Halloween Primetime Picture Week 9: Patriots @ Ravens
By Peyton Schultze
MVP candidate Lamar Jackson will look to continue his trend toward greatness with a signature win over the Patriots “Boogeymen” defense (via NBC Sports).
Welcome to the latest edition of Primetime Picture, our new weekly series featuring the NFL’s game of the week. In preparation of the spooky holiday, this week’s edition is centered around two of the most terrifying teams in the league, both of whom have plenty of tricks up their sleeve for their upcoming duel. For this weekend, future Hall of Famer Tom Brady and the evil empire-esque New England Patriots head to the dark reaches of Baltimore for a highly anticipated matchup with MVP candidate Lamar Jackson and the high-flying Ravens in a clash of Super Bowl hopefuls on Sunday Night Football (5:20 PST, NBC).
With an undefeated record and historic play on the defensive side of the football, the reigning champion New England Patriots (8-0) head into this weekend’s matchup as a true football juggernaut. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick always remain the headliners of this dynasty, but there have been plenty of standout performers so far this season who have helped guide this team to the best record in the NFL. However, despite having the league’s top ranked defense and with Brady still playing at an extremely high level, many around the league still doubt how great this year’s Patriot squad really is. A large part of this has to do with a pathetic early season schedule that has rarely challenged New England in any kind of way, which raises a bit of concern due to how inconsistent the Patriots’ offense has really been in recent weeks. Nevertheless, New England is about to enter the deadly part of their schedule against several Super Bowl hopefuls, which will really show just how great the 2019 Patriots are. Will they keep winning against good teams and be on their way to an undefeated season? Or will they begin to show some cracks in the armor and struggle against better competition? It is always interesting to see how New England plays as they enter November and December, but it is wise to never doubt just how great this organization is and has been over the past two decades.
Meanwhile, the pesky Baltimore Ravens (5-2) are coming off their bye week and their biggest win of the season against a great Seattle Seahawks squad, which has built some hope for how great this version of the Ravens can be. Other than a close loss on the road to the Kansas City Chiefs and a shocking loss to the rival Cleveland Browns, the Ravens have been solid all season long and remain the favorite in the AFC North. A lot of their early season success has to do with the sudden surge in offensive play for the Ravens (second in the league in offensive yardage), led by breakout superstar Lamar Jackson. Jackson and former-Saint Mark Ingram have combined to form the league’s best rushing attack on offense, and the group truly looks like one of the best all-around offenses in the NFL with unique playcalling and versatility all over the field. However, the Ravens still have some major cause for concern due to a mostly weak schedule and a declining defense that has allowed a lot more big plays than in year’s past. Unfortunately for them, they’ll face their toughest assignment of the year against Tom Brady and the Patriots on Sunday, yet will have the major advantage of playing the game on their own home field. In front of a national television audience on Sunday Night Football, Baltimore has a ton to prove to all of those who doubt just how great Lamar Jackson and the 2019 Ravens can be, and the game could easily show if this team has a chance of making a deep playoff run against the AFC’s best all the way to Super Bowl LIV in Miami, Florida.
Time after time and year after year, the New England Patriots remain the biggest threat to a Super Bowl title in the AFC (via The Times).
Even in losing their Hall of Fame tight end in Rob Gronkowski after winning last year’s Super Bowl, the New England Patriots’ offense has once again ranked as one of the league’s most dangerous so far this season. With Tom Brady still calling the shots for the Patriots’ offense, New England has averaged 369.9 yards per game so far this season behind a solid short passing game and physical run game that has caused issues for opposing defenses. Julian Edelman has once again produced at a high level as Brady’s true security blanket, but this passing game does lack of a ton of playmakers outside of the quick slot receiver and newly acquired Mohamed Sanu. Meanwhile, the Patriots’ run game has started to take off in recent weeks with Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead in the backfield, and they form arguably the league’s best running back committee in all of football. However, the Patriots’ offensive line has not been quite as great this season in protecting Brady and opening running lanes, which is a bit of a concern as the season moves along with Brady nearing the end of his career. New England’s offensive line has really been battered all season long, but that unit will need to step up in a major way in order to punish defenses with long drives and keep Brady and the Patriots’ playmakers healthy. The Patriots’ 2019 offense is not as explosive as they have been in year’s past, but this is still a Super Bowl caliber unit capable of making plays in big moments over the course of the season.
