The Baltimore Ravens have spent too much of this season making their own lives difficult. Perhaps that's an understatement. Thirteen penalties for 131 yards against the Tennessee Titans pushed their season totals to 39 penalties for 329 yards through four games. Ouch.
That raises a question that won't disappear just because Baltimore faces a new opponent on Sunday Night Football: Can the Ravens clean up their mistakes, or have self-inflicted wounds become part of their identity?
That storyline deserves attention, but it isn't the only intriguing subplot surroundingBaltimore's matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. From an unusual shift in the betting outlook to Derrick Henry's place among the league's rushing leaders, several details could help explain
what makes this game more complicated than it appears.
A couple of interesting stories about Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley
The Ravens haven't played in Atlanta since 2018, Lamar Jackson's rookie season. Baltimore defeated the Falcons 26-16 on that day. Jackson completed 12 of 21 passes for 125 yards, while rushing for 75 yards and another score in his first road start. He'll miss this one, and that hands the keys at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to backup Tyler Huntley
Huntley stepped in for Jackson and piloted the ship during the most recent meeting between these two. He guided Baltimore to a 17-9 victory in what the Ravens' official website described asthe coldest game in M&T Bank Stadium history.
"Starting in place of an injured Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley completed nine of 17 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown to help Baltimore clinch a playoff spot in Week 16. Roquan Smith led the defense with 14 tackles."
Jesse Minter faces a new distinction's first game as an underdog
In each of the Ravens' first four games, Las Vegas sportsbooks favored Jesse Minter's team. This time, Baltimore enters a game as the underdogs. That designation doesn't determine what happens Sunday night, but it reflects the uncertainty surrounding Jackson's availability and the challenge of facing an Atlanta team playing with confidence.
How Minter handles that uncertainty, particularly if Huntley starts, will be another measure of his ability to keep Baltimore competitive in difficult circumstances. This is a winnable game. Huntley is more thancapable, and the Ravens can authorthe first 'upset' of the Minter era.
Derrick Henry must remain part of the plan
Henry entered Week 5 leading the NFL in rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns, having scored in every game. Yet Atlanta's run defense has been the league's best through four weeks, making this a particularly difficult matchup for Baltimore's most reliable offensive weapon.
The Ravens cannot afford to abandon Henry simply because early carries produce limited gains. Establishing the run could take pressure off Huntley and help Baltimore control the clock against an offense that has recently put points on the board in bunches.
Baltimore's NFC road dominance faces another test
The Ravens have gone 16-1 in regular-season road games against NFC opponents since the start of the 2019 season, the league's best record over that span. Maintaining that remarkable trend won't be easy against Atlanta, which has combined explosive offense with a defense that leads the league in run defense and quarterback pressures.
Can Atlanta sustain its historic surge?
The Falcons have put together a remarkable two-game stretch, as AtlantaFalcons.com Senior Reporter Tori McElhaney noted recently. They have become the first team in NFL history to record at least 80 points, 800 total yards and eight rushing touchdowns while allowing no more than one turnover and one sack across that span.
Baltimore's challenge is to disrupt that momentum while correcting its own mistakes. The Ravens have enough talent to compete with Atlanta, but penalties, offensive balance, and defensive discipline could determine whether their NFC road success continues or the Falcons deliver another statement performance.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens vs. Falcons: 5 key storylines to watch on Sunday Night Football
