Baltimore’s prime time visit Thursday to Raymond James Stadium to face Tampa Bay features two teams currently tied for the lead in their respective divisions.
The Ravens are trying to build some momentum in a short week, after Sunday’s win against Cleveland. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, are trying to reverse some offensive missteps, after losing four of their last five games.
Tampa Bay can only hope that its most recent and most hapless loss last Sunday in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers was rock bottom. The Ravens will share the national spotlight with the Buccaneers, and in a sense are in similar territory.
Tampa Bay, falling to 3-4 after the Carolina loss, are tied for first place in the NFC South with Atlanta and hold a head-to-head tiebreaker. Baltimore is 4-3 and are also tied for first in the AFC North with Cincinnati, also holding the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Bengals.
Despite just a one-game difference in records, the two teams have had vastly different routes arriving at their records. Baltimore has had a trio of late-game losses. Through six games and a 3-3 record, the Ravens trailed for a total of just two minutes. Baltimore has a plus-20-point scoring differential despite a grueling early season schedule.
Tampa Bay, on the other hand, is a mess. Offensively the Buccaneers are struggling, and the defense just can’t seem to figure things out for an entire four quarters. Hopes were high in South Florida for a team that had Tom Brady back for a third season, a run that includes a Super Bowl trophy in 2020, and 13 wins last season.
Offensive line injuries and a suddenly weak passing game that is anything but consistent has plagued the Bucs all season. Tampa’s last two losses were against bad teams that previously had just one win each.
Baltimore’s defense could present major problems for Brady. While the Ravens defense has been pedestrian this season, they can apply a huge amount of pressure with their talented front and secondary. With Tampa Bay’s struggling offensive line, it might be a long night for Brady.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson is just as capable of stressing the Tampa defense with his legs as with his arms. Not only is Jackson fourth in the NFL with 13 touchdown passes, he’s also run for two more scores. Jackson is also the Ravens’ leading rusher with 510 yards. It will be tough sledding for Tampa to defend designed QB runs, even more difficult when Jackson improvises and scrambles.
Thursday Night Football games might offer a bit more difficulty for the visiting team, which must add travel time to a short preparation week. The Ravens have played in Thursday night contests in the previous two seasons, so they have a blueprint on how to prepare, and an extra incentive in facing the future Hall of Fame QB Brady and are excited about the opportunity.
Even having lost four of his last five starts, the Ravens aren’t letting their guards down. They know all about who Brady is. On Thursday night when they face the Buccaneers, Baltimore expects to see Tom Brady at his best.
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