The Ravens (0-1) will face the Cleveland Browns (0-1) in their home opener at 1 p.m. Sunday. Here are game predictions from The Banner’s sports staff and a guest picker.

You win some, you Newsome

Kyle Goon, columnist (0-1): If you’re the Ravens, you don’t win this because you lost to the Buffalo Bills. You don’t win this because you’re double-digit favorites. You win for Ozzie Newsome, the one piece of connective tissue for this franchise through 30 years and two Super Bowls. The last first round of his general manager tenure included Mark Andrews and Lamar Jackson, pillars of the juggernaut this franchise has become.

The Ravens should win because they have more talent, period. They have a running game that should have won Sunday. They have a passing game that was underutilized. They have a secondary that was better than it showed against Josh Allen in the fourth quarter. It will be great to see Joe Flacco back in Baltimore, but with all due respect, his grind is not what made the Ravens great. It was Ozzie, and a front office that still carries his evaluation DNA. The Ravens’ roster is far better than Cleveland’s, and they should honor their franchise patriarch with a victory.

Ravens 38, Browns 17

Ravens turn off the noise

Giana Han, reporter (0-1): The Browns have been talking a big game all week. When asked what problems the Ravens’ secondary presents, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy said “none” — despite the multiple Pro Bowlers and first-round picks in its ranks. When asked how hard it is to tackle running back Derrick Henry, safety Grant Delpit replied “not hard” — despite the fact his own teammate had to be carted off after attempting it. And, of course, Cleveland’s mad about the Ravens’ 30th-season celebration, despite the fact it happens to be the Ravens’ first home game of their 30th season.

The Browns are hyped up for this game, but the Ravens have a bigger motivator than their chatter. They want to prove to themselves that they’re better than they showed in Week 1. The loss to Buffalo exposed what they need to correct, and the veterans have discussed accountability as they try to fix things. This is a good chance to clean things up and build momentum, and the Ravens shouldn’t let it pass.

Ravens 35, Browns 14

All talk, no walk

Chris Korman, editor (1-0): I have no idea what the Browns are going for by slighting the Ravens. It probably won’t go well. That being said, I reckon Joe Flacco will make, like, seven bewilderingly picturesque throws for old time’s sake and keep the game from getting too ridiculous.

Ravens 38, Browns 17

End the trend

Paul Mancano, Banner Ravens Podcast co-host (0-1): The Ravens have made a habit of producing stomach-turning losses at home at this early juncture of the season: a barnburner against the Miami Dolphins in 2022, an eyesore against the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 and a shocker against the Las Vegas Raiders a year ago. But Baltimore is determined not to be, as Zach Orr would say, repeat offenders.

Ravens 24, Browns 14

Hit the ground running

Jonas Shaffer, reporter (0-1): It’s the NFL’s most explosive Week 1 offense against the NFL’s most impressive Week 1 defense. The Browns held the Bengals to 141 yards of total offense Sunday — only the Denver Broncos allowed fewer — and limited Joe Burrow and Co. to just one play of at least 15 yards. One big difference between Cincinnati and the Ravens, though: The NFL’s best ground game resides in Baltimore. If the Ravens can stay out of obvious passing downs, they can keep Myles Garrett in check. And if Cleveland can’t establish the run? Well, Joe Flacco will endure a long, painful return to Baltimore.

Ravens 20, Browns 6

Safer at home

Childs Walker, contributor (0-1): Are the Ravens in danger of repeating 2024, when they fell to 0-2 after an upset home loss? It’s hard to see it, even though Cleveland’s premium defensive talent, led by Myles Garrett, will challenge a Baltimore offensive line that did not play well in the fourth quarter Sunday. The Ravens have too many ways to produce explosive plays. Their defense, reeling from that collapse in Buffalo, will get well against 40-year-old Joe Flacco and the Browns’ suspect tackles. The chance for an upset would be greater in Cleveland, but Lamar Jackson has always handled his business against double-digit underdogs, and that won’t change here.

Ravens 27, Browns 13

This feels more ominous than it should

Brandon Weigel, editor (0-1): I’m still scarred from the Week 1 implosion. I still have flashbacks to the Ravens losing a very winnable game against the Las Vegas Raiders in last year‘s home opener to fall to 0-2. And I still can’t get over Kyle Hamilton’s dropped interception from the Ravens’ Week 8 clunker when they lost 29-24 in Cleveland. The aura is off.

In Week 1 the Browns held the high-powered Bengals to 141 total yards, but Joe Flacco and the offense held the team back with two interceptions. Do we think the Ravens’ secondary will match that? Zach Orr’s diagnosis is that the defense’s fundamentals and technique “wore down” in the fourth quarter against Buffalo. Yikes. I still think the Ravens will win — they’re too talented not to. It will just be one of those ugly wins that leaves us flummoxed.

Ravens 19, Browns 16

Guest pick

Irie Harris, cleveland.com: Derrick Henry is coming off a career-best Week 1 performance, and I don’t see Cleveland stopping him. He’ll do enough damage to steer the offense. The Browns’ best chance at winning is with fewer check-downs and more deep shots against a Ravens pass defense that finished second to last in yards allowed last year. But Cleveland tends to overthink the game, which should benefit Baltimore.

Ravens 28, Browns 19