The Baltimore Ravens’ showdown on Monday Night Football with the Detroit Lions has the makings of the best game of Week 3. Two of the NFL’s most high-powered offenses are poised to light up the scoreboard, but it should be a brawl on every down with two relentless defenses looking to make their mark, as well.
Baltimore will have their work cut out for them. They will be without starters Patrick Ricard, Kyle Van Noy, Nnamdi Madubuike, and potentially Jaire Alexander. It will also be another week without tight end Isaiah Likely.
Regardless, the Ravens have more than enough talent to compete. They built one of the best rosters in the league this offseason, and it should show on Monday. With both teams at 1-1, it will be an all-out war, as they look to come out of the week above .500.
Here are three keys to the game for the Ravens to capture their second win of 2025.
Baltimore Ravens' 3 keys to the game vs. Lions
Take away the middle of the field
The Lions’ offense thrives on attacking the middle of the field. Whether it is crossers and verticals to two-time All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, the high usage rate of tight end Sam LaPorta, or pounding the rock up the middle, Detroit prioritizes dominance over the middle.
Ravens’ linebacker Roquan Smith is ready for what Detroit has to throw at the defense, and he pointed out how the unit plans to control that this week.
“[They use] a lot of play action shots, and a lot of in breakers. They want to get the ball in the paint,” Smith said. “It’s about stopping that, stopping the run, and on the play action shots, getting back, closing the windows, guarding your man.”
Smith and Kyle Hamilton are capable of handling their duties, but a ton of stress will be put on rookies Teddye Buchanan and Malaki Starks. For Buchanan, he will have to handle some of the craftiest weapons in the league, while Starks is set to play the center field role to prevent the big plays to Detroit’s Williams.
Get Derrick Henry going early
Despite a dominant Week 2 win over the Cleveland Browns, the Ravens surprisingly struggled to find a rhythm on the ground. The offense failed to accrue 50 rushing yards and Derrick Henry was held to under 30 rushing yards for the first time since December 2023. That cannot happen again, especially against an offense like Detroit’s.
Baltimore is best when they control the pace of the game. Even if they do not get an outstanding game from Henry, as long as they can find consistent success in the running game, the scales should tip in their favor.
Since the start of the 2024 season, the Ravens are 10-2 when they win the time of possession battle. Winning that tug of war starts with Henry and the ground game.
Attack Terrion Arnold
Cornerback Terrion Arnold has been a weak link in Detroit since getting drafted out of Alabama in the 2024 NFL Draft. His rookie year was horrific, receiving the second-most penalties among defenders. In 2025, he is having a rough start, and Baltimore has the receivers to expose him.
Arnold has posted a 52.4 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus, through two contests. His coverage grade of 46.5 ranks 108th among cornerbacks. He still has time to show why he was a first-round selection, but Baltimore wideouts Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and DeAndre Hopkins will give him all he can handle.
Flowers is having a career year so far, tallying 218 receiving yards and a touchdown, Hopkins is proving that he is not washed, and Bateman is still an elite route runner. The passing game under Lamar Jackson has been incredibly consistent to start the year, and they could give the Lions a taste of their own medicine by attacking Arnold for several big passing plays.