1. The Ravens must take the Raiders seriously whether Derek Carr plays or not.
Derek Carr was expected to miss this game but now he is listed as questionable. Regardless of the foe under center, Baltimore needs to bring their best performance. The last time the Ravens played E.J. Manuel they lost. It wasn’t really because of E.J. Manuel; it was a game against the Buffalo Bills where Joe Flacco threw five interceptions. However the fact that Manuel has beaten the Ravens shouldn’t be ignored. When you add into the equation how the Ravens are playing they can’t take any opponent lightly. Manuel is a mobile quarterback who is capable of having some big days. He may be a back up, but he is one of the best back ups in the league.
The Ravens have a tendency to struggle on long road trips. The London game went bad. Trips to Oakland and San Diego have been problematic for the purple and black in the past. This is a game that should worry the Ravens Flock. In back to back weeks, it looked like the Ravens offense had no energy. Home field advantage is often a big plus for the Raiders when they play teams based on the east coast.
The Ravens cannot get off to a slow start in this one. On the road, and in a different time zone things could snowball out of control, if the Ravens aren’t careful. The Ravens have quickly built a reputation as a team that folds when they get down. The Raiders know it. It was obvious in the Ravens two consecutive losses, this team falls flat when things go bad. Baltimore must take the Raiders seriously no matter what happens in the game. The Ravens must be desperate to get off to a fast start.