RAVENS SHUT DOWN BROWNS

In a matchup of two struggling offenses, it wasn’t a surprise that the better defense would come out on top.  Such was the case on Monday Night Football as the Baltimore Ravens shut down the woeful Cleveland Browns en route to a 16-0 victory.  Baltimore got two third quarter touchdowns on a Ray Rice 13 yard run followed almost immediately by a Dawan Landry interception return for a score.  The victory improved Baltimore’s record to 5-4 while Cleveland slipped to 1-8.

NFL football betting enthusiasts couldn’t feel confident with the outcome until the end of the game, but eventually the Ravens got the money as -11 road favorites.  Baltimore is now 5-4 against the NFL pointspread while Cleveland dropped to 3-6 against the number.  The 16 combined points went well UNDER the posted total of 39’.  Baltimore has gone UNDER in five of nine games this season while Cleveland has played UNDER the total in six of nine.

After the game, much of the conversation concerned a ‘cheap shot’ by Browns’ quarterback Brady Quinn.  Quinn delivered a below the knees ‘chop block’ on linebacker Terrell Suggs after an interception, which prompted Ravens’ defensive leader Ray Lewis to go after the quarterback on a subsequent drive.  Lewis had these comments in his postgame interview:

“Heck yeah, it was a cheap shot. When you're running down and you're looking at the quarterback going at somebody's knees who doesn't even have the ball. I want to see if he gets the same fine I got or even higher. Now this man is out four or five weeks because of some baloney like that."

Quinn, meanwhile, proclaimed his innocence:

"I was trying to go for the ball carrier. Suggs came across at the last second in my vision. I would never wish that upon anyone. I was upset about it on the field. We worked out in Arizona together. I couldn't be any more sorry about that. That was never the intent. I'm sorry to Terrell and the rest of their team."

Ravens’ QB Joe Flacco stayed out of the dispute and was happy to get a win, even if it wasn’t one for the highlight reels:

"I guess I agree it wasn't pretty. It was an ugly win, but that's the way some wins are in the NFL."

The Ravens now face a formidable challenge on Sunday as they host the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.  The game is currently a ‘pick’, with the total set at 44’.  Things won’t get any easier the following Sunday, as the Pittsburgh Steelers come to town.  After that, they’ll be back on the road taking on the Green Bay Packers.  The Browns play another NFL bottom feeder this week, heading to Detroit to face the Lions.  Cleveland is a +3’ road underdog with the total set at 38’.  After that, they’ll play at Cincinnati the following Sunday before returning home to take on the San Diego Chargers.