B-More Opinionated!

The Orioles will send their pitchers and catchers down to Sarasota today to begin the Spring Training workouts. The 2019 campaign figures to be a rough one for O’s fans, but one exciting thing to watch will be the operations of new GM Mike Elias and Manager Brandon Hyde. With that in mind, one of the first big decisions those two have to make will be the team’s Opening Day 25-man roster. Of course, it’s a very real possibility that one or more players who make that final squad aren’t yet on the 40-man, and it’s also worth noting that there will be a great deal of shuffling of youth talent this year. Still, I am interested enough to make my own early predictions for the way things will shake out before any games take place. Here’s my outlook on what the Opening Day roster will be.

Pitchers: Dylan Bundy, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, Nate Karns, David Hess, Mychal Givens, Richard Bleier, Miguel Castro, Paul Fry, Tanner Scott, Brandon Kline, Jimmy Yacabonis

With the addition of Nate Karns, the starting rotation became a bit easier to predict. I think that David Hess is the most “ready” of all the options for that number 5 spot in the rotation, which will give him that role to start the season, but guys like Yefry Ramirez, Luis Ortiz, and even John Means or Keegan Akin could push for this spot in short time. As for the bullpen, the only potential surprise in who I’ve selected is Brandon Kline. He had a nice season last year and seems to be one of the potential arms to find his way to Camden Yards this summer, so I’m going to go ahead and say that he has a strong enough spring to break camp with the birds.

Catchers: Austin Wynns, Chance Sisco, Jesus Sucre

This was the toughest decision for me, actually. Chance Sisco had something of a lost season last year, and I’m sure everyone hopes that he can prove himself this coming year. It might make sense to give him reps in Norfolk if he doesn’t have a strong spring, but given the possibility of drafting the catcher Adley Rutschman in the draft this year, Elias might want to see if Sisco shows signs of potential in the majors, at least for a little while.

Infielders: Chris Davis, Jonathan Villar, Richie Martin, Drew Jackson, Renato Nunez

The only intriguing thing about this position group are the Rule-5 players. In my opinion, the Orioles should keep both men on board out of Spring Training, unless someone else jumps out as a must-have on the roster. If anyone were to do that, I’d have my money on Steve Wilkerson, but I don’t see him having the bat to force Elias away from holding onto both Martin and Jackson.

Outfielders: Trey Mancini, Mark Trumbo, Cedric Mullins, DJ Stewart, Eric Young Jr.

Once again, this position group wasn’t too difficult. The Orioles did recently add Eric Young Jr. to the group, which was somewhat surprising to me off the bat, but after thinking for a little while I think his role is going to be a defensive and speed replacement and a veteran clubhouse guy. I like him as someone to mentor Cedric Mullins in his first full season in the big leagues. When this group (and potentially the infield, as well) will get interesting is going to be around the Trade Deadline, when Mark Trumbo could – and should – get moved. That’s when players like Ryan McKenna, Austin Hays, or Anthony Santander could find themselves vouching for a spot on the roster.

I’m sure that I’m not the only one, but I am sick and tired of watching the Patriots run through the NFL with ease and kick aside Father Time like he’s some irrelevant obstacle that can barely impede their dominance. Man, I really don’t like these guys. But going to school in Boston, where most of my friends support the evil empire, I’ve come to notice something that I find incredibly interesting that makes me really happy to be a Ravens and Orioles fan. Though this isn’t the case with everyone, I feel that the majority of Baltimore sports fans have a passion for their team that New England fans don’t. Allow me to explain.

When the Dannell Ellerbe tackled Ted Ginn, Jr. to complete the Ravens’ Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers back in 2012, my 16 year-old self could barely contain his excitement. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole game, I was yelling at the TV despite my entire extended family being in the room with me, and I couldn’t sleep for the next few nights. I walked into school the next day absolutely on top of the world, happy out of my mind and incredibly proud of my favorite team.

As the final minutes and seconds were ticking away in Atlanta on Sunday evening, my friends – some of which had left the room to talk about other things – didn’t show much excitement at all. What was most astounding to me was their reaction when Greg Zuerlein missed the kick that all-but-officially ended the contest. Instead of jumping up out of their seat and rejoicing, they smiled and clapped. It was just another W in the books for their “beloved” Patriots.

