Our Pregame report ahead of Cleveland vs Baltimore in Week 10
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00:10 Welcome on in Browns fans, Spencer German live with you from Baltimore at
00:16 M&T Bank Stadium excited to be here with you today.
00:19 Providing coverage of what is a massive matchup in the AFC North, Browns and
00:25 Ravens.
00:26 It's got some pretty high stakes, excited to be joined as well this morning.
00:29 By Anthony Meglin as we get you ready for kickoff here, Anthony.
00:34 We've been talking about it all week over at the site and just in our group chats and
00:38 all that that we have sort of for running the site.
00:41 But this is a big game and there is so much at stake I think for
00:45 the Browns in particular here because if you lose this one,
00:48 I think it means like your division, your hopes to win the division are pretty much
00:53 a wash like you got it, you're kind of keeping your eye on that wild card spot
00:56 after that.
00:56 So yeah, a lot of high stakes in this one and it's I don't know if they're coming in
01:01 feeling that way like from a player standpoint because they try to block that
01:03 stuff out.
01:04 But on the outside perspective, we know kind of what's on the line here.
01:08 >> Yeah, no question about it.
01:10 Yeah, from the player's perspective, their goal's gotta be go 1-0, right?
01:13 That's gotta be the goal.
01:15 >> Yeah. >> But on our side of things, right?
01:16 Like, hey, you win this game, not only is it a huge win, but
01:20 it sets you up to win the AFC North and have a home playoff game.
01:24 And we found already how hard it is to come to Cleveland Brown Stadium and
01:28 win football games, especially do that in January and February.
01:32 It makes it really challenging.
01:33 So for the Browns, this one, if they do slip up and aren't able to get a victory,
01:37 your season's not over, you still have the chance at the wild card spot.
01:42 But if they can get a win here, it really sets them up nicely to have a chance to
01:46 win the AFC North and at the end of the day, that's the goal.
01:50 Win the North, have a home playoff game and set yourself up for a playoff run.
01:54 >> Yeah, and on the flip side, like Baltimore wins it,
01:55 they're pretty much in the driver's seat to win the division.
01:57 Because they know they've beaten the Browns twice,
01:59 they'll have three wins in the division.
02:01 You win maybe one more and you're pretty much in a pretty good spot.
02:04 So yeah, unless things obviously fell apart for them.
02:07 But so yeah, a lot at stake in this one, we know that going in.
02:10 And it's interesting, Anthony,
02:11 I wanna get to some keys to the game here in a second.
02:14 But I think one of the biggest things that has me weary about this one for
02:17 Cleveland is just the fact that they won't have their two starting tackles.
02:21 I guess technically they haven't had one of their starting tackles since week one
02:23 in Jack Conklin.
02:25 But we know that DeJuan Jones has filled in so nicely.
02:27 And now you're talking about James Hudson at one of the tackle spots,
02:30 maybe Leroy Watson, who's kind of an unproven commodity.
02:32 Or Gara and Christian,
02:34 who we don't really know a lot about as well coming off a practice squad.
02:37 I think that's gonna be a key element of today's game, how those guys hold up.
02:41 And how they're able to protect DeSean Watson in the pocket.
02:44 Cuz we saw last week, man, when he gets time, when he's able to step up and
02:47 make throws, he can beat that DeSean Watson from Houston.
02:50 But if he doesn't have that time and he's running for his life,
02:53 it could be a long day for the Bronx.
02:55 >> No question about it.
02:56 And that's a huge, obviously, that's the focus of the game.
03:00 What's gonna happen at the tackle position?
03:02 We found a report that when the Browns are under manned or
03:06 they're missing a guy, Kevin Cohn and Kevin Staphanie, he's done a really good job.
03:11 Call and plays to get around that.
03:13 Well, it's really hard to do it when your left and
03:15 right tackle are guys that are kind of unproven.
03:17 So you expect to have a good game plan and you hope that those guys can just start
03:22 off, it's a tall task on a normal day.
03:24 But it's a really, really tall task against those Baltimore Ravens.
03:27 They're built by, they got pillars on both sides of the defensive line.
03:31 Those guys, whoever it may be, whatever the combo is,
03:33 need to have a great day and Kevin Staphanie is really helping them out.
03:37 And to take a lot of that pressure off those two tackle positions.
03:42 >> Aside from the tackle position, Anthony, what are you looking at as maybe one of
03:44 the biggest keys to the game if the Browns are gonna get a win today?
03:47 >> The key in my mind is don't turn the ball over.
03:50 If the Browns don't turn the ball over- >> It's cliche, but it's spot on, 100%.
