Cleveland @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2014 ) Baltimore 23, Cleveland 21

Baltimore will try to focus on a must-win contest at home against Cleveland on Sunday while ignoring the San Diego score overhead at M&T Stadium. "Turn the scoreboards off, I guess," Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco said this week. "There's nothing we can really do about that game, so we shouldn't be really worried about it." The Ravens need to win and have the Chargers lose at Kansas City to reach the playoffs, the same spot they were in last year before losing a do-or-die game at Cincinnati.

Baltimore finds itself needing help after a sluggish showing in a 25-13 loss at Houston last Sunday, which matched the club's lowest scoring output of the season. At the very least, the Ravens get to face a crumbling Browns squad that has dropped four straight and is moving to its third starting quarterback after losing rookie Johnny Manziel last week at Carolina and seeing former starter Brian Hoyer hampered by shoulder issues. Undrafted rookie Connor Shaw will get the start versus the Ravens, who claimed a Week 2 matchup in Cleveland on a last-second field goal by Justin Tucker.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Ravens -9. O/U: 42.5

ABOUT THE BROWNS (7-8): The NFL doesn't offer any consolation prizes, but Cleveland can still aim for its first .500 finish since 2007 and hope to deliver a damaging blow to a division rival. "We have one week left," head coach Mike Pettine said. "We're going to focus all our energy and effort into that one." Pettine said Wednesday that he expects "Connor Shaw to go out and execute and do his job if he starts Sunday," which was made official Friday when the organization promoted Shaw from the active roster.

ABOUT THE RAVENS (9-6): Baltimore's scoring total has dropped each of the last four weeks and Flacco finished with his lowest quarterback rating since Oct. 2, 2011, with last Sunday's 41.7 showing. However, he is 12-1 in his career against Cleveland and owns a 106.3 rating while passing for 11 touchdowns against two interceptions in the last six home games. Flacco, who threw three interceptions at Houston last week, also had three picks in the loss at Cincinnati to end last season and spoil Baltimore's playoff hopes.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cleveland signed QB Tyler Thigpen as insurance this week.

2. Ravens WR Steve Smith needs 27 yards to surpass Hall of Famer Andre Reed and move into 14th place in NFL history.

3. Browns LB Paul Kruger has four of his career-high 10 sacks in the last five games.

PREDICTION: Ravens 26, Browns 17