There are many reasons Baltimore has a chance to win a division title this week while Cleveland is near the bottom of the league.
For example, consider the matchup at quarterback.
Lamar Jackson is in the mix for his third MVP award and second in a row, with a chance to produce statistical accomplishments that have never been achieved before. The Browns will counter him Saturday with Bailey Zappe, the fourth starting quarterback this season for Cleveland.
No wonder the line for this game was still soaring Thursday night, with Ravens a 19 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
“This game, because of all of the other games behind it, is an opportunity to put a banner up here,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. “That means a lot, especially in the AFC North. It’s a tough division, so winning the AFC North is even a greater accomplishment. That’s the opportunity we have this week, and that’s what we’re going to be fighting for.”
The Ravens (11-5) would win the division with a victory. If they lose, Pittsburgh could snatch the title — and a first-round home playoff game — by beating Cincinnati on Saturday night.
Cleveland (3-13) actually beat both Baltimore and Pittsburgh this season with Jameis Winston playing quarterback. He’s since been benched. Zappe becomes the team’s 40th starting QB since 1999. The Browns were hoping Deshaun Watson could provide some stability at the position, but he’s been lost to injury in each of the past two seasons.
Big numbers
Jackson has a passer rating of 121.6. The NFL’s single-season record is held by Aaron Rodgers, who finished at 122.5 in 2011.
A couple other firsts are in play for Jackson this weekend. He’s thrown for 3,955 yards and rushed for 852, with 39 touchdown passes and four interceptions.
— No player has thrown for 4,000 yards and run for 800 in a season.
— No player has thrown for 4,000 yards with at least 40 TD passes and four or fewer interceptions.
Myles ahead
The Browns have never had a single-season sack champion. Myles Garrett can end the drought.
Garrett enters Saturday’s game with 14 sacks, tying the star edge rusher with Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson for the league lead. The NFL’s reigning top defensive player, Garrett is the first with 14 sacks in four straight seasons.
Despite teams game-planning to stop him, Garrett has been as dominant as ever. He’s making a late push to win Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season and coach Kevin Stefanski said there’s no doubt in his mind that Garrett should repeat.
“I don’t see how he’s not the best defensive player in the game this year,” Stefanski said. “Whatever metric you want to measure that by, if you want to go with the eye test, I think everybody would agree. I think if you want to go with the advanced metrics and look at the pressure numbers and the times that he’s getting double-teamed and slides are going his way, that’s the piece to me that I think is so impressive and remarkable.
“He’s doing all this with getting all of the attention from the other team.”
Garrett was succinct when asked if he’s the best in the game.
“Yes,” he said.
Why?
“Go check the tape,” he said. “That’s why.”
Changing of the guard?
As Joel Bitonio weighs the reasons to keep playing or retire after 11 NFL seasons, the Browns’ six-time Pro Bowl left guard has been wrestling with an unexpected emotion.
“I’ve been very frustrated the last few weeks,” Bitonio said.
A year that began with playoff hopes in Cleveland collapsed long ago. But the disappointment has gnawed at Bitonio, who can’t get his head around what went wrong.
“I just didn’t expect us to be in this position,” he said. “You come out here and you’re playing for pride, you’re playing for your own resume, your own worth, and as a team, it’s tough to be in this situation.
“The expectations this year and then where we ended up have made it the most frustrating.”
Bitonio isn’t rushing his decision. He’ll speak with his family and assess his health before acting. And like Garrett, he’d like to have some input into what the Browns’ owners and front office intend to do to fix things.
“I’ll have my chance to let ’em know what I think is going on and they actually listen very well,” he said.
On the rise
Baltimore’s pass defense was a liability for a while, even allowing Winston to throw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, but lately the Ravens have tightened up. Baltimore’s defense didn’t allow a point in a 31-2 rout of Houston last week.
“You always appreciate when the work starts to show,” first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr said. “When it starts to pay off, you definitely appreciate those things. I think for us and me personally, and for us here in this organization, it just makes you even hungrier.”
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AP Sports Writer Tom Withers contributed to this report.
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