The Opening Drive 9/13: Ravens Celebration Presents Browns Opportunity, Plus Calculated Trash-Talk
With the Browns heading to Baltimore on their 30-year celebration of becoming an NFL franchise, there are opportunities to seize.
The Ravens are celebrating their 30th season in the NFL on Sunday and in effect celebrating Art Modell's decision to rip the team from beloved fans of the Cleveland Browns and move it to Baltimore. Inside these plans, there will be a special pre-game recognition of the move, along with a halftime show featuring many Ravens’ Legends, a Marching Ravens performance, and a dramatic mixed-reality show on the RavensVision video boards. All-time Browns receiving leader Ozzie Newsome will be honored during the festivities as well.
The Ravens claim that this event was planned for the season opener in March, some time before the 2025 schedule was released, while others have pointed out that they do host a home primetime game against the Lions next week and that to go forward with the event despite it being against the Browns is a classless move. Either way, the NFL knew when the celebration was and still put Cleveland in this spot on the schedule. The shield loves them some drama.
The Browns' players themselves, and likely some of the staff, are too young to understand the impact that "the move" had on Browns fans and the city.
It would behoove Browns leadership and Kevin Stefanski to set aside some valuable time this week to educate Browns players on the history of how it all unfolded when the team relocated. Some well-chosen video clips and an influential speaker who was impacted by the move would likely go a long way in helping Browns players understand why their fans feel so disrespected. This kind of message could foster a sense of ownership over the team's history among today's players. The more connected they feel to their fans and the team's history, including the sadness and suffering created by the injustice of the move, the more they can comprehend what they represent when they put on the orange and brown every week.
This is the ideal situation to give today's players, likely far too young to have any idea the significance of the Ravens and Browns history, an understanding of the harsh feelings and provide them something they can rally behind as they head into this matchup.
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The Browns are 11.5-point underdogs heading into Baltimore on what would be the equivalent of a homecoming game at the college level. Not many will be giving the Browns much of a chance this weekend, despite playing well in week one against the Bengals. The dominant statistical advantage the Browns posted over the Bengals in time of possession, first downs gained, and overall yardage has been collectively hand-waived away by the national media, chalking it up to an off-day for Joe Burrow and his offense.
The Browns have a lot of young players on the 2025 roster, and many of them are already in contributing roles. Think of how the rookies and other young players on the Browns roster feel heading into their first road game in Baltimore, an intimidating opponent in a hostile environment.
Now think of how much better you would feel seeing two of the players who have played and defeated the Ravens before, stepping in front of the microphone and nonchalantly taking a shot at that Ravens team. Delpit, who went with the NBA's too-small-gesture after tackling Derick Henry in a game last season, was asked what it's like to tackle Henry. He slyly responded, "Not Hard."
When Jeudy was asked about what kind of challenge they would be faced with in the Ravens' secondary, he answered, "No challenge."
Both players were dismissive of the idea that the Ravens were a problem for them, and while many may view both players' "trash-talk" as foolish, it likely impacted the younger players on the Browns roster.
They were sending a message that they aren't intimidated and expect to compete with the Ravens like equals. You can lose a game before you even step on the field if you aren't in the right mental place. Delpit and Jeudy displayed confidence, something many of the young players on this team likely needed to see and hear through all the other noise that's out there.
With so many young players in key roles for this team, Delpit and Jeudy had to make sure they knew they belonged and there was no reason for qualms about Sunday. The Browns have to be confident despite their youth. Delpit knows how good Henry is; his words are meant to inspire belief and confidence within himself and his teammates. This game will be a tough enough test without losing the mental battle before it even begins.
I say well done to Delpit and Jeudy; one can understand how their words could help a cast of rookies reach the assertive mental state required.
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