NFL
By: Joey Macdonald
Last Sunday, in the cold, the Baltimore Ravens got a much-needed win against their division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, with a 24-0 shutout. The Ravens earned their first shutout since 2018 against the Tennessee Titans. The Ravens’ defense was able to make Joe Burrow fluster last Sunday, as they were able to keep the Bengals off the scoreboard, and moved the Ravens to 500, sitting at 7-7 and still behind the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens now head home for the last regular-season game of the season on Sunday night against the New England Patriots.
This week’s matchup features two teams with a long history of competing against each other, dating back to the mid-2000s, between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots. This will be the third time in history that the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots will play each other on Sunday night in Baltimore. Both the Ravens and the Patriots are coming off of division matchups in Week 15, and both had opposing endings. The Ravens went to Cincinnati and shut out their rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-0. On the other side, the New England Patriots, who were up 24-7 against the Buffalo Bills, ended up on the losing end of a tough 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills, where they had a chance to clinch the AFC East. Now, both of these teams are looking to continue their paths to the postseason against each other this Sunday Night in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Ravens, after dropping the previous 2 games, both of them to their division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, got back on the winning track by shutting out the Bengals 24-0, in a rematch of Thanksgiving night where the Bengals dominated the Ravens. Lamar Jackson, in Week 15, had an alright day in the cold, as he only completed 8 of 12 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. Now, with 3 games left in the season, Lamar Jackson will need to do more for the Ravens if they make the postseason this year. Particularly the offensive line needs to play better to keep Lamar Jackson upright in these last three games of the season. The Ravens’ defense had its best game so far this season as they forced 2 interceptions, including a pick-six that iced the win for the Ravens. This game for the Ravens will be 3 3-game test to see if this team can make the postseason, or they might be looking to prepare themselves for 2026 and beyond the future.
On the opposing side of the field, the New England Patriots are coming off a tough loss against the Buffalo Bills, where they had a chance to clinch the AFC East. The Patriots will now have the chance to clinch a spot in the postseason, as well as a chance to clinch the AFC East with a win and a Buffalo Bills loss. Quarterback Drake Maye has been having a fantastic 2nd as quarterback for the New England Patriots. His stats have been good for Maye as he has thrown for 23 touchdown passes and 7 interceptions. Another playmaker for the Patriots has been rookie Running Back TreVeyon Henderson, who had a monster game against the Bills, where he ran for 148 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. This Patriots team has exceeded expectations this season, where the Patriots were picked by many to finish behind the Buffalo Bills. Plus, the Patriots are not only playing for the AFC East but they are playing for the #1 seed in the AFC. The New England Patriots this Sunday night are playing for many this Sunday night, and a win for them would go a long way for the postseason.
The Baltimore Ravens, this week, are playing for their postseason lives, and their AFC North division lives as well. The Ravens are going to be playing like a chicken with its head cut off. Plus, being at home will give the Ravens the home-field advantage this week. And, the last time the Ravens played the Patriots on a Sunday Night in Baltimore, the Ravens dominated that game in 2019. But this is a totally different Patriots team. The Ravens can and will outplay the Patriots this Sunday night, to keep their hopes of playing in the postseason for at least one more week.
