Week 11 Ravens vs Panthers

[vmax]

Jamison Hensley •
The Ravens are 12-point favorites over the Panthers, per @CaesarsSports. This is the biggest point spread in Week 11. Lamar Jackson is 12-0 in the regular season when being a double-digit favorite, throwing 27 TDs and 6 interceptions. 

For the last month or two I've been looking ahead to week 11 hoping that the Ravens could 'weather the storm' and roll into their bye week in a good situation. And they have. They sit at 6-3 in first place in the division, a game ahead of the Bengals who have a brutal schedule for the rest of the season, while the Ravens have the second easiest.

The Ravens are in good position for their first top 3 seed since 2019.

Their AFC seeding projections entering Week 11:

No. 1 seed: 12.5%
No. 2 seed: 23.8%
No. 3 seed: 45.3%
No. 4 seed: 8%
No. 5 seed: 2%
No. 6 seed: 3.3%
No. 7 seed: 2.5%

 

I saw week 11 as a time when the Ravens could be healthy and getting back most of the impact players that they need on their roster. Players like Gus Edwards, Bowser, Andrews will be starting again. Others like Humphrey, JPP, Peters, got time to heal up. Other players like Ojabo, Williams and JK are getting very close to getting on the field. 

This could be an epic run for a 1st seed in the playoffs meaning no trip to Buffalo or KC. Or it can be another nail biter full of trap games where the Ravens play down to the level of the competition. I'm believing in the former

So here's the 1st of the traps. The 3-7 Panthers.

Team Stats
                                           Panthers    Ravens
Points Per Game                         20.4    26.1
Points Allowed Per Game         24.3    21.8
Total Yards                                 308.7    364.6
Yards Passing                             190.7     196.4
Yards Rushing                             118.0    168.1
Yards Allowed                            373.8    370.7
Pass Yards Allowed                   234.6    278.7
Rush Yards Allowed                   139.2    92.0 

The Ravens are looking real good at the moment. All they have to do is just take care of business one game at a time. If they grow more efficient and productive as a team each week, and stay relatively healthy, and hit the playoffs on a roll then it is going to get real crazy around here. Just how we like it. 

 

Mid Season Grades: Ravens midseason grades: High marks at RB and TE, both lines playing well - The Athletic

 Stay Focused!

And More good Ravens Stuff: Five Reasons Ravens Are Trending Up Following Bye (baltimoreravens.com)

 

I'll let Hensley do some of the work here...

Jamison Hensley •
Baker Mayfield, who gets the start for the Panthers on Sunday, had a 3-5 record against the Ravens when he was with the Browns.

Mayfield's stats vs. Ravens:
Comp. pct: 58.4%
Avg. passing yards: 277.6
TDs: 13
Int: 9
QBR: 56.0
Baker Mayfield won his last start against the Ravens (a 24-22 win last December when Lamar Jackson got hurt in Cleveland).

But, before that game, Baltimore had beaten Mayfield four straight times. In Mayfield's last start in Baltimore, Ravens held him to 48.6% completion rate.

 And the Ravens have this going for them...

 

And this....

All fun aside, there's going to be a lot to watch. Will the coaches maximize the talent that they have?  Because currently the Ravens are one of the most balanced teams in the NFL with the potential to be a serious Super Bowl contender come playoff time.

Let's have fun watching this team come together over the remaining eight games

One, Two, Three, Dominate!!!!

High of 42 and sunny for kickoff. 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by vmax

[oldno82]

I feeling pretty confident that the Ravens won't let down. I think they'll be looking at this stretch run in a hungry mode. Anxious to prove their a good team when their stars return to action.

[tsylvester]

Take their hope right from the start plain & simple. They are looking for a reason to quit, to do their own thing and earn a big contract somewhere else.

I was hoping, coming into this week there would be an announcement that the Ravens & Smith had agreed on a new contract...the bye week is a great time to take care of that end of the business, guess not.

So, use this game as a stepping stone, build chemistry, work together, get the timing and accuracy down. Let us fans cheer you on and relax in the 4th, for once this year....

[vmax]

Lamar is the #1 FA next year. Smith is #6. If they franchise Lamar, then they can't sign Smith.  Now this may force the Ravens and to guarantee what Lamar wants. Then they can sign Smith too.

Good read..Pundit Says Only Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes Should Be in Consideration for MVP (baltimoreravens.com)

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by vmax

[vmax]

Jamison Hensley • 
The Ravens are 11-3 following byes in the John Harbaugh era (since 2008).

