The final game of the Browns’ regular season.

Today, the Cleveland Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens. Below, we analyze a few advantages, disadvantages, or general thoughts about the two teams before getting to our predictions for the game.

Game Analysis

The Objective is to Lose

• The Browns have been so abysmal offensively the past two weeks, and the point totals have been bad the last three weeks: 7 points against Kansas City, 6 points against Cincinnati, and 3 points against Miami. I guess it’d only be fitting that next, they get shut out by the Ravens.
• After the season officially ends, I’ll do a little more of a retrospective of the 2024 season, and some bright spots. But in short, it feels like such a wasted season. Even from an entertainment value, it feels like the only exciting period of the season came during a one-month stretch from October 27 to December 2. That is when Jameis Winston started, and it included the wins over Baltimore and Pittsburgh, as well as the highlight-reel day offensively against the Denver Broncos in prime time.
• Now, at 3-13, and already having beaten the Ravens once this year, I don’t care whatsoever about some moral victory this week. The thing that can improve this team immediately next year is having higher draft picks. Right now, they have the No. 3 overall pick. If they lose, which they should, they are guaranteed a Top 3 pick. If the Titans and/or Patriots lose, Cleveland can move up to No. 2 or No. 1 overall. Don’t blow this, Cleveland: we don’t need to sacrifice a few draft slots in each round, just for the sake of a meaningless Week 18 victory. I know the same holds true for the Titans and Patriots, but those teams are playing teams that will likely rest starters, so there’s a chance they could actually win.

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Bailey Zappe’s Time to Shine

• Bailey Zappe gets the start this week for the Browns, although Dorian Thompson-Robinson will also play, according to Kevin Stefanski. You may recall that Zappe, as a rookie in 2022, lit up the Browns as a member of the Patriots. On that day, New England won 38-15, and Zappe was 24-of-34 for 309 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• He also delivered a few other OK performances in 2023, including a 25-of-33 for 256 yards and 2 TD effort against the Broncos, and a 19-of-28 for 240 yards, 3 TD effort against the Steelers. He also laid some eggs. However, unlike what we’ve seen from Deshaun Watson and DTR, Zappe can actually be a pocket passer. That means I wouldn’t be surprised if the Browns’ offense looks a bit more competent this week — enough to give us an early scare that he’ll keep the Browns more competitive in this game than people think.

Quick Hitters

• Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey made a reference this week to Derek Anderson when answering a question about Dorian Thompson-Robinson:

When we watch DTR on some of those like second level throws where you got to kind of lob over the guy, does he have to get better in that area? Sometimes it looks like everything comes out kind of in the same trajectory.

“I think obviously, guys with that type of arm talent, which I never really had to worry about too much, but guys like that I think that’s a growing curve because sometimes stronger arm guys want to see it open and then fire it in there. Now, I do think he has that ability to do that and it’s just a comfort level for him. And again, that’s a growth. When I was here with DA (Derek Anderson), he was a guy of strong arm, see it open, fit in tight windows and those types of things. When I played with him here, when I coached him in Carolina, his mentality completely changed to an anticipator and laying it in windows and throwing those in-cuts five yards before they even come out of breaks and those types of things. So that’s a growth that these guys will have, and I think Dorian’s growing in that regard, and I think you see flashes of it, and it’ll continue to grow for him like a lot of these guys who have the arm talent that he has.”

• Defensive coordinator Jim Schwarz talked about the season that Martin Emerson has had:

What about Martin Emerson Jr.? What do you feel like the upside is for him in terms of kind of bouncing back from what seems to be a little bit of a down season for him?

“Yeah, the biggest thing has just been finishing at the ball. There’s a lot of metrics that his coverage has been just as tight this year as last year, but there’s a little better finish at the ball, so that’s got to be a point of emphasis. I would say this about MJ (Martin Emerson Jr.), is he has really, really improved this year as a tackler, particularly over the last few games. And that was a big point of emphasis. And he’s a tall guy, sometimes it’s hard for those guys, high center of gravity, tall and long. It’s hard in the open field. But I’ve been really impressed number one, with his commitment to doing it and working at it and also putting it on film the way that he has. So, he’s found a way to improve part of his game. And like I said, some of it also is just finishing at the ball and some of it can also be a little bit what I talked about before with offenses don’t really feel the need to attempt too many throws just from the way the season has gone or the way the scores in the games have been. So, all those things affect the corner. They affect your interceptions and your sacks and things like that. But I have been proud of his commitment and his improvement in the tackling game because to be a complete corner, you need to be able to do those things.”

• According to the FanDuel Sportsbook, the Browns are 19.5-point underdogs against the Ravens.

Predictions

Here are predictions from multiple staff members at DBN.

Chris Pokorny: “I imagine we’ll see a shred of promise and dignity from the offense under Bailey Zappe. The Ravens’ defense still has some holes in it. However, I think enough of those negative plays will build up, and Baltimore will certainly have that hunger in their belly to avenge their previous loss and win the AFC North.” Ravens 30, Browns 17

Jared Mueller: “Ravens care, Browns mostly don’t. Myles Garrett gets a sack or two, Bailey Zappe runs around and makes a play or two, most likely to Jerry Jeudy while Baltimore just controls the game. I think the line is too big as the Ravens won’t have a reason to push their key players late in the third quarter.” Ravens 28, Browns 13

Thomas Moore: “We’ve all seen this movie before and the ending is not a good one. The Browns are just trying to make it to the offseason with a one-and-done QB, while the Ravens are looking to secure the win and, along with it, the AFC North title.

Baltimore will do enough to win but not cover the almost three-touchdown point spread.” Ravens 21, Browns 3

Curtiss Brown: “I mean the spread is large for a reason. The Zap Man as in “Bailey Zappe” will be starting at quarterback and half of the Browns players will be out due to injury. However, I don’t think Cleveland will just lay down but Baltimore is trying to wrap up the division and rest key starters. It’ll be a preseason game in the 2nd half if John Harbaugh decides to pull key guys if he’s satisfied. Rough season this year but it’s life. Things happen. We move on to next season and maybe things will be different around this time.” Ravens 30, Browns 17

Ezweav: “The winter of our discontent has been underway for a while now, but we’re mercifully at the end of it. As much as I hate the Ravens (and it’s a vibrant hatred) there’s pretty much no chance here.

I don’t think it will be especially one-sided necessarily, we do usually match up pretty well with these guys. They’ll just be able to make more plays that we won’t be able to match. Plus we’ll like, throw a pass that’s inadvertently a lateral and gets returned for 6. Something like that.

Justin Tucker will miss a kick. Our guy will miss two.” Ravens 16, Browns 8.