Dec 14, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) drops back to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Both the Baltimore Ravens and the Jacksonville Jaguars are sitting on identical records of 2-6. And that’s about all they have in common. The Ravens are currently 3rd in the AFC North, a whopping 6 games behind the 8-0 Cincinnati Bengals, while the Jags are only 2 games behind the AFC South leading Indianapolis Colts.
Such is life in the modern day NFL, of course. The Jaguars have been basement dwellers in the league since Jack Del Rio was canned back in 2011, and they haven’t won a road game since 2013. Current head coach Gus Bradley essentially walked into a complete, bottom up rebuild when he joined this franchise.
The Ravens, on the other hand, are just expected to win and make the playoffs every single year. Anything less is a disappointment, and this year’s franchise worst start has fans in an uproar. The Ravens have only missed the playoffs once since 2008, and they now look likely to do it again.
Neither team is probably as bad as their record might lead you to believe, however. Both have had more than their fair share of close battles that could have gone either way. Both have quality wins and quality players.
To defeat the Jaguars and try and salvage their sinking season, the Ravens must do at least a couple of things right this Sunday. We’ve outlined the most important factors in our weekly feature, the keys to victory. We’ll get started with how to stop a pair of dangerous threats.
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