Basics
TV:Â CBS/WJZ (Ch. 13)
TV Crew:Â Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), James Lofton / Steve Tasker (analysts)
TV Coverage:Â View Map
Radio:Â 98 Rock | WBAL-1090 AM
Local Radio Crew:Â Gerry Sandusky (play-by-play), Stan White (analyst), Dennis Pitta (analyst)Â
View Full Schedule Of Gameday Coverage »
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Jersey Color:Â Purple
Referee Crew:Â Gene Steratore
Stakes
The Ravens want to kick off their home schedule with a victory and keep their Week 1 momentum rolling. The Browns likely aren't a playoff contender yet, but they're still an AFC North rival who have given the Ravens many good battles over the years. A loss at home to the Browns would be a punch to the gut.
History
The Ravens lead the regular-season series, 27-9. After winning 11 straight games versus Cleveland from 2008-2013, the Browns came away with victories in 2013 and 2015. Baltimore has won the past three since then. It hasn't been easy, however, as eight of the last 11 meetings have been decided by seven points or less.
Key Storylines
Will Ravens Feast on Rookie QB DeShone Kizer?Under Head Coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens have never lost at home to a rookie starting quarterback. They've gone a perfect 8-0 and the rookies have thrown just three touchdowns to 10 interceptions. The Ravens are excellent at disguising looks in their defense, and are coming off a five-sack performance in Week 1. So they will challenge Kizer from multiple angles. Baltimore's coaches and defensive players have been very complimentary of Kizer this week, however, after he put a scare into the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in his career debut last week.
Ravens' Offensive Identity
The Ravens ran the ball 42 times in the season-opener. Joe Flacco attempted just 17 passes and completed none in the second half. An offense that was a mystery all offseason continues to raise questions. Pundits are fans are wondering how much of that heavy run diet was because of the score last Sunday versus the Bengals and how much was the result of a rededication to the run game. Flacco said he's healthy enough to throw more passes. We'll see if he does this week after the Browns held Pro Bowl Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell to 32 yards rushing on 10 carries last week.
Danny Woodhead's Replacement
It was clear on the Ravens' first drive of the season that running back Danny Woodhead was going to be a big part of this year's offense. Now that Woodhead is out for at least eight weeks because of an injured hamstring, the question is who will fill his void. Terrance West and Javorius Allen are both adept at catching the ball out of the backfield. The Ravens also brought Jeremy Langford up from the practice squad. Quarterback Joe Flacco mentioned wide receiver Michael Campanaro as a possibility, but he's questionable to play because of an ankle injury.
Players to Watch
QB Joe Flacco
Flacco got through his first game without any back troubles. He said he's not 100 percent, but feels good about how he came out of Sunday's game. Flacco didn't have a lot put on his plate in the regular-season debut, and could be asked to do more in his second game. How will he handle the increased load if so?
CB Marlon Humphrey
The rookie had a very successful debut in Cincinnati. Even though he saw just eight defensive snaps, Head Coach John Harbaugh said the first-round pick earned more reps. It will be interesting to see how he gets worked into the rotation with Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr, and how the rookie performs with a bigger role.
OLB Terrell Suggs
Suggs is coming off a monster first game in which he got two sacks, including a sack/strip, and deflected a pass that led to an interception. Last week he was going up against 25-year-old Bengals left tackle Cedric Ogbuehi. This week, Suggs will match up against 32-year-old 10-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas. It's a matchup of longtime veterans still playing at an extremely high level.
