Baltimore Ravens: 5 Keys to Victory vs. Cleveland Browns
By Joe Serpico
A Wide Receiver Must Step Up
Dec 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Kamar Aiken (11) catches a touchdown in front of Cleveland Browns cornerback Buster Skrine (22) during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The Browns have one of the top cornerbacks in the game in Joe Haden. He is capable of shutting down one half of the field on any Sunday, and with a depleted Ravens receiving corps, Joe Flacco is going to struggle to find options in the passing game.
Point blank, someone has to make a play on the outside for the Ravens to have any chance of winning this game. Feeding Forsett up to 30 times is a recipe for success, but that’s contingent on the fact that the Browns defense has to respect something on the outside. The problem is the Ravens aren’t fielding even an average group of wide outs. They are arguably the worst in team history.
The Ravens traded for Chris Givens last week and he will likely be thrusted right into the action. The offense has been lacking a deep threat all season long, but there is a lot of unknown that surrounds him. After a solid start to his NFL career, he has been an afterthought the past few seasons and who know what to expect from him on Sunday.
If it’s not Givens, then Kamar Aiken, Marlon Brown or Darren Waller must make something happen. The Browns run defense might be one of the league worst, but they can stack the box if they know the Ravens do not have receivers that threaten them. The receivers also set up the Ravens to use their athletic tight ends over the middle.
Next: Attack the Middle of the Field