WHEN: Tonight, 8:20 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium; Radio:?93.3 FM.
TV:?NFL?Network and WKYC.
SERIES: The Ravens have a 19-7 advantage.
BROWNS ON OFFENSE: Rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden faces his most-demanding challenge against a defense that's always among the league leaders. Weeden has been inconsistent but has shown signs of improvement since a terrible showing in the season opener. He's completed 56.5 percent of his passes for 677 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions. Rookie running back Trent Richardson struggled against the Bills after rushing for 109 yards against the Bengals. He'll surely make the acquaintance of linebacker Ray Lewis. Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi might not play because of a hamstring injury. Weeden needs the receivers to avoid the drops that have plagued the group. The line has struggled opening holes for Richardson.
RAVENS ON OFFENSE: The offense has moved away from a run-first, smash-mouth mentality as quarterback Joe Flacco continues to improve. The Ravens are third in the NFL in passing at 301.3 yards a game. That doesn't mean there's not an emphasis on the ground game. Ray Rice will surely test the Browns' weak run defense. Rice has rushed for 268 yards and three touchdowns, and he's second in receptions with 14 for 127 yards. Flacco has completed 64.5 percent of his throws for 913 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. Tight end Dennis Pitta leads in catches with 18 for 188 yards. Torrey Smith provides speed at one receiver spot. Anquan Boldin is a big-body receiver that can cause problems.
BROWNS ON DEFENSE: An old problem surfaced against the Bills, who ran the ball with ease. The interior of the line misses the injured Phil Taylor. Tackles Billy Winn and John Hughes have played well, but they are rookies. The pass rush wasn't much against the Bills as coordinator Dick Jauron opted not to blitz much. Safety T.J. Ward leads in tackles with 24. Cornerback Joe Haden will miss a third straight game because of a drug-related suspension. His absence has caused major problems in coverage.
RAVENS ON DEFENSE: Lewis is the leading tackler with 29. Surprisingly the defense is ranked 27th overall (28th against the pass and 18th against the run). The unit misses outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who tore an Achilles' tendon in the offseason. Age could be a factor in the decline. Still, there is plenty of talent, including ballhawk free safety Ed Reed and tackle Haloti Ngata.
BROWNS ON SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker Phil Dawson has made all five of his field-goal attempts. Punter Reggie Hodges has a net average of 34.8 yards and is struggling to get good hang time. The punt coverage unit is allowing 24.8 yards a return. Joshua Cribbs has a 28.4-yard kick return average and a 13-yard average returning punts.
RAVENS ON SPECIAL TEAMS: Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is 7-of-7 on field-goal tries. Punter Sam Koch has a 39.4 net average. Deonte Thompson is averaging 26.9 yards on kick returns, while Jacoby Jones has a 10.3 average on punt returns.
BROWNS MUST: Establish the ground attack. If Richardson is kept in check, Weeden will likely struggle against a defense that thrives on turnovers. Defensively, limiting Rice's big plays would help.
RAVENS MUST: Take advantage of the struggles in the Browns secondary. Cornerback Sheldon Brown is showing his age, and Dimitri Patterson can't stay with quality number one receivers on the other side.
PREDICTION: Ravens, 27-10.
