Browns offense vs. Ravens defense

	BROWNS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	30
	Pass	30
	Tot. Yds.	30
	Scoring	30
	Int's allowed	14
	Sacks allowed	4
	RAVENS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	15
	vs. Pass	16
	Total yds. allowed	12
	Ints.	16
	Sacks	14
	Turnover differential	-3

It is hard to pinpoint a specific person or scheme that is holding this team back from running the football, but the truth is that the Cleveland Browns have the league's worst rushing attack, and probably will for the duration of the season. Do not be fooled by the 80-net yards rushing on Sunday, because 40 of those yards came when QB Tim Couch was running for his life.

One of the biggest problems the Browns face when running the football is that teams are going to come after the rookie quarterback and force him to make his reads and deliver the ball under pressure. This means that teams usually have an extra man close to the line of scrimmage that is headed upfield in pursuit. When the defense recognizes the play as a run, it's at that point that the defense has the numbers and the offensive line is undermanned. What many offensive coordinators do in these kinds of situations is run draw or screen plays to counter the upfield pursuit and catch the defense out of position.

Head coach Chris Palmer has tried these tactical schemes, but the problem is that he does not have the personnel to pull it off. Both Sedrick Shaw and Terry Kirby are considered in the league to be specialist type backs who ordinarily would contribute on short-yardage or relief situations. Neither back is very explosive nor do they pose much of a threat to opposing defenses.

Baltimore will have the advantage of being able to employ any scheme it chooses vs. the Browns and should be able to dictate the tempo of the game. The Ravens linebackers will come after Couch and force him to make split second decisions and put the ball on his receivers who will be matched up in a lot of man-to-man coverage. The Ravens are confident in DT's Tony Siragusa and Larry Webster to clog the middle, which allows MLB Ray Lewis to play more of a roaming style as made evident in last week's 13-tackle performance.

Defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis will bring Lewis on some first and second down run-blitz packages to not only cause disruption in the run game, but to also set a tone for Couch and possibly put Lewis in the backfield when Couch sets up in the pocket.

Couch showed a good understanding of the offense in last week's game versus the Titans, but the problem here is that there is not enough of a supporting cast to warrant the start of the team's "franchise quarterback." Cleveland is having all sorts of trouble on its offensive line, picking up the blitz and getting its stunt assignments down. The receiving corps is still not on the same page as the quarterback, which makes Couch look erratic. No matter how you look at it, this is a losing situation in Cleveland.

To draw on one positive, it's important to note that Couch and his receivers will have time to gain this valuable experience while learning the system together. As for Sunday's game, it will be much of the same offensively: lots of pressure, little room to run and defensive backs taking chances to make the big play.

Ravens offense vs. Browns defense

	RAVENS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	19
	Pass	25
	Tot. Yds.	25
	Scoring	27
	Int's allowed	4
	Sacks allowed	7
	BROWNS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	29
	vs. Pass	26
	Total yds. allowed	29
	Ints.	28
	Sacks	30
	Turnover differential	-6

The Ravens are getting production from their run game, just not from where they expected. Errict Rhett is a tough back who last week showed some of the cut-back flair and leg strength that gained him more than 1,100 yards two seasons in a row four years ago.

The projected premier back, Priest Holmes, is battling some nicks and has yet to show any ability to carry the load. Baltimore will attack the Browns from all different angles on the ground and try to wear down the depthless defense with the powerful running styles of Rhett and FB Charles Evans.

Evans has yet to contribute as much as originally projected, but with Stoney Case taking snaps in his first start, expect coach Brian Billick to make sure that Evans is a bigger part of the offense. Evans will take pressure off of Case by not only carrying the ball with greater frequency, but also as an outlet in the passing game. The bruising back has established himself as a reliable receiver and a tough guy to bring down in the open field.

Cleveland's defensive front four showed a great deal of progress as a unit Sunday, holding Tennessee's offense to just 102 yards rushing and Eddie George to less than 100 yards. Rookie MLB Wali Ranier emerged as a playmaker with 11 tackles. The Browns have two tough defensive tackles that clog up the middle and do a good job of protecting Rainer. The group did a fine job of stuffing the middle and forcing plays to the outside, where OLB's Jamir Miller and John Thierry are considered the strength of this defense.

The problem Cleveland has is its depth at defensive tackle. Jerry Ball and John Jurkovic can only play so many downs until they wear down. This is when teams really attack this defense and pick up the bulk of its production.

Case can expect to see pressure on Sunday, and the challenge will be to make the correct blitz recognition early to back the Browns off. The onus on offense will rest on the Ravens receivers to recognize the blitz and get open underneath for Case to get rid of the ball. Cleveland, on paper, has some pass rush threats at defensive end and at outside linebacker, but thus far the team has done little to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

The Browns gameplan heading into the Raven contest will be to come after Case with a blitz package that will include defensive backs coming off the edges. The Ravens receivers are a marginal group that needs to take advantage of some man-to-man matchups with CB's Daylon McCutcheon and Corey Fuller.

P Chris Gardocki was one of the lone bright spots for the Browns, averaging 47.6-yards per punt and keeping the Browns out of their own end all afternoon. The trouble is that Cleveland's coverage units were horrific, missing too many tackles and giving up too many yards. PK Phil Dawson scored the first points for the new Browns franchise with a 41-yard FG.

Key matchups