Baltimore offense vs. Cleveland defense

	RAVENS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	13
	Pass	27
	Tot. Yds.	27
	Scoring	26
	Int's allowed	11
	Sacks allowed	22
	BROWNS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	31
	vs. Pass	24
	Total yds. allowed	30
	# of Ints.	5
	# of Sacks	15
	Turnover differential	-9

The Ravens offense has been stagnant for most of the season. An inability to find any continuity at the QB position has plagued the team. The flavor-of-the-week last Sunday was Tony Banks. Banks finished the game 13-34 for 129 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

The QB position has not been the Ravens only offensive shortcoming -- the team has been unable to effectively run the ball as well. Opponents have been loading up against the Raven running attack, and RB Eric Rhett has been facing a steady diet of eight and nine man fronts. The problem for Baltimore is that the team has been unable to show any sort of proficiency throwing the football. Opponents, therefore, don't feel the need to give their corners a lot of backside help and concentrate most of their efforts in stopping Rhett.

Obviously, the Ravens have to improve all aspects of their offensive play, but a good place to start would be to get the team's TEs, Aaron Pierce and Greg DeLong, involved in the offense. Last week against the Bills, neither caught a pass. Their inability to get open allows opposing safeties to concentrate on shutting down Banks' chances to throw to his WRs. The bottom line: Baltimore must find a receiver, either a wideout or a TE, who can get open downfield on a consistent basis. Otherwise, the Ravens will continue to struggle on offense.

The Browns' defense has not played poorly through the halfway point this season. Much of the unit's woes are a result of the team's offensive inadequacies. The defense will play a solid game through a half or three quarters of the game, but too many three-and-outs by the offense leave the defense exhausted and unable to make plays in crunch time.

Undersized guys like LOLB Rahim Abdullah tend to wear down late in games, and become liabilities against the run. Obviously, this unit cannot rely on the offense to make its job easier. Rather, it must look within itself to improve its play. Saints RB Ricky Williams ran for 179 yards against the Browns last weekend, and a lot of his yards came after contact with Browns defenders.

Part of the problem for this unit is an undersized secondary that rarely can afford to play man coverage on the outside. As a result, the safeties and (in passing situations) linebackers are more hesitant to come up in run support for fear that the team's corners will get burned for a big play. Rookie LDC Daylon McCutcheon has shown some cover ability, but has been exposed by some of the league's better receivers. If ever there was a team against whom the Browns could use an eight-man front, it is the Ravens.

Johnson will be faced with a challenge opposite Baltimore LDC Chris McAlister, another strong rookie. McAlister has the physical tools to jam Johnson and the speed and cover skills to stay with him downfield. This will mean that Shepherd and TE Irv Smith must play bigger roles this week.

The Ravens' defensive line is a solid unit that could give the Browns problems, particularly in pass protection. This means Cleveland will have to run the ball effectively to take pressure off the passing game and keep Baltimore's dangerous pass rush off balance.

RB Karim Abdul-Jabbar, acquired at the trading deadline from the Dolphins, has been a substantial upgrade over Terry Kirby, who runs tentatively at times. If the Browns are going to get the running game cranked-up, it will be with Abdul-Jabbar running behind his guards and center, or outside on pitch plays.

To run up the middle, Cleveland OC Dave Wohlabaugh will need to do a stellar job blocking MLB Ray Lewis, one of the premier run-stopping linebackers in the league. Lewis' strength and speed could give Wohlabaugh problems, so look for Lewis to line up over center, and to come on a variety of blitzes. Baltimore LOLB Peter Boulware, whose shoulder injury limits him against the run, has been a menace in pass rushing situations. Boulware leads the Ravens with six sacks and could have a big day against Cleveland's plodding ROT, Orlando Brown.

The play of rookie LDC McAlister gives the Ravens more options on the defensive side of the ball, so expect him to be locked-up on Browns' WR Kevin Johnson for much of the day. Working in McAlister's favor is the fact that the Baltimore front seven won't give Couch a lot of time to set up and look down the football field.

Baltimore DEs Michael McCrary and Rob Burnett finally seem to be rounding into mid-season form, and both were factors against Doug Flutie and the Bills last weekend. RDC DeRon Jenkins has been solid, but is being pushed by Duane Starks, who lost his starting job to McAlister during Week 4. Starks has superior skills but is battling a loss of confidence in his own abilities.