Ravens vs. Vikings Crucial Matchup Analysis & Preview

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00:00I really do want to ask you about Ravens-Vikings, though, here, Joe,

00:02because it's such an important game for Baltimore.

00:04They get Lamar back.

00:07First of all, they beat Chicago without Lamar, which was massive.

00:11They then get him back against Miami.

00:12They handle business.

00:13In a game where you could tell he didn't fully have it,

00:18but Miami, a little lifeless.

00:20Lamar throws for four touchdowns, 204 yards.

00:23Henry gets going on the ground for $1.19.

00:25He's a part of icing that game away.

00:27The defense was opportunistic.

00:27Unopportunistic, a number of turnovers in the matchup.

00:30But they now play a Minnesota team, Joe,

00:32who's coming off of their best win of the season.

00:34They knock off the Detroit Lions on the road with J.J. McCarthy.

00:38What are you looking at here in a game the Ravens have to have?

00:40I like the dog.

00:41And I told you when we looked at the schedule,

00:44when Lamar was coming back and we talked about them still having minus money

00:49to make the playoffs, that it was crazy.

00:52Because, you know, I thought this game and the defense posed a problem.

00:58For Lamar here.

00:59And, again, they might get the victory, but I don't see it.

01:02I'm riding the hot hand in J.J.

01:04I'm riding Brian Flores.

01:05And that defense that stepped up and shut down the rushing attack of Detroit

01:10and Jared Goff last week.

01:12I think they step up yet again.

01:14The fact that they're at home, I'm willing to take the points.

01:18And I just think the perception is Baltimore is just going to waltz in there

01:22and win by double digits because Lamar is there.

01:25I just don't see it.

01:26Yeah, I'm struggling with that piece of it, right?

01:28I thought that the Ravens would be tempting if this was a more respected

01:34Minnesota line.

01:35Like, if this was three, right, I'd be a little more interested.

01:38But, you know, at four and a half, I'm not really looking to play the side.

01:42We're going to do our set of money crunch in the next break.

01:44This game will feature in that capacity for me.

01:47I think one of the tricky elements, too, though, Joe, is just, you know,

01:50even from a prop perspective here, right?

01:52It's like, oh, you know, Brian Flores is going to send all these blitzes.

01:55It's like, well, is Lamar going to break out running?

01:57Are they going to try and bounce it with more Derrick Henry carries?

01:59Are they going to drop back the pass?

02:01I think that's fascinating.

02:03But also, you know, what do you get out of this Minnesota offense now here

02:06in a second game, right?

02:06Like, you know, the praises of J.J. McCarthy being sung.

02:10He threw for 143 yards, right?

02:14I mean, he's 14 and 25.

02:15And he also ran for one, right?

02:17He ran for a touchdown and threw two.

02:19He's done this now where, you know, he's able to – the total touchdown number

02:23looks great, right?

02:24But everything else is a little – like, we don't have a game yet

02:28where he's thrown for 175 yards.

02:30Right.

02:31In his three starts.

02:32I think the emergence of Aaron Jones back into that offense,

02:36he had 78 yards on the ground and another two catches for 20 yards.

02:41He opens things up.

02:42As good as Jordan Mason might have been and blue-collar type of guy,

02:46Aaron Jones is really more versatile and can catch the edge a little bit better

02:50than Jordan Mason.

02:51So that adds a dynamic that potentially maybe wasn't there, right?

02:55I like Aaron Jones today.

02:57I like Minnesota.

02:59I still think Justin Jefferson, Addison, Hawkinson, that group could attack

03:05that secondary.

03:05And I understand that Baltimore shut down Caleb in Chicago.

03:09Yeah.

03:10But they're on the road now.

03:11And, again, this is a very physical defense in Minnesota.

03:14I think that's – it's a great point, though.

03:16Is this Baltimore defense back to, you know, preseason expectations

03:20or have they just had a couple of good games?

03:23Well, I think they faced a gutless team in Miami.

03:26That helps, right?

03:27And when you have Lamar and you see how turnover-prone

03:30and how Tua played that game, I mean, you're going to get a much better effort

03:35or, you know – I mean, they're going to come to play.

03:39Minnesota's not going to just lie down because it's Lamar.

03:41No, certainly not.

03:41Certainly not.

03:42And Brian Flores is going to say, okay, we saw what Kansas City did, right?

03:47Kansas City blitzed him multiple times.

03:50Yes.

03:50But can I just say this with Brian Flores and that defense?

03:53Yeah.

03:54Jalen Hurts lit them on fire.

03:56Perfect passer rating.

03:57Justin Herbert went out there, had a really good game.

04:01And Jared Goff's final numbers were solid.

04:04I thought the defense played well, actually.

04:06They got sacked him five times.

04:07But that defense can be had a little.

04:10Like, that's – again, I wonder if I should be playing this total at 48-and-a-half.

04:16I mean, it wouldn't shock me if it got there.

04:18I mean, I just – again –

04:21You know, I don't know, you're telling me each team gets a 24.

04:23I like Lamar.

04:24I took his rushing.

04:26Yeah.

04:26Because, again, for him, they're in a must-win situation.

04:30They can't afford to lose this game.

04:32Oh, damn.

04:33So my point is he's going to do everything he can to take this game on his shoulders.

04:37Yeah.

04:37And if it's there, I think he's going to tuck it and run.

04:39He only had 14 yards against the Dolphins.

04:42This is a different animal.

04:44He's going to have a lot of man-to-man coverage.

04:47But I like Addison on the flip side.

04:50I like Addison to be that guy over Justin Jefferson.

04:53I did take any-time touchdowns, Lamar, and I took Aaron Jones.

04:58So – but, again, I think that defense is going to blitz him the way Kansas City

05:03and Spagnuolo did, and then we'll see if he can live up to the hype and pressure.

05:07So –

05:08So –

05:09So –

05:10So –

05:11So –

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