The Cleveland Browns received some new bulletin board material ahead of the AFC North clash with the Baltimore Ravens courtesy of linebacker Roquan Smith.
The Ravens are coming to Cleveland for the matchup and Smith did not hold back with his expectations for the game.
“At the end of the day, you’re considered the bad guy because you’re going into essentially another man’s house, and you’re trying to take over,” Smith told reporters in Baltimore. “His wife, kids, (and) everyone is there to watch them. So, we’re going over there to beat their tails in front of their wife and kids.
“So, when you think about it from that perspective, any man is going to fight till the death at that point. I know if that’s me in that case, I know I would. So, I think about it from that standpoint. I’m just going in just like I prepared for any other game – play till (you hear) the whistle, play physical and hit anything that moves.”
Smith is one of the best linebackers in the league and has been elite this season, posting an overall grade of 88.1 on Pro Football Focus through three games. Smith plans to feel right at home in the Dawg Pound.
“You go in there as the enemy to go take over and that’s our plan to actually go take over,” he said. “I think they call it the Dawg Pound, (and) I consider myself a dog, so I’m right at home in that place. So, I’m excited to get back in there. I know they’re a physical football team, but so are we.”
Browns Respond to Roquan Smith’s Bulletin Board Material
The comments from Smith didn’t sit well with the Browns, who were asked about the strong statements from the Ravens linebacker.
“No freaking way,” linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah told cleveland.com. “There’s no way he said that. It’s post-board material, I guess. Locker room material.”
It’s not the first time an opponent has talked some smack before facing the Browns this season. Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase called the Browns “elfs” before their Week 1 matchup and ended up losing 24-3.
“They keep setting themselves up for this, so that’s on him,” linebacker Anthony Walker said. “We don’t need any extra motivation — but we always appreciate it.”
Browns Taking Fight to Lamar Jackson
The Ravens have history on their side against the Browns, winning five of the last seven matchups. However, Cleveland earned the most recent victory, edging Baltimore 13-3 at home in December of last season.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson did not play in that game but new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has a plan to slow the former MVP down.
“We’re going to rely on our team speed. We’re going to rely on team defense,” Schwartz said on Thursday, September 28. “We’re going to rely on running through with leverage and try to take the fight to him as opposed to sitting back and trying to hem him in.”
The Browns are a 2.5-point favorite for the matchup against the Ravens.
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Browns Fire Back at Ravens LB Roquan Smith After Vicious Trash Talk