Putting on a show

Lamar Jackson is having all sorts of problems this season plying his trade as a quarterback in the National Football League. 

His Baltimore Ravens sit atop the AFC North with the Cincinnati Bengals at 3-3 at this junction, and yet Jackson pronounced himself and his teammates "pissed off about losing." It's not just losing that bothers him. It's how they've been losing.

They became the first team in NFL history to own double-digit leads in the first six games of the season and not have a winning record. Week two's loss to Miami in the home opener was especially egregious, the Dolphins overcoming a 35-14 deficit after three quarters to win, 42-38, with a 28-point fourth quarter.

"Our fans are pissed and all of us are pissed off," Jackson said, "but at the same time, we can't dwell on it." And then he turned to what he sees as the panacea to those problems. This Sunday's opponent at home. 

"We've got to move on here and get focused on the Browns," he said. "Everybody is focusing up. We're ready to go out there and put on a show because we're just so mad." That's right, fans, your Cleveland Browns with targets on their backs.

As if they needed to hear that. It's bad enough hauling a three-game losing streak against one of their archrivals coming off their worst -- and most embarrassing -- performance of the season in all three phases of the game last Sunday against New England. Now this. 

Jackson is a load for the Browns when he's not angry and frustrated enough to go public. It's been four years now and the Browns still have difficulty trying to figure out how to defend against what amounts to a one-man gang for the Ravens' offense. Fact is, he is the Ravens' offense.

For the fourth straight season, he leads the Ravens on the ground with 451 yards -- the other seven ballcarriers have combined for 483 yards --  and accounts for 80% of the club's total yards from scrimmage this season.

He loves playing against the Browns, winning five of the eight confrontations thus far, including three of four at home. Along the way, he has piled up 511 yards and four touchdowns with his feet and another 1,284 yards with 11 scores and six interceptions with his arm. He has been sacked 15 times.

Jackson's scrambles after exiting the pocket are legendary. He has made escaping trouble successfully an art form. Just when you think you've got him, you don't. He is a running back playing quarterback and far less dangerous as a passer than he is as a runner.

Add his little anger management moment to the mix and just about anything is possible Sunday. Just when you think you've seen everything he is capable of doing while on the loose with a football in his hands, he adds something extraordinarily different -- and probably unorthodox -- to his amazing arsenal.

With the Browns failing all season to unlock the mystery of what in the hell has happened to the defense, seeing the Browns on the schedule had to relax more than a few with Ravens angst thinking the tough losses were becoming a trend. Not to worry with the mistake-prone Browns.

The former Browns have owned the current Browns since 2008, when John Harbaugh become head coach. Harbaugh is 23-5 against the Browns, 19-2 in Baltimore. They win sometimes when they don't deserve to like the last time they met late last season in Baltimore.

The Browns intercepted Jackson four times, sacked him twice, held him to 165 yards through the air and one throwing touchdowns, 68 yards on the ground and limited the offense to just 303 yards . . .  and lost, 16-10.

The Browns expect edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney to return for this one after a two-week absence due to ankle and knee miseries, a definite step in the right direction with Jackson controlling the Baltimore huddle. The key is keeping him in the pocket and making him throw. 

To that end, newly acquired Deion Jones will make his debut at middle linebacker for Cleveland, adding some toughness and speed to the mix. It'll be either Jones or outside backer Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah assigned to spy Jackson and prevent him from making game-altering plays. 

His favorite target remains tight end Mark Andrews, who has tortured the Cleveland secondary (who hasn't?) for 510 career yards and seven touchdowns. He has already rung up 455 yards and five scores this seasons. And considering the way the secondary has played this season, Andrews should have a field day.

The Cleveland offense, meanwhile, should resume its league-leading ground onslaught after being held back by their play-calling head coach in the Patriots loss. Anything to limit the number of times Jacoby Brissett is called on to throw a forward pass. The Ravens have picked off eight passes this season.

The Browns' offensive line will be without right guard Wyatt Teller, who suffered a calf injury early against the Pats. Chances are pretty good he won't be missed against a Ravens defense that gives up 372 yards a game, 268 of them through the air.

Kevin Stefanski would be wise to ignore the latter stat and make certain Nick Chubb, who still leads the NFL in rushing despite being seldom used last Sunday, and Kareem Hunt are kept busy even if they encounter trouble early. Stefanski's quick abandonment of the run in the second half last week was unwise tactically.

The Browns have not come even close to living up to their mantra this season: Tough (not really), smart (uh-uh) and accountable (still working on it). Put them together this season and whattaya have? A 2-4 record. Nice mantra, terrible execution. It will continue Sunday in Baltimore when Jackson almost singlehandedly will "put on a show." Make it:

Ravens 31, Browns 16