With two weeks to lick their wounds, the Baltimore Ravens will look to get healthy on Sunday when they invade the Buckeye State for a date with the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns. Facing Cleveland has been the perfect elixir for all that has ailed Baltimore in recent years. The division-leading Ravens have emerged victorious in the last nine meetings against the Browns, including a 23-16 triumph on Sept. 27.
The latest meeting was at M&T Bank Stadium, where Baltimore has won 14 consecutive games. On the road is a different matter for the Ravens, who are just 1-2 this season following a spiritless 43-13 setback to Houston on Oct. 21. While Baltimore was blitzed defensively, Cleveland stood tall and held San Diego to just a pair of field goals in a 7-6 victory on Sunday.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Ravens -3.5, O/U 42.5
ABOUT THE RAVENS (5-2): After being limited to 147 yards and a pair of interceptions versus Houston, quarterback Joe Flacco will look to maintain his mastery against Cleveland. Flacco, who has never lost to the Browns in his career, exploded for 356 yards with a rushing and passing touchdown in the teams' earlier meeting. Pro Bowl LB Terrell Suggs provided the lone positive for the Ravens in their last outing. Suggs returned from a partially torn right Achilles to collect a sack and four tackles.
ABOUT THE BROWNS (2-6): Rookie Trent Richardson showed no effects of a rib injury and gashed the Chargers for a season-best 122 yards and a touchdown. For his efforts, Richardson was publicly congratulated by Hall of Famer Jim Brown, who originally questioned the club using the third overall pick on the former Alabama star. Richardson was held to just 47 yards in the first meeting versus Baltimore, which has since yielded 622 yards in its last three tilts.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Ravens WR Torrey Smith, who scored against the Browns earlier this season, has four touchdowns in his last five games. Smith's 17.4 yard-per-catch average is tied for fifth-best in the NFL.
2. Browns WR Josh Gordon leads the league in that department, collecting a whopping 22.3 yards per reception. Gordon was held to three catches on Sunday and saw his touchdown string end at three games.
3. Cleveland will be aided by the return of cornerback Joe Haden, who served a four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.