The Baltimore Ravens return from a much-needed bye week to face the Chicago Bears in a must-win game to avoid falling to 1-6. The staff of Baltimore Beatdown gives their bold predictions for the season-defining
showdown.
I think the Ravens put up a valiant fight with Tyler Huntley under center, but ultimately fall short. While Huntley may not offer much more than Rush in the passing game, his rushing ability raises the floor of the offense as he can extend drives with his legs on occasion. Baltimore loses 20-13 if Huntley starts over Jackson. – Dustin Cox
The Ravens put up their best fight of the season with a backup QB, with Tyler Huntley starting in place of Lamar Jackson and Cooper Rush. With Huntley under center, the Ravens run game with him and Derrick Henry thrives, going 200+ yards on the ground as a team. Huntleys passing doesn’t wow similar to Rush but is just enough.
The defense has a better day than the offense, though Ben Johnson’s creative scheme gets them a couple times. The new pressure plans work with planned clean looks generating sacks for Kyle Hamilton and Trenton Simpson. Mike Green finally gets his first sack, turning a pass rush move into a quick win and converting. There are no interceptions but the secondary has an average day, with Nate Wiggins continuing his shadow assignments and following Rome Odunze a good chunk and limiting him well.
The Ravens get out to a quick 10-0 lead in the first half. The Bears adjust and score 17 unanswered in the second half. Huntley and the Ravens manage a long drive to close the game in the 4th quarter and get the touchdown. But going for a 2-point try to avoid overrun with a backup quarterback, the Ravens fall short 17-16, with the season effectively over, falling to 1-6 on the season. – Zach Canter
The Ravens offense is going to surprise some viewers in this game. The Bears have a poor run defense and Derrick Henry appeared to have his rhythm back last week. Baltimore’s receivers should have an advantage against a trio of backup cornerbacks, and Tyler Huntley will try to push the ball downfield, for better and for worse. However, his propensity to take sacks will combine with the team’s continued short-yardage woes and end too many drives with punts and field goals. He will also turn over the ball at least once – with at least one failed fourth down attempt – giving the Bears offense good field position for much of the game.
That will keep the pressure on a Ravens defense that gave up 44 points to a struggling Texans offense and benefitted from a good bit of luck in Week 6 against the Rams. The Bears, meanwhile, rank 10th in points scored and 12th in total yards. In their four-game win streak, they scored at least 25 points in each game and recorded more than 380 yards three times. The former will continue in Week 8, but not the latter. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr started to make some adjustments against the Rams, but they haven’t quite taken yet. Ben Johnson coaches his way to a 27-16 win. – Nikhil Mehta
