When the Ravens play the Browns Sunday in an AFC North Division rivalry game, undefeated Baltimore returns to the site where it last lost a game: Cleveland Browns Stadium.
The Browns defeated the Ravens, 20-16, to close out dismal seasons for both in 2005. This season, the Ravens look like a different team, while the Browns remain on unsure footing.
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“We buried our past,” linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs said. “This is the 2006-07 team, and everything of the past is gone for us. We?re all about moving forward.”
That theme is a recurring one in the Ravens? locker room, which boasts a team trying to put a 6-10 season into the rear-view mirror.
So far, the Ravens have been successful, with a 2-0 record. Still, there are some questions about the merit of their blowout victories against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders since neither have a win yet.
The Browns are winless, as well, but head coach Romeo Crennel is ready to turn the season and the moribund franchise around.
“The teams here in this division are pretty well-established, particularly Pittsburgh ? that system has been in place for a long time,” Crennel said in a conference call with reporters earlier this week. “It?s tough for a team to come in and try to get to that level. You are not to going to get to that level overnight. It takes time.”
The Browns are smarting from a division loss to Cincinnati last Sunday, but they did see bright spots from quarterback Charlie Frye, who hooked up with receiver Braylon Edwards for 110 yards on four passes. Frye even rushed for a touchdown in the 34-17 rout.
The Ravens will try to stop running back Reuben Droughns, who rushed for 1,232 yards last season but is listed as questionable for Sunday?s game because of a shoulder injury. Droughns spent three seasons in Denver, where he was a teammate with Trevor Pryce, currently a Ravens defensive end. Pryce said that Droughns is a challenge and that he knows what to expect of his old mate.
“Running downhill as fast as he can,” Pryce said. “Reuben is one of the toughest guys I?ve ever been around, that I?ve ever played with. The great thing about Reuben, that I?ve always said, is that he runs with momentum.”
The Ravens will look to established their own running game. Starter Jamal Lewis ran 20 times for 89 yards in the 2005 season-ending loss. As a team, the Ravens rushed for 129 yards.
“I don?t know that we ran real well on them last time, or well enough,” Ravens head coach Brian Billick said. “We like to think of ourselves as a running team, and we?ll find out on Sunday.”
Ravens (2-0) at Browns (0-2)
When: Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
Where: Cleveland
TV: CBS 13
Radio: 97.9 FM/1090 AM
