10 Reasons to Hate Ravens more than Steelers

As Browns fans, I know we hate the Steelers - but I think we should hate the Ravens more. Below are 10 Reasons to boo the birds from Baltimore:

1. They Stole Football from Cleveland.
2. They won the Superbowl after they left.
3. Ray Lewis is on the team.
4. Ray Lewis does that stupid dance still.
5. Baltimore Raven fans have existed as long as Diamondback Fans
6. Their nickname is from an Edgar Allan Poe poem.
7. They used to be the Cleveland Browns
8. Brian Billick...even though he got fired.
9. Gary Baxter was productive when they paid him.
10. Art M----

Lets go Brownies!

Swami Sez Browns Win 19-14

Chris Berman picked the Browns, to beat the Ravens, 19-14 at Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday, on Sportscenter this morning.

If that happens, with the Week 9 NFL Standings the way they are, the Browns legimately enter the Playoff discussion...just like Wilbon said they would a few weeks ago.

The Wild Card Picture would look this if the season ended today:

The 1st. Wild Card Spot belongs to the Bills at 5-2.
The 2nd Wild Card Spot would belong to the Jets at 4-3 or the Ravens at 4-3.

Sooo...If the new Browns beat the old Browns, then both Browns are 4-4. The Jets play the Bills, and they could certainly lose that game to put them at 4-4 as well, with the Bills at 6-2.

The other 3-4 teams include...the Dolphins, Jags, Colts and Texans.

The Dolphins play the Broncos, the Jags play the Bengals, the Colts play the Patriots, the Texans play the Vikings.

If all (4) of these teams win, and the above happens as per described, you would have the Bills at 6-2 and (7) teams - the Browns, Ravens, Jets, Dolphins, Jags, Colts, and Texans - all log jammed at .500.

With half the season to play, it feels like new life for a season on life support - at best - not more than (3) weeks ago.

Browns Bye Week Leaves Fork in Road

The Browns have a bye this week and so I caught myself looking at the two things, and I don't know which one I should be looking at. The '08 standings, or the '09 Big Board. On the one hand, Steelers are 3-1. The Ravens are 2-1. The Steelers play the Jaguars at Jacksonville...they could lose that game to the 2-2 Jags. The Ravens play a Titans team that is 4-0...Baltimore could loose that game. What I am about to say is crazy, but if they both loose, which they could, Pittsburgh is 3-2, and the Ravens are 2-2. The Browns will go into the New York Game 1-3...if they win...I don't know...Thats why the other side of me says forget this year, focus on the Draft. Like every other year, just wait until next year. The Browns need help everywhere, but defense especially, and specifically at Linebacker...Mel's got (5) LBs on Kiper's Big Board but I guess they could use a lineman, a DB, or a RB as well...For now, I guess its just good they have a Bye.

Betting Line Moves As Money Goes On Cleveland

When the betting line for this game opened, the Ravens were giving the Browns 2 points. Money going the Brown's ways has moved the line up a half point on Saturday, and then another half point on Sunday. Currently, the Ravens are giving 2.5 point to the Browns today before kickoff. Click Yahoo Spots here for the Browns line as well as all other NFL betting lines. This is a good sign if you are a Browns fan, it means the money is being bet on the Browns so much to move the line one whole point in Cleveland's favor.

The consensus around Cleveland is that the Browns should make short work of the Ravens today, and get into the win column, avoiding and 0-3 start that no team has gone on to make the playoffs from. I hope they do, but it will be a real test for Cleveland on both sides of the ball.

The Browns Defense has a real opportunity here to pin their ears back and go after to the Ravens QB Joe Flacco. Flacco is a rookie, and he is not mobile. Hopefully the Browns secondary can keep Flacco confused long enough to allow Big Baby and company to make Sunday a long afternoon for Flacco.

I am especially watching Shaun Big Baby Rogers to see if he is going to be a guy that shows up when the bright lights of the national spotlight are off. He didnt show me much in week 1, and seemed to show up on Sunday Night Football last week. Hopefully he shows up against Baltimore to god knows we need him too.

I will also be watching the Eye in the Offensive Sky, Chud, to see if he can re-capture the magic he seemed to be able to orchestrate week after week last season. Either teams have figured the Mad Scientisct from The U out after a season of suprises, or he has run into a couple of rough outings, looking to rebound agains a Defense that was good eight years ago. An opportunity awaits for the Browns Offense today as well.

One note I noticed this morning is that Braylon is questionable for today's game, and as of now, I dont know what impact that has had, if any, on the latest line.

And for me, more than the Steelers, I want to PUNISH the Ravens...I still havent forgot that it was you that packed up and left in the middle of the night...Here we go BROWNIES, HERE WE GO!!