The Ravens are in primetime again, facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on "Monday Night Football" in Week 7. Similar to last week, this matchup may not have been circled as a high-octane bout when the schedule was released, but it is now an intriguing contest between two strong offenses lead by two quarterbacks who bookended the first round of the 2018 draft.
Here's what pundits are saying about the game.
Ravens' offense is too potent to be outpaced.
Sportsline’s Eric Cohen: "Tampa Bay is just too inconsistent for my liking. You know those roller coasters that go upside down in a loop? Other than being my nightmare, that's probably what it feels like to be a Bucs fan this season. But they're 4-2 and have a chance to make a statement on Monday Night Football. Unfortunately for them, Baltimore is simply playing too well and the Lamar Jackson-Derrick Henry backfield is somehow better than we could've imagined. The Ravens' defense has been somewhat disappointing and will surrender points in this one but the offense carries them to another fun victory."
ESPN’s Tyler Fulgham: "It feels king of square here but it's hard not to like the Ravens side of this equation. Bottom line is this: How are the Bucs going to stop Baltimore? Tampa Bay's pass defense has been dreadful all season long and we know Lamar Jackson has shown this year that he can get it done through the air. But of course if they want, they can just lean on Derrick Henry and/or Lamar on the ground. I think Tampa can push back but bottom line here, the Bucs might be a bit overvalued after hanging 51 on the Saints and the Ravens just may be the best team in the NFL. I'll take Baltimore to win and cover in Tampa in Week 7."
Associated Press' Rob Maaddi: "Lamar Jackson looks like a two-time NFL MVP and the Ravens (4-2) are back after an 0-2 start. Derrick Henry has turned Baltimore's offense into a nightmare for defensive coordinators. Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles is one of the best at scheming ways to stop potent teams. Baker Mayfield is even more dangerous when the Buccaneers (4-2) run the ball successfully as they did in New Orleans.
LA Times' Sam Farmer: "Difficult to draw a bead on the Buccaneers. It's safe to say Baker Mayfield doesn't have the luxury of another three-pick game this week. Everything points to this being high-scoring, which probably means it won't be."
Mayfield is capable of pulling off the upset.
Sports Illustrated’s Gilbert Manzano: "Yes, I'm back with trying to predict when the Ravens will lose again. I'm not feeling too optimistic about this one, but I'll take a chance on a very good home team. The Buccaneers aren't getting much attention, even though they beat the Lions and Eagles earlier this season. Tampa Bay did have a heartbreaking loss to the Falcons and an upset loss to the Broncos. But those losses won't steer me away from what Baker Mayfield has done with the Tampa Bay offense this season. As a side note, we desperately need more upsets this week. It was a yawnfest last week with all the favorites winning. Shock the NFL world, Tampa Bay."
Ravens offense will punish mistakes.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox: "I'm incredibly tempted to take the home dog here, and if it was a larger line, I would. They seem to be building something special in Tampa, and I think the Bucs can be legitimate Super Bowl contenders this season. However, I don't like this particular matchup for them at all. The Ravens are rolling offensively, and I think they'll control the tempo against a Tampa defense ranked 24th in yards per carry allowed. Baltimore's pass defense isn't great, but I don't love the idea of Mayfield feeling the need to score on every single possession. The Bucs overcame his three interceptions against the injury-plagued Saints. They'll have a much harder time surviving mistakes against the Ravens."
| Source | Prediction | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN | 9 of 11 panelists pick Ravens | |
| Baltimore Sun | 5 of 5 panelists pick Ravens | “The Buccaneers are playing well and will present a solid test on both sides of the ball. Wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans will stress the Ravens’ struggling secondary, with Baker Mayfield releasing the ball quickly to negate the Baltimore pass rush. It will again be up to the Ravens’ offense to outgun a formidable opponent. Lamar Jackson has demonstrated he will punish opponents who try to crowd the line of scrimmage with high-efficiency passing. Derrick Henry, even if he doesn’t go off early, will wear on Tampa Bay by the end. There’s no slowing this train.” – Childs Walker |
| NFL.com | 4 of 5 panelists pick Ravens | “The last time Derrick Henry faced off against Todd Bowles, in Week 10 of last season as a member of the Titans, down went the King: 11 carries, 24 yards, 0 TDs. That's tied for the sixth-lowest single-game output by the future Hall of Famer in 94 career starts. Tampa's defenders who took part in toppling the Henryarchy that day should savor those memories while they can -- because they won't mean much come Monday night. The bruising runner has a few new pals with him this time around, including the incomparable Lamar Jackson, who's not only leading the NFL's top-ranked offense but, once again, the MVP race. Were this game scheduled for Sunday afternoon, I could certainly see the Bucs -- who are actually tied for second in ppg this season (two spots ahead of Baltimore) -- snapping the Ravens' four-game win streak. Vita Vea is one of one, and Baker Mayfield has been playing lights out. But on a Monday night? With the lights on? I don't dare pick against the man who boasts the best winning percentage in prime time of any quarterback since the 1970 merger (17-5, .773).” – Ali Bhanpuri |
| Sports Illustrated | 4 of 6 panelists pick Ravens | |
| CBS Sports | 6 of 8 panelists pick Ravens | “This is a big game between two of the better teams in the league right now. Both offenses can roll up big points in a hurry. This might be one of those games where the last team with the ball wins. Being at home and on Monday, I'll go with Baker Mayfield to win a shootout.” – Pete Prisco |
| Sporting News | Ravens 27, Buccaneers 24 | “The Ravens have been sizzling with their entire offense, as Derrick Henry has served as the closing, scoring machine. Lamar Jackson keeps expanding the passing repertoire with downfield play to wideouts and tight ends alike. The Buccaneers' running game will cool off, but fellow Heisman winner and former AFC North QB Baker Mayfield will be up to the task of keeping his team in the game vs. a weak secondary.” – Vinnie Iyer |
Joe Flacco Shares Stories About Jacoby Jones, Relives Mile High Miracle
Former Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco – who is still slinging it 17 years after being drafted – joined the "Green Light Podcast with Chris Long" and shared stories about Super Bowl XLVII, the Mile High Miracle, and the late Jacoby Jones.