For all of the Patriots’ nagging inconsistencies on offense, New England’s defense has been flat out vicious all season long. Amazingly ranking as the second ranked defense in the league in total yardage (second against the pass, fourth against the rush), New England has caused chaos for offenses all year long and is putting up some historic numbers under head coach Bill Belichick’s brilliant defensive scheme. The Patriots have simply rattled opposing players and teams all season long, and they look like a group with a certain type of swagger that can intimidate an opponent who dares to come face-to-face with their superb unit. With that being said, the Patriots do not have a ton of star players on their defense that are recognizable outside of stud corner Stephon Gilmore and safety Devin McCourty, both likely All-Pro players this season, which really speaks to how well-prepared this coaching staff is every single week against any opponent. Other players such as Dont’a Hightower, Jaime Collins, Patrick Chung, Lawrence Guy, and Kyle Van Noy are all possible candidates for a Pro Bowl appearance this season and the defense has real potential to dominate any team on any given week. New England does have the disadvantage of not really playing any solid offenses all season long, but the Patriots’ defense will soon reveal their true identity against a dangerous upcoming center against several great quarterbacks. New England’s defense is on their way to a historic season on the defensive side of the football, and it will be interesting to see just how great this unit can be in the high-scoring modern day National Football League.
Lamar Jackson’s Ravens seem to be playing better with every week, but they’ll face their biggest challenge of the year at home on Sunday night (via Twitter).
Although there is not a clear challenger to New England’s top record in the AFC right now, the Baltimore Ravens have had a very successful season thus far and are looking to make a statement in the AFC in front of a national audience. Led by the elusive quarterback Lamar Jackson and a physically imposing run game headlined by former Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram, Baltimore ranks as the second ranked offense in the NFL and leads the league in rushing yards at 204.1 rushing yards per game. With studs such as Marshal Yanda and Ronnie Stanley leading an above average offensive line that has helped clear up plenty of holes for the Ravens’ running game, this Ravens’ offense functions on their ability to run the football and put up some big points. Surprisingly, this explosive formula has counteracted what the Baltimore offense has been like in year’s past, especially in the large amount of points these Ravens have been putting up at a consistent rate week in and week out. In addition to this, Baltimore has ran out several breakout stars on their offense this season such as tight end Mark Andrews and speedy wide receiver Marquise Brown, both of whom figure to be a major part of this offense for years to come. However, the effectiveness of this offense really comes down to the play of the former Louisville star, Jackson. If the young quarterback can continue his exceptional style of play that has caused issues for defenses all year long, the Ravens can challenge anyone in the league and make a deep run into the postseason.
Another sudden change in the philosophy of the 2019 Ravens has been the somewhat disappointing play of their previously vaunted defense. After ranking as the league’s #1 defense a season ago, the Ravens have really fallen off quite a bit this season, but are coming off their best performance of the season on defense against Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. One reason for their sudden decline has been their poor play in the secondary, where players such as Marlon Humphrey, Earl Thomas, and Brandon Carr have failed to meet their expectations coming into the year. However, a midseason trade for controversial corner Marcus Peters paid off a week ago, and the corner made an immediate impact in his first game with Baltimore with a game changing interception. If Peters can continue to play the way he did in his first game as a Raven, this secondary could take a major leap forward in terms of their effectiveness. Meanwhile, the Ravens’ defense will also need major improvement in terms of their pass rush, where they only rank 28th in the NFL with 12.0 sacks. With core players such as Terrell Suggs and C.J. Mosely now departed from Baltimore, the Ravens will need to call upon the talents of Matthew Judon and Patrick Onwuasor to step up and cause some havoc in the second half of the season for the Ravens. Baltimore will certainly need to show some major improvement on defense this weekend and for the rest of the year if they want to enter the Super Bowl bubble, and their challenge begins now in all areas of their defense.
