The Cleveland Browns are facing a serious problem with their run defense heading into their first AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens. This unit, which used to be a lockdown under Jim Schwartz, is now bottom-10 in the league to start the 2026 season, and their defensive tackle injuries are just making things worse. Mike Hall and Kalia Davis are out for Sunday’s game, and Mason Graham, last year’s No. 5 pick, is more likely to be on the sidelines too, or at best, not 100%. Cleveland even had to call up two DTs from their practice squad. Talk about desperate times!
Run Game Rages On
This is huge for the Ravens, especially with Lamar Jackson sidelined again. Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle’s game plan has gotta be to just run the Browns ragged, man. The Ravens found a way to move the ball against a Falcons run defense that was leading the league just last week. They did it by attacking the Falcons’ injured edge and running away from their imposing interior. Now, against a truly banged-up Browns D-line, Doyle should feel way more confident letting Derrick Henry go to work between the tackles, alongside his usual outside runs. Don’t sleep on Tyler Huntley getting involved in the run game either. He looked like he had space last week when Henry was drawing all the attention, and with Browns linebackers likely flowing to the middle to cover for their weakened line, that outside lane for Huntley could be wide open.
Huntley’s Passing Test
While the run game looks promising, the passing game for the Ravens, led by Huntley, is gonna have its own challenges. Last week, the Falcons were cool just rushing four guys and sitting back in coverage, forcing Huntley to make underneath throws. And for a lot of the game, it worked. Huntley looked indecisive in the pocket, there were drops, and penalties kept killing drives. Don’t expect the Browns to do that. Head coach Todd Monken knows Huntley’s game inside and out from his time in Baltimore, and that includes knowing his limitations, like his relatively underwhelming arm and slow release. So, get ready for press coverage from the Browns’ wideouts, forcing Huntley to try and beat them over the top. And believe me, underneath defenders will be lurking, ready to jump those short, quick blitz-beaters. Huntley is gonna have to be super careful with his hot reads, or things could get ugly fast.
On the defensive side, the Ravens need to be disciplined. The Browns’ run game has struggled this year, and Quinshon Judkins is coming into this game with an ankle injury. The Ravens’ defense absolutely *has* to control the early downs, which should set them up for their biggest challenge this season: third-and-long. Getting off the field on those third downs will be crucial in this pivotal first AFC North matchup. This one is gonna be a grind, but it’s the kind of game that sets the tone for the division.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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