The Ravens host the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in a game being billed as a potential Super Bowl preview.
Here are my thoughts on the matchup, all in 50 words or less:
- I think the Ravens are more battle tested than the Eagles. The Ravens have had a "big game" against a hot opponent nearly every week. Baltimore's opponents' record this season at the time when the two teams played is 46-29 – a .613 winning percentage. This week feels familiar.
- The Eagles are riding a seven-game winning streak. Four of those wins were against teams with a collective record of 12-34. Since a Week 1 win versus the Packers, the Eagles have beaten one team (Commanders) with a record above .500. Philadelphia will find a tougher foe in Baltimore.
- The Ravens have been streak breakers this season. Baltimore ended the Bills' unbeaten three-game run to start the year. The Ravens spoiled the Commanders' five-game streak. John Harbaugh put the skids on Chargers' four-game fun. Baltimore doesn’t get many chances to play the underdog anymore but relishes every opportunity.
- Though this is the NFL's best game of the week, the stakes aren't sky high for either team. They're both contending for division titles and playoff seeding, but their chances of making the playoffs won't be impacted much either way. It's more of a measuring stick game.
- The Ravens defense has been tested through the air numerous times this season. The Eagles offense presents a different challenge with the league's top-ranked rushing attack. Baltimore prides itself on stopping the run. The "Battle of the Birds" is a battle of wills – strength vs. strength.
- Baltimore's defense has been better the past couple weeks, but are the improvements for real? The Ravens' path to the postseason looks fairly certain. A strong defensive showing against Philly's high-octane offense could be the shot of confidence this unit needs to build momentum heading into the stretch run.
Keep an eye on these five battles in Sunday's game at M&T Bank Stadium.
Ravens LBs vs. RB Saquon Barkley
Barkley is on a heater coming off a game with more than 300 yards from scrimmage. He's the NFL's leading rusher but will face a strong Baltimore run defense that could get Roquan Smith back. Malik Harrison stepped up with a career-high 12 tackles with Smith out last week, and the Ravens will need solid play from the linebackers again to slow down Barkley.
CB Brandon Stephens vs. WR A.J. Brown
Brown is 12th in the NFL with 727 receiving yards, but he has played at least three fewer games than all but one player ahead of him. While Stephens isn't playing every snap anymore, he's still seeing the majority and is coming off one of his best games of the year. Baltimore's defense is coming off back-to-back strong games but has a massive test against Brown and Philadelphia.
WR Zay Flowers vs. CB Quinyon Mitchell
Flowers is on his way to his first 1,000-yard season, but he faces the potential Defensive Rookie of the Year on Sunday. Mitchell hasn't given up a touchdown all season and has only been targeted 10 times in the last four games, according to Pro Football Focus. Winning the Flowers-Mitchell matchup will play a big role in the outcome of the game.
C Tyler Linderbaum vs. DT Jalen Carter
Linderbaum has been the anchor in the middle of Baltimore's line, but he faces one of the best tackles in the league in Carter. While Carter didn't have a sack against the Rams last week, he dominated the game, drawing double teams as the rest of Philadelphia's pass rush feasted. Linderbaum and the rest of the Ravens offensive line must keep Carter in check to get the run game going.
QB Lamar Jackson vs. LB Nakobe Dean
Jackson leads the league in passing yards (3,053) and is tied for first in passing touchdowns (27) as he continues maybe the best season of his career. Philadelphia is No. 6 in scoring defense and has been even better the past few weeks. Dean has been stellar this season and will try to take away the middle of the field for Jackson and draw pressure on blitzes.
- Speaking of strength vs. strength, it's not too often that you get the No. 1-ranked offense going against the No. 1-ranked defense. I think it comes down to who starts faster. The Ravens can ill afford another ragged start that would let the Eagles turn up the pressure.
- Winning is by far what matters most to Derrick Henry, but you'd be kidding yourself if you think he doesn't care about winning the rushing title. He's brought up Saquon Barkley a couple times this season. Whichever running back cranks out more yards Sunday probably wins.
- Henry vs. Barkley is a cool throwback, but some are saying the Lamar Jackson-Barkley rematch could determine who wins MVP. Jackson's only loss (23-1) versus an NFC opponent came when Barkley scored the New York Giants' game-winning touchdown in a 2022 matchup, by the way.
- My matchup to watch is how the Ravens handle the Eagles' interior defensive line pressure. The Eagles' Jalen Carter and Milton Williams have the third- and fourth-highest Pro Football Focus pass rush grades in the league among interior defensive linemen. Daniel Faalele needs to have the game of his life.
