Can The Baltimore Raves Go All the Way? By Jasmine Moore

Jasmine Moore - It's Week 13 in the NFL with lots of divisional match-ups this week, not to mention some teams facing must win-games in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. This Sunday in Cleveland, Ohio the 8-3 Baltimore Ravens take on the 4-7 Cleveland Browns. This season the Ravens have been favorites over that most consider being inferior opponents, but have fallen to those same teams after big AFC wins. In Week 12 the Ravens took out one of the NFC power houses, the 9-2 San Francisco 49ers. In that Thanksgiving showdown brothers, Jim and John Harbaugh's teams went head to head with the Ravens tying a franchise record of nine sacks along with their 16-6 win over the 49ers. Not only was the defense explosive, but Joe Flacco and the offense did a great job by not turning the ball over. If the Ravens are able to play to that caliber of game for the rest of the season and in the playoffs, it is without a doubt that they could take home the Lombardi trophy. However, will Flacco and his offense crack under the pressure of the #1 pass defense in the NFL? In Week 12 the Browns defense held their own by only allowing 274 yards of total offense in their 23-20 lost to the 7-4 Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns rushing offense will get a spark bringing back the now healthy RB Peyton Hillis. Will the Ravens be able to pull off an away win? Also to note; this may be the third-straight game that the Ravens will not have their inspirational team leader LB Ray Lewis on defense. On the Browns side, they will be without starting LB Scott Fujita and defensive lineman Emmanuel Stephens, who both were placed on Injured Reserve in Week 12. Baltimore controls its destiny right now; they are in the lead of the AFC North having swept the Pittsburgh Steelers in their two meetings this year and one win over the Bengals. The Ravens can only benefit with a win over their divisional opponents the Cleveland Browns. The Baltimore Ravens may have what it takes to end their season at 13-3 with the hopes of home-field advantage in the play-off, but first they have to get through the rest of the season and hold onto their AFC lead.