The Tom Brady to Julian Edelman connection has once again been a central reason for the Patriots success on offense so far this season (via 98.5 The Sports Hub).
Patriots’ Keys to the Game: Protect Brady and Find a Way to Contain Jackson on the Ground
Tom Brady typically has one of the quickest releases in football and remains one of the most well-protected signal callers in all of football. However, recent injuries on the offensive line have been a bit of a cause for concern for Brady and the Patriots’ offense, who actually even allowed three uncharacteristic sacks against the underwhelming Cleveland Browns a week ago. This makes this urgency to protect Brady even greater heading up against an even better opponent, and the Patriots’ offensive line must have a great game on Sunday in order to continue their undefeated season. If Brady gets hit at a high rate and the Patriots’ offense is forced into tough third and long situations against a team that likes to take some defensive risks, the Patriots could be in a little bit of trouble against the best team they have faced on their schedule thus far. However, if the Patriots once again control the line of scrimmage and find a way to keep Brady’s jersey clean, New England could find themselves one step closer to an undefeated season.
Even though the Patriots have not really faced any explosive offenses so far this season, this is the best defense in the NFL right now that is solid in all areas of the defense. Stephon Gilmore is the best corner in the league right now and a favorite for Defensive Player of the Year, and he helps lead a superb group of defenders that so far ranks among the best in NFL history. However, this defense is in for a bit of a challenge against an emerging and lethal offensive player such as Lamar Jackson, who could easily create some major problems with his legs and in situations where the signal caller has to improvise. The Patriots’ second ranked passing defense should be able to limit a ton of big plays in the Ravens’ passing game all night long, but their real challenge will come up front in the ground game. The Patriots have a solid chance of controlling the line of scrimmage against a fair Ravens’ offensive line, but the extended plays by Jackson that are impossible to prepare for are what could finally break this Patriots’ defense. Bill Belichick will undoubtedly have a great gameplan against an inexperienced yet talented quarterback like Jackson, but it will be the responsibility of the players to slow down Jackson’s effectiveness while running the football. This is a truly exciting matchup to watch, and all eyes will be on the fascinating duel between Jackson and the New England defense.
The Ravens’ defense may need to cause a few Patriots’ turnovers in order to pull of the major upset this weekend (via USA Today).
Ravens’ Keys to the Game: Converting on 3rd Down and Creating a Few Big Plays on Defense
The young and explosive Ravens’ offense has plenty of major question marks heading into their biggest challenge of the season, especially considering how ridiculous the Patriots’ defense has been all year. The Ravens do have the #1 rushing attack in all of football, yet you can guarantee that Bill Belichick will do all he can to take away as much of their ground game as he can. This forces the Ravens’ passing game into the spotlight, and they will certainly have to make some key plays throughout the game in order to keep some long drives going and put touchdowns on the board. One major component of this will be the Ravens’ ability to convert 3rd downs, especially in situations that happen to be more than five yards. If the Ravens struggle to convert and give the ball back to Brady and the Patriots’ offense against a somewhat vulnerable Ravens’ secondary, then Baltimore has virtually no chance of pulling off the upset. However, if Lamar Jackson can make some big plays on third down through the air and by using his legs, this could become a thrilling game that comes down to the wire in the 4th quarter.