Okay, I understand that some fans may not have the same level of interest as I do, but to add a little context to the characters that were in this room with me, I should say that I asked them before kickoff if they loved the Pats. One shook his head and said “Oh, man, you have no idea. I watch every game.” The other agreed, saying “I have no idea what I’m going to do if they lose.” From their responses, you might think that they’d join the riots out in downtown Boston after the game. Not them, they went to bed. In fact, I talked with a real die-hard Pats fan that I know from class, and he said that those riots were mostly consisting of drunk kids from other cities, just finding an excuse to run amok through Boston on a Sunday night. The fact of the matter is that Patriots fans are so numb to winning that they simply cannot enjoy it as much as they should. Their perspective has been tainted by the overwhelming success of their team.

So how does this relate to me loving the fact that I’m a Ravens fan? Well, I really believe that the heartbreaks I’ve endured – the Billy Cundiff wide right moments, the field goal fiestas in 2006, the Antonio Brown immaculate extensions, the 4th and 13s on New Year’s Eve – have made me absolutely love my team and enjoy winning that much more. I do recognize that the Ravens have even been far more successful than many other teams in the NFL (I think of my friend, a Falcons fan, who stood in the corner of my freshman year dorm room fighting back tears when James White stretched the ball over to complete the miraculous 28-3 comeback win in 2017), so I think there’s no better way to think about this than by switching sports and imagining an Orioles World Series win.

I don’t care where I am when the Baltimore Orioles next win the World Series, it could be Annapolis, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Waxahachie, Texas, or Boston this coming October (LOL). No matter where I’m living, you can bet that I’ll be in Baltimore for that World Series parade when the Orioles have hoisted the trophy for the first time since 1983. Most likely, I will be a grown-ass man in tears, donning my Nick Markakis jersey that’s autographed by Luke Scott, and wailing “Orioles Magic” as the floats pass. That’s because I endured decades of suffering and will feel that championship like nothing else.

For a while, at least, I don’t know that New England will be able to do the same.

I’ve dedicated almost the entirety of the last 5 months focusing wholeheartedly on the Baltimore Ravens, but it’s time to make a shift. With the offseason coming to an end in just a few short weeks, our beloved Orioles are gearing up for what will not only be an incredibly interesting season but also spring training. However, because so much time was spent on the coaching staff and front office, little has been done in free agency to this point. As a result, there are a few holes that GM Mike Elias could look to fill up before the team hits Sarasota. With that in mind, here are a few players I could see the Orioles pursue to fill out their major league squad!

1. Marwin Gonzalez – Utility

This guy is like Ryan Flaherty, except he’s capable of being an everyday player. Gonzalez has experience at every infield position and both corners of the outfield, making him a valuable guy to have on the 25-man roster. What makes him even more intriguing, however, is his career .264 average. That’s something that will play in any lineup, especially something like the Orioles. The thing that I like the most, though, is the possibility that Gonzalez could be considered a valuable deadline day trade chip who could be flipped for prospects come July. That’s a theme that will be consistent throughout this blog.

2. Josh Harrison – 2B

A somewhat similar player, Harrison has been even more productive with the stick but has slightly less versatility in the field. Although this acquisition would create a shocking logjam at the middle infield with Rule-5 selections Richie Martin and Drew Jackson. At the same time, Harrison was an All-Star just two seasons ago, and his poor season in 2018 could give the Orioles a rare bargain for a two-time All-Star player. Again, if Harrison were able to flick the switch and get back to his old form, Elias would have no trouble shipping him off for potentially strong prospects.

3. Clay Buchholz – SP

In my eyes, the Orioles have 3-4 spots in their starting rotation solidified: Dylan Bundy, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner are locked in, while David Hess is on the fence. Elias may decide that he’d like to keep the 5th spot somewhat open considering the pitchers who could be called up relatively early in the season, but if he would like to add another veteran arm, Buchholz is an intriguing option. Age is certainly a glaring concern, as he’s in his mid-30s, but Buchholz enjoyed a rare return to form in 2018, going 7-2 with a 2.01 ERA in 16 starts. If he continued to show himself as serviceable, the Orioles could reap the benefits.

4. Ariel Miranda – SP

To stray a bit from players who would likely be brought in under the assumption that they’d be gone by August, I find a familiar Orioles face to be an interesting member of the free agent group. Miranda was traded for Wade Miley in 2016, and in Seattle, he’s been able to find decent success for a smaller prospect. He only made one start in 2018 but was able to maintain a 5.12 ERA – which, may I remind you, wouldn’t be terrible for any other young O’s pitcher who comes up – through 10 starts in 2017. If Elias wants to add depth to compete for the 4 and 5 spots in the rotation, I think Miranda is an arm that could stick.

