The Ravens record is now 7-6 after a disappointing loss in New England, however they still control their own destiny and can win the AFC North by winning out. Baltimore will look to take the next step by closing out their home schedule with a win against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Ravens have been a far superior team at home this season, posting a 5-2 record with the two losses being close matters decided in the final moments of the games. Conversely, the Eagles have struggled on the road this season, managing a meager 1-6 record away from the home confines of Citizens Bank Field. That said, the Eagles have proven to have a formidable defense and will still pose a challenge for the Ravens.
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After a fast start, the Eagles have since struggled and are currently mired in a four game losing streak. Many of the team’s struggles can be tied to the performance of their rookie QB Carson Wentz, who has floundered in recent weeks after a promising start to his career. In Wentz’s defense, he has not been helped out by a very young receiving corps that is amongst the league’s leaders in drops. The Ravens defense will likely look to take advantage of this young Eagles offense by implementing any number of disguised coverages and pressure looks. One of Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees’ favorite wrinkles on passing downs is to stand up 6-7 defenders around the LOS so that the QB won’t know who is rushing the passer and who is dropping into coverage. The Ravens will need their front seven to generate as much pressure as possible as the secondary will likely be without standout CB Jimmy Smith who left Monday night’s game with what appeared to be a significant ankle injury. Baltimore’s defense has simply not been the same with Smith off of the field. The week 6 game against the New York Giants is another recent example of a game that dramatically tilted when Smith was knocked out with a head injury.
Ravens D Success RK
With CB Jimmy Smith:
#1 overall, 39% success rate allowed
#6 v pass, 43%
Without Smith:
#27 overall, 49%
#32 v pass, 53%— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 15, 2016
While pressuring QB Carson Wentz will be a priority for the defense, the biggest priority for the offense should be keeping Ravens QB Joe Flacco clean in the pocket. The Ravens offensive line has had significant struggles in this area this season, and the Eagles defensive front has several talented pass-rushers that could make Sunday a long day for Flacco and the offense. DT Fletcher Cox leads the way for the Eagles with 5.5 sacks and DE Brandon Graham is another dangerous weapon on the defensive line that plays with a highly aggressive mentality under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
Perhaps the best way to slow down an aggressive pass-rush is to establish a running game. Ravens fans have been waiting for the offense to find its running game all season, and they have faced multiple teams with poor run defenses, but have yet to truly take advantage. Referring to Monday night’s game versus the Patriots, Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg stated, “[we were] unable to use the running game as much as I thought we would going into the game.” Quotes such as this make one think that the coaching staff realizes what we all know, even a semblance of a running game will make the offense harder to defend. It did appear that the Ravens tried to employ rookie RB Kenneth Dixon a bit more in the second half against the Patriots, and he handled the bulk of the work load for the team as he rushed the ball eleven times compared to only two for fellow RB Terrance West. It will be interesting to see how these two RBs are used both on Sunday and for the rest of the season.
The Ravens final home game of the 2016 season is a must win if the team has any playoff aspirations. They are a far better team at home and are playing a slumping Eagles team that has had major struggles on the road. On the surface in looks like a game the Ravens should win handily, but the Ravens rarely make things easy. I expect the Ravens to win the game because of strong defensive play, but I am skeptical that the offense will be able to come alive like it did two weeks ago against the Dolphins. At the very least, I am hopeful to see a bit more from the running game and Kenneth Dixon in particular. Getting Dixon involved may be the key to a Ravens postseason run, similar to how rookie Bernard Pierce sparked the offense in 2012.
Ravens 20 – Eagles 13
Ravens Analyst
Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.