As badly as Baltimore was beaten last Sunday, there’s no time to take it easy. With an even better Rams team coming to town, the Ravens must have a short memory and channel all the belief they have to gain a critical win that would keep them squarely in the AFC playoff race.
Here are three ways the Ravens can beat the Rams this Sunday in Baltimore.
Contain Kupp
For my money, Los Angeles wide receiver Cooper Kupp is the Rams’ best player. Unfortunately for the Ravens, the most concentrated injuries they’ve sustained at a certain position are at defensive back. Stopping him may be of the question, as no team has really stopped Kupp this season (his lowest yardage total was 64 against the Cardinals in Week 4).
However, the Ravens can contain him. To do so, they will have to get creative with their coverage and pressure packages—something Wink Martindale specializes in. Last week against the Bengals, the Ravens faced another potent passing attack, and although they gave up over 500 yards passing, they generated some good pressure on the quarterback. They’ll need to be better this week as, almost across the board, the Rams are a better offense as the Bengals.
From a defensive back perspective, something that works in Baltimore’s favor is that Kupp doesn’t primarily beat his defenders deep, at least not right away. Kupp does most of his damage through double moves and near the goal line. So, while the Ravens may not prevent Kupp from having a lot of receptions, they can do some things to limit his yardage total.
Combination coverage is something I expect to see a lot from Baltimore’s defense this week. If a receiver like Kupp doesn’t always go deep on his route, you as a defense can deploy a linebacker or even an athletic edge rusher like Odafe Oweh to drop into underneath coverage. That does two things—it gives quarterback Matthew Stafford one more thing to think about (which is a disadvantage to him when facing a tough pass rush), and it allows the defensive back over top of Kupp to play with more room and confidence. Granted, this isn’t an original scheme and the Rams have surely seen a bunch of different coverage rotations this season, but Martindale is anything but a bland defensive coach.
Regardless of how the Ravens defend Kupp, it will surely be an exciting watch.
Mix up the tempo
As great as Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey are, they’re human and at some point, they will get tired. If the Ravens can alternate their tempo on offense, they can move between holding the ball with a methodical pace and pressing the action with a fast pace. If executed, it’ll prevent the Rams from getting in a defensive rhythm, and thus will limit how effective they can be on that side of the ball.
The Ravens rank 1st in time of possession in home games (34:07), and the Rams rank 25th in time of possession in road games (28:08). Having the ball for seven more minutes than the Rams will be a big advantage, because not only does it enable you to claim an extra score or two, but it keeps L.A.’s potent offensive players off the field.
Even if the Rams have the ball at the end of the game with a chance to win it, you’d rather them have to drive the field with the crowd roaring than the Ravens having to come up with a game-winning score themselves.
Make Michel earn it
Rams running back Sony Michel has been on fire lately, even despite his heavy workload. After carrying the ball 79 times in the first 11 games of the season, he’s toted the rock 89 times in the last four games. In that time, he’s gained 423 yards (4.8 per carry) and scored two touchdowns. Though it seems like the Rams didn’t need that much production, Michel gave it to them anyway.
Last week, even though Bengals running back Joe Mixon gained 65 yards rushing, he had to rush 18 times to get those yards. Additionally, Mixon gained more yards receiving (70) than he did rushing (65). Michel doesn’t pose nearly the same receiving threat as Mixon, so hopefully that simplifies things somewhat for Baltimore’s defensive gameplan.
Michel has only played against the Ravens once before (2019), when he ran four times for 18 yards in a 37-20 loss while a member of the Patriots. He’s a better player in a better offense now and is a very smart and tough runner. Like against Kupp, if Michel is to gain ground against the Ravens’ defense, they need to make him earn every inch.
Vegas
Vegas Insider has the odds of this game at 3 ½ points in favor of the Rams, with the point total being set at 46 ½. Betting this game really depends on the health of Baltimore’s quarterback—whether it be Lamar Jackson or Tyler Huntley. Either one inspires confidence in the rest of the offense and is a constant threat to keep the score close if not win the game outright.
It’s hard to see the Ravens if looking at recent performances, but the beauty of rooting for a struggling NFL team is that the past is meaningless. The best can lose to the worst at any time, and for all their struggles, the Ravens are nowhere near the worst. Plus, the Rams will have to travel from the west coast to the east coast and play a 1:00 game, which is never easy.
Happy New Year: Get ready for another nailbiter.
Prediction: Ravens 28, Rams 27
Born in Baltimore, Mike had long been drawn to sports of all kinds. Growing up watching Cal Ripken play ever day gave him a great example for which to attack every endeavor he undertakes.
When the Ravens came to town, though, that’s when Mike found his passion. Since that time, he’s tried to gain every bit of knowledge he could. Now as a high school coach, Mike is able to take his film study and appreciation of the game to a new level.
To engage with Mike on social media, follow him on Twitter @MikeFastNFL.