5. Adam Jones – OF

Jones is the elephant in the room when it comes to free agent players linked to the Orioles. Elias left the door open at Fanfest, though I really find this unlikely. The O’s have a ton of young outfielders who could be given a shot this season, most notably Austin Hays, Yusniel Diaz and Ryan McKenna. At this point, it seems a given that Cedric Mullins and DJ Stewart will be on the Opening Day roster, as well. Where Jones could make himself valuable is as a veteran leader to guide the young bucks as they hit the big leagues. Certainly, this type of signing isn’t unheard of, but I feel that Elias would have made this move by now if he were truly interested in it. For me, this is the type of thing that could go down if Jones’ market is significantly lower than he’d expected – so low that the Orioles find him as valuable as his price tag.

As the Ravens enter the 2019 offseason, the strengths and weaknesses of the squad are apparent. While some weaknesses are certainly more glaring than others, Steve Bisciotti, Eric DeCosta and John Harbaugh will aim to resolve each of the problems to the best of their ability now, so that they do not resurface next year. With that in mind, I will take some time this week to take a look at the Ravens’ biggest needs – in order of urgency – at this point in time, as well as determining how they can best be addressed.

1. Interior Offensive Lineman

In my opinion, this is the most important position for the Ravens to attack in the upcoming offseason, not only because it essentially single-handedly doomed their season but also because they probably need more than one player at the position. The team has failed to find a center to anchor the group, Alex Lewis is injury prone and, quite frankly, isn’t very good when he’s on the field as it is, and Marshall Yanda is another year older. I think DeCosta will push for two players and will split the search between the draft and free agency. In free agency, one of the top guards available could be in play as a starter for the Ravens, while I cannot see the team passing on a first-rate center in the draft, come April.

2. Wide Receiver

Yet again, the Ravens will be looking to reshape their wide receiver room in the offseason. Michael Crabtree and – in my eyes – John Brown will almost certainly be gone, with Willie Snead being the only receiver of substance that sticks around. Luckily, unlike last year, the Ravens will have a bit of a safety blanket in the talent that lies at the tight end position, but there’s no getting around the fact that the team needs a true go-to guy. Unfortunately, the free agent class isn’t great, though I agree with Jason that Tyrell Williams would be a brilliant get if at the right price. Still, just like the offensive line, wide receivers such as DK Metcalf, Nykiel Harry, or Kelvin Harmon will not slip past Baltimore in the draft if there isn’t a superior lineman available; the Ravens need to bring in more than just one free agent.

3. Middle Linebacker

If the Ravens resign CJ Mosley it will be hard to make room for another guy at inside linebacker, but I still think there’s a tremendous hole in the defense. They simply can’t cover the middle of the field. Peanut came on at the end of the year and Kenny Young showed flashes of being a good contributor, but I still believe that the hole is so big that it can’t be overlooked. That being said, I think the only way to go about this is with a mid-to-late draft pick. There’s no reason to invest considerable money or value into a player who will sit behind Mosley. Of course, there’s a big if involved in that statement, and if the Ravens decide to let the Pro-Bowler walk, they will surely look to solidify that position immediately.

4. EDGE Rusher

As we all know, Terrell Suggs could return to the Ravens for one or two more years, maximum, if at all. Simultaneously, there’s a good chance that Za’Darius Smith has priced himself out of Baltimore with a strong season. Sure, there’s Matt Judon and the hope that Tyus Bowser and/or Timmy Williams finally develop, but let’s face it, the Ravens will need to get around to this position eventually. In my opinion, the guy to target is someone who got injured at the right time: Ziggy Ansah. He’s been a great rusher before with the Lions, but because of his injury he might be signed for less than he’s worth – that screams Baltimore, to me. In addition to Ansah or another free agent, the Ravens should look at this position in the draft. Considering the fact that this year’s is talented and deep for the position, why not throw a mid-round selection at a couple guys who could be immediate contributors? For me, I like Wyatt Ray out of Boston College and Nate Hall out of Northwestern.

