DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2014 NFL Season Looking Back: Ravens 20 - Browns 10 Grossi's Scouting Report: Baltimore Ravens

Tony Grossi's Scouting Report: Baltimore Ravens

Dec 24, 2014
By Tony Grossi | ESPNCleveland.com

Browns v. Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m., in M&T Bank Stadium

Record: 9-6.

Last game: Lost to Houston Texans, 25-13, Dec. 21, in Houston.

Coach: John Harbaugh, 80-44, eighth year.

Series record: Ravens lead, 23-8.

Last meeting: Ravens won, 23-21, Sept. 21, in Cleveland.

League rankings: Offense overall is 11th (7th rushing, 14th passing), defense is 9th (4th rushing, 28th passing) and turnover differential is zero.

Offensive overview: Quarterback Joe Flacco is coming off one of his worst games, misfiring on 29 of 50 throws and tossing three interceptions. He looked gunshy and uncomfortable after taking two hits early in the game. A big difference from the earlier meeting is that Justin Forsett emerged as the feature back. He shared the handoffs with rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro in the Game 3 meeting. Injuries could cause a shuffle on the offensive line, resulting in changes at both tackle spots and right guard.

Defensive overview: Decimated by injuries, the entire starting secondary is different from Game 3. The cornerbacks now have veteran Lardarius Webb and rangy Dolphins practice squad pickup Rashaan Melvin, and the safeties are Darian Stewart and Will Hill. Rookie tackle Tim Jernigan has filled the big shoes of NFL-suspended Haloti Ngata. He has helped the defense limit opponents to a 3.6-yard rush average and only seven rushing touchdowns, and has added four sacks.

Special teams overview: Kicker Justin Tucker is 27 of 32 on field goals with a long of 44 yards, and is third with 57 touchbacks on kickoffs. Punter Sam Koch is second in gross average (47.4 yards) and first in net (43.5). Return specialist Jacoby Jones is eighth in punt returns (9.5) and second in kickoffs (30.9) with a 108-yard touchdown. Pat Scales is their third different long snapper. They have three blocked kicks, including one returned for a touchdown.

Players to watch:

1. Running back Justin Forsett: The seven-year veteran became a star feature back in Gary Kubiak’s wide zone running scheme, posting career highs with 1,147 yards, a 5.7-yard average and 8 TDs. His 218 carries also are a career high, and he has shown signs of wearing down.

2. Receiver Steve Smith: One of the smartest free agent pickups of the NFL season, the 14-year veteran has given the offense everything hoped for – toughness, professionalism and big plays. At 35, he’s 25 yards shy of his eighth career 1000-yard receiving season.

3. Linebacker Elvis Dumervil: His 17 sacks are a franchise record, rank third in the NFL and, coupled with Terrell Suggs’ 11, form the most lethal 1-2 sack punch in the league this season. His 10 sacks against the Browns, which include a four-sack game while with the Broncos, are the most he has v. any team.

Injury update: OT Rick Wagner (foot) is out. RB Justin Forsett (ankle) left the last game and will be limited. DE Chris Canty (ankle) did not practice. OT Eugene Monroe (foot) is in a walking boot and not practicing.

Small world: GM Ozzie Newsome a Browns’ first-round draft choice in 1978 and played through 1990. He was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999 … George Kokinis, senior personnel assistant, was Browns GM in 2009 and was fired after eight games … Director of pro personnel Vincent Newsome played the final two seasons (1991-92) of his career for the Browns and then scouted for them … Former Browns coaches are Jerry Rosburg (special teams, 2001-06) and Clarence Brooks (defensive line, 1999) … Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is from Lodi, OH.

http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=17&post_id=41171

The Ravens are going to crush us. We have no QB, and the defense is a sieve. I look for Balt, to run it all day, and set up Flacco for the bomb, more than once.

So we're really going here with a scouting report huh?...looooool. Wether Cle wins or losses,will not make me feel any better or worse on how this season ended.

I would dearly love to make Baltimore sit home for the holidays. I would also be lying if I said that a 3-3 AFCN record would not make me feel better, even though we struggled down the stretch.

To split the division, is a move forward.

back in the day, the advice I got was good: Never bet on the Browns, but never bet agin them." I was also told to count on them to split with everyone in the division (back when we were better). Not always correct, but has proven very sound more often than not.

Browns are going to get destroyed in this final game of the season.

Hoyer's supposed to test his shoulder today at practice. If he ends up playing, we have a shot. If its Connor Shaw, probably no shot.

Ian Rapoport is reporting Hoyer will not practice today and the Browns plan on going with Shaw.

Might as well see what we have in Shaw.. at this point, it couldn't hurt.

That is big.. To top it off, we knock off the Ravens and we will have booted them out of the playoff picture..

As if pride wasn't enough to play for.. This adds some pepper to the gumbo....

For the fans, perhaps.

I don't think many of the players are going to go for that. Most are planning their vacations.