With five games to go in the regular season both the Detroit Lions (6-5) and Baltimore Ravens (6-5) are still alive in the playoff race. To stay that way, one of these squads will have to knock the other one out Sunday when they face off at M&T Bank Stadium.
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The Game: Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens (-3)
O/U: 43.5
The History
The Ravens and Lions have played all of four games since 1998. Baltimore holds a 3-1 advantage in the all time series.
The two teams last met up on December 16, 2013 with the Ravens winning 18-16 at Ford Field.
DETROIT LIONS (6-5)
You have to give the Lions props this season, even when they lose, they make it interesting. Of their five defeats, four have been by a touchdown or less. That means this team is a coin flip away from being 10-1 right now. Their five losses have all been earned too. Not a one was against a bad or inferior team. In fact, every team that beat Detroit this season (Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Vikings, Steelers) either made the playoffs last year or is going to make it this year.
When the Lions line up against an equal or lesser opponent, they consistently get the job done. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen on Thanksgiving when the Vikings handed them a 30-23 loss at home.
The biggest obstacle for the Lions is their inability to put a running game on the field. As a team they managed just 52 total yards against the Vikings. And, sure, you can say that’s against Minnesota, but the Lions put up those kind of sorry ass numbers every week, regardless of who they play.
Marvin Jones Jr. continues to show his value as an outside receiver. He caught six passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns facing one of the better secondaries in the business. Matthew Stafford was 20 of 35 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and one pick.
The defense sacked Case Keenum twice and got nine stops in the backfield. Cornerback Jamal Agnew and center Travis Swanson are both out with knee injuries. Ameer Abdullah and T.J. Lang are questionable. Both guys practiced Friday.
BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-5)
The Ravens’ injury report is mostly empty. Only backup offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor is out. Alex Collins, Marlon Humphrey, C.J. Mosley, Jimmy Smith and Ronnie Stanley are all questionable, but practiced this week.
For the first time since since the opening weeks of the season, Baltimore has strung a couple of victories together. Last Sunday they beat the Houston Texans 23-16 in a game that was far closer than it should have been. The Ravens defense picked off Tom Savage twice, forced a fumble, held Houston to just 66 yards on the ground and sacked Savage twice with seven stops in the backfield.
The problem remains Baltimore’s offense. Flacco just hasn’t been right this year and it’s affected the playcalling. Flacco’s best plays have all been built on attacking downfield. With his back injury, that’s been off the table. Last week he completed 20 of 32 for just 141 yards. He didn’t turn the ball over and that’s something. Collins had 16 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown.
Flacco spread the ball around to nine different receivers and none of them were Breshad Perriman. For those of you who had him pegged as a draft bust back in 2015, go collect your tie tack and giant size Snickers.
The Pick
If String Theory is true, then it’s perfectly reasonable to assume somewhere out there in the multiverse that this game is a Super Bowl 52 preview. I don’t think we live in that universe or even adjacent to it, but still it’s an interesting thought problem. As it is, this is a pretty even game on paper. Detroit has the advantage on offense, but Baltimore has the edge on defense and is playing at home. Ultimately, I’m going with the sportsbooks on this one. Ravens 20, Lions 17
This week
Straight up: 1-0
Against the spread: 1-0
Last week
Straight up: 11-5
Against the spread: 10-6
Season
Straight up: 104-72
Against the spread: 91-85
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