Ravens Seek to End Division Struggles Vs. Browns

If the Baltimore Ravens hope to make the playoffs, they
 need to start winning division games. The team will try to do just that with a
 different but familiar look under center this Sunday, when they host the
 Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium.

 The Ravens fell to 4-5 on the season after last weekend's 21-7 loss to the
 Cincinnati Bengals. That setback also dropped Baltimore to 0-4 versus AFC
 North opponents.

 Baltimore committed six turnovers in the game, helping set up four of the
 Bengals' seven field goals on the day. The loss was Baltimore's third in a row
 and halted their eight-game home winning streak. The Ravens are now 3-1 as the
 host this season.

 In third place in the division, the Ravens continue to lose ground on front-
 running Pittsburgh, which is 7-2. Cleveland and its 5-4 mark are in second
 place.

 Kyle Boller replaced an ineffective Steve McNair under center for Baltimore
 last weekend and will start this game. McNair is being shut down, possibly for
 up to three weeks, due to a nagging shoulder injury.

 Boller, who has made three starts this season, will have the luxury of
 starting at home, where the Ravens have been historically successful. The team
 owns the best home record since 2000 (45-15) and has won 14 of its last 16 as
 the host. The Ravens have not lost back-to-back home games since 2002 and will
 be trying to avoid their first four-game overall losing streak since 2005.

 But first, Baltimore will have to defeat a club that has played well against
 the AFC North.

 Since taking over as the full-time starter in Week 2, Browns quarterback Derek
 Anderson is 2-1 with 10 touchdown passes and just two interceptions versus
 Cleveland's divisional foes. However, that first loss came last weekend, when
 the Browns were bested by the Steelers. Cleveland carried a 21-9 lead into
 halftime, but watched Pittsburgh rally for a 31-28 victory.

 The Browns had an attempt to tie the game, but Phil Dawson's 52-yard field
 goal with six seconds remaining was short.

 Cleveland kick returner Joshua Cribbs had a record-setting day in the loss, as
 he finished with a career-high 204 kickoff return yards. The bulk of that came
 on a 90-yard return to the Pittsburgh three in the first quarter and a career-
 long 100-yard return for a score in the fourth. The return for a touchdown was
 the fourth of Cribbs' career and passed Bobby Mitchell for the franchise mark
 in that category.

 The contest will be Cleveland's second straight divisional road game, and the
 team is just 1-3 on the road in 2007. The Browns had a three-game winning
 streak halted with last Sunday's loss, their longest winning burst since 2001.

 Browns running back Jamal Lewis is expected to play in his 100th career game
 this Sunday. Originally drafted by the Ravens in 2000, Lewis will play in
 Baltimore for the first time as a member of a team other than the Ravens. He
 ran for 8,052 yards and 46 touchdowns in his Baltimore career.

 Cleveland defeated Baltimore at home, 27-13, on September 30.

 SERIES HISTORY

 Baltimore holds a 11-6 lead in its all-time series with Cleveland, but was
 27-13 road loser when the teams met in Week 4. The Ravens swept their AFC
 North rival in a home-and-home last season, including a 27-17 affair at M&T
 Bank Stadium in Week 15. Cleveland is 0-4 in Baltimore since last winning
 there in 2002.

 Baltimore's Brian Billick is 11-6 against Cleveland in his career, while the
 Browns' Romeo Crennel is 2-3 against both Billick and the Ravens as a head
 coach.

 WHEN THE BROWNS HAVE THE BALL

 Cleveland comes into this tilt on a down note after blowing a halftime lead
 against Pittsburgh. And despite the 28 points allowed, which was right around
 the Browns' season average (28.3 ppg), the club managed just 163 yards of net
 offense, a far cry from its 342.9 yards per game average on the season.
 Anderson (2,231 passing yards, 9 INT) was limited to just 123 yards through
 the air, but did toss three touchdown passes to up his season total to 20.
 Tight end Kellen Winslow (47 receptions, 703 yards, 4 TD) and wide receiver
 Joe Jurevicius (29 receptions, 3 TD) each made five catches versus the
 Steelers, with Winslow, wide receiver Braylon Edwards (43 receptions, 752
 yards, 10 TD) and fullback Lawrence Vickers each hauling in a touchdown pass.
 However, Edwards' scoring catch was his lone reception of the game. The
 Steelers also held Lewis (515 rushing yards, 6 TD) in check, as he totaled
 only 35 rushing yards on 16 carries. Lewis also fumbled twice, losing one. He
 will look to get it going on Sunday against his former club that released him
 this offseason.

