NFL
By: Joey MacDonald
In Week 5, the Baltimore Ravens were embarrassed on their home turf by the Houston Texans by the score of 44-10, their worst loss at home since the 2013 season against the Patriots, which was also a 34-point loss. This loss occurred without star QB Lamar Jackson. Now that the game is behind them, the Ravens are preparing for the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6 at 1:00 pm.
This week’s matchup is a matchup of opposites, ends of the spectrum, between the Ravens and the Rams. The Ravens are currently struggling with injuries and a tough stretch of football, having lost three consecutive games against the Lions, Chiefs, and Texans. And giving up at 38 points per game in these three losses, as if it gets any harder, they will have a tall task of stopping this Los Angeles Rams offense. At the same time, the Los Angeles Rams are coming off an overtime loss to their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. They’re coming into this game 3-2, and they’re having an up-and-down season so far, and this game can help them get back in the win column.
The Ravens, the last few weeks, have been pretty banged at every position on the entire team, both offense and defense, especially at Quarterback Lamar Jackson, who most likely is going to miss his 2nd straight game with a hamstring injury that he suffered in the loss to the Chiefs two weeks ago. Another area of concern for the Ravens is their defense, which ranks 31st in the NFL in total defense. Their pass defense allows an average of 262 yards per game, while the run defense allows 146 yards per game. And that is one big reason why the Baltimore Ravens are struggling to win games: their defense isn’t making big plays when it counts the most. And with a high-powered offense like the Rams coming to town, it could be a difficult one for the Ravens.
On the other side, the Rams have the #2-ranked offense led by Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is leading the league right now in passing with over 1500 yards passing through their first five games. One big reason he has those numbers is the play of wide receiver Puca Nacua, who leads the NFL in both receiving yards and catches with 52 receptions on the year. They also have the veteran presence of Davante Adams, who has a nice start to his season, and is another weapon for Matthew Stafford. And he can make the plays he needs to help Matthew Stafford and the Rams to win football games. And they also have, in my opinion, the most underrated running back in the NFL, Kyren Williams. The Rams are a team that likes to mix things up with their play calling, using both the run and pass about the same amount in every game they play. If they can do that this Sunday, this could be a walk in the park for the #2-ranked offense in the NFL.
On paper, this looks like a total mismatch on both sides of the ball, where the Ravens have a 31st-ranked defense, while the Rams have the 2nd-ranked offense. This is where the defense can just pack up and head home. But on Any Given Sunday, the Ravens could surprise them if they play fundamental defensive football and stop the Rams’ high-powered offense. Also, the weather could be a factor, as the forecast calls for Rain, which could impact how Matthew Stafford throws the football. It’s challenging for any quarterback to throw in snow or rain. And, with Lamar Jackson most likely going to be out again, the Rams defense could give Cooper Rush a lot of problems on Sunday, especially given how the offensive line for the Ravens has been playing so far this season. But this game is a long day for the Ravens this Sunday against the Rams.