After finishing the 2018 season as the #1 ranked defense in terms of total yardage, the Ravens have significantly fallen off in that department so far this season. However, the Ravens still have a ton of playmakers across the board on defense that are due for a breakout game, and this is a great opportunity for that defense to turn their fortunes around. New England’s offense is always unpredictable, but their one consistency on offense has been the Tom Brady/Julian Edelman connection all season long. With Josh Gordon hurt and Rob Gronkowski retired, Brady has turned to Edelman again over the course of the year and likely will again on Sunday night. This makes it important for the Ravens to not only attempt to take away Edelman from the Pats’ offensive gameplan, but to be aggressive all night long against a somewhat underperforming offense. Brady may be getting up in age, but is still one of the best quarterbacks in all of football with potential to win any game on his own. With that being said, the Ravens will need to create some big plays on defense against Brady all night long if they want a chance at securing a victory. Like so many other teams before them, a lack of pressure on Brady in the pocket virtually locks up a win for the Patriots. Therefore, the Ravens will need to get after Brady in the pocket and force some errant throws into the secondary with former Pro Bowl players like Earl Thomas and Marcus Peters lurking. The challenge will be tough, but Baltimore’s hopes of pulling off an upset may rely on the shoulders of a big play defense looking for their marquee moment.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have an opportunity to prove themselves as a Super Bowl contender with a win over the weekend in front of a national audience (via Heavy.com)
Prediction: New England Patriots (27) - Baltimore Ravens (30)
Outside of the Denver Broncos and the New York Football Giants, no team in the NFL has had more recent success against the mighty Patriots than the Baltimore Ravens. However, with Joe Flacco and the dominant Ravens’ defense no longer in the picture against Tom Brady and company, this ongoing rivalry enters a new era with new players across the board. Nevertheless, Baltimore will certainly be the best team that New England has faced all year, and they truly present some challenging matchup problems that could make this a tightly contested battle in one of the most anticipated Sunday Night Football games of the season.
Head coach Bill Belichick has made it a habit of rattling young quarterbacks in primetime matchups over his illustrious career with the Patriots, which could be a major concern for John Harbaugh’s squad. However, Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson has shown remarkable toughness and uncanny resilience so far in his young NFL career, and he does have the type of poise and moxie that will keep Baltimore in the game all night long. In addition to this, despite many of his critics who nitpick his throwing mechanics and style of play, all Jackson has done is win games at a consistent rate during his short time with the Ravens. On Sunday night, Jackson’s Ravens will come out hot right out of the gate and battle with the AFC’s only undefeated team in a memorable matchup between elite organizations. Baltimore’s defense may not be as dominant as they were in recent seasons, but the combination of New England’s offensive inconsistencies and their recent improvement on that side of the ball will bode very well for a Ravens’ team that is searching for a signature win to put them right in the midst of the title hunt. However, the Patriots’ all-world defense will still show up and create plenty of problems for a superb Ravens’ running game, therefore forcing Jackson to put the ball in the air and make some plays against a great secondary. Yet the former Heisman Trophy winner will answer the call all night long, putting up some big points against the league’s best defense. Baltimore will capture their biggest win of the regular season on Sunday night, therefore delivering the Patriots their first (and perhaps only) loss of the season and tossing the Ravens right into the middle of the Super Bowl picture.
Betting: New England @ Baltimore (+3.5)
It is nearly impossible to pick against New England with any kind of real confidence for as long as Brady and Belichick are at the helm, but this seems like the one glaring opportunity of the season to do so. Although the Ravens have dropped their last three against the Patriots and do not have an amazing all-time head-to-head record against the great dynasty, Baltimore has shown poise and toughness in big time games in the past. A lot of this credit belongs to head coach John Harbaugh, who has consistently ranked among the league’s best head coaches. In addition to this, the Ravens traditionally play very well coming off a bye week, a great trait of a well-coached team, and Harbaugh should have his group well-prepared against Belichick’s group. The main concern about this game will be about how well Lamar Jackson will play in his first career matchup against Belichick’s Pats. With plenty of confusing looks and pressure in his face all night, Jackson will have to make some big time throws all night long to keep the ball moving for an awesome Ravens’ offensive unit. However, the quarterback has shown major improvement since his last trainwreck in the playoffs last season versus the Chargers, so maybe this could be Jackson’s coming out party in front of a national audience. The Ravens also have the major advantage of playing this game at home in the friendly confines of M&T Bank Stadium, which should benefit the Ravens greatly now that they don’t have to travel to the house of horrors known as Foxborough, Massachusetts. With plenty of rest after a bye week and a 3.5 spread that could play into the Ravens’ favor if it comes down to a last minute field goal, take the Ravens to pull off a shocker at home on Sunday Night Football.