That's the 2nd-best mark over that span (the Steelers are 12-3 after byes).

Since 2008, Baltimore has averaged 26.6 points in games following the bye and has held teams to an average of 17.4 points.

 

From Hensley: For Ravens coming off bye, no one missed practice Wednesday because of an injury. All rest days.

Baltimore welcomed back TE Mark Andrews (knee/shoulder) and RB Gus Edwards (hamstring) to practice. Both were limited

Ravens injury report (Wednesday) DID NOT PRACTICE DE Calais Campbell* OLB Justin Houston* CB Marcus Peters* OT Ronnie Stanley* LIMITED TE Mark Andrews (knee/shoulder) RB Gus Edwards (hamstring) CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (hip) FULL DE Jason Pierre-Paul (ankle) *-Rest day

Jamison Hensley •
John Harbaugh said he thinks OLB David Ojabo (Achilles) could make his NFL debut on Sunday. Ojabo is a second-round pick who was considered a first-round talent before tearing his Achilles on his Pro Day.

 

 

[vmax]

I don't think this team will fall into any trap........ they really seem focused....

 

 

[vmax]

Edited November 17, 2022 by vmax

[vmax]

Ravens Wired.

Ravens: Total Offense: 12; Total Defense: 19

Panthers: Total Offense: 30; Total Defense: 25

Edited November 17, 2022 by vmax

[vmax]

 

 

[tsylvester]

Oh I know he can. His ability to stop the run, to read keys, will help our favorite underperforming linebacker to reach his full potential, be a blitzing nightmare for offenses.

This in turn will help the secondary, which will light a fire under all of them.

[oldno82]

If it comes down to it, who would you rather retain, Roquan or Lamar? And is there any way to keep both?

[tsylvester]

3 minutes ago, oldno82 said:

If it comes down to it, who would you rather retain, Roquan or Lamar? And is there any way to keep both?

That is a great question. I used to be well versed in capology, so I know that there is a way to get them both done. It all depends on if both players are willing to work the money in a way that is cap friendly.

They both want to be paid tops at their position, $20 mil per year for Smith, $45 per year for Lamar or there abouts.

The Ravens have never really been ones to get very tricky woth the cap, one reason that they are always right around even with the cap every year. Frankly, it used to drive me nuts, but then we have two Super Bowl wins in 20 years or so...

[oldno82]

It's really a tough choice for me...that's why I posted it. I'm like you. I want both of them even if we had to somehow make a trade or cut to open up room. Of course then the question becomes who do you cut and how much dead cap money results?

[tsylvester]

Here is an excellent site for easy cap salaries. They break it down for everything, bonuses, dead cap hits if cut. Frankly I wish this site was around back when I was writing, would have saved me a ton of time

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/baltimore-ravens/cap/2023/

[oldno82]

 

That is a great site. Looks like if we want to keep both we won't be able to franchise Lamar but instead have to give him a cap friendly contract so we can squeeze Roquan in. We'd certainly be right up against the cap I'm pretty sure for the foreseeable future.

But it would be worth it, especially if we get deep into the playoffs.

Eric and our capologist will have to get creative.

[tsylvester]

Yeah, I don't think the Ravens would have made the trade just to rent him for one season. They seen too many injuries over the past few years to know the risk of a rent a backer to get to and win the Super Bowl would be utterly stupid. So I expect them, knowing his $number, to work out a deal.

[tsylvester]

Lamar sick, again, on a Friday, should play. Have to watch what you eat.....

I really wouldn't mind seeing Huntley this week, with all of the starters on offense and defense, see what he can do....

[vmax]

I'm feeling the same way. Sign   Lamar to create room for Smith. The 2022 draft has produced a ton of good inexpensive talent. 

 

Temperature game Time is going to feel like it's in the 20's and it will be windy. Special Ravens gear will be needed. 

Edited November 19, 2022 by vmax

[tsylvester]

Oops, apparently Lamar is a new daddy, his significant other had their second child on Friday.

[vmax]

Nice! So ...  he's going to go off Sunday. Cold and windy ... good day to reclaim the single game rushing record. 

 

[tsylvester]

Finally, a Sunday game for Ravens fans! Man it seems as if it has been forever since we had a day game! Bundle up, it is gonna be cold and windy!

[papasmurfbell]

this game should be a snoozer.

[tsylvester]

Wow, Ravens win the toss & take the ball... here we go

[tsylvester]

Man those shadows are rough, nice play by Lamar to Andrews

[tsylvester]

Awe man, Richard drops an easy one, saw the endzone... man down field so it would have come back any way