5. Backup Quarterback

What?? How could backup quarterback be a big need going into the season? Well, for all of you who have serious questions about Lamar Jackson’s health, shouldn’t this be a concern? The Ravens had the luxury of holding Robert Griffin on their roster last year, but he won’t be sticking around to be in scrubs on Sundays this year. If he’s going to be in Baltimore, he’s going to have an opportunity to dress. Therefore, the question is, do the Ravens trust RGIII to hold that position if NewEra8 goes down? In my opinion, the team should thank Griffin for all that he taught Jackson last year and turn toward a reunion with a former backup for the team: Tyrod Taylor. We know that Taylor is a similar style quarterback to Jackson, and we also know that he is a hard worker who can win games if needed. He probably won’t get an opportunity as a start, so if he’s forced to backup somewhere in 2019, why not somewhere that he’s done it before?

Overall, I would argue that the Ravens season was a success. Sure, the end of their campaign was disappointing, and we couldn’t help but hope that the squad had a Super Bowl run in it, but the team finished with a strong 10-6 record and hosted a playoff game for the first time since 2012. That being said, if we dig a little deeper and consider specific aspects of the season, there are certainly some things I liked, and some that I didn’t. Hence the title of this blog, I am going to list the 5 things I liked the most, and the 5 that were the most frustrating.

Things I Liked:

1. Lamar Jackson

This will continue to be discussed for a long time: how strong a start our new quarterback got off to when he was given the reigns. Jackson led the Ravens to a 6-1 record to push them into the postseason, but even beyond his statistical success, he gave Baltimore hope for a nice transition out of the Flacco era and showed that he has the skills to be successful long-term, if he’s developed properly.

2. Wink Martindale’s Defense

In my opinion, the fact that Wink wasn’t hired as a head coach is somewhat surprising. The man took an old defense with the same players that Dean Pees had at his disposal and transformed them into an aggressive, suffocating defense. Early in the season, this unit kept the Ravens afloat and by the end of it, with the help of the clock-eating offense, it pushed them over the top. Wink deserves endless credit for what he did with the group.

3. Mark Andrews

I’ve been so excited by Andrews’ production this year, as he was a consistent member of the attack with both Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson at the helm. I hope he will continue to improve and become more utilized on all downs – if he does that, he could really become a threat.

4. The Rushing Attack

In many ways, this works in tandem with Lamar Jackson, but I still think that I was most impressed with the development of this facet of the offense once he took over. Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon ran hard and won games for the Ravens, and though I think this group could still use a real gamebreaker to take it to the next level, as a fan I am happy with what the team has moving into next year.

5. The Rest of the Rookie Class

I’ve already hit on Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, and even Gus Edwards, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the rest of the young talent that Ozzie Newsome brought into Baltimore in his final year as GM. Though Hayden Hurst’s season was shortened by injury, tackle Orlando Brown, Jr. was a tremendous pick in the third-round, center Bradley Bozeman contributed with him on the line, defender Kenny Young saw a fair share of snaps behind Mosley and Onwuasor, and Anthony Averett flashed potential in the secondary. In addition, players such as Jordan Lasley, Jaleel Scott, DeShon Elliott and Zach Sieler appear to have the talent to make an impact if given the chance. All around, this year’s class was deep and talented!

Things I Didn’t Like:

1. Marty Mornhinweg

The second season under Marty’s offense was more of the same, as the unit was hampered by his lack of ingenuity. Obviously, he has been replaced by Greg Roman, who I see to be an upgrade, but if not for his play calling, this team may have found themselves stealing a first-round BYE in the playoffs. Even if not, they probably would have beaten the Chargers.

2. Michael Crabtree

The man who was brought in to solidify the receiving core and be the leader of the group ended up being the most frustrating and least productive. His issue with drops and inability to separate caused the offense a great deal of pain, especially when Flacco was under center. Don’t let his pair of late touchdowns against LA fool you, Crabtree had an awful season.

3. The Coverage of Tight Ends

For all that CJ Mosley and Peanut Onwuasor were able to accomplish down the stretch, this duo remains unable to cover tight ends. You could throw Eric Weddle and Tony Jefferson into this discussion, as well, because having a safety with that capability would seriously help the situation. Covering tight ends may be the most glaring ailment of the defense, and it is something that must be solved either through the draft, through scheme, or through development.

