We are ready for this, are you? It’s the Browns trying to claw their way to relevance against a Ravens team gunning for an AFC North crown. You’ve got a Baltimore squad that looks playoff-ready and a Cleveland team limping to the finish line with their fourth starting quarterback of the season.
Add in some big personalities, and you’ve got a game worth dissecting. So, if you’re tuning in, these are the players who’ll decide how this showdown unfolds—here are the top 3 key players to watch.
Lamar Jackson is the moment. Baltimore’s MVP front-runner has stacked numbers this season that feel like something straight out of Madden. We’re talking 3,955 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, and only four interceptions. Add his 852 rushing yards, and no one in the league comes close. The Ravens have built their entire offense around Jackson’s dual-threat brilliance, and the results are scary good.
He’s already smashed Mike Vick’s career rushing record for QBs, but this season he could set a new benchmark: no QB has ever thrown for 4,000 yards and rushed for 800 in the same year. With Derrick Henry in the backfield pulling defensive attention, Jackson has space to cook. Cleveland? They’ll need a miracle to slow him down. Spoiler: they won’t.
If you’re banking on Cleveland making this a game, it starts and ends with Myles Garrett. The guy’s tied for the league lead in sacks (14) and still manages to terrorize offenses despite constant double-teams. There’s a reason Garrett is in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation again. He dominates the field, and he dominates the games he plays.
Garrett’s job this week? Make life miserable for Lamar Jackson. Baltimore’s offensive line is solid, but Garrett has the ability to blow up entire plays on his own. Cleveland’s offense is a mess, so unless Garrett goes full Thanos and snaps his way into multiple turnovers, this one’s going to be over fast.
Jerry Jeudy is doing his best to shine in a disastrous Browns season. Somehow, he’s racked up 1,166 receiving yards and earned Pro Bowl honors, despite catching passes from a rotating cast of QBs. His 12-catch performance in Week 17 proved that no matter who’s under center, Jeudy can produce.
Against Baltimore’s rejuvenated secondary, Jeudy is Cleveland’s best (and maybe only) offensive weapon. If the Browns’ QB—whether it’s Bailey Zappe or Dorian Thompson-Robinson—can avoid imploding, Jeudy might sneak in some big plays. But let’s be real, it feels like putting a Band-Aid on a sinking ship.
Remember when Baltimore’s defense was a liability? Yeah, that’s over. Over the last six weeks, the Ravens have allowed just 171.2 passing yards per game and a 75.5 QB rating. They’re peaking at the perfect time, and Cleveland’s chaotic offense is their next victim.
Roquan Smith and Kyle Van Noy have turned this defense into a nightmare for QBs. The Browns are cycling through quarterbacks like they’re auditioning for a sitcom, so don’t expect much resistance. Baltimore’s defense is here to make a statement, and it’s not going to be subtle.
Cleveland’s QB situation is… tragic. They’ve started four different quarterbacks this season, and it’s looking like Bailey Zappe will be the guy for Week 18. Zappe has barely seen the field this year, and when he has, it’s been rough. Dorian Thompson-Robinson isn’t much better. He’s thrown six interceptions in limited action.
Compare that to Lamar Jackson, and it’s clear why the Browns are 17.5-point underdogs. The Ravens are gearing up for the playoffs. The Browns? Well, they’re just trying to survive without completely embarrassing themselves. Spoiler: it’s not gonna work.
