Cleveland's "V" Plan: What the Browns Can Do To Deliver a Victory over Baltimore

With Week 3 of the 2010 NFL season right around the corner, the 0-2 Cleveland Browns face the daunting task of heading to Baltimore to face a dangerous Ravens ballclub that is coming off a heartbreaking loss at the hands of division rival Cincinnati in Week 2.

While popular opinion is that the Browns will leave Maryland the owners of an 0-3 record, the start to another losing season, I believe that if Cleveland can successfully do these five things well, the Browns will walk away from this contest with their first win of 2010...

1. Get Peyton Hillis Invloved in the Gameplan Early and Often

Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

CLEVELAND - AUGUST 21: Chris Chamberlain #57 of the St. Louis Rams tackles Peyton Hillis #40 of the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on August 21, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

This guy is an absolute beast, and quite possibly the closest thing the Browns have to a human wrecking machine. They will absolutely need him against  the ever physical Ravens defense. 

Hillis' bruising style should give even Raven's middle linebacker Ray Lewis pause. And while its true that not many teams have been able to run on the Ravens' D while Lewis has been there, historically the Browns have played their best against Baltimore when they have been able to effectively move the chains on the ground.

If they are to do this Sunday, it all starts with Hillis.

2. Joshua Cribbs Must Be More Than Just a Kick Return Specialist

Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

CLEVELAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Wide receiver Joshua Cribbs #16 of the Cleveland Browns runs by wide receiver Jeremy Horne #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

If there was one positive that came out of Cleveland's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, it was that Joshua Cribbs finally made a big play on offense. 

It is no secret that Cribbs is probably the most electrifying player on Cleveland's roster, but that must be news to the Browns coaching staff the way he has been utilized/underutilized in the teams' first to contests.

While the jury is still out on whether Brian Robiskie can make it as Cleveland's No. 2 receiver, there is no doubt that when Cribbs gets the ball in the open field he will make things happen. So why not designate Cribbs the No. 2 receiver until Robiskie shows he can handle the role? 

A big problem with Cleveland's offense right now is their inability to stretch the field with the deep ball, and if Cribbs can at the very least create the threat of Cleveland going deep, it adds another dimension. Plus, it would be nice to see Cribbs throw a pass or two downfield in a Wildcat-like formation, as that would give Baltimore even more to think about.

3. Browns Defense Must Force Turnovers Inside Ravens Territory

J. Meric/Getty Images

TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 12: Cornerback Joe Haden #23 of the Cleveland Browns is congratulated after breaking up a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL season opener game at Raymond James Stadium on September 12, 2010 in Tampa, Florida. (Ph

After the loss to Kansas City, foremost among Browns head coach Eric Mangini's thoughts were all the mistakes that the Browns made, including the turnovers made by his own ballclub. And while minimizing mistakes will be key to a successful afternoon by the Browns on Sunday, the defense must be able to force the Ravens offense into making some mistakes as well.

More specifically, the Browns must be able to create turnovers inside Ravens territory, as a shortened field will only make it easier for the Browns offense to score against a stingy Ravens D. Sunday will be as good a time as any for rookie Joe Haden and free agent corner Sheldon Brown to show why the Browns invested so much money in them, either by forcing a fumble or intercepting a Joe Flacco pass.

4. Browns Offense Must Get Creative Inside the Red Zone

Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

CLEVELAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Seneca Wallace #6 of the Cleveland Browns looks for a receiver against the Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Points will be a premium against a Ravens defense that allows a league-low 12 points per contest, and, as such, when the Browns get into the red zone they must come away with touchdowns, not field goals.

One surefire way to accomplish this is to call a more creative gameplan when they get inside the Ravens' 20-yard line. The Browns should consider using the Wildcat formation that lines Cribbs in the shotgun behind center and Seneca Wallace out wide, with Cribbs then throwing to Wallace (remember, Wallace has receiving experience from his days in Seattle).

The Browns could even design that as a play that is expected to be an incomplete pass, as long as they are showing the threat to do that in the red zone. The point is, going conservative in the red zone won't get you more than three vs. the Ravens, and, on the road, three just won't cut it.

5. Browns Must Strike Early To Take the Crowd Out of the Game

Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

One of the biggest reasons that the Baltimore Ravens are so hard to beat at home is that their fans are loud, and, as such, at times serve as the mythical 12th man.

The Browns must do everything they can to eliminate this homefield advantage early on. Whether this be a kickoff returned for a touchdown, a big stop on defense, or a big run on offense, it does not matter as long as it silences the home crowd.