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One word comes to mind when thinking about the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens rivalry: bitterness. This rivalry has not been particularly competitive, but it’s a significant one for Browns fans and their anger towards Art Modell.
History of Browns vs. Ravens Rivalry
The Baltimore Ravens franchise was built by the infrastructure of the Cleveland Browns, with Modell taking the personnel of the Browns to Baltimore in 1996. This infuriated Cleveland fans, but Modell did not feel the city of Cleveland had the funding nor political will to build a first-class stadium. To the delight of Baltimore fans, they finally got football back after the Colts franchise left them in 1983. A lot of Ravens fans do not view this as a rivalry and see it simply as a divisional game.
Head to Head Analysis of Browns vs. Ravens
This rivalry has been lopsided over the 40 times they’ve played since the Ravens’ inception in 1999. The Ravens have been dominant with a 30-10 record against the Browns. Coach John Harbaugh and Quarterback Joe Flacco have played a massive role in this success and mounted an 11-game win streak from 2008-2013 directly after they joined the Ravens organization. You read that right, these two had such an immediate impact on this rivalry that the Ravens have gone 18-3 against the Browns since Harbaugh was hired. Baltimore owns the largest victory after winning 44-7 in a blowout in 2000. The Browns are turning things around, and they actually have a very rich history of winning prior to their relocation controversy.
A Glance at Postseason Success in Browns vs. Ravens
These two teams have never met in the postseason, but a lot of Browns fans are bitter about the Ravens winning a Super Bowl in 2000. The reason is that they believe this could have been a Super Bowl for the Browns, since it was their players and draft picks that ultimately won after leaving the city of Cleveland. Since the move in ‘96, the Browns have only made the playoffs once, but they were very successful before that. Cleveland has 28 playoff appearances as they were a dominant force in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’80s. They have 21 Division Championships, 11 Conference Championships, 4 AAFC Champions, and 4 NFL Championships, which were all pre-Super Bowl era. The Baltimore Ravens are a much newer franchise, but they have two Super Bowl victories under their belts. Since they were established in 1999, they have had an impressive 11 playoff appearances, 5 Division Championships, and 2 Conference Championships. It is looking like this might shape into a fantastic rivalry as we move forward.
Browns vs. Ravens Rivalry Outlook
When we look ahead, I think this rivalry will really start to blossom as the last two meetings have been terrific games. Both teams have hopeful, young star quarterbacks in Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson. The two Heisman Trophy winners will not be able to do it alone, though. Baker Mayfield will need the offensive help of guys like RB Nick Chubb, OL Joel Bitonio, and TE David Njoku. The Browns defense is led by their pass rusher DE Myles Garrett and includes the likes of CB Denzel Ward, DT Larry Ogunjobi, and S Jabrill Peppers. Baltimore currently has a nice trio of running backs to help Lamar Jackson in Kenneth Dixon, Alex Collins, and Gus Edwards. Another guy to like is TE Hayden Hurst, and you can never count out the Ravens’ defense. MLB CJ Mosley is a force and will continue to mold some of their other young talents like LB Kenny Young and CB Marlon Humphreys. These fan bases can anticipate some exciting matchups in the near future!