The Baltimore Ravens look to carry last week’s momentum into a Sunday Night Football showdown with the 11-3 New England Patriots. The game is a good litmus test for both teams, as the Ravens have faltered
against top teams this season, while a relatively easy schedule for the Patriots has left some skeptical of their status as one of the NFL’s elite contenders. The staff of Baltimore Beatdown chimes in with their bold predictions for the anticipated AFC battle.
The Ravens’ offense is almost there. Lamar Jackson has played some of his best football of the season in the last two weeks, and the unit as a whole would have exploded more in Cincinnati if not for the weather conditions. And yes, the Patriots have the league’s sixth-ranked defense, but they could be without as many as five starters on Sunday. They have also been weaker against the run as of late. I don’t think the Ravens’ offense takes a huge leap forward on Sunday night, but they take another step in the right direction against a tough, well-coached unit. Overall, the game will come down to the wire with Tyler Loop converting a late-game winner. – Nikhil Mehta
The Ravens run the ball early and often, finding success against a softening New England rushing defense. Derrick Henry clears the 100-yard mark, and Lamar Jackson rushes for 50+ yards for the first time since Week 1. Mark Andrews catches his sixth touchdown pass of the season with a timely score in the fourth quarter. The Ravens win the turnover battle and earn a 25-20 victory, making up for some disappointing primetime losses at home earlier this season. – Frank Platko
It felt in many ways that the Ravens turned a corner with their shutout victory over the Bengals last week, and that momentum continues this week against the Patriots. Baltimore has been on the wrong end of most of their primetime games this season, but a strong showing on Sunday night reminds the world just what they are capable of when firing on all cylinders. Lamar Jackson builds off his strong performance in Week 15 with an efficient passing performance while using his legs to pick up yards and extend plays more than we have seen since early in the season. Derrick Henry runs wild for over 150 yards and two touchdowns on a Patriots’ defense set to possibly be without multiple players on Sunday.
The Ravens’ defense does just enough to frustrate Drake Maye with a mixture of strong coverage and pressure from various looks. TreVeyon Henderson breaks off a long run, but Baltimore otherwise bottles up New England’s rushing attack. The Ravens improve to 8-7 with a 23-16 win over the Patriots. – Dustin Cox
