Ravens vs. Rams: Picks and predictions from Ebony Bird
Darin McCann makes his pick:
The Baltimore Ravens take their shiny 8-2 record on the road against the defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams in a Monday night match up that will be yet another litmus test for this upstart team.
The Rams present some challenges to the Ravens. They currently have the fourth-best defense in the NFL against the run, allowing only 89.1 yards per game, via NFL.com. On the flip side, the Ravens are the league’s runaway leaders in offensive running yards per game, posting an amazing 203.1 yards an outing. In a classic “something-has-to-give” scenario, that is one match up that could very well determine the result of this game.
The Rams have struggled a bit on offense this season, as star running back Todd Gurley has been put on a “pitch count” to help him get through an arthritic knee condition, and quarterback Jared Goff has had an up and down season, tossing for 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Compare that to Lamar Jackson’s 19-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and it would seem the Ravens have a definitive match up advantage on paper.
But, as has already been mentioned, the Los Angeles Rams are the defending NFC champions, and they are sitting on a respectable 6-4 record. Don’t for a second believe they are just going to curl up in a ball and surrender because the Ravens have shinier stats.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is in the conversation of best player on the planet, and there is a distinct possibility that Goff will have all three of his major receiving options available to him Monday night, something that hasn’t always been there for him this season. This looks to be a tough game, and one that will require some big plays by the Ravens to come out on top.
Bold predictions
• Marquise Brown will see a lot of Jalen Ramsey in this game, and I expect the Ravens to be smart and pick their spots in that match up. That will lead to Miles Boykin and Willie Snead making some big plays downfield, and Mark Andrews making life difficult for the Rams in the middle of the field. Boykin, Snead and Andrews will combine for more than 200 yards receiving.
• Mark Ingram will have a big, 50-plus yard run that will hurt the Rams in a tight game.
• Earl Thomas picks off a pass, as does Marcus Peters in his return to Los Angeles. Matt Judon destroys a weak Rams offensive line, and the Ravens pass-rush revival continues, generating five sacks and contributing to both interceptions.
Final score
Ravens 27 Rams 23