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Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns: NFL experts make Week 11 picks
The Baltimore Ravens, riding a three-game winning streak that has resurrected their season from a 1-5 start, march into the Dawg Pound for a critical AFC North clash with the Cleveland Browns, a matchup that on paper looks like a foregone conclusion but in the gritty reality of the NFL is never that simple. The Ravens, now 4-5, are not just playing for a.500 record; they are playing for momentum, for playoff positioning, and for the psychological dominance of a division they have historically owned, boasting a staggering 38-15 all-time record against the Browns, including a 27-8 ledger under the steady hand of John Harbaugh. That dominance was on full display in Week 2's 41-17 demolition, a game where Lamar Jackson's dual-threat capabilities sliced through the Cleveland defense with surgical precision, a performance that NFL pundits are banking on seeing a repeat of.The analytical breakdown of this contest is fascinating; the Ravens' resurgence coincides with a defensive tightening, particularly in the secondary, where they've managed to create more turnovers during this win streak, while the Browns, at 2-7 and mired in a two-game skid against the likes of the Jets and Patriots, are facing an existential crisis about their offensive identity, particularly at the quarterback position, which has been a revolving door of inconsistency all season. The consensus from the expert panel is a veritable landslide, a unanimous or near-unanimous chorus predicting a Baltimore victory, from all eight voices at CBS Sports and the six at USA Today to the overwhelming eleven-pick bloc at ESPN and the confirmations from Pro Football Talk, NFL.com, the LA Times, The MMQB, and the hometown Baltimore Sun. This isn't just picking a winner; it's a data-driven conclusion based on recent form, historical precedent—Harbaugh's Ravens are a formidable 12-5 in games played in the hostile environment of Cleveland—and a stark talent disparity, especially at the game's most pivotal position.However, as any student of football analytics knows, divisional games possess a unique volatility, a tendency to defy logic and statistics, and the Browns have managed to win three of the past four meetings on their home turf, a statistic that serves as a stark reminder that past performance is not always a perfect predictor of future results. The real intrigue lies in how the Ravens handle the pressure of expectation; a loss here would be catastrophic, undoing all the progress of their recent run and casting their entire season back into doubt, while a win solidifies them as a genuine threat in a crowded AFC wild-card picture.For the Browns, this is a classic 'trap game' for their rivals, but also a chance to play spoiler and build some positive momentum for a disillusioned fanbase, to find a glimmer of hope in what has been another frustrating campaign. The chess match between Harbaugh and the Cleveland coaching staff, the battle in the trenches where Cleveland's formidable defensive line will try to contain Jackson's escapability, and the critical third-down efficiency stats will ultimately tell the story, a story that, according to every expert with a platform, is likely to end with the Ravens' fourth consecutive victory.
#editorial picks news
#Baltimore Ravens
#Cleveland Browns
#NFL Week 11
#expert predictions
#AFC North
#John Harbaugh
