(Sports Network) - The scenario is eerily familiar for the Baltimore Ravens. In to town come the Cleveland Browns, saddled with a two-game losing streak that saw them manage just 16 points and squander the only two-game homestand on the NFL's schedule during the first two weeks.

The Browns are dealing with injuries, reported squabbling between GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel's coaching staff, and are in danger of seeing another season slide into the abyss.

Meanwhile the Ravens are unbeaten, well-rested after a Week 2 bye, and awash in the glow of heightened expectations after the way rookie quarterback Joe Flacco led the team to a season-opening win over the Bengals.

In most of the battles between the Ravens and Browns since Cleveland was reintroduced to the league in 1999, this has been more or less the situation, with the "old" Browns ascending and the "real" Browns either stuck in neutral or sliding into reverse.

Only it wasn't supposed to be this way in 2008, and Crennel and company will take the field at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday dead-set on re-locating the script that was written for these two teams in the preseason.

The Browns were a trendy pick to win the AFC North this year, but a rash of injuries, some inconsistent-to-poor offensive play, and a daunting early- season schedule that begat losses to the Cowboys (28-10) and Steelers (10-6) have conspired to send the team to 0-2 and its stock plummeting.

The Ravens, meanwhile, turned what could have been a crisis into an opportunity, throwing Flacco into the fire when a season-ending injury to Kyle Boller (shoulder) and a lingering bout with severe tonsillitis for Troy Smith left rookie head coach John Harbaugh with no other viable options.

Flacco led the team to a victory in Week 1, then was allowed to dodge what was supposed to be the first road start of his career last week, when Hurricane Ike forced the postponement of Baltimore's trip to meet the Texans.

The Delaware product and No. 18 pick in the 2008 Draft will have a partisan crowd in his corner again on Sunday, a group eager to see both teams continue the courses charted for them during a surprising first two weeks of the campaign.

SERIES HISTORY

Baltimore holds a 11-7 lead in its all-time series with Cleveland, but was swept in last year's home-and-home. The Browns were 27-13 home winners when the teams met in Week 4, then won a controversial 33-30 overtime decision at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 11. A game-tying Phil Dawson field goal at the end of regulation was originally called no good before it was correctly ruled that the ball had cleared the uprights before hitting the crossbar and bouncing back out. The Ravens swept their AFC North rival in a home-and-home in 2006.

Crennel is 3-3 against the Ravens as a head coach, while the Ravens' Harbaugh will be meeting both Crennel and the Browns for the first time as a head coach.



WHEN THE BROWNS HAVE THE BALL

Any equity Browns starter Derek Anderson (280 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) accrued by making the Pro Bowl last season has pretty much dissolved in two disastrous early-season performances. The Oregon State product and former Ravens backup has a woeful 57.1 passer rating through two games, has led just one touchdown drive, and has generally looked unsure of himself. No. 1 wideout Braylon Edwards (5 receptions) has also been slow out of the gate, with just 46 yards worth of receptions one year after making his first Pro Bowl. Tight end Kellen Winslow (12 receptions, 1 TD) has been better but has not made enough of an impact to provoke a win. The failures of the passing game have had a trickle-down effect to the ground attack, where Jamal Lewis (100 rushing yards, 4 receptions), much as he did during his final years in Baltimore, has struggled to get untracked in the absence of a solid passing game. Cleveland's pass protection, which has allowed three sacks and a number of hurries thus far, will have to be at its best against an attacking Ravens defense this week.

If Crennel and company wishes to find its way into the win column, it had better be ready to contend with a third consecutive physical defense. The Ravens suffocated the Bengals in Week 1, allowing Cincinnati just 154 total yards, eight first downs, and a 2-of-13 success rate on third-down conversions. Cornerback Chris McAlister was the day's star, recording an interception and a fumble recovery to go along with four tackles, while linebacker Jarret Johnson posted a team-best six tackles and his first sack of the year. Ray Lewis began his year with a five-tackle performance. The Ravens allowed just 65 yards on the ground despite the absence of sturdy defensive tackle Kelly Gregg (knee), who is expected to make his 2008 debut after having an additional week to heal.



WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL

Flacco would have been unlikely to record win number one without the support of a strong running game. With Willis McGahee (knee) active but not in the lineup against the Bengals, bruising fullback Le'Ron McClain (110 yards on 21 total touches) and rookie slasher Ray Rice (25 touches, 83 yards) combined for 150 yards on the ground, and wideout Mark Clayton (3 receptions, 21 yards) piled up 42 more yards on a first-quarter reverse that went for a touchdown. McGahee is expected to make his debut this week, which should mean fewer touches for McClain and Rice. Flacco's top target in Week 1 was veteran Derrick Mason, who caught four balls for 44 yards. A young Baltimore o-line did a nice job of protecting Flacco in Week 1, with the rookie not taking a sack on the afternoon.

Cleveland added defensive tackles Shaun Rogers (10 tackles, 1 sack) and Corey Williams (10 tackles) in the offseason in order to shore up a weak run- stopping group, but those acquisitions have yielded only modest returns thus far. The Cowboys and Steelers combined for 284 rushing yards against the Browns, and Cleveland's inability to stop Willie Parker (28 carries, 105 yards) in the late-going last week was a component in the team's failed comeback attempt. The duo of Rogers and Williams did combine for 14 tackles in the loss, but wasn't helped enough by inside linebacking duo D'Qwell Jackson (18 tackles) and Andra Davis (10 tackles). Rogers had one of three sacks against the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger last week. A pass rush will be important against Flacco, as the team remains thin in the secondary. Safety Sean Jones (knee) remains out for the Browns, upping the opportunities for Mike Adams (17 tackles). Corners Eric Wright (8 tackles, 1 INT) and Brandon McDonald (7 tackles) will be responsible for blanketing Mason and Clayton.



FANTASY FOCUS

Fantasy owners expecting Browns like Anderson, Edwards, Winslow, and Lewis to play key roles this year have been largely disappointed thus far, though being patient with all of the above is the prudent approach. There is far too much offensive talent on this team to expect the Cleveland attack to be down for very long. That said, Baltimore's defense is still a high-quality group and the Browns are not going to run up and down the field by any measure. Cleveland's defense doesn't generally warrant a starting assignment, but given the presence of a raw rookie QB in the Baltimore lineup, you might want to consider taking a shot on it. Dawson is one of the best kickers in the league and merits a start.

Apart from their defense and perhaps kicker Matt Stover, the Ravens still don't have a lot of great fantasy options. Rookie quarterbacks are rarely reliable fantasy starters, and the team's dependence on the run makes any of the team's pass-catchers problematic. The performance of McClain and Rice in Week 1 was nice, but neither scored a touchdown and both figure to see their production go down if McGahee returns on Sunday.



OVERALL ANALYSIS

Crennel partially blamed the Browns' difficult schedule for their tough start in comments made to the media earlier this week, but if he's waiting for the slate to soften up before challenging this team to live up to its billing, he could very well be looking for work in 2009. Cleveland has one of the toughest schedules in the league, and had better stop making excuses if it really wants to contend for a playoff berth this year. In that regard, you can look for the Browns to man up and get the job done in Baltimore on Sunday. Flacco's story is nice, but there's no way he's ready to be productive on a weekly basis in the NFL. Look for the improved Browns defense to set the tone here, and for the offense to make enough big plays to escape Charm City with a crucial victory.



Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Browns 14, Ravens 10





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