It?s pretty simple for the Baltimore Ravens right now: Win their final two games and they will be the AFC?s No. 2 overall seed and get a first-round bye.
However, Baltimore will have to do so without top receiver Anquan Boldin. He had surgery on his knee Thursday and will miss the final two games ? the team is expecting him back for the playoffs, but that first-round bye would surely help. The 31-year-old Boldin has 57 receptions for 887 yards and three touchdowns this year.
Boldin has produced three touchdowns and two 100-yard games this season. His 57 receptions and three touchdowns are his fewest since 2004. Over the past six games, Boldin has averaged 43.3 yards receiving. Rookie receiver Torrey Smith has averaged more receiving yards during that time (62.2). With Boldin sidelined, Smith and Lee Evans are expected to start for Baltimore.
Cleveland again starts Seneca Wallace at QB ahead of Colt McCoy, who is still dealing with post-concussion symptoms. Wallace?s one start against the Ravens came in the team?s most recent trip to Baltimore on Sept. 26, 2010. He threw for 141 yards and a TD in a 24-17 defeat, while counterpart Joe Flacco passed for three touchdowns.
The Browns? offense is somewhat conservative and averages only 294.6 total yards per contest. The Ravens can be stingy, yielding 90.0 yards per contest against the run. Look for Browns coach Pat Shurmur to throw more play-action passes to loosen up Baltimore?s third-ranked defense, which yields only 287.9 yards per game.
The Ravens have won seven straight over the Browns, tied for the longest win streak against an opponent in team history. They?ve also won seven consecutive games over the New York Jets.? Baltimore?s latest victory in the series came Dec. 4 as Ray Rice ran for a career-high 204 yards in a 24-10 win. Ricky Williams added 76 yards rushing as the Ravens piled up 290 on the ground.
If the Ravens don?t get pass pressure, they are as vulnerable as any defense. In their four losses, they have registered only five sacks. Ravens star Terrell Suggs was kept fairly at bay in the first meeting, netting only one sack. His 13 lead the AFC and tie for fifth in the NFL.
WAGERWEB.COM NFL FOOTBALL BETS ? Ravens by 13
RECORD VS. SPREAD ? Cleveland 5-8-1; Baltimore 7-6-1
SERIES RECORD ? Ravens lead 18-7
LAST MEETING ? Ravens beat Browns 24-10, Dec. 4
LAST WEEK ? Browns lost to Cardinals 20-17 OT; Ravens lost to Chargers 34-14
BROWNS OFFENSE ? OVERALL (29), RUSH (30), PASS (22)
BROWNS DEFENSE ? OVERALL (14), RUSH (31), PASS (3)
RAVENS OFFENSE ? OVERALL (15), RUSH (16), PASS (16)
RAVENS DEFENSE ? OVERALL (3), RUSH (2), PASS (5)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES ? Second meeting this month between AFC North foes. Ravens have won seven straight in lopsided series. ? Browns coach Pat Shurmur and Ravens mentor John Harbaugh coached together with Philadelphia from 1999-2007. ? Browns 1-6 on road; Ravens 7-0 at home. Browns 0-4 in division; Ravens 4-0. ? Cleveland expected to start Seneca Wallace at QB ahead of injured Colt McCoy (concussion). ? Browns LB D?Qwell Jackson, who leads team with 138 tackles, played in college at Maryland. ? Cleveland RB Peyton Hillis ran for 144 yards on 22 carries with TD in last game at Baltimore, a 24-17 defeat. ? Ravens seeking to complete first 8-0 season at home. ? Baltimore QB Joe Flacco 7-0 vs. Browns with eight TDs and four INTs. ? Ravens have won six straight AFC North games. ? Baltimore RB Ricky Williams needs 64 yards to reach 10,000 in career. ? Ravens signed K Shayne Graham on Wednesday. He is expected replace injured Billy Cundiff (calf). ? Ravens S Ed Reed has 10 career INTs vs. Cleveland, the most against any opponent. ? Baltimore is only NFL team that has not yielded a first-quarter sack.
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