The Baltimore Ravens will topple the Dolphins to start a new era

The Baltimore Ravens are about to start a new era. It gets started against the Miami Dolphins:

It’s the dawn of a new day for the Baltimore Ravens — General Manager Eric DeCosta will see his first edition of the Ravens on the field in a game that counts, quarterback Lamar Jackson will take snaps as the opening-day starter for the first time and I get to test out a new queso dip that I’ve been dying to spill all over my new Marlon Humphrey jersey.

The Ravens will start this new-age 2019 season with a road game against the Miami Dolphins in a matchup that most people consider to be heavily favored in the Ravens direction.

For starters, there’s a general belief that Miami is trying to get rid of assets in an attempt to land themselves a prime draft pick next year, thus affording them the opportunity to draft a franchise-changing quarterback. Also, well, the Ravens have largely had the Dolphins number in recent years, sporting a 7-1 record in their last eight matchups, and drumming them to the tune of a combined score of 78-6 over their last two meetings, via South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Keven Lerner, as shared in Friday’s “Late for Work” column on the Ravens official site.

The Ravens should be able to run against this Miami defense, and while questions linger concerning the Ravens ability to rush the passer, the Miami offensive line appears unable to put up any kind of resistance. Sure, the Dolphins are aware of both of these mismatches, and will no doubt try to scheme around them by putting more defenders in the box on defense and leaving in more people to block on offense, but… that opens the door to other problems, doesn’t it?

The Ravens have more talent. They have a more-established coaching staff. Their special teams should be dominant. And, let’s face it: The Ravens go into this season with some excitement, while it’s hard to get really excited about this year’s Dolphins roster based on the information we have available to us right now, and the Dolphins players are certainly aware of what’s going on around them. Sure, it’s a road game, but if there’s an away game on paper that the Ravens really should win this year, it’s this one.

Bold predictions

1. The Ravens will rush for more than 200 yards, led by Mark Ingram.
2. The Ravens will pass for more than 200 yards, led by Mark Andrews.
3. Earl Thomas will cause a turnover.
4. Patrick “Peanut” Onwuasor will be a terror, totaling more than 10 tackles to go with a sack.

Final score prediction:

Baltimore 30 Miami 10