Do the Cleveland Browns Hold A Significant Advantage?
Transcript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:03 Right now, two points in some spots in that total, pretty straightforward,
00:07 44 and a half anywhere I'm seeing it.
00:09 When we dive into the big picture of this game, Joe, and we try and figure out
00:15 who really has the advantage here and why the Browns are road favorites.
00:21 One of the big things I think I come back to, and it is so remarkable that this is the case,
00:27 but it's the experience advantage on the side of the Cleveland Browns.
00:33 Historically, a quarterback making their playoff debut against a quarterback
00:38 who is not making their playoff debut, the veteran has a big edge.
00:44 Joe Flacco has a career 11-4 ATS mark in his postseason career.
00:50 This is CJ's first game.
00:53 So Kevin Stefanski, who may or may not win coach of the year,
00:57 either it'll be his opponent here, Demeko Ryans,
00:59 but Kevin Stefanski's coach in the postseason before, won a playoff game before,
01:04 on the road, in Pittsburgh.
01:07 Again, Ryans making the debut.
01:09 I think the experience edge is what we're really seeing factor into this loss.
01:13 Absolutely.
01:14 I couldn't agree more.
01:15 And the fact that Joe Flacco won a Super Bowl,
01:17 even though it was years ago with the Baltimore Ravens,
01:20 it's not his first rodeo, right?
01:22 And you can make the argument that we talked about it off air as well,
01:25 that CJ Stroud has played in big games.
01:27 You go back to the college football semifinal playoff loss to Georgia,
01:31 it doesn't get bigger than that in regards to 100-plus thousand fans on a neutral field.
01:36 So I expect him to be ready for this environment.
01:39 But with Joe Flacco, you can maybe do a little bit more.
01:43 You could go outside your comfort zone, where in terms of this fall game,
01:46 Houston playing at home might potentially come out a little bit tight.
01:50 Maybe the game plan is a little bit conservative in terms of this matchup early on.
01:55 I still think they want to run the football with Devin Singletary,
01:58 sustain the clock early on, jump up maybe 7-0, 3-0.
02:03 I don't think they want to get into a shootout with Joe Flacco
02:06 because ultimately that has been the strength of this offense over the last five weeks.
02:11 You look at Joe Flacco, the last four games, guys,
02:14 he's averaged 340 passing yards per game, 11 touchdowns.
02:18 They didn't have a hint of this type of attack with Deshaun Watson
02:22 throughout most of the regular season.
02:24 Joe Flacco comes in, they're averaging 300 yards per game like it's chiclets.
02:29 They're just putting up 30-point performances each and every week.
02:33 Now defenses have to account for not just a rushing attack where they're very good,
02:38 but now the deep ball, that opens up a bunch in terms of the game plan.
02:42 And that's why I give the edge, Donnie, along with the defense,
02:45 led by Miles Garrett, a veteran group, especially in terms of that secondary.
02:50 I think that's the advantage.
02:51 But I'm picking this fall game, very low scoring, 23-17 Browns.
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