No Interceptions for Either Team

Last year, Cleveland finished near the bottom of the league with a -8 turnover differential. This number isn’t the worst figure they’ve seen in recent years, but it’s something that needs to be improved if they want to compete in the AFC North.

Turn to Baltimore and you’ll find a much better turnover differential at +10, a number that sits them just outside of the top five in the league. While this number is already strong, this is a spot where they could improve from last season. They’ll be looking to hold onto the ball at all costs to prevent a repeat of last year’s first matchup. In their 40-25 loss, Lamar Jackson threw two interceptions, contributing to their 3 team turnovers.

Compared to a Browns team that struggled more throughout the season, the 3-1 turnover battle was a huge blow that they’d never recover from. Turnover differential will be a big point of emphasis for both teams, and whoever wins it should take home the victory.

That beings said, I see both of these squads doing a strong job of holding onto the ball. For Mayfield, good ball security will be a season goal for him. For Jackson, he’ll try to recreate the success he found against the Browns in their second match of the season and throw zero interceptions.