Even with a monumental game under their belt, the Cleveland Browns are going into Monday as underdogs.
The NFL world is an enigma on its own. Sometimes the best team will fall to an average roster. Other times, close contests between a pair of playoff contenders could decide seeding/
So what can fans make of the Cleveland Browns entering Week 14?
Sitting at 9-3, the Browns will finish above .500 for the first time in over a decade. If the winning streak continues, they’ll return to the postseason for the first time since 2002.
However, they still have to get past the Baltimore Ravens this weekend on Monday Night Football. According to the oddsmakers, they’re not too sure the Dawg Pound will be ready to pounce and keep their winning ways alive.
They enter the game with a 33.9 percent chance of beating Lamar Jackson and the 7-5 club that’s struggled to find their identity all season.
Talk about 2020 in a nutshell right?
How do the Browns win Monday Night
Although known as a run-first team, Kevin Stefanski looked to attacked the Tennessee Titans’ weakness’ on defense by going through the air. Baker Mayfield finished with his best game of the season, throwing for 334 yards and four touchdowns on the way to a 41-35 victory.
The Ravens returned to their winning ways after being losers of three straight. This was a running spectacle as the rushing attack dismantled the Cowboys’ defense with a season-high 294 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Jackson entered the record books as the first quarterback to compile 5,000 yards passing and 2,500 yards rushing in the first three years of his career.
Amazingly, Mayfield’s been consistent since the departure of Odell Beckham Jr. in Week 7. Over the past five games, the former No.1 pick has thrown for 11 touchdowns and has yet to have a turnover.
Both teams rely heavily on the run, but the Browns held league-leading rusher Derrick Henry to 60 yards on the afternoon. This could be a game where the Ravens must trust Jackson’s arm more than his legs.
There’s a reason the Browns could be underdogs despite being the host. In games against AFC North opponents, Cleveland is 2-2, scoring a combined 13 points in both losses.