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The Cleveland Browns wrap up their season with a visit to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday afternoon. It is time to continue our NFL odds series with a Browns-Ravens prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Browns-Ravens Last Game – Matchup History
The Browns beat the Ravens earlier this season 29-24.
Overall Series: The Ravens lead the all-time series 36-15
Here are the Browns-Ravens NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Browns-Ravens Odds
Cleveland Browns: +17.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +1100
Baltimore Ravens: -17.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -2200
Over: 42.5 (-105)
Under: 42.5 (-115)
How to Watch Browns vs. Ravens
Time: 4:30 PM ET/1:30 PM PT
TV: ESPN
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why The Browns Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Browns were able to beat the Ravens earlier this season by some miracle. They won the game 29-24, and Jameis Winston was great in the win. He threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, and he did not throw an interception. He led the Browns to be 8-15 on third downs, and he only took three sacks. That is the type of game the Browns need out of their quarterback in this matchup. Winston is questionable for Saturday's game, but the Browns will need him active if they want to end their season on a strong note.
One thing the Browns did really well in their win over the Ravens earlier this season is stop them on third downs. Baltimore is usually very good on third downs as they convert at the third-highest rate in the NFL. However, the Browns hold opponents to the third-lowest third-down percentage in the NFL. That was shown in the first matchup with Baltimore as the Ravens were just 2-10 in those situations. If Cleveland can get the Ravens to third down and stop them in this game, they will be able to cover the spread.
Why The Ravens Could Cover The Spread/Win
Teams will rest their starters a lot of times in week 18 to give them rest before the playoffs. That will not be the case for the Ravens on Saturday. If they lose, and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens will drop to the fifth seed. This would cause them to lose home-field advantage. Baltimore will be playing Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and all of their defensive starters to ensure a victory on Saturday. With that, expect Baltimore to come out aggressive, and wanting to put the game away early.
With their starters on the field, the Ravens will have a chance to win any game. Both Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson can be considered MVP candidates. These two players have led the Ravens to average the most yards per game in the NFL. Along with that, Baltimore averages 30.2 points per game, which is the third-most in the league. In their last three games, the Ravens have scored 35, 34, and 31 points, and all of those have been wins. On the other hand, the Browns allow the eighth-most points per game. If the Ravens can continue to be dominant on offense, they are going to win this game.
Cleveland has also been one of the worst offensive teams in the NFL lately. They are scoring just 7.5 points per game in their last four games. The Browns have scored seven points or less in their last three games. They lost Nick Chubb again, Jameis Winston has not played their last two games, and their backup running back Jerome Ford is also dealing with some ailments. Baltimore's defense has allowed just 11.0 points per game in their last three games, so expect the Ravens to shut down the Browns.
Final Browns-Ravens Prediction & Pick
The spread is large for a reason. Baltimore has been dominant lately, and the Browns have really struggled. I am expecting that to continue on Saturday. Working under the assumption that Winston is out, I will take the Ravens to cover the spread.
Final Browns-Ravens Prediction & Pick: Ravens -17.5 (-110)