4. Turnover Battle

If there’s one thing that was particularly surprising to me about the defense, it was their apparent inability to force turnovers, especially as the season began. In 2017 the team led the league in interceptions, but this year they struggled to get their hands on the ball. It was puzzling. Couple that with Lamar Jackson’s glaring ball-security issues and you’ll see the problem that the Ravens faced. If you win the turnover battle, you often win games. They’ll have to do a better job of that next year.

5. Special Teams Coverage

This might not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of an entire season, but the poor special teams coverage on both punts and kicks seemed, to me, to be a consistent issue for the Ravens this season and I hated it. Baltimore is supposed to be one of the strongest in that facet – it’s how they would win when they miss the offensive phase of the game – yet a few breakdowns played a major role in their loss to the Chargers in the Wild Card round. Instead of trying to be cheeky and pin teams back by placing it along the sideline on kickoffs, just punch it through the end zone. Keep it simple and take away any risk.

On Sunday afternoon, the 12-4 Los Angeles Chargers will be the first team to see a Lamar Jackson-led Ravens offense for the second time, and in reality, that’s what this game is all about. People will point to the dominance of the Ravens defense two Saturdays ago, claiming that a similar effort from that unit will be more consequential in deciding the game than the offense’s performance may be. In reality, those two squads work in tandem; the success of the offense leads to higher levels of success for the defense. This is evident in the fact that our defense has been making key stops to win games instead of allowing key scores to lose them in the second half of this season, most notably in the final minute of the contest with Cleveland that crowned the Ravens ‘Kings of the North.’ But, with all that said, why is it so important that the Chargers will be seeing the Ravens for the second time in three weeks?

The biggest argument made against Lamar Jackson since he was inserted into the starting role is that his offense is unsustainable, whether that be due to durability or the league catching on. Because the Chargers will have faced this unorthodox scheme before, this will be the first opportunity to see how well teams can combat it. There’s no doubt that Anthony Lynn will make adjustments, I honestly can’t wait to see what he puts in place. What will be so very critical, however, is the adjustments that Marty Morninwheg makes in response. How will he predict and counter the moves that the Chargers make to make Lamar’s day difficult? What tweaks will he add to the offense to make it more formidable now that the Ravens are in the playoffs? Can he manage the offense and make improvements without offsetting the balance of the attack and hindering Jackson’s skills?

A similar challenge will face Wink Martindale, as it’s another certainty that Chargers OC Ken Whisenhunt will make changes to improve the unit’s performance from their last outing against Baltimore, which was miserable. Two weeks ago, Phillip Rivers could not stay off his back, struggling to contain the Ravens’ pass rush – two interceptions and a crucial Antonio Gates fumble resulted. Part of that challenge facing Martindale is the fact that Chargers tight end Hunter Henry is likely to return from a season-long injury. How useful he’ll be is yet to be seen, but if the Chargers were truly careful with his ailment and had planned for his return come playoff time, he could be a new wrinkle that undoes this Ravens defense.

With that note on the challenges facing Baltimore this weekend, I believe there are a few keys that will bring the team closer to a victory over the Chargers. They’re rather predictable and are similar to those of each of the previous 7 games under the Lamar Jackson regime, but they’re still important and cannot be done without.

First, and I think most importantly, the defense has to rattle Phillip Rivers. There’s no doubt that Rivers lacks an ability that some other QBs the Ravens have faced do not: the ability to scramble. Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes, the two slingers that have given Baltimore the most trouble since Jackson took over, both have that ability and made plays by getting out of the pocket and making spectacular throws. The most notable example of this is the 4th and 9 play that nearly ended up haunting the Ravens in their playoff push, but plays such as the Mayfield’s 2nd and 10 splash play just before the half will eventually bite this team. Luckily, Rivers will not be able to escape in the way that Mahomes or Mayfield could. If the Ravens can hit him early, often, and completely, the Chargers offense will struggle once again – especially with M&T Bank rocking.

Second, Lamar Jackson has to take care of the football. He’s fumbled 12 times since taking over, an unacceptable number if the Ravens are going to succeed in January. Some of the plays are flukey, and it’s clear that Jackson recognizes the problem and is working to address it, but now is the time for that to end. It’s the playoffs, the Ravens cannot sacrifice drives and momentum anymore.

