The New York Giants (2-11) and Baltimore Ravens (8-5) will sq. off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 15 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Opening the week, the Giants had been listed as 14.5-point residence underdogs and that unfold has solely gotten worse with Massive Blue now at +16 as of this writing.
With this matchup on faucet, Giants Wire took the chance to carry a Q&A with Ravens Wire managing editor Glenn Erby.
Erby: Lamar Jackson’s matchups towards NFC opponents are usually primarily based on the schedule and the place groups end of their division on a yearly foundation. The obvious purpose for his dominance is the truth that NFC groups solely face the Ravens star as soon as each 4 years, Jackson is left-handed, and he’s among the many most athletic quarterbacks in NFL historical past. Baltimore has a novel type of play and a non-conventional offense primarily based on Jackson’s skill to improvise and make magic occur.
Derrick Henry has definitely taken an unlimited quantity of stress off Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Henry has began all 13 video games, carrying the soccer 240 occasions for 1,407 dashing yards (5.9 avg) and 13 dashing touchdowns. Henry has added one other dimension of physicality to the Baltimore offense whereas opening up the passing recreation for Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews. Most significantly, Jackson has carried the soccer simply 111 occasions by 13 video games performed, and he’s second to Henry in dashing makes an attempt by a large margin. In 2023, Jackson and Gus Edwards practically had the identical quantity of dashing makes an attempt.
Justin Tucker has chalked his struggles as much as approach and a few common season struggles. Tucker is 19-27 on area objective makes an attempt this season, he’s 5-8 from 40-49 yards, and 4-9 from 50+ yards this season. His 70.4% is thirty ninth amongst NFL kickers, and the bottom proportion of his 13-year profession.
Baltimore is twenty second in complete protection (347.6 ypg) and thirty second within the NFL in passing yards allowed (264.9). The struggles begin with explosive performs. The Ravens lead the NFL in completions of 20 or extra yards allowed this season. Regardless of their struggles in cross protection, Baltimore has allowed the league’s fewest dashing yards per recreation (82.7), forcing opposing groups to throw the soccer at an elevated price. Couple that with the decline of Marcus Williams at security, and a down season for Brandon Stephens, and you’ve got that excellent recipe for defensive breakdowns. This season, groups have averaged 19.8 yards per completion towards Williams and 14.4 per completion towards Stephens.
The bye was a lot wanted, and the Ravens are heading to New York on the excellent time for a get-right kind of efficiency. Baltimore has improved on protection, and the NFL’s most explosive offense regains its footing towards a battered Giants staff with a number of gamers dominated out. The Ravens win after a gradual begin, 31-14.