BOLD PREDICTIONS: A Battle of High-Flying Birds

Winners in eight of their past 10 games, the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) host the Philadelphia Eagles (9-2), who are riding a seven-game winning streak. The Ravens currently sit a half-game out of first place behind 8-3 Pittsburgh in the AFC North, while Philadelphia holds a 2.5-game lead over 7-5 Washington in the NFC East standings. Kickoff for this CBS nationally-broadcast contest from M&T Bank Stadium is at 4:25 p.m. ET.

Sunday is the seventh-ever regular season meeting between Baltimore and Philadelphia, with the Ravens owning a 3-2-1 series lead. Baltimore has won two straight vs. the Eagles and is 3-1 under John Harbaugh, who spent 10 seasons (1998-2007) coaching in Philly before becoming the Ravens’ head coach in 2008.

• Betting Line: Ravens -3; over/under at 50 ½
• Forecast at Kickoff: Most sunny, 41 degrees, wind chill 38 degrees, west winds at 7 MPH
• Officiating Crew: Craig Wrolstad
• On the Call: Jim Nantz (PBP); Tony Romo (analyst); Tracy Wolfson (sideline)

[Related Article: The Return of “Aggressive Harbs”]

Tony Lombardi

These two teams are built very similarly so it stands to reason that this game will be a close one decided by which club makes the fewest mistakes. Lamar Jackson is (23-1) v. NFC teams, his only loss was against the Daniel Jones led NY Giants.

• During the aforementioned 24 games v. the NFC, Lamar has produced 49 TDs, 40 by air and 9 by ground. He’ll add 2 more by air on Sunday.

• When facing Eagles DC Vic Fangio, Lamar is (2-0), connecting on 40 of 58 passes for 637 yards, 6 TDs and 0 INTs (139.8 passer rating). Lamar’s passer rating will be about the same, but he’ll post a more modest 260 yards by air.

• One of Lamar’s scoring tosses will go to Mark Andrews who will tie Jamal Lewis‘ franchise record of 47 total TDs. Isaiah Likely will haul in the other scoring strike from Lamar. The tight end tandem will post a total of 125 yards receiving.

• The statistical battle between Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley will have a strong influence on the game’s outcome. Barkley has faced the Ravens just once, going for 83 yards on 22 carries (3.7 YPC) and a score. Look for more of the same from him – a solid game but the Ravens’ ability to bottle him up most of the evening will put weight on Jalen Hurts.

• Meanwhile, Henry has faced the Eagles twice with just 19 carries for 54 yards (2.8 YPC). Henry will more than double his YPC and nearly triple his yardage output. He’ll hit paydirt once.

• Hurts forced to the air is a recipe for mistakes and he’ll make two. He’ll fumble once in the pocket, recovered by the Ravens and Nate Wiggins gets his first pick as a professional.

• A missed extra point by Eagles kicker Jake Elliott will force Philadelphia to play for a TD instead of a makeable field goal and the Ravens defense will prevail in the redzone.

Lamar advances to (3-0) v. Fangio.

Ravens 27, Eagles 23

Kevin McNelis

Baltimore was able to get a much-needed bounceback win on the road against the Chargers, and now they return home with one game standing between them and their coveted BYE week. The obstacle in their way, though, is a formidable test against a 9-2 Eagles squad in the midst of a seven-game win streak. This is going to be a really, really good football game, and one that has the potential to show what these Ravens are really made of.

— One of the most exciting duels to watch this whole season is going to be this pair of starting running backs going toe-to-toe. Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley are the top pair in pretty much every rushing metric you can think of, and they each have the capacity to break this game wide open if they hit their stride. The other side to consider is that each of them will be facing defenses that are top 10 in rush defense in terms of both yards allowed and touchdowns allowed, meaning it’ll be tough sledding for both of them. If I had to give the edge to one of these guys, though, I’m giving it to Saquon based off of the middle of the Ravens defense still being banged up. Roquan Smith may get the green light to play, which would be great, but if he’s still nursing a hamstring injury, I think Saquon will still find room to run over the middle and end up gashing the Ravens defense for a long TD in the second half. As much as Malik Harrison impressed on Monday Night against the Chargers, with all due respect to JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards, they’re a far cry from the caliber of player that Saquon is.