 Despite last week's loss, the Ravens defense can hold its head up proud.
 Constantly coming onto the field with its backs against the wall, the unit
 held the Bengals to 326 net yards. The Bengals held the ball for over 35
 minutes but never found the end zone despite seven trips to the red zone. The
 Ravens have been tough in that area all season, allowing just nine touchdowns
 on 27 opponent possessions inside the 20 (33.3 percent), good for second in
 the NFL. Baltimore also gave up 256 net yards through the air as it played
 without starting corners Chris McAlister (knee) and Samari Rolle (illness).
 The Ravens then lost third corner Corey Ivy to a concussion in the first
 quarter. Rolle has already been declared out, but McAlister returned to
 practice this week and has a decent chance to play on Sunday. Linebacker Ray
 Lewis (75 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) led the Ravens last week with 10 tackles to
 go along with a sack and forced fumble, while linebacker Terrell Suggs (47
 tackles, 3 sacks) and safety Dawan Landry (42 tackles, 1 sack) added eight
 each. In addition to their strong red-zone play, the Ravens fifth-ranked
 defense is second against the run, allowing just 73.7 rushing yards per game.
 Safety Ed Reed has six career interceptions versus the Browns, the most
 against any opponent.

 WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL

 The Ravens have countered their solid defense with one of the worst offenses
 in the league. Baltimore is scoring just 15.3 points per game (28th overall),
 and is 23rd in total offense with a mere 295.9 yards per game. That includes
 just 195.9 per game through the air. McNair (1,113 passing yards, 2 TD, 4 INT)
 threw for just 128 yards and committed three turnovers (one interception, 2
 fumbles) in last week's loss. His interception came in the end zone from the
 two-yard line to end the second quarter, allowing the Bengals to take a 6-0
 lead into the break. Boller (772 passing yards, 3 TD, 3 INT) replaced McNair
 in that game and will do so again this weekend. He threw for 89 yards and was
 intercepted once in relief. Rookie Troy Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner a
 year ago at Ohio State, will move into the backup role behind Boller. Willis
 McGahee (749 rushing yards, 4 TD) ran for 60 yards and a score against
 Cincinnati, giving him a rushing TD in four straight games. Wide receiver Mark
 Clayton (29 receptions) has his best game of 2007, hauling in eight passes for
 a season-high 107 yards. Leading receiver Derrick Mason (66 receptions, 593
 yards, 2 TD) added four catches for just 29 yards, while tight end Todd Heap
 (23 receptions, 1 TD) added four receptions for 38 yards. Heap aggravated a
 lingering hamstring injury in the game, however, and is unlikely to play this
 week.

 The Browns' defense continues to be the club's downfall. The unit allowed
 three second-half touchdowns last Sunday and gave up a total of 401 net yards.
 Cleveland is dead last in the NFL in points (29.3) and yards (410.6) allowed
 per game, is 31st against the pass and 28th against the run. However, the
 Browns did post a season-high four sacks against Pittsburgh, with corner Eric
 Wright (68 tackles, 1 INT), defensive linemen Shaun Smith (29 tackles) and
 Robaire Smith (29 tackles, 2 sacks) and linebacker Antwan Peek (15 tackles, 2
 sacks) all getting to the quarterback. Wright also tied linebacker Leon
 Williams (60 tackles) for the team lead with 11 tackles in the game. Safety
 Brodney Pool had his first interception of the season last week, the club's
 only turnover of the game. Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson was inactive for the
 game due to an ankle injury and is considered questionable for this weekend's
 game. He missed practice on Wednesday, as did Peek (knee) and linebacker
 Willie McGinest (hamstring). Those two are more likely to suit up on Sunday.

 FANTASY FOCUS

 Few on the Baltimore side of the ball are worth starting this year, but if
 there is ever a week to do so, this is it. McGahee is a solid pick to do some
 damage, while Clayton and Mason could also give owners a surprise boost this
 weekend. That of course, depends on if Boller can get them the ball. If he
 can't do it against the Browns' weak defense, he won't warrant a spot on
 anyone's roster for the rest of the season. Anderson continues to reward
 owners who secured him early and should have a big game given the current
 state of Baltimore's corners. However, with the likes of Ray Lewis and Reed
 out there, turnovers are possible. Edwards and Winslow are must-starts, while
 Jamal Lewis is a sleeper pick as he battles his former club with some extra
 motivation in a stadium he knows well.

Popularity: 47% [?]