Browns vs. Ravens: Week 18 Need to Know

The season finale arrives for the Browns in Baltimore. Here is everything you need to know about the game.

The Cleveland Browns will finally close out the regular season on Saturday when they take on the Baltimore Ravens.

A season that began with playoff aspirations quickly turned into the 23rd without a playoff appearance since 1999. This season also marks the 18th time the Browns will finish with double-digit losses in that same timeframe.

The Ravens, as they are wont to do, are preparing for the playoffs and need to win the game to secure the AFC North Division title. That has helped fuel the largest point spread of the season.

Cleveland is reportedly planning to start Bailey Zappe at quarterback, which if that happens would make him the 40th starting quarterback the team has used since 1999.

There is one more game to go, so here is everything you need to know as the Browns close out the season.

Game Info

Records: Cleveland is 3-13. Baltimore is 11-5.

Kickoff: 4:30 p.m.

Stadium: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore

TV: ESPN, ABC

Announcers: Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky, and Laura Rutledge (sideline reporter)

Radio: 850 ESPN Cleveland, 92.3 The Fan WKRK, 98.5 WNCX, 89.1 FM La Mega (Español)

Announcers: Andrew Siciliano, Nathan Zegura, and Je’Rod Cherry (sideline reporter)

Last meeting: The Browns won the last meeting, 29-24, in Week 8 of this season.

First meeting: The Ravens won the first meeting, 17-10, on September 26, 1999.

All-time series: The Ravens lead the all-time series, 36-15. The Browns have won just six times in Baltimore in 25 trips.

Weather: 33 degrees and mostly sunny, with no chance of precipitation. Wind from the west/northwest at 19 mph. (weather.com)

Uniform: The Browns will close out the season with their white jerseys and orange pants combo:

Injury report: Browns – Out: Running back Jerome Ford (ankle), linebacker Jordan Hicks (concussion), tight end David Njoku (knee), running back Pierre Strong Jr. (concussion), defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (knee), and cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder). Questionable: Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (knee), tight end Blake Whiteheart (knee), quarterback Jameis Winston (shoulder), and wide receiver Michael Woods II (knee). Ravens – Out: Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) and running back Justice Hill (concussion). Questionable: Tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm) and guard Patrick Mekari (illness).

The line: Browns are +19.5 to +20 on the various betting apps.

News and Notes

• The Browns have won three of the past four meetings with the Ravens.
• The Browns have lost 12 of their last 14 regular-season finales.
• Baltimore’s defense is No. 31 in the league in passing yards allowed at 248.5 per game.
• In six career games against the Browns, Baltimore running back Derrick Henry has yet to break 100 rushing yards, and the Browns have held Henry to 60 or fewer rushing yards four times.
• This will be the final game of Cleveland safety Rodney McLeod’s NFL career as he plans to retire after 13 seasons.

• Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett enters the weekend tied for the league lead in sacks with 14.
• Garrett has 5.5 sacks against Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson in nine career games.
• Cleveland wide receiver Jerry Jeudy needs six receptions to set the single-season franchise record for receptions with 90.
• Jeudy can continue to move up the list for receiving yards in a season. With nine yards he will pass Jarvis Landry for fifth place, 71 yards moves him past Webster Slaughter for fourth place, and 85 yards moves him past Amari Cooper for third place.
• Jeudy is just the third wide receiver in franchise history to have a 1,000-yard receiving season in his first year with the team, joining Cooper (2022) and Odell Beckham Jr. (2019).
• This week’s game poster:

• The Ravens are third in the league in scoring at 30.2 points per game. The Browns are last at 15.5 points per game.
• Cleveland is averaging 27.2 percent fewer points per drive than last season, according to Pro Football Network.
• The Browns are passing on 69 percent of their offensive plays, the highest in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
• The Ravens are allowing a third-down conversion rate of 29.1 percent since Week 10, according to Pro Football Network.
• The Browns can clinch the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft with a loss, a win or tie by the New England Patriots against the Buffalo Bills, and a win or a tie by the Tennessee Titans against the Houston Texans.

In Case You Missed It

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Predicting who will be re-signed/extended at OL and DL

Predicting who will be re-signed/extended at WR and TE

Predicting who will be re-signed/extended at QB and RB

Browns vs Ravens Season Finale: QB play, setting tone for 2025 key for Cleveland

Browns make latest move in ongoing stadium chess match

Myles Garrett lets his DPOY thoughts be known

Starting QB for Week 18 vs. Ravens decided upon

NFL offseason dates announced

Browns reacts survey: Already looking forward to the offseason

Browns land three in Pro Bowl

Browns have unique opportunity to set an NFL quarterback record against Ravens

A wild Browns, Kirk Cousins prediction for 2025 on ESPN

Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, Chris Jones DPOY cases: Disruption rate, complete data is interesting

NFL draft positioning: Odds of Browns getting the top pick, important Week 18 games

Browns do right by coaching consultant

Browns coaches who could be on the way out in 2025

A Final Quote

Quarterback Bailey Zappe on using his experience in New England to prepare for playing this week (quote via a team-provided transcript):

“I mean, I don’t know if he’s going to get mad, but I was in New England for two years and Bill (Belichick) kept everything secret. So, sometimes I wouldn’t find out until like Thursday night, Friday, like, ‘Hey, just letting you know, you’re playing Sunday.’ So, I’m used to it. I just prepare like I usually prepare, whether I’m the three or the one. And that’s what he taught me whenever I was there so I’m going to keep doing that.”

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What are you looking for from the Browns in Saturday’s game against the Ravens?