— With the resistance each team will face on the ground, you’ll see a feeling-out process through the air in the first half before they settle in. Unfortunately for the Ravens, this likely means Derrick Henry gets off to a slow start (again) with only around seven to eight carries in the first half. Baltimore’s passing offense will find some room, and Isaiah Likely bounces back from a game in which he had no catches with a touchdown reception in the first half. Meanwhile, AJ Brown has a productive game for the Eagles, but Nate Wiggins continues a dominant run and puts DeVonta Smith on Alcatraz. Smith is limited to two catches on the day for under 25 yards. Furthermore, Jalen Hurts tries to force one past the tight coverage, and Wiggins picks it off.

— Momentum as a concept in football is a weird thing. In-game, it can really be a plus or minus for teams, but at this level, momentum of teams on winning streaks doesn’t really seem to apply, since these guys tend to view every game in a vacuum. Unfortunately, what you’re seeing from the Ravens, particularly in the way their games have been coached, is that they’re still susceptible to the mental aspect of the game, even in situations when they really shouldn’t be. The Ravens know how good this Eagles team is, and how they’re coming into Baltimore on a roll. They know they’re right around the corner from a BYE that they need, and that the division isn’t in their control right now. I think the external factors influence the game too much, and you see Baltimore outsmart themselves with the play calling in this one. Ill-timed challenges, boneheaded penalties and gravitating away from the run all re-emerge, and they do the Ravens in.

A late game push won’t be enough, and the Ravens let this one get away.

Eagles 30 Ravens 21

Chris Schisler

I think this will be a great game. It’s actually the kind of game that I hate making predictions for because I think the last team with the football is going to win this one. The Ravens and Eagles both have high powered offenses and the defenses are in for a hard day at the office. The Eagles score 26.9 points per game, while the Ravens score 30.3 points per game. While the Eagles have a defense that is sometimes very stingy, this should be a shootout between the most dynamic quarterback-running back tandems in the league.

The Ravens have five games left and are desperate to keep pace with the Steelers in the AFC North. The division crown means something to this team and they still get a chance to have revenge on Pittsburgh later in the season. I think we’ll see a focused team that feels validated but not comforted by their win against the Chargers. What does that mean? That means the offense is going to put over 30 points on the scoreboard. That means Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are going to go off and add to their impressive season totals and the Ravens have a chance. The question is how much resistance the defense has to offer?

This is a toss up game. I’m picking the Ravens because they have more on the line and they’re at home. The Eagles have a little cushion over the Commanders and the Cowboys aren’t really in the picture in the NFC East race. The Ravens have consistently gotten turnovers in opportune times in big games even if the other team moves the ball way too freely. It’s a toss up against a good team that’s playing their best football, so take it with a grain of salt but give me the Ravens to squeak it out.

• Lamar Jackson has 350 total yards and throws for three touchdowns
• Derrick Henry breaks a long touchdown run like he did against Buffalo
• Mark Andrews has six catches for 88 yards and a touchdown
• Saquon Barkley has 125 total yards from scrimmage and gives Baltimore fits
• Marlon Humphrey forces a fumble in the fourth quarter (It’s always Marlon)

Ravens 34 Eagles 31

Tanner George

This is, by far, the toughest test yet for the Ravens. Philadelphia rolls into Baltimore on the heels of a seven-game win streak and an impressive 37-20 win over the Rams on Sunday Night Football.

Baltimore also had a strong showing in Los Angeles last week, taking care of the upstart Chargers, a solid team in their own right.

As a fan, this is probably the game that has scared me the most this year. The Eagles have a boatload of talent on both sides of the ball and appear to be well on their way to a deep playoff run. Baltimore, on the other hand, has shown flashes of brilliance at times in 2024, but this team has also had its fair share of struggles. In a way, Sunday’s game kind of feels like the Ravens-49ers showdown on Christmas last year.

Philly’s high-powered offense will give the defense issues, and Lamar will need to spin a near-masterful game to give his guys a chance. After two frustrating drives to start the first quarter, Jackson will answer the call. He’ll contribute 300+ yards through the air while adding another 50 on the ground. #8 will also toss three touchdown passes, with Zay Flowers, Mark Andrew, and Rashod Bateman all finding the endzone. Zay will go over the century mark in the passing game on six catches, including a 40-yard strike over the middle of the field. Andrews tops 70 yards, and Bateman continues his resurgent season with another 50+ yard showing. Derrick Henry will rumble for 75 yards and a score, but Todd Monken largely goes away from the ground game in the second half with the Ravens trailing.

