Joe Flacco and the Ravens need a win and a Chargers loss Sunday to make the playoffs. (Getty)
A turbulent Ravens season comes down to this: Baltimore needs a win at home Sunday against the Browns and a Chargers loss against Kansas City to avoid missing the playoffs for the second straight year.
Baltimore, which failed to wrap up a playoff berth last week when it lost at Houston, is a heavy favorite against the Browns, who will start undrafted rookie Connor Shaw at quarterback while Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer both sit out with injuries.
Here’s what you need to know about the matchup:
The Basics
Who:
Browns at Ravens
When:
Sunday, 1 p.m. Eastern
Channel:
CBS
Where:
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Line:
Ravens by 13
Last Meeting:
Ravens 23, Browns 21 on September 21 in Cleveland
Heavy’s Pick
Ravens 38, Browns 10
Baltimore seemingly has a whole lot more to play for than the Browns, who are eliminated from playoff contention. But the Ravens’ edge has more to do with home field and the dire straight of the Browns’ offense than it does with motivation.
Shaw has never taken a regular-season NFL snap. And if that didn’t put Cleveland in enough trouble, the Browns announced Saturday that they were suspending wideout Josh Gordon for a violation of team rules.
We like the Ravens to win big, leaving their playoff fate in the hands of the Chiefs.
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Browns vs. Ravens: Time, Channel, Line & Prediction