It’s the matchup of the week as the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs battle it out for a top spot in the AFC. With two powerhouse teams hitting the field against each other, it’s must-watch television already with huge ramifications down the line in the AFC playoff race.
The writers here at Ravens Wire have looked over the matchup and feel confident in their bold predictions again this week. These bold predictions are definitely plausible and all in good fun, even if a little out there.
Matthew Stevens:
Lamar Jackson throws for 400-plus yards and runs for another 100
The Ravens have been able to throw the ball with relative ease over the last two weeks, though they haven’t really needed to. This week, they’ll have to keep pace with Kansas City’s high-flying offense and that means putting points on the board. I look for Jackson to step up his game once again when asked to put the team on his shoulders in order to win.
Jackson has his first career 400-yard passing game and tops 100 yards on the ground for the second consecutive week.
Chuck Mills:
Lamar Jackson outplays Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium
While Mahomes will have to deal with a Ravens’ defense that gave him all he could handle last year and doesn’t appear to be letting up through two games, Jackson will have no such problem on his end. Jackson will continue to prove that he’s the real deal by showing up Mahomes, who has already established himself as a top-five quarterback in his young career. Jackson will post a perfect passer rating once again on Sunday and force the rest of the NFL to accept that both he and the Ravens are going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2019 and beyond.
Kevin Oestreicher:
The Ravens secondary bounces back picking off Patrick Mahomes twice
The Ravens’ secondary allowed Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to throw for 349 yards, something that not many people expected. Chunk plays and a bit of luck played a factor, but there were multiple blown reads and assignments by players who rarely make mistakes. In a big game like this against Kansas City, I expect the Baltimore secondary to play to the level everyone knows they can and force a few turnovers from the high octane Chiefs’ offense.
Wola Odeniran:
Ravens defense doesn’t allow a touchdown vs. Chiefs
Baltimore’s defense received a lot of criticism over the week when they allowed rookie quarterback Kyler Murray to throw for 349 yards in Week 2 vs. Cardinals. Ravens safety Earl Thomas said he will eliminate all the big plays. They will. The Chiefs red zone offense ranks No.27 in the league, only converting below 40 percent of their red-zone scores into touchdowns. Baltimore’s defense will bottle up Kansas City’s offense
Alex Bente:
Ravens force Patrick Mahomes under 300 passing yards and 2 interceptions
Even though Sunday’s matchup features two of the hottest young quarterbacks in the league, it’s the Ravens defense that will be the talk of the game. The less-than-stellar showing against the Cardinals gives Earl Thomas, Marlon Humphrey and the secondary the motivation (and tape) they need to prepare accordingly for Kansas City’s explosive offense. Watch as they limit Mahomes to under 300 yards passing and force two interceptions.
Neil Dutton:
Repeat performance from Lamar Jackson
This game is going to be bonkers, with two of the most electrifying young playmaking quarterbacks duking it out. Last week, Lamar Jackson became the first QB ever to pass for 270 whilst rushing for 120. Well, this week he’s going to become the first player to pass for 300 while rushing for 150. This game is going to be hell for defenses and defensive coaches, but an absolute treat for the rest of us.
