Last week, the Ravens won a fourth straight game by sweeping their division rival 23-16. Baltimore’s offense struggled throughout the game and was hurt by mistakes on special teams. The last phase of the match — the defense — took up the slack.
Zach Orr continued his midseason turnaround by putting up a strong performance against rookie quarterbacks who were flustered with the Ravens’ secondary and blitz packages. The Ravens must win against another inferior opponent to secure their fifth consecutive victory.
The New York Jets await the Ravens at home, with a 2-8 record and a 1-3 on the road. Tyrod Taylor will be the Ravens’ opponent, as he was selected to start over Justin Fields this week. The Jets won two consecutive games before losing again last Sunday, but there are flaws in their system and that’s why the Ravens have a 13.5-point advantage.
Lamar Jackson is 7-0 when the Ravens have a two-total touchdown advantage or higher. Jackson wants to bounce back from a bad performance last week, in which he made two interceptions. The Ravens offensive line also needs to put on a strong performance, after struggling in pass protection and having a erratic season.
Last week, the Steelers won a crucial victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. They evened the season series with a 34-12 home win. The Steelers, who led by just one point in the first quarter of the game, outscored the Bengals with 27-6 points over the last three quarters. They allowed less than 300 yard and 4.7 yards per game while forcing two turnovers.
Aaron Rodgers was the Steelers’ only casualty in their win. He left the game with a wrist problem and never returned. Rodgers’ fractured wrist will not require surgery, and he is now considered week to week. Mason Rudolph, who completed 12-of-16 passes and scored a touchdown last week in Rodgers’ place, would start if he is unable to play this Sunday.
Rodgers could miss the chance to face Chicago Bears against whom he has had success in the past. Since starting off the year 0-2 in 2016, the Bears have won 7 of their last 8 games and pulled off many comeback victories. The Bears’ recent three-game win streak has all been victories of one possession or less by five points.
The Steelers will need to protect the ball, especially with Rudolph at the center. The Bears are one of the best in the league at forcing turnovers. The Steelers could again rely on Kenneth Gainwell to fill in for Jaylen Warren, who is nursing an ankle injury. Gainwell recorded more than 100 scrimmage yard and two touchdowns when Warren was forced to leave the game early last week.
Last week, the Bengals’ midseason slide reached a new low with a 22 point loss to the Steelers. The Bengals’ defensive woes continued, but their offense was much less successful. Cincinnati had only 17 first-downs and a total of 300 yards on offense. They also committed two turnovers.
The Bengals, who have a record of 3-7 now, are hoping for a win streak to keep their slim hopes of making the playoffs alive. This starts with the New England Patriots, who have the NFL’s best record at 9-2. The Bengals defense will have to deal with the MVP candidate Drake Maye as they attempt to turn the ship around.
Since the start of the season, The Bengals allowed at least 27 points in every game. The looming potential return of quarterback Joe Burrow may boost the spirits of everyone and give the team added energy offensively. But Burrow can’t stop the team from getting gashed by their defense. Burrow participated in full practice this week. Joe Flacco is no longer the team’s starting quarterback.
To have any chance at all of beating the Patriots, the Bengals must find a way of slowing down New England’s offensive enough to allow them to keep up. This can be achieved by generating more turnovers and maintaining longer drives in order to keep the defense off of the field.
The Browns lost their third straight game at home to the Ravens last Sunday. Despite a solid defensive effort, they were beaten by the Ravens. Myles Garrett (4 sacks) led the Cleveland defensive front for most of the game. They won the turnover war and received a few important special teams plays.
The struggles of their young quarterbacks was a major reason why the Browns could not produce enough offense. Dillon Gabriel was forced to leave the game at halftime due to a concussion. This allowed Shedeur Sanders, who had been eagerly awaiting his NFL debut, to take over. Sanders only completed 4-of-16 passes with an interception, fumble and a fumble in the second-half.
Sanders will make his first start against the Las Vegas Raiders this week, with Gabriel still in the concussion protocols. Sanders’ first start will be against the Las Vegas Raiders this week, with Gabriel still in concussion protocol.
To relieve Sanders of the pressure, it is important to establish a run and block well. The Browns highly-ranked defensive unit could have a great day against the Raiders struggling offense, led by Geno Smith. He has been a turnover maker all season.