The Cleveland Browns (3-13) take on the Baltimore Ravens (11-5) to kick off NFL Week 18 on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, and the game will be broadcast live on ABC and ESPN.
Browns vs. Ravens odds have Baltimore favored by 19.5 points at DraftKings, which is the largest spread of the NFL season. The over/under is set at 41.5 points.
Let's preview the matchup before we get into our Browns vs. Ravens picks and NFL predictions for this Saturday Week 18 matchup.
Browns vs. Ravens Picks, Parlay
You can create a parlay using our picks at bet365 for a +1200 NFL same-game parlay.
- Ravens -19.5
- Rashod Bateman Anytime Touchdown Scorer
- Under 41.5
Browns vs. Ravens Parlay Odds: +1200 at bet365
Browns vs. Ravens Preview
Good luck today to the Cleveland Browns, who are the deserved biggest underdogs of the NFL season against the Ravens. The Browns will be starting their fourth quarterback of the season in Bailey Zappe, and they'll be without their top three running backs and starting tight end. In total, there were 18 players on the injury report on Thursday.
Sportsbooks clearly do not think much of the Browns right now, especially on offense. At bet365, the Browns are -135 to score points in both halves. For comparison, the Ravens are -2000. The Browns team total is 9.5 at BetMGM, -140 to the over and +110 to the under.
On the other side, the Ravens are rolling.
Baltimore has won its past three games, allowing a combined 33 points in that span. The Ravens 31-2 Christmas win over the Texans was hugely impressive and a signal of intent to the rest of the AFC.
While Cleveland's quarterback future is uncertain, Lamar Jackson is playing better this season than he did last year when he won the MVP. Jackson has a higher completion percentage (67.9%), more passing yards (3,955) and touchdown passes (39), fewer interceptions (four) and a higher Success Rate and yards-per attempt average than last season. He has also run for more yards than he did last season.
This, and I cannot emphasize this enough, is as big of a mismatch as you'll see in the NFL all season.
Browns vs. Ravens Pick Against the Spread
Ravens -20 (-110)
By John LanFranca
I never really envisioned backing a favorite of 20 points in the NFL, but the mismatch here is such that it truly is called for in this situation. The Ravens are peaking, playing their best on both sides of the ball heading into the playoffs, and it has been clear they have no problem running up the score on opponents with margin. They have already beaten five opponents this season by 17 or more points, and four of those teams are likely playoff teams.
The Ravens have had the best passing attack in football this season, and the Browns have had the worst. Baltimore has averaged an astounding 8.93 yards per attempt this season, with a 39-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. They probably could name their score and are a safe bet to score 30+ points on Saturday, as they have in four of their past five games.
The Browns' ineptitude on offense is the actual reason I am willing to back such a big favorite. Cleveland is last in the league in yards per attempt and 31st is sacks allowed this season, with their quarterbacks being sacked 64 times in 2024.
If you look at the Cleveland passing attack outside of the games Jameis Winston started for the Browns, you will see an embarrassing level of play. The Browns have five total passing scores in those nine games, and their adjusted net yards per attempt is obviously a league-worst by a wide margin at 3.11 yards per pass without Winston in the lineup.
The Bailey Zappe-led Browns offense will struggle to reach 10 points against a Ravens defense playing their best heading into the playoffs. Expect a blowout.
Browns vs. Ravens Player Props
Rashod Bateman Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+300)
By Grant Neiffer
