After blanking Joe Burrow, the Ravens will try to shut down another hot quarterback.
Coming off a 24-0 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens return home to face the New England Patriots, led by MVP candidate Drake Maye. In only his second season, Maye leads the league in completion percentage (70.9%) and only four quarterbacks have thrown for more yards. He's a major reason the Patriots (11-3) are atop the AFC East.
The Ravens (7-7) are still in a must-win stance with three regular-season games remaining, as they trail the Pittsburgh Steelers by a game in the standings.
Heading into Baltimore's final home game of the regular season, here's everything you need to know:
Basics
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m., Sunday, M&T Bank Stadium
TV: Local, WBAL Channel 11 (Baltimore), NBC (national), Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline)
Radio: WBAL (1090 AM), 98 Rock (97.9 FM), Sirius XM Radio Ch. 85 or 225. For affiliates in your area, click here:
History
New England leads the all-time series, 11-5, including the playoffs, but holds a slim 3-2 edge in Baltimore.
They last met in 2022, when the Ravens captured a 37-26 decision in New England. Lamar Jackson threw four touchdown passes, ran for another score, and accounted for 325 yards of total offense (218 yards passing, 107 yards rushing). Mark Andrews caught two touchdowns and had eight receptions for 89 yards. Rookie Kyle Hamilton had a key forced fumble.
The Ravens and Patriots have squared off in a host of memorable encounters, including Baltimore's 28-13 victory in the 2012 AFC Championship Game. Two weeks later, Baltimore won the second Super Bowl title in franchise history.
Stakes
The Ravens remain in control of their playoff fate and can capture a third straight AFC North title by winning out. A loss would further damage Baltimore’s playoff hopes, putting a team with high expectations on the brink of elimination. The Patriots will clinch a playoff berth with a victory, but a loss will drop them into a tie for the AFC East lead if the Buffalo Bills (10-4) win on Sunday.
Storylines to Know
Will the Ravens' defense play lights out again?
The shutout against Cincinnati was Baltimore's best defensive game of the season. The pass rush led by Dre'Mont Jones, Tavius Robinson, and Travis Jones was relentless, as Burrow was hit 10 times and pummeled into mistakes. Maye has been sacked 43 times, and while he doesn't get flustered easily, any quarterback can be rattled by a consistent pass rush. Another stellar defensive performance from Baltimore's front seven could lead to victory.
Which team will win in the red zone?
This is an interesting matchup, as Baltimore's offense is ranked 31st in red zone efficiency while New England is ranked 32nd in red zone defense. The Patriots are solid defensively, ranked seventh overall, but they've struggled to stop opponents once they get inside the 20. Baltimore skipped over the red zone with big plays against Cincinnati, scoring on a pick-six and on touchdown passes of 30 and 28 yards. However, the Ravens need to take advantage of red zone opportunities against New England the way other teams have.
Can Baltimore reclaim its home field advantage?
The Ravens are 3-5 at home and can't afford a third straight loss at M&T Bank Stadium. The Patriots are the only NFL team still unbeaten (6-0) on the road, so entering "The Bank" in prime time isn't likely to intimidate them. Baltimore wants to get the crowd going early with a fast start, and reestablishing home dominance has been a point of discussion this week.
X-Factor Players
RB Derrick Henry
Henry is coming off another 100-yard rushing performance, and the Patriots gave up 107 rushing yards to James Cook in their loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15. New England has been susceptible on the ground since defensive tackle Milton Williams was lost to an injury in Week 11. Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel and Henry go way back from their days together with the Tennessee Titans. Vrabel knows what Henry can do, but that doesn't mean he can stop it.
DT Travis Jones
The Patriots' running back tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns against Buffalo. Jones is playing the best football of his career and wants to dominate the line of scrimmage. He will play a key role in defending New England's rushing attack.
CB Marlon Humphrey
With his interception against Cincinnati, Humphrey has 21 for his career, fourth all-time in franchise history behind Ed Reed (61), Ray Lewis (31), and Chris McAlister (26). Humphrey has a knack for making clutch plays and he's the type of corner that a young quarterback like Maye must be wary of. Humphrey will take on even more importance if Chidobe Awuzie (foot) doesn't play.
