Week Three: Detroit Lions (1-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

[MichiganCardinal]

          vs.          

Setting: 09/22/2025 8:15pm EST on ABC & ESPN

Site: M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD

Weather: 81° High / 68° Low, 23% chance of rain, 7mph wind

Opening Spread: Ravens -5.5

All-Time Series Record: Ravens lead, 6-1

Last Meeting: 10/22/2023, Ravens won 38-6

 

Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

Head Coach: John Harbaugh (18th Season: 173-105)

Projected Starting QB: Lamar Jackson (8th Season: 71-25)

Last Game: 41-17 W vs. Cleveland Browns (0-2)

Looking Ahead to Week #4: Sunday Night @ Kansas City Chiefs (0-2)

 

Your Detroit Lions (1-1)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (5th Season: 40-29-1)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (10th Season: 82-53-1)

Last Game: 52-21 W vs. Chicago Bears (0-2)

Looking Ahead to Week #4: Sunday vs. Cleveland Browns (0-2)

 

Elsewhere in the NFL

Primetime: Dolphins @ Bills (TNF), Chiefs @ Giants (SNF)

1:00pm: Falcons @ Panthers, Packers @ Browns, Texans @ Jaguars, Bengals @ Vikings, Steelers @ Patriots, Rams @ Eagles, Jets @ Buccaneers, Colts @ Titans, Raiders @ Commanders

4:05/4:25pm: Broncos @ Chargers, Saints @ Seahawks, Cowboys @ Bears, Cardinals @ 49ers

[MichiganCardinal]

Prepping for Lamar

[Tenacious D]

In other moves, the Ravens just signed Joique Bell to their practice squad.

[number20]

Trap game for the Ravens. I'm feelin' it. They're thinking they got this

 

[RandyMarsh]

 

[MichiganCardinal]

Personally, I’m shocked.

[Motown Bombers]

Top two pass rushers and top TE out. 

[Sports_Freak]

Look for the road warriors to go in and upset the favored Ravens. 27-24 Lions.

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, Sports_Freak said:

Look for the road warriors to go in and upset the favored Ravens. 27-24 Lions.

I wouldn’t be surprised. The team that went into Baltimore two years ago and got slapped was a different Lions team. They hadn’t quite learned how to be good yet.

Lamar is great, but there is no reason they can’t go punch for punch with him.

[Motown Bombers]

Just now, MichiganCardinal said:

I wouldn’t be surprised. The team that went into Baltimore two years ago and got slapped was a different Lions team. They hadn’t quite learned how to be good yet.

Lamar is great, but there is no reason they can’t go punch for punch with him.

The Ravens are missing their top two pass rushers and their defense hadn't exactly been dominant. 

[StrangeBird]

Lamar Jackson is 24-2 against NFC teams. 

[MichiganCardinal]

10 minutes ago, StrangeBird said:

Lamar Jackson is 24-2 against NFC teams. 

24-3 after tomorrow night!!!!

😤 😤 😤 😤 😤

[Motown Bombers]

Patrick Mahomes was once undefeated at home against NFC teams. 

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, StrangeBird said:

Lamar Jackson is 24-2 against NFC teams. 

So he's lost before. Good to know...😆

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I wouldn’t be surprised. The team that went into Baltimore two years ago and got slapped was a different Lions team. They hadn’t quite learned how to be good yet.

Lamar is great, but there is no reason they can’t go punch for punch with him.

The Lions need to control the clock to keep the Ravens offense off the field. And stop the 2 headed Raven rushing attack of Lamar and Henry. What would be really sweet would to beat them on a last second 66 yard field goal.

[MichiganCardinal]

Jamo was asked about this play and quoted saying that he knew it would be a touchdown before the ball was snapped, but "would keep why to himself" (paraphrasing)

It's too bad offensive mastermind Ben Johnson left us...

[MichiganCardinal]

Just now, Sports_Freak said:

The Lions need to control the clock to keep the Ravens offense off the field. And stop the 2 headed Raven rushing attack of Lamar and Henry. What would be really sweet would to beat them on a last second 66 yard field goal.

I'm not that worried about the rushing defense. They've been pretty stout this year and really good at plugging holes. I'd be surprised if Henry runs free. I think the keys to victory are:

1