3 trap games the Ravens should be wary of in 2022

Ravens’ Trap Game No. 1: Week 6 vs. New York Giants

The Wink Martindale revenge match. What else could top that?

Prior to the Giants, the Ravens play the Patriots, Bills, and Bengals. After the Giants, the Ravens play the Browns, Buccaneers, and Saints.

If the Ravens don’t defeat the Giants, they could be looking at a pretty nasty hole in the middle of the season.

Compared to all those other playoff contenders, the Giants appear to be the weakest of the bunch, but they could have a secret weapon in former Ravens’ defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

New York won just four games last season, putting together one of the most pitiful offensive performances in the league, and in 2022 their offense doesn’t project to be that much better. The oft-injured Saquon Barkley will try to make an impact in the running game while Daniel Jones has mostly the same wideout options to throw to with the addition of rookie Wan’Dale Robinson, a peculiar second-round pick.

But you can bet Martindale has his big guns on defense ready to lock down Lamar Jackson and Co. The Giants plucked elite pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux in the first round of the draft, and Thibodeaux could give the Ravens’ offensive line a hard time, forcing Jackson to scramble and try to do too much like last season.

Baltimore’s wide receiver corps lacks experience overall, and despite Rashod Bateman being touted to have a breakout season, a Martindale-commanded Giants defense could feasibly throw a wrench in the Ravens’ passing offense and make this a close low-scoring game.

The Giants are rightfully considered pushovers by the entire league, but a well-coached defense and a few flashes of Barkley’s brilliance could turn the tables against Baltimore.

In this high-stakes trap game, the Ravens absolutely cannot afford to lose against Martindale and the Giants. Their comeback season — and their pride and dignity — depends on it.