The suddenly offensive-minded Baltimore Ravens, who have put up 69 points in September wins over the Chiefs (38-24) and Chargers (31-26), have recently learned about the dark side of their best offensive showing in recent memory.

Fans in and around Baltimore want to know what happened to the defense.

As the Ravens prepare to host the Cleveland Browns, a team that has scored one offensive touchdown in seven games dating back to last season, those fans might be about to get a reminder of the talent on that side of the ball.

Though Baltimore has allowed an uncharacteristic 25 points per game through the first two weeks, that figure is somewhat misleading.

In Week 1 against the Chiefs, Kansas City benefited from a blocked punt for a touchdown and an interception return that set the Chiefs up inside the Baltimore 10-yard line for another score.

Last Sunday, though the Ravens allowed 484 yards of total offense to the Chargers, Baltimore also limited San Diego to four field goals on six scoring drives, intercepted quarterback Philip Rivers twice, and held the Chargers to just 53 yards on the ground.

Despite giving up some big plays in the passing game, the Ravens defense leads the NFL in rushing defense (41 yards per game), and has extended its streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher in 37 consecutive games, the longest current streak in the NFL.

Based on their play of the first two weeks, the Browns do not figure to give the Baltimore defense much of a test.

The Cleveland offense has found the end zone just once during the two-game tenure of Eric Mangini, who is still seeking his first win with the Browns after defeats at the hands of the Vikings (34-20) and Broncos (27-6).

The Browns are last in NFL total offense (234 yards per game) and third-down percentage (23.1) as Week 3 begins, and last week managed just 11 first-downs, 200 yards of total offense, and committed three turnovers in Denver.

The defense hasn't been much of a credit to the winning cause either.

Cleveland has allowed an NFL-worst five rushing touchdowns through the season's first two weeks, two of which came in the fourth quarter of last week's loss in Denver and helped the Broncos pull away in what had been a close contest.

SERIES HISTORY

Baltimore holds a 13-7 lead in its all-time series with Cleveland, including a home-and-home sweep last year. The Ravens were 28-10 winners when the teams met at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 3, and took a 37-27 decision in the return matchup, in Cleveland, during Week 9. The Browns swept the 2007 home-and-home, including a 33-30 overtime triumph in Baltimore.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is 2-0 against the Browns as head coach. Mangini was 0-1 against the Ravens during his tenure with the Jets (2006-08), and will be facing Harbaugh for the first time as a head man on Sunday.

Mangini served as an assistant coach with the Ravens during the 1996 season, their first in Baltimore.

WHEN THE BROWNS HAVE THE BALL

After two weeks of failing to sustain drives, the Browns are going to have to move the football if they want an opportunity to upset the Ravens. Brady Quinn (366 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) has been sacked nine times and has not made many big plays, though his chemistry with No. 1 receiver Braylon Edwards (7 receptions) in last week's loss to the Broncos was a step in the right direction. After catching just one ball for 12 yards in the opener, Edwards posted six catches for 92 yards in Denver last Sunday. Working out of the slot, Josh Cribbs (7 receptions) contributed five grabs, but none went for longer than seven yards. Tight end Robert Royal (5 receptions, 1 TD) followed up an encouraging Week 1 by catching just one ball against the Broncos. The Cleveland running game could have some additional problems this week if ex- Raven Jamal Lewis (95 rushing yards, 4 receptions) is unable to shake off a hamstring injury that kept him out of practice on Wednesday. Backups James Harrison (8 rushing yards, 4 receptions) and James Davis (5 rushing yards, 3 receptions) would stand to garner the carries that would have belonged to Lewis, though Davis has himself been bothered by a shoulder problem.

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