This Sunday the 0-1 Ravens welcome the 0-1 Las Vegas Raiders to Baltimore.
The Ravens of course opened their ’24 season with the 27-20 loss at Kansas City last Thursday night.
Now following their mini-bye, the Ravens are preparing to face a Raiders team that loss 22-10 to the Chargers in LA.
The Raiders Winning Here Would Be Shocking
Previewing Week 2 for the NFL as a whole, I wrote that the Raiders winning here would be shocking, so I’ll reiterate that point here.
The Ravens will have had extra rest and preparation.
The Raiders are coming across the country for an early start-time here in Baltimore, vs the Ravens in their home-opener.
The Ravens have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
The Raiders should be one of the worst teams in football.
I just can’t fathom the Ravens losing this game.
That said, this is the NFL and not college.
This isn’t Georgia vs. Tennessee Tech.
It’s pro vs. pro, and the disparity is never some completely unscalable mountain.
It’s just highly unlikely.
What would need to happen for us Ravens fans to feel like committing Harakiri Sunday afternoon?
The Ravens giving the ball away multiple times would be a start.
Then you’d couple those turnovers with some Special Teams errors.
And then maybe you’d sprinkle on some Red Zone failures.
All-in-all, you’d have to have the Ravens completely sleepwalking through Sunday and looking ahead to next week vs. Dallas.
The Ravens are entering Sunday as 9.5 point favorites, and are given a 71.7% chance of winning according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
If anything, I think the FPI % seems low.
The Raiders getting a nearly 3 out of 10 chance of pulling the upset seems off to me.
Beyond Needing To Win, It’s About How They Win
This isn’t just a game that’s hard for me to envision the Ravens losing, it’s a game the Ravens need to win.
The Ravens don’t want to come out of Sunday being 0-2, with possibly a 2 game hole in the AFC North.
The Ravens don’t want to come out of Sunday being 0-2, with Dallas and Buffalo being the next two opponents on the docket.
So let’s give the Ravens the benefit of the doubt and say they win Sunday as expected.
The next question is how did they look?
Were they able to get up on the Raiders quickly and deliver a knockout blow?
Or did you carry the Raiders a few rounds, and give Las Vegas an opportunity to make it a game?
Derrick Henry had 13 carries vs. the Chiefs.
I’d expect the Ravens to play from ahead vs. Las Vegas, and for Henry to get every opportunity to put this game away.
His touches should be up.
The Chiefs had three different scoring drives of 67 or more yards.
Can’t have anything similar happen vs. the Raiders.
Lamar Jackson was wearing his cape and playing Superman vs. the Chiefs.
Sunday vs. the Raiders shouldn’t be a game where he needs to have 16 carries.
A mentally focused Ravens team will have KC in their rearview, and be motivated to show-out vs. the Raiders.
If the Ravens look lethargic and as if they’re going through the motions; that would be a bad sign going forward.
You want to see a Ravens team that looks motivated to make a statement.
Building Off Of Week 1 Efforts
Isaiah Likely clearly had a big Week 1 with his 9 catches, 111 yards, and his score.
David Ojabo had a sack.
These are two guys you need consistently show up week-to-week.
Likely was very productive last year after Andrews went down.
He’s going to get even more attention this week after that performance.
Can he be counted on to regularly give you something each time out?
That’s something to watch here.
Same with Ojabo. The Ravens don’t just need QB pressures, they need hits.
Can the defense regularly get off the field on 3rd down?
Part of the equation there is how often does Ojabo get to opposing QBs?
I’ll also throw in Odafe Oweh, and Trenton Simpson here.
Both had good showings vs. KC. Can they follow that up?
Getting More This Week
Rashod Bateman had 2 grabs for 53 yards, including a late catch for 38.
Zay Flowers had 6 catches on 10 targets, but just 37 yards total, as he averaged an anemic 6.2 yards per reception.
Mark Andrews had 2 catches for 14 yards.
Henry had the aforementioned 13 carries for 46 yards.
You need more from each of them.
Bateman, I want to see him get additional targets and move the chains.
Flowers, I want to see more than screens at the Line of Scrimmage. Give him some slants over the middle, like KC was using Rashee Rice vs. the Ravens.
Andrews, I want to see him make his presence felt.
Henry, I want to see him make Raiders defenders tap out as they grow tired of tackling him.
Defensively how about more from Brandon Stephens, Marlon Humphrey, and Travis Jones.
Stephens was awesome last year. He can be a Pro Bowler this year. You’d like to see him take the challenge of covering Davante Adams.
There was a communication breakdown last week in KC, when Humphrey didn’t have the Safety support he thought he had.
The Ravens don’t need Humphrey to be the All-Pro he was in 2019, but they do need him to be productive.
Travis Jones had a big camp. If he merges next to Madubuike, that would be huge.
The Offensive Line
In particular does Stanley hold up against the Raiders outside rushers?
Does Vorhees begin to really settle in at LG with regular snaps?
Does Faalele last all game at RG, or do we see Ben Cleveland or Patrick Mekari getting snaps there, with Roger Rosengarten at RT?
Does the O-Line open up running lanes for Henry?
Names To Know
After Anthony Richardson went down to injury last year, Gardner Minshew got regular start with the Indianapolis Colts.
Minshew is a fine back up, one of the best in the league.
As a starter, he’s not optimal.
He’s definitely good enough on any particular week, but not good enough consistently to scare you.
He’s capable of keeping his team in games, and potentially stealing games if you give him opportunities.
The Ravens saw that first hand last year, as Baltimore lost 22-19 in OT to the Colts last year.
Despite being sacked 5 times, Minshew was 27 of 44 for 227 yards, and a TD.
Adams remains WR #1 for Vegas. This is now year 3 for Adams as a Raider.
Adams had 103 receptions on 175 targets last year.
Jakobi Meyers is in his second year with the Raiders.
The former Patriots wideout has averaged 70 catches per season over the last 4 years.
RB Zamir White is in his 3rd season, after a stellar collegiate career at Georgia.
Another former Bulldog – Brock Bowers – is the lead TE, after being drafted 13th overall in ’24 Draft.
Bowers is a 2x John Mackey Award winner, and was a 1st team unanimous All-American last season.
The Raiders defense begins with DE Maxx Crosby.
Crosby has averaged 13.5 sacks the last two years, and is a 2x 2nd Team All-Pro.
DT Christian Wilkins was a 2019 1st rounder out of Clemson.
After 5 years in Miami, Wilkins joined Vegas this season>
Last year, Wilkins had 9 sacks for the Dolphins.
Owner
Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.