03:55 >> It's cliche because it's right.
03:57 And Kevin Staphanie, they're 14 and two when the Browns don't turn the ball over.
04:02 If you don't turn the ball over, if this game's boring,
04:05 that's a good thing for the Browns.
04:08 Because that means, hey, you're controlling the ball,
04:10 maybe you're having a fun and a lot, maybe you're having to kick field goals.
04:13 But if you do not turn the ball over, you're gonna have a chance at the end.
04:17 And that's when, hey, if you have an opportunity with a two minute trail or
04:20 with something, you can let Deshaun Watson,
04:23 then beat Deshaun Watson and try to make something happen.
04:25 But if we get to this thing where we're throwing interceptions and
04:28 pummeling the football, you're not gonna have a chance at all.
04:31 So don't turn the ball over is the number one key, in my opinion,
04:34 in this half of the game.
04:36 >> I'll throw this up there since we were talking about the O-line,
04:39 Pee-wee's burnt pizza comments.
04:41 Our O-line's decimated by injuries, but you just gotta find a way to win.
04:44 I think that's a good way to look at it, man.
04:46 And that's kinda life in the NFL in general.
04:49 Teams are all dealing with injuries at this time of year.
04:51 It's just kinda how it goes.
04:52 It's par for the course.
04:53 But if you can find a way to navigate those and
04:55 sort of shift your way through it, then you'll end up okay in the end if you can
04:58 get a win. And that's all that people are gonna look at at the end of the day.
05:01 If the scoreboard reads in favor of the Browns,
05:03 that's all Browns fans care about.
05:04 Yeah, I think you're spot on with the turnover thing.
05:06 Again, cliche, but it's cliche for a reason, because it's true.
05:11 For me, I just think, A, I think they're gonna have to get the run game going
05:14 after that.
05:15 I know the Ravens have a really good stingy run defense on their own, right?
05:18 But I think that's how you almost let Deshaun get comfortable with an offensive
05:21 line that's banged up, is know, okay, we can move the football this way.
05:24 I also just think, too, containing Lamar is another cliche answer, but it's so true.
05:30 And I love, I asked Miles Garrett on Friday about, is there any way that you
05:35 attack him differently than other quarterbacks, cuz he is so shifty.
05:37 I mean, he can make guys miss in a phone booth.
05:39 And he said, just relentless pursuit.
05:42 There's other quarterbacks that you know you have them and you got them.
05:44 And then there's a guy like him who you can't quit.
05:47 You just gotta keep go, go, go, go, go, go.
05:49 So seeing that defense just relentlessly pursue him, not give up on a play and
05:53 let him escape the pocket, that's gonna be a key to today.
05:56 Cuz if you let him run all over you like he did in week four,
05:59 then yeah, it could be a rough day for Cleveland.
06:02 >> Yeah, and it goes back to the big play thing, too.
06:04 If they can limit him and find a way just to contain him,
06:07 you're not gonna stop Lamar Jackson.
06:08 You just have to find a way to contain it.
06:11 And then that's gotta be buried with the back end, right?
06:14 Defensive line and linebacker have to be relentless and get after him.
06:17 But the secondary has to be relentless in covering their guys.
06:20 They gotta stick to Zay Flower and Odell Beckham and Nelson Nigel or
06:23 like Blue, because Lamar can turn pressure into a 20 second play and
06:28 they just gotta be attached to those guys.
06:30 So it's gonna be big on both sides, or on all levels of the defense,
06:34 to be relentless in their responsibilities to stop this Baltimore offense.
06:38 >> Yeah, yeah, no doubt about it.
06:40 And again, right, you're never gonna stop Lamar completely, but
06:43 if you can slow him down the best you can, you might have a chance.
06:45 I actually thought in that first game the defense did that for
06:47 a decent amount of time.
06:49 They kinda shut the offense down, but when you got DTR back there and
06:51 the offense was struggling, they really just had no answer.
06:54 Hopefully it's a different story for the Bronze with Deshaun today.
06:57 All right, well, that'll do it for us pregame.
07:00 But there's plenty for you to follow along with all game long over at
07:03 bronzedigest.com.
07:05 Here on the YouTube channel, you can obviously jump back in with us post game.
07:08 We'll have live reaction from the players, from Kevin Stefanski.
07:12 And we'll of course do some hits of our own here on the field again,
07:15 recapping whatever plays out today.
07:17 We're very much looking forward to it.
07:18 For Anthony and myself, we're signing off for now.
07:20 But again, follow along all game and all afternoon long over at bronzedigest.com.
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