Will Wentz Continue Turning Ball Over?
Philadelphia Eagles first-round rookie quarterback Carson Wentz had a strong start with five touchdowns to zero interceptions over Philadelphia's three-game winning streak to start the season. Over his most recent three games, however, Wentz has two touchdowns to five interceptions. The Ravens are tied for the second-most interceptions in the league with 15. Baltimore will look to force Wentz into mistakes in front of a loud crowd at M&T Bank Stadium.
Eagles TE Ertz Is Becoming A Problem
A week after Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett posted four catches for 70 yards and a touchdown, the Ravens will have another talented tight end to handle. Philadelphia's Ertz caught 10 passes for 112 yards last week against the Washington Redskins. The previous week, he had nine catches for 79 yards and one touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens have to be careful with the 6-foot-5, 250-pound target because he is Wentz's hottest target.
Philly Relies On Run Game
With a rookie quarterback under center, the Eagles have mostly succeeded under a strong pass-run balance. When Philadelphia has rushed for fewer than 100 yards, the Eagles have gone 0-6. Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles split the workload, with the bigger-bodied Mathews having 487 yards (4.2 per carry) under his belt, and Sproles with 366 (4.7). The Ravens still have the league's top run-stopping defense, allowing just 75.5 yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry. Plus, Sproles has been ruled out for Sunday's game with a concussion. If Baltimore can shut down the Eagles' rushing attack, fans could see Wentz's passing attempts rise above where Philadelphia wants them.
Will Ravens Run More?
After quarterback Joe Flacco and Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg both said the Ravens should have run the ball more against the New England Patriots, will they do so versus the Eagles? Every defense and game plan is different. The Eagles rank in the middle of the pack (15th) this season, allowing 101.4 rushing yards per game. Baltimore gave rookie running back Kenneth Dixon a lot of looks (11 carries and 11 targets in the passing game) in New England, and could lean on him more versus Philadelphia.
Philadelphia's Offensive Line Is Hurting
The Eagles' starting right tackle, Lane Johnson, is serving the final game of a 10-game suspension this week. His most recent replacement, Allen Barbre was "very limited" at practice Friday with a hamstring injury, and is listed as questionable to play. If Barbre suits up, he likely won't be in peak physical condition. If he doesn't, rookie third-round guard Isaac Seumalo could be suiting up. Wentz was sacked four times last week by the Redskins. Watch for veteran pass rushers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil to be active.
