This one is easy

 

When predicting the outcomes of National Football League games, there are numerous no-brainers. The ones that almost always wind up in the win column. On a few occasions, though, the outcome is blazingly obvious. Those are known as no-brainers!!

 

What follows is one of those no-brainers!!

 

Is there any question that when the Browns and Ravens open the 2020 season in Baltimore Sunday, the home team will win overwhelmingly? Numerous negative factors stand in the way of a Cleveland victory.

 

First, but definitely not the most important, is the Browns’ record on opening day since returning to the NFL in 1999 after a ridiculously stupidly enforced three-year absence.

 

In those 21 openers, they overwhelmed one opponent, underwhelmed 19 and whelmed another. Opening day for the new Browns became synonymous with losing. Made no difference the venue.

 

The lone celebration was a 20-3 home victory over the Ravens way back in 2004. They lug a 15-game winless streak into this game. The losing has gotten so commonplace, Browns fans would be shocked beyond belief if they win.

 

They won’t. Win that is. Way too many reasons to believe otherwise.

 

Let’s continue with John Harbaugh, one of the best head coaches in the league. Harbaugh loves to plays against the Browns. Who could blame him? His 20-4 record (10-2 in each venue) against them in a dozen seasons is mute evidence. The Browns needed overtime to win two of those games.

 

That 40-25 Cleveland victory in Baltimore last season in week four? An aberration. And don’t for a minute think Harbaugh didn’t use that psychologically as his club prepared this past week.

 

The Ravens have outscored the Browns, 584-381, in Harbaugh’s 12 seasons. During that stretch, the Browns have been held to 10 or fewer points 10 times; the Ravens, once – and that was nine points. On the other side of the football, the Ravens have eclipsed 23 or more points in a game on 17 occasions (out of 24); the Browns, six.

 

Kevin Stefanski, on the other hand, is making his pro football head-coaching debut with the Browns. No one knows what to expect, although his history as an offensive coordinator and budding offensive guru suggests he loves to run the football.

 

Then again, many pundits foresee the Ravens in the next Super Bowl next February in Tampa, Fla. Who can argue? They have solid arguments on either side of the ball to buttress them.

 

They return 10 of 11 starters on a juggernaut offense from last season’s team that romped to a 14-2 record before being knocked off in the second round of the playoffs by Tennessee.

 

Lamar Jackson stunned the pro football world last season with an otherworldly, record-setting display. He did things with his feet that no other quarterback in league history had done, running for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns. Oh, and he connected on two-thirds of his passes for another 3,200-plus yards and 36 more touchdowns. That’s 4,333 yards from scrimmage and 43 touchdowns. All that in 15 games.

 

On defense, the Ravens in the offseason corrected a quarterback-pressure deficiency, trading for Calais Campbell and signing Derek Wolfe as a free agent. The defensive ends bring 20 years of experience, 121 sacks, 197 tackles for loss and 278 quarterback hits in the effort to correct that.

 

Browns offensive left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. can expect to see a lot of Campbell and/or Wolfe, along with standouts Pernell McPhee and Matthew Judon most of the afternoon. Quite a baptism for the rookie.

 

Want another reason the Ravens will dominate? Their offensive system with Jackson in control is entering its third season. This offense hit the ground running in a training camp severely abbreviated due to a global pandemic.

 

No changes with the coaching. No changes with the philosophy. Everything is as it was at the end of last season. The comfort level was immediate. We know what to expect from them.

 

That is something the Browns cannot say. Not with a brand new head coach, a brand new coaching staff and two brand new systems. After a training season that had no OTAs, minicamps or exhibition games, we really don’t know what to expect from this team.

 

Those (few?) who believe the Browns have a chance in this one point to the fact the Ravens don’t know what to expect from the Browns. Can’t argue that one. All Harbaugh can say – and it’s true – is Cleveland has some serious talent on offense.

 

The difference there is the Browns are playing with a revamped offensive line and it is much more likely it will take at least a game or three or four to work together and achieve the cohesion necessary to be successful. It doesn’t happen overnight.

 

Because everything this season – the coaching, the philosophy, the personnel – is so different with the Browns, the Ravens probably didn’t waste their time looking at tapes from last season.

 

One final reason to lean heavily in the Ravens’ direction arrived Friday when Stefanski finally revealed he would call plays on offense this season, labeling it “what’s best for the team.” Alex Van Pelt will be offensive coordinator in name only.

 

Not certain it’s because he doesn’t trust Van Pelt or just wants a firm handle on the side of the ball with which he has grown as an assistant coach. That means the team’s head coach will calls plays on offense for the second straight season. And we all know how that turned out last season. It cost Freddie Kitchens his job.

 

What that does, in effect, is make it that much more difficult for Stefanski to be the head coach. Making wise decisions requires strict attention to all aspects of the game as it unfolds. Thinking a play of two ahead. If he’s busy with strategy and tactics for the offense, it robs him of the opportunity to display that wisdom and makes him less effective as a head coach.

 

If there is anything remotely possible, a sliver to hang your hat on with regard to an upset, it would be executing with near perfection Stefanski’s main goal to win time of possession with chains-moving drives featuring the run game, short high-percentage passes and zero self-inflicted wounds. In other words, penalties.

 

It’s keeping the high-powered Baltimore offense tethered to the bench, wearing down the Ravens’ defense and hoping the Cleveland defense, which returns only half of last season’s snaps, keeps everything in front of them and limits the damage the Baltimore offense is quite capable of creating.

 

It’s the opportunity to reveal a Jackson weakness – every player has one – by assigning a member of the defense to “spy” on the talented Baltimore quarterback. Parrot his every move and prevent him from making the big play. Fingers crossed on that one.

 

So what are the odds all that can happen and the Browns end that 15-game winless streak in season-opening games? Infinitesimally high. So high, it falls into the category of no-brainer!! Make it:

 

Ravens 38, Browns 16