has the edge between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns. Looking ahead to the game, who has the best roster at each position?
Quarterback: Ravens
Baker Mayfield was the number one pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Lamar Jackson was the 32nd pick in the same draft. Things obviously went the Ravens way since that moment. The Ravens have won back to back AFC North titles, won 14 games in 2019 and Jackson was crowned the MVP. It’s not a biased statement to say that Jackson is a better quarterback than Baker Mayfield. That’s a very objective and obvious point at the moment.
Mayfield has 35 career interceptions while Jackson only has nine. While Mayfield has actually thrown for more yards and more touchdowns, he has not had the level of success that Jackson has. Jackson has arguably changed the game. While Jackson has come along as a passer on day one he was the most dynamic running quarterback in the NFL. Jackson already is building a case to be one of the best dual threat quarterbacks of all time. The arrow is pointing up for Jackson. Mayfield has his arrow pointing in the right direction after his rookie season. Last year things went downhill and the Browns under delivered on their expectations.
The show stopping talent belongs to Jackson. Mayfield still has potential because he is still in the early stage of his career. The fact that Mayfield has thrown for 7,552 yards and 49 touchdowns is very impressive. Mayfield has a chance to get back on track and prove that he was worth a first round pick all along. The thing is though, Jackson has proven that he was the most talented quarterback in the 2018 NFL Jackson should keep getting better and getting on even footing with him should be a challenge for Mayfield.
Running back: Browns
This one is a little more of a toss up than the quarterback position. While the Ravens have the best overall running game with four impressive running backs and their MVP quarterback, the Browns have the most elite talent at this position. You have to remember how good Nick Chubb is. Chubb is the type of running back that can take over a game. He had 1,494 rushing yards last season. Chubb scored eight rushing touchdowns and he also chipped in 36 receptions on the 2019 season. Chubb is the biggest star at running back between the two teams.
As a collective unit the Ravens have an argument and the addition of J.K. Dobbins has the potential to tilt this in Baltimore’s favor. The combination of Chubb and Hunt is very potent. The Ravens may have the best running game, but that’s partly because of Jackson’s skill set and the way the offense is built. You could call this one even, but the Browns get the nod because Chubb is a star and Hunt can get back to being one of the most dynamic players in football.