NFL Predictions: Week 2 Picks and Hot Takes From Across the League
By Joe Wedra
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, CBS
Week one took on a strange twist for both of these AFC North rivals, ultimately telling two tales of teams heading in seemingly opposite directions.
For the Browns, classic Cleveland drama has crept up yet again, sticking with this team as it has for almost the entirety of their existence. With Josh McCown now stepping in to take the reins, it’s anyone’s guess how Hue Jackson’s team will perform on the offensive side of the football. McCown’s past is a tricky one. He’s shown he can either show up and be a gunslinger, or take on the unfortunate script of Cleveland quarterbacks and struggle to build momentum throughout games. Against a revamped Ravens defense, issues could be aplenty for a unit in flux.
Baltimore’s task in this one shouldn’t be a terribly difficult one, even on the road. Defensive reinforcements in Eric Weddle and Shareece Wright proved to be sparkplugs last Sunday against the Bills, making plays all around the field to collect and dispose of Buffalo’s attack. We know where the Ravens offense stands – a good, not great state – and it should be plenty to outscore Cleveland in the Dawg Pound. Notoriously, these two play tight football… combine that with a pair of questionable offenses and we might just see a classic, gritty AFC North football game this weekend.
Ravens defense shines bright yet again, helps Baltimore defeat Browns, 20-14.
Next: Seahawks/Rams