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The Baltimore Ravens Week 8 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals feels like a mismatch. That's no major revelation, but there is a wild card that, while it probably will not come into play this weekend, would certainly make this a more compelling matchup.
John Harbaugh has his team firing on all cylinders coming off a 38-6 home thrashing of the Detroit Lions in Week 7. The Lions were riding high, the talk of the NFL, and the Ravens dispatched them with absolute ease. It feels like a game you look back on after a team wins the Super Bowl and realize that's when everything changed. Overreaction? Perhaps. But it was a statement win either way.
As for the Cardinals, all eyes are on Kyler Murray, the franchise quarterback who will almost certainly be on the sidelines on Sunday. Despite being cleared medically and practicing with no injury designation, coach Jonathan Gannon will ride with Joshua Dobbs under center for at least another week, feeling no pressure or reason to rush Murray back into the lineup.
So, no, there is no “Kyler Murray is back!” hot take below. But we do have some Ravens Week 8 predictions for their game against Arizona. Enjoy at your own pace please.
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Mark Andrews goes for 50 receiving yards and a score
Since Baltimore's win over the Cleveland Browns, Mark Andrews has been balling out. From Weeks 4-7, he has recorded at least 60 receiving yards in each game. Targets are aplenty (no fewer than five across that span), although touchdown distribution has been funky. (He has a couple of two touchdown games sandwiching two games in which he was blanked.)
In four of its seven games, the Arizona defensive unit has allowed opposing teams' tight ends to get to the 50-yard mark. They have, however, been stingy in not allowing a tight end to catch a touchdown this season.
Andrews is an elite tight end, so we feel comfortable forecasting him bucking this trend. He'll get to 50 yards himself, and he'll record a score for good measure.
Under 200 yards for Cardinals offense
In Week 4, the Ravens beat the Browns 28-3. Part of why the Browns struggled so much was they were starting a backup at quarterback, needing to call on Dorian Thompson-Robinson in place of Deshaun Watson. Cleveland recorded 166 yards of total offense in a miserable display.
Joshua Dobbs is better than Dorian Thompson-Robinson. But he's still a backup QB masquerading as a starter. Facing an aggressive, rabid Ravens defense, Dobbs will struggle to get anything going on offense. It would be great to have James Conner to lean on, but the running back is still on the IR with a knee injury.
That all adds up to something ugly for Arizona. Or something beautiful for Baltimore, depending on how you look at it. But we'll set the over/under at 200 yards for the Cards' offense and take the under.
Kyle Hamilton brings the pass rush
Kyle Hamilton is having a Pro Bowl caliber season. The safety is a chess piece that can move around the field for the Ravens, covering a variety of roles. One thing he hasn't done much of is get to the quarterback, outside of one game. Putting aside his three sacks against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3, Hamilton hasn't brought a passer down.
Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald has had fun using Hamilton so far this season. Time to unleash him as a pass rusher.
Ravens handle business in desert, soar over Cardinals
Yeah, not sure this one needs a ton of explanation.
Baltimore has given up 42 points in its last four games total. No opponent has scored more than 17 against them in over a month.
The Cardinals scored 9 points in Week 6, then upped that total to 10 in Week 7. They've been held under 20 points in four of their seven games.
See where this is going? The Ravens win, and win big.
