Look for the Ravens to blitz Baker Mayfield in opener vs. Browns
Baker #Baker
1 p.m. ET | CBS
Matchup rating: 67.2 | Spread: BAL -7.5 (48.5)
What to watch for: The Ravens will be coming after Baker Mayfield. In Baltimore’s Week 4 loss to Cleveland last season, the Ravens blitzed 34% of the time, and Mayfield picked apart the secondary for 342 yards. In the Ravens’ Week 16 victory, they ramped up the pressure, sending five or more rushers 56% of the time and limiting Mayfield to 192 yards passing. — Jamison Hensley
Bold prediction: Rookie running back J.K. Dobbins scores two touchdowns in his Ravens debut against a shorthanded Browns defense down multiple starters due to training camp injuries. Dobbins had eight multi-TD games last season at Ohio State. — Jake Trotter
Stat to know: Browns running back Nick Chubb recorded 1,494 rushing yards last season — second-most in the NFL behind Derrick Henry’s 1,540 — and a season-high 165 of them (along with a career-high three rushing touchdowns) came against the Ravens in Week 4. But that isn’t the only rushing attack to watch. Baltimore led the NFL with 206.0 rushing yards per game.
Everything you need this week:• Full schedule » | Standings »• Depth charts for every team »• Transactions » | Injuries »• Football Power Index rankings »More NFL coverage »
Injuries: Browns | Ravens
What to know for fantasy: The Ravens might have spent the 55th overall pick on Dobbins this spring, but Mark Ingram II had two of his four best games of last season in the first three weeks and is one of just four players since 2001 to have rushed for six scores in six straight seasons (LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson and Shaun Alexander). See Week 1 rankings.
Betting nugget: Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is 8-1 against the spread (ATS) in his last nine regular-season starts. Read more.
Trotter’s pick: Ravens 35, Browns 20
Hensley’s pick: Ravens 34, Browns 17
FPI prediction: BAL, 70.3% (by an average of 7.7 points)
Matchup must-reads: No excuses for Browns’ Mayfield in Year 3 … Jackson ‘obsessed’ with winning Superbowl … Browns not interested in hype or excuses heading into opener … Hollywood Brown ‘feels powerful’ after packing on pounds … Talented but crowded backfield is happy
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