On the lights going out in Super Bowl XLVII.
"I didn't think much of it. I was sitting on the sideline and I was like, I noticed something kind of go out and I'm kind of just like, 'What the hell is going on?' I don't know. And then, you might have just assumed they'll turn the lights back on in five minutes and we'll get going. And then it was, however long it was, I don't even know. I didn't have too many thoughts on it, to be honest with you. I think I just kept thinking, 'Okay, we'll be back on soon. Okay, they'll be back on soon. We should just act like we're stretching a little bit.'
"It wasn't until afterwards that I started to hear from a bunch of people that were at the game. Man, all kinds of crazy things going on in their head like, 'Oh my god, is there an attack?' None of those things slipped into my head. I was like, 'Alright, I'm sure they'll be back on in a few minutes.' So, I was probably just a little naive and it helped me in the situation."
On the Mile High Miracle, what Jacoby Jones meant as a teammate, and the type of person he was.
"You talk about the types of guys that are in locker rooms. Like, you want that guy in your locker room. You want him out on the practice field when you're out there going through those long, tough days because he is going to brighten it up. I mean, just dancing and talking [crap]. Always had a smile on his face.
"[I] feel very fortunate to get to play with him. That throw, that catch, that game, I've never been on more of a high after an NFL – any game in my life than I was after that game. It lasted a long time. I was on the bus an hour and a half after the game still like screaming to people on the phone because we were just so – there was so much energy in that locker room. It probably was something that carried us for a couple weeks after that.
"There was something mentally that when we won that game, it's like, 'We're winning. We're winning the whole thing.' We went to New England the next week and I don't think we batted an eye. Obviously we had played those guys a few times in the years before that and even that year to get that confidence but there was something that [the Broncos] game, winning that game, did to us that solidified in our minds that we were the team to win [the Super Bowl]."
On the feeling of winning on the road.
"When you're going down on a two-minute drive and you can hear the crowd in the background and then all of a sudden you hear nothing. And all you hear is the cheering between your sideline and the guys on the field and all the random stuff that you're doing. Dude. I've always said this, I wish that everybody in the world got to experience what it's like to win a game in the NFL. It's like no other. It's so unbelievable. The feeling that you get – there's going to come a day that I'm not going to be able to do that anymore. I'm for sure going to miss that."
it comes as no surprise that Flacco relishes road wins, as he boasts eight road playoff wins, tied for second-most in NFL history.
Pundit Considers a Return for Marcus Peters to the Ravens
As teams begin to show their status as contenders, pundits are considering which should be making final additions and pairing them with talent to put them over the top. For Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, they see the Ravens as contenders and pairs them with former Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters, a current free agent.
"While the 31-year-old didn't make a strong impression in Las Vegas—he allowed an opposing passer rating of 100.9 in coverage—he did hold down a starting spot for 12 games. He's three years removed from the torn ACL that erased his 2021 season and likely impacted his 2022 campaign, so it's worth seeing if he can regain his previous form," Knox wrote. "A return to the Baltimore Ravens would make a ton of sense for both sides. Peters should already be familiar with the defense, as new coordinator Zach Orr served under former coordinator Mike Macdonald, and the Ravens need secondary help. Baltimore ranks 27th in net yards per pass attempt allowed and 31st in passing yards allowed this season."
The Ravens' defense will admit it hasn't played to it standard, but the proposed addition of Peters may not be the answer. Cornerback play has been good for the Ravens, as they are among the NFL's best in forcing tight-window throws.
Both veterans Brandon Stephens and Marlon Humphrey have played consistently well this season, and there's been good contributions from rookie Nate Wiggins. Add in the looming return of Arthur Maulet and the Ravens' pass defense rank may soon climb the rankings.