Kellen Moore and the Eagles’ offense will give Zach Orr headaches. Saquon Barkley’s MVP-caliber season rolls right along at the Bank, and he’ll hit paydirt twice. Jalen Hurts will largely succeed against a weak Baltimore secondary, but Nate Wiggins will grab his first career pick on an underthrown ball. Odafe Oweh will continue to generate pressure, adding another sack to his impressive 2024 campaign, as will Nmadi Madubuike. Tre’Davious White will see a bit more action, as the Ravens will deploy a zone-heavy scheme to try to contain Philly’s playmakers. Philly will start hot, scoring 14 points on their first three drives, before the Ravens adjust and things settle down a bit.

It’s very difficult to pick against Lamar Jackson’s impressive resume against NFC opponents, but, given how the Ravens have struggled at times, I can’t reasonably believe they’ll take down a team that hasn’t lost in a month. The game will be close, no doubt, but Baltimore will ultimately be the side that’s searching for answers come postgame. And that hurts (no pun intended), considering the state of the AFC North race.

Eagles 34 Ravens 31

Derek Arnold

Who said elite running back clashes were a thing of the past? In a season many are dubbing “The Return of the RB,” it’s only fitting that the two with legit Offensive Player of the Year cases clash head-to-head. Barkley vs. Henry feels like the Emmitt vs. Thurman or Bettis-T.Davis battles of a bygone era.

But that’s not all. This isn’t a couple of game-managers and middling passing attacks being carried by their stud backs. One side boasts a two-time NFL MVP QB angling for his third at age 27, while the other has a 26-year-old who’s already played in a Super Bowl. Each team has weapons all over the field in the passing game, and while Baltimore’s defense has been disappointing this year, and a far cry from Philly’s top-5 unit, they’ve improved markedly in recent weeks. They can also stop the run just fine, thank you very much, so bring on Mr. Barkley.

Alas, the Eagles have the one thing that all squads the Ravens have lost to this season have in common: a dominant defensive line. On top of the fact that the Eagles are just a more complete team at this current moment, I think that’s enough to push them past Baltimore in a close one.

Jackson falls to 23-2 against the NFC. Perhaps he’ll have a chance for revenge in a couple months…

Eagles 27 Ravens 24

(Oh, and Pittsburgh will already have fallen in Cincy by the time this one kicks off, easing the sting just a tad.)

John Hughey

Sunday’s matchup features a rare elite running back showdown. Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley have become must watch tv this season, and Sunday should be no different. Baltimore’s defense has turned it up over the last two weeks, allowing zero touchdowns to the Steelers, and holding Justin Herbert under 250 passing yards last week. It’s going to take the best performance of the season from Zach Orr’s squad if they expect to shut down the Eagles electric offense.

Saquon Barkley is making a serious case for MVP, but the star running back enters Sunday facing the 2nd ranked rush defense in the league (77.9 YPG). All signs point to Roquan Smith playing, adding a much needed asset to the run defense. Lamar Jackson enters Sunday 23-1 against NFC teams, and playing at an MVP level, it’s hard to bet against him. Darius Slay was held out yet again from practice Thursday, a loss that could really open up the Ravens passing attack.

— Derrick Henry breaks the record, picking up his 15th rushing TD of the season

— Saquon Barkley finds the end zone, but gets held to under 80 rushing yards

— Jackson builds on his MVP resume, gaining 300+ all purpose yards and two passing TDs

— Jackson moves to 24-1 against NFC squads

Ravens 31 Eagles 21

Chad Racine

Living a mile from the Pennsylvania border in Maryland, I’m around plenty of Eagles fans. I was eating breakfast at a restaurant the other day while listening to one of the other waitresses go on and on about the game. She was an Eagles fan and probably because I was wearing a Lamar hoodie, she was doing her best to agitate me while talking to someone else loudly. She was saying things like “we have the best running back in football,” “Lamar has never beat Jalen because he wasn’t playing last time,” among other jabs that I ignored.  After Sunday’s game I’d like to return wearing the same Lamar hoodie.

— Lamar will be in peak December football form, throwing for 3 touchdowns, 275 yards and a completion rate of over 70%.

— Derrick Henry will once again break 100 yards and get back on the scoreboard this week with a touchdown.

— Bateman, Likely and Flowers will be the touchdown recipients.

— The defense continues their gradual improvement but Barkley will go for 125 yards and score 2 touchdowns.

— Brandon Stephens will have an interception at free safety, where he belongs.

— Kyle Van Noy will have a strip sack that the Eagles will recover.

Ravens 34 Eagles 24

The post BOLD PREDICTIONS: A Battle of High-Flying Birds appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/11/29/bold-predictions/eagles-at-ravens-2024/