ExtremeRavens Posted Friday at 08:58 PM Posted Friday at 08:58 PM Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 8 game between the Ravens and Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter Ravens 20, Bears 17: If quarterback Lamar Jackson plays, the Ravens’ chances of victory increase exponentially. If not, things will be a struggle against a Bears team that has won four straight and has a respectable offense. What should help Baltimore, though, is having several of its players back from injury, including on a defense that seemed to steady a bit against the Los Angeles Rams thanks to the addition of safety Alohi Gilman, which has allowed Kyle Hamilton to play near the line of scrimmage. Add in John Harbaugh’s career record of 13-3 after a bye and the Ravens win a close one. Sam Cohn, reporter Ravens 24, Bears 13: Much of this game — really stating the obvious here — depends on Jackson’s status. So far this season, the Ravens’ offense hasn’t produced much of anything without him and topped the league with him. Jackson practiced in full Friday, which is a good sign for his availability, even if he isn’t at full strength. Chicago’s upswing run game will put points on the board, but Baltimore’s should find a groove behind a healthy Patrick Ricard, too. Every game this season has felt more and more like a must-win to get back on track. This one — at home, near full-health and with the season on the line — appears to be their final shot. It’s the kind of game a two-time MVP can go win them single-handedly. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 21, Bears 17: The Ravens should return several starters from injuries, including quarterback Lamar Jackson and middle linebacker Roquan Smith. Those should be two big upgrades on both sides of the ball. The Bears have won four straight with an offense that is ranked No. 12 overall and No. 8 in rushing, though running back D’Andre Swift is battling a groin injury. Despite its recent success, Chicago struggled last week in a 26-14 win against New Orleans and the Bears won’t be as successful this week against Baltimore. The Ravens should be able to unleash running back Derrick Henry against a run defense that is allowing 137.7 yards per game. Combined with the return of Jackson and a weak schedule during the next 11 weeks, the Ravens will begin a run that includes Miami on Thursday night. Josh Tolentino, columnist Ravens 24, Bears 17: Chicago’s final injury report looks similar to Baltimore’s in recent weeks with multiple starters, including cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson and tight end Cole Kmet, ruled out for Sunday’s game. Additionally, surging running back D’Andre Swift is dealing with a groin injury. Pair those factors with a Ravens team on the mend, highlighted by Lamar Jackson’s return to on-field action, and that could finally spell the end of Baltimore’s four-game skid. Whether Jackson will suit up remains to be seen; he was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report. If he isn’t ready to return from his two-game absence, one-time Pro Bowl selection Tyler Huntley will start over backup Cooper Rush, coach John Harbaugh said. The desperate Ravens must win nine of their final 11 games to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Given all the scrutiny the Ravens have faced in recent weeks, there’s still hope across the locker room that the healthier team playing at home crawls back into the win column. Aside from Jackson, Week 8 also is a prime opportunity for former Bears star Roquan Smith to assert his All-Pro self at the middle level in his return from his two-game absence. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 31, Bears 17: Assuming Lamar Jackson is healthy enough to play, the Ravens should be able to take care of business. While the Bears have won four straight, they barely scraped by the lowly Raiders, needed a late fumble to stun the Commanders and didn’t exactly look dominant in beating the woebegone Saints. With the Ravens coming off a bye and having what should be a respectable offense on the field for the first time in weeks, they should be able to build a big enough lead and keep Caleb Williams and company off schedule. Chicago’s banged-up secondary, which is missing three starting cornerbacks, is ripe for the picking. Jackson should be able to light up the scoreboard to help kick-start this midseason playoff push. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 31, Bears 20: The Ravens desperately need a win to ignite hopes that a late-season playoff push is possible despite a rocky 1-5 start. With the team getting healthier than a few weeks ago, this should be a manageable game. The Bears are improving under new coach Ben Johnson, but they’re still a year or two away from being a postseason threat. Baltimore’s early season struggles coincided with a tough schedule, while Chicago’s success came against underwhelming opposition. This game and several others in the coming weeks offer a reprieve for Baltimore. If the Ravens can’t win this one, it might be time to start looking at draft prospects. Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 24, Bears 21: The Ravens’ bye week came at a perfect time. They not only needed a break from all that losing; they needed time to get healthy. And that’s what’s happened. Lamar Jackson appears on track on play Sunday after missing two games, and they’ll need him to put on his Superman cape and carry them to victory to keep their postseason hopes alive. Only one team in NFL history has made the playoffs after starting 1-6, so — stop me if you’ve heard this before — this is as much of a must-win Week 8 game as there’s ever been. Baltimore needs to rediscover its mojo, and having its stars back on the field will only help. Time to learn how to win again. Patrice Sanders, FOX45 Morning News anchor Ravens 24, Bears 17: This is the week most of the injured players return for action. Historically the Ravens have been good at home, and this is the week to turn the season around. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article Quote
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