Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns Betting Odds, Analysis, NFL Pick

The Cleveland Browns will continue the search for an end to their current four-game straight-up losing streak when they welcome the Baltimore Ravens to FirstEnergy Stadium for a Week 2 AFC North divisional matchup.

The Browns are reeling following the loss of their latest starting quarterback, Robert Griffin III, who suffered a serious shoulder injury in Cleveland's lopsided 29-10 season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Ravens are coming off an impressive defensive performance in their 13-7 win over the Buffalo Bills, covering as three-point home favorites in their third straight win against the spread.

Point spread: The Ravens opened as 3.5-point favorites; the total was 43.5 early in the week, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

NFL pick, per the Odds Shark computer: 25.7-13.1 Ravens (NFL picks on every game)

Why the Ravens can cover the spread

The Ravens won just five games in 2015, matching the second-worst record in franchise history. Baltimore's defense surrendered over 25 points per game last season but looked much improved while holding the Bills to just 160 total yards.

The offensively minded Bills managed just one play inside Baltimore territory in the final 24 minutes of last week's contest, a punt from the Ravens' 49-yard line, and tallied just 24 total yards the rest of the way.

While the Ravens have mustered fewer than 14 points per game over their past six outings, they may not need a big offensive effort if the defense can duplicate last week's effort against a Browns offense in disarray.

Why the Browns can cover the spread

With Griffin sidelined indefinitely, Josh McCown is expected to take over under center again. The veteran opened last season as Cleveland's starter and impressed with a 457-yard performance in the Browns' 33-30 overtime win in Baltimore as six-point underdogs in Week 5 of 2015.

McCown completed passes to nine different targets that day, throwing for a pair of scores despite getting sacked four times, but was far less effective in a 33-27 home loss to the Ravens seven weeks later.

The Browns' defensive line must also rediscover the momentary magic it possessed in the club's most recent victory, sacking Blaine Gabbert nine times in a 24-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers as 2.5-point chalk last December.

Smart pick

The Ravens' dominance of the Browns is legendary, as they have earned 14 SU wins in their past 16 meetings while going 7-1 SU and ATS in their past eight visits to Cleveland. Baltimore has also shown steady improvement since bottoming out in the first half of last year, going 6-2 ATS over its past eight games.

The veteran McCown has proved himself capable of leading subpar offenses to unexpected wins, but he faces a daunting task against a Ravens defense that has held opposing passers to under 200 yards in each of its past four games. Look for the Ravens to once again win and cover in Cleveland.

Betting trends

The Ravens are 14-2 SU in their last 16 games against the Browns, per the Odds Shark NFL Database.

The Browns are 0-10 SU in their last 10 games as underdogs.

The Ravens are 1-10-2 ATS in their last 13 games as favorites.

All NFL betting lines and point spreads data courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and Odds Shark YouTube for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.