The weekend is almost here, which means it is time for some Baltimore Ravens Week 7 bold predictions. On Sunday, the Ravens will return home to host the Cleveland Browns at the M&T Bank Stadium.
Baltimore is coming off a rough start in 2022. The team entered the season with championship hopes but finds itself with a 3-3 record. Last week, the Ravens lost 24-20 in a heartbreaking way to the surprising New York Giants. Baltimore led by 10 points with about six minutes left in the game, however, the Giants came back and moved to 5-1.
Luckily for Baltimore fans, the Browns are not on a good stretch either. Cleveland lost its last three games, moving the 2-4 in the season. They're now in third place in the AFC North.
With two teams hoping to change the course of their seasons, Sunday's matchup should be an interesting one. With all that in mind, here are three bold predictions for the Ravens as they face the Browns for a Week 7 clash.
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3. Lamar Jackson finds Mark Andrews for 100+ yards, two touchdowns
While things are far from ideal to start the season, there are still some bright spots in Baltimore. One of them is how good Mark Andrews has been to the offensive unit.
In six games, the tight end has caught 39 of his 57 targets, a completion rate of 68.4%, for 455 yards. His five touchdowns are the second-best mark in the league, just behind Kansas City's Travis Kelce with seven. Andrews is on pace for his third Pro Bowl selection in the last four years.
His early success this season is due to his connection with Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. The quarterback has a completion rate of 61.9% for 1,277 yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions. The touchdown mark is the third-best in the NFL despite Jackson being known for his run game.
MARK. ANDREWS.
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— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 16, 2022
Andrews and Jackson have connected for at least 100 yards twice in 2022. The tight end has also scored in four out of the six games they played, with his personal best being two touchdowns against the New England Patriots in Week 3.
The bold prediction is that the duo will once again hit the 100-yard mark. Additionally, Jackson should find Andrews in the end zone twice.
2. Ravens intercept Jacoby Brissett twice
Even if the Jackson-Andrews combo is inspired, Baltimore's defense must step up for the challenge. Despite the 3-3 record, the unit is having its moments in the season.
Article Continues BelowFor instance, the Ravens are tied for third in the NFL with eight picks. Also, they are 12th with 15 sacks this season. Still, it has not been enough to avoid the losses.
Perhaps Sunday's matchup against the Browns could be Baltimore's best opportunity to bounce back. Cleveland has been playing with a backup quarterback this entire season in Jacoby Brissett. The veteran became the starter once the league suspended Deshaun Watson for 11 games. This is Brissett's first season as a full-time starter since 2019 with the Indianapolis Colts.
He currently has a 60.2% completion rate for 1,326 yards and six touchdowns, but he also has five picks.
Because of how Brissett and the Browns have been playing recently, Baltimore could pressure him multiple times and force turnovers. All things considered, it would not be a surprise if the Ravens intercept Brissett twice on Sunday.
1. Baltimore opens a double-digit lead and keeps it
While the Ravens find themselves with a 3-3 record, they had great chances of being undefeated. In all six games this season, Baltimore at some point held a double-digit lead, including multiple in fourth quarters.
Against the Miami Dolphins, the team entered the final quarter with a 21-point lead before losing by four points. In Week 4 versus the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens were up by 17 until the last seconds of the first half. Then, last Sunday in New York, Baltimore scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 10 points.
The amount of teams in NFL history to hold a double-digit lead in each of its first 6 games: 39
The amount of those 39 teams to not have a winning record: 1*
*2022 Baltimore Ravens
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— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 17, 2022
Baltimore has not been able to close out multiple games. The offense suddenly becomes inefficient, and the defense cannot stop the comebacks in clutch time. If that was not the case, the Ravens could be in a more comfortable position by now. Because of how things are going, Jackson and head coach John Harbaugh are under a lot of pressure, something fans did not anticipate this early in the season.
However, against the Browns, Baltimore should avoid its 2022 curse. The team will once again open a double-digit lead, but this time it will keep it for the remainder of the day. With Jackson-Andrews plus the forced turnovers, the bold prediction is that the Ravens will have a comfortable win against Cleveland and get back on track for a solid regular season.