The Baltimore Ravens take on the winless Cleveland Browns tonight, exclusively on NFL Network. It's a guaranteed win for Baltimore, right?
Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs isn't taking anything for granted. The world-class pass rusher remembers 2007, in Week 15, when a star-studded Baltimore squad lost to a previously win-deprived Miami Dolphins team.
Ed Reed took a faulty route on a slant, allowing Dolphins wide receiver Greg Camarillo to scamper 64 yards for the score to give Miami its one win on the way to a 1-15 season.
"I remember all of us just looking at each other, like did we just lose this (m-----f-----)?," Suggs said this week, via ESPN.
That 2007 Dolphins team had some similar characteristics to the 2016 Cleveland Browns. Miami had three quarterbacks start a game -- Cleo Lemon (7), Trent Green (5) and John Beck (4). The Browns have started three quarterbacks through nine games -- Cody Kessler (6), Josh McCown (2), Robert Griffin III (1) -- and boast a similarly thin roster.
Suggs wants to make sure the apathy the Ravens entered the game with back in 2007 doesn't repeat itself nine years later.
"I'm going to talk to guys and use this as a reminder," Suggs said. "Remember, it's all about taking the next step."
The Ravens entered the 2007 loss at 4-9 after losing six straight. On Thursday night, Baltimore enters 4-4 after a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Could tonight be a trap game four days after that physical division matchup and a week before a huge game against the Dallas Cowboys?
"I don't know what records you're looking at, but our record does not indicate that we can overlook anyone," wide receiver Steve Smith said. "I'm not sure why you would think that we're overlooking someone when we just got a win last week and it was doomsday for the last four weeks. I'm not sure how it's a trap."
The loss in 2007 was one factor leading to coach Brian Billick's release and the hiring of John Harbaugh following the season. The coach's job seems secure, but a loss to the winless Browns could certainly lead to more changes in Baltimore.
