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It appears the New England Patriots have defensive problems, while the Baltimore Ravens seem to be getting their house in order on that side of the ball. And the battle features plenty on the line for both teams as the playoffs approach.
The playoff-clinching scenario is interesting, according to a post on X by Tom Pelissero.
“Nine teams can clinch playoff spots this week — and the Broncos can clinch the AFC’s No. 1 seed.”
For the Patriots, it’s a win or a tie. They also get in if the Colts or Texans lose or tie. As for the Ravens, they’re trying to keep pace with the Steelers at the top of the AFC North.
It’s not good to have defensive issues when going up against Lamar Jackson. That’s especially true since Jackson seems to be getting back to his normal self after battling injuries over the past couple of months.
It’s a big challenge for the Patriots to turn things around quickly, according to nbcsportsboston.com.
“The defense couldn’t get a stop. They allowed seven yards per play in the second half, and that, to me, is the story,” Phil Perry said. “Couldn’t stop the run, couldn’t pressure Josh Allen. (The Bills) went crazy in the red zone. Every time they got inside the 20, they scored. That continues to be a problem for the New England Patriots’ defense.
“The offense wasn’t great in the second half either. Didn’t have the ball a whole lot. To me, this falls on the defense in that second half.”
The dominating win over the Bengals showed that the Ravens are still fighting hard. And their performance started in practice, according to The Athletic.
“Honestly, it was crazy how we practiced,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “I was actually sore on Saturday because we went so hard on Friday. The message, ‘Hey, we’ve got to practice well.’ I feel like guys really took it to heart. It kind of did get a little contagious. You walk in the locker room, and people are talking about, ‘You had game reps in practice.’ Bodies were in a lot of places this week during practice.”
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