Third, Jackson has to have success in the passing game. Now, how do I measure success? I don’t mean to say that the Ravens should come out firing, playing “Marty-ball” and ignoring the running game, but I do think it’s important that the team keeps LA honest, especially as they make the aforementioned adjustments to beat the rushing attack of Baltimore. For me, success would be Jackson hitting the throws that he has available to him – the “gimmes.” He’s been strong over the middle, so keep the throws that direction. Hit the tight ends, Hayden Hurst and – one of my favorite players on the team – Mark Andrews. Hit Willie Snead, the type of player I expect to step up and put forth a gritty performance in the playoffs. Hell, even hit Michael Crabtree, who was paid to be the top target in games like this. If Lamar can be accurate and efficient with the chances they do take in the passing game, the runners will have holes and another big game.

Each of these three keys is relatively realistic, which I wanted to make sure of, so I do think it’s very possible that the Ravens are able to achieve them. If they can make all three happen, I think Baltimore will win handily. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to dominate an NFL team, especially twice in three weeks. As a result, I expect the Ravens to do two of the three, allowing the Chargers to hang around.

This game is going to be close, just as most Ravens games are, and because of that, I think the attendees will be a huge factor. There’s a lot of talk about the Chargers being 7-1 on the road this year, but a few of those wins were simple wins: Buffalo, Cleveland, Oakland, Denver. Of course, a few were incredibly impressive, winning in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, and Seattle, but Baltimore will stack up as one of those, not one of the former list. In addition, this is a playoff game in a city that has been starving for a look of their Ravens in the tournament again. The Ravens Flock will be out for the kill, and they’re going to get it.

I really believe that the Ravens can make a run at this thing, and even though the matchup with the Chargers is formidable, I have a gut feeling that they’ll squeek it out.Final Score: Ravens, 27 – Chargers, 20

The Ravens won a game that they should have last week, beating Tampa Bay at home 20-12. As expected, they were fairly dominant, but it would have been disappointing if they hadn’t been. Given the elements at play, I thought Lamar Jackson was fine again, though this fumbling thing is a bit troubling, even for a real fan of his like I am. As I said, though, it was a necessary but expected win for the Ravens, so I’m going to quickly move past it and look at this critical, season-defining matchup against the Chargers.

Personally, I feel that San Diego – I mean, Los Angeles – is the best team in the AFC, and one of the best in the NFL. Their comeback win at Arrowhead was inspiring, and was a true test of their identity- they certainly passed. If only the Ravens had done the same.

This tie at the soccer stadium has now become an incredibly interesting one, with huge playoff implications that include the 1,2,5 and 6 seeds. Tony Dungy made a comment on Twitter about it but noted how it’s rather unfair that the Ravens must go cross-country to face the Chargers on the road when LA had 10 days rest to the Ravens’ 5.

Baltimore can’t and won’t make excuses, though, because if they lose this game they will likely be eliminated from playoff contention. The Steeler’s win against the Patriots foiled the plan for the Ravens, and now we must hope that they fall in the Superdome to the Saints and the Ravens win out. Even though the Ravens are currently the 6-seed ahead of Tennessee and Indy, both of those teams face each other in Week-17 and have an easy matchup this Sunday. As a result, the Ravens have to take care of business on Saturday night, no matter how daunting a task.

To do that, I think it is imperative that they control the clock, I know, shocker. That might sound easy considering how well they’ve done it the past 5 weeks, but LA’s defense is a different animal for Lamar, and I am somewhat worried about whether or not he’ll succeed, especially given the extra time that the Chargers have had to prepare.

LA has two of the best edge players in the NFL in Bosa and Ingram, so the Ravens might find it tough sledding to get the Gus Bus going. I’m looking for Harbaugh to rotate the backs until he finds one that gets some footing.

Running the ball out of the backfield should open things up a little more for Jackson, but either way, this is a game – like Kansas City – where he will have to make some big throws. I’m not saying that to suggest that he can’t do it, but I want to see if he’s really a winner. Actually, I lean toward saying that he is.

One thing the Ravens do have going for them this week is the aforementioned soccer stadium that the Chargers play in. It’s going to be less rowdy than an LA Galaxy game, and if Jackson can handle Arrowhead, he can handle this game.

In my opinion, even a stellar Lamar Jackson performance might not spell a win for the Ravens. These Chargers are something else and are looking more and more like the team that will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. They are motivated, too, hoping to overtake the Chiefs for the division title. For that reason, I simply can’t pick the Ravens, as much as I’d love to.

Here’s to praying for a Tennessee and Indianapolis loss next week. Go Redskins and Giants!!!

Final Score: Ravens – 23, Chargers – 29