Baltimore Beatdown
After losing last Sunday night and falling to 7-8, the Ravens’ playoff hopes are officially on life support. This week’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers, on the road in a primetime Saturday night atmosphere, is officially a must-win game. A loss would effectively end Baltimore’s postseason chances — but even with a win they no longer control their own destiny, as the Ravens need the Pittsburgh Steelers to lose as well.
To make matters worse, the Ravens will have to achieve this feat without their best player on the field. After suffering a back injury against the New England Patriots, quarterback Lamar Jackson is not slated to suit up in Week 17. That will place Tyler Huntley back under center in a high-stakes situation with playoff implications on the line, which he’s not unfamiliar with.
The Packers, meanwhile, are in good playoff position but are also playing to better their seeding in the NFC. Like the Ravens, they’ll also be without their starting quarterback as Jordan Love’s concussion will keep him sidelined. So, the Ravens’ defense will instead face Malik Willis, who’s proven in his time in Green Bay to be a competent backup who can win games for the Packers.
Running the ball and stopping the run will be the name of the game for the Ravens. Feeding Derrick Henry and utilizing Huntley in the run game should be the offensive recipe without Jackson. The Packers’ defense is a strong unit but their front seven no longer has Micah Parsons, which is a major blow. On the other side of the ball, slowing down Josh Jacobs and Willis, an extremely mobile quarterback himself, is paramount to getting a win.
The Bengals’ offense got back on track in a big way last week and cruised to a 45-21 victory over the Miami Dolphins. That gave Cincinnati their fifth win of the season and a much-needed confidence boost for Joe Burrow and company. Although they no longer have any shot at creeping back into the playoff picture, the Bengals will still look to the end the season on a high note and build some momentum.
The next chance to do this will come back home against the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals have one of the worst records in the NFL this season at 3-12 and have lost seven straight games dating back to early November. Having allowed over 27 points and 350 yards per game, the Cardinals’ defense ranks near the bottom of league rankings — setting the stage for another successful offensive outing for the Bengals.
Cincinnati’s defense had the benefit of facing a backup quarterback making his first start last week in Quinn Ewers, who they intercepted twice. They’ll face another backup this Sunday in Jacoby Brissett, but Brissett is an experienced veteran who has started most of the year for Arizona. He’s exceeded expectations and kept the Cardinals’ offense competitive in several games.
If the Bengals...
