The Baltimore Ravens (5-5) receive the Houston Texans (4-6) at the end of Week 12 in the NFL. The Ravens return home after a long time and want to prove their primetime qualities again. With the Texans again, everything is hoping for a further increase of the inexperienced quarterback. In the Coin Toss, mySpox user airjo and SPOX editor Marcus Blumberg will discuss. The game will be shown live on Tuesday night from 2.30 a. m. on DAZN!
Baltimore Ravens (5-5) – Houston Texans (4-6) (Tue, 2:30 a. m. live on DAZN)
mySpox-User airjo: A lost season. That was my sad conclusion two weeks ago when, after a desolate second half, the Texans lost 7:33 against the Rams. In view of the injuries and the questionable coaching in the defense, this was to be expected. Instead of a playoff contender, we see a hull troop led by a weak Tom Savage.
Until now? Yes, because after the game against Arizona I’m more optimistic again. Even though Savage was still himself against the cardinals-his sixth lost fumble this season at four starts-he looked like an NFL quarterback over much of the game. I am particularly pleased that O’ Brien has succeeded in reintroducing more motions and misdirections into the offensive. Elements that relieve the offensive line and help the quarterback to read the defense.
Now with the Ravens comes a tough one, at least on the side of the Defense. Baltimore takes first place after the DVOA rating of Football Outsiders. But what speaks in favour of the Texans’ chances is that the Ravens Defense simply cannot constantly monitor its performance.
Football Outsiders also has a value for Constance, where Baltimore’s defence is trailing in last place. Shutouts alternate with dubious appearances, such as the defeat against the Bears, where the Ravens allowed over 200 rushing yards.
And the Texans’ running game is very productive this year, although the injury to Rookie D’ Onta Foreman naturally hurts. In addition, the game against the Cardinals showed that Savage can rely on Hopkins to play against one of the best corners of the league. The Texans Offense has a good chance to move the ball.
But probably the offense doesn’t have to do that much. On the other side of the ball, the Texans Defense has exactly the strength it needs to restrict Baltimore: while the Secondary has dropouts again and again, the Texans make a Top 10 Run Defense.
Without a functioning running game it will be a long evening for the Ravens, because the passing game around Joe Flacco is, to say the least, desolate (30th place after DVOA). Jadeveon Clowney is really hot at the moment and can only be stopped by holding – if they get whistled. I can’t imagine with the best will in the world that the Ravens can win this game through their offense.
Will it be a great game with lots of points? Most likely not. Are the Texans favourite? I don’t think so either. But they’re certainly not without a chance. I trust O’ Brien knows how to exploit the weaknesses of the Ravens and I’m betting on a tight Texans win.
Marcus Blumberg (SPOX): Monday Night Football, Primetime and the Baltimore Ravens. It’s an almost magical combination. Since John Harbaugh took over the shop in 2008, the Ravens 11-1 have been in prime time. This is by far the best record of this period in the NFL’s evening games. In addition, the Ravens have won their last nine consecutive primetime games in the regular season, which is of course the longest active series.
“It’s historic,”Harbaugh describes the feeling of playing Monday night:”I think we all watched Monday night football as children. It’s always been exciting. It was a special part of the week. And we look forward to it.”
In terms of sport, the decimated and weakening secondary of the Texans is likely to play into the cards of the Ravens. Certainly the passing game of Baltimore is by no means constant or reliable. But if Joe Flacco can do one thing, it’s throwing deep balls. He and Mike Wallace could do considerable damage under these circumstances!
It won’t be easy because of the protection problems. Left Tackle Ronnie Stanley could return from his concussion, which would make life much easier for Flacco. In the week before against the Packers he collected three sacks and eleven QB-hits!
On the other side of football, however, the ravens benefit for the second time in a row from a backup quarterback that doesn’t seem frightening. Neither at first nor second glance. Even Brett Hundley didn’t see any land against Baltimore – the chances of Tom Savage making it better are not that good.
The route is clear for the boys in Purple and Black:”We have to keep winning,”says Linebacker Terrell Suggs. T-Sizzle doesn’t care if the numbers are right for his defense or not:”I don’t care if we score 19 or 35 points as long as we win. Suggs also admitted that his team’s fluctuations in performance were not hidden from him:”We had shutdowns and then we had games where we weren’t good.”
Another positive aspect for Baltimore is the tendency to create turnovers. Especially with the interceptions, the ravens are dangerous and already have 16 this season – most of them in the league. Savage in turn had three in the last two starts.
All in all, the Ravens have many reasons to be optimistic. And they will enter the game highly motivated, after all, it’s their first home game since the 44-0 win over the Miami Dolphins almost exactly a month ago.