Baltimore Ravens vs. Buccaneers: Three Things to Watch

Week 7 will end with one of the best matchups when the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet on Monday Night Football.

Baltimore enters the primetime matchup riding a four-game winning streak with a 30-23 victory over the Washington Commanders. The Buccaneers got back into the win column with a 51–27 victory over the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints in Week 6.

Here are three things to watch when the Ravens (4-2) and Buccaneers (4-2) go head-to-head at Raymond James Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET.

There are few things worse in poor pass protection than facing one of the best receiving tandems in football.

Godwin is in good shape for a career season, catching 43 passes for 511 yards and five touchdowns in six games. Evans also started the year strong with 25 catches for 310 yards and five touchdowns. Along with quarterback Baker Mayfield, they rank second in passing yards (15) and average the eighth-most passing yards per game (230.3).

The Ravens’ pass defense leaves much to be desired and has allowed the most passing yards per game this season (275.5). Baltimore has allowed more than 250 yards in four of its six games this season.

Stopping Evans and Godwin is no easy task for any defense, but if Baltimore can’t at least slow the tandem down a bit, it may need to win another shootout.

The Ravens, relying on their running game, essentially turned their season around.

Since Week 3, Baltimore has averaged 274 yards per game. Running back Derrick Henry has been the focal point of the Ravens’ rushing attack, averaging 128.5 yards over the last four games and scoring six touchdowns.

Baltimore leads the NFL with 205.3 rushing yards per game this season. Henry leads the NFL with 704 yards and eight touchdowns and scored the longest touchdown on the ground this season, running 87 yards on the Ravens’ first play back from scrimmage against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.

The Buccaneers’ defense has typically been one of the strongest groups against the run. They rank ninth in yards allowed per game and have held their last two opponents to less than 100 yards on the ground. Having defensive tackle Vita Vea at center after he was questionable with a hamstring injury will only complicate things for the Ravens.

If the Ravens can find consistent success on the field against Tampa Bay, it will be proof that their rushing offense truly cannot be defended by quarterback Lamar Jackson and Henry.

It may be a cliché and applies to every quarterback, but the difference between Mayfield over time and when he’s under constant pressure is night and day.

In his worst game of the season against the Denver Broncos, he was under siege the entire game and was sacked seven times, completing 25 of 33 passes for just 163 yards and just one touchdown and interception. In another game, Tampa Bay scored 20 points or fewer and was sacked five times by Detroit Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Mayfield completed 12 of 19 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown and an interception in the Bucs’ 20–16 Week 2 victory.

Outside of those two games, Mayfield was sacked just five times while throwing for 1,141 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions.

The Ravens’ defense ranks seventh in the NFL with 19 sacks. If Baltimore is going to contain a Buccaneers offense that ranks third in football in points per game (29.5), it needs Mayfield to be under constant pressure all night long.

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