Browns at Ravens
THE STORY: The Baltimore Ravens had an inside track to the top seed in the AFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs. But after laying an egg in San Diego on Sunday night, the Ravens needed the Pittsburgh Steelers to lose on Monday just to maintain their stranglehold on the AFC North. The Steelers complied, but Baltimore is now a game behind the New England Patriots and looking for a No. 2 seed. The good news is the Ravens get to play this week at home, where they are 7-0, and against the lowly Cleveland Browns. The Browns are consistently competitive but can’t seem to break through. They suffered their fourth straight loss last weekend 20-17 in overtime at Arizona and gave Pittsburgh all it could handle the previous week. Colt McCoy, who missed the Arizona game with a concussion, is unlikely to play on Saturday, leaving the quarterbacking duties to Seneca Wallace.
TV: CBS, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Ravens -13, O/U 38.5
ABOUT THE BROWNS (4-10): If Cleveland could figure out a way to score some points, it could stop wasting strong defensive efforts every week. The Browns have allowed 30 points only twice but rank 29th in total offense and 30th in scoring offense, putting up 13.9 points. McCoy was concussed against Pittsburgh but went back into the game in a move that has draw strong criticism. That has prompted the NFL to add its own concussion-specific trainers in every press box. Wallace passed for 226 yards and a touchdown last week, when the Browns squandered a 17-7 lead.
ABOUT THE RAVENS (10-4): Baltimore, which had already clinched a playoff spot, did not look ready to play last Sunday and was trounced 34-14by the Chargers. Losses by both Pittsburgh and the Houston Texans have kept the Ravens in line for a No. 2 seed and first-round bye if they can manage to win out. Baltimore is looking to complete a perfect season at home and will clinch the division with a win and a Pittsburgh loss.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. The Ravens have taken seven straight in the series, including a 24-10 triumph at Cleveland on Dec. 4 in which Ray Rice ran for a career-high 204 yards.
2. Wallace owns an 89.2 passer rating in five career starts for the Browns.
3. Baltimore RB Ricky Williams needs 64 rushing yards to reach 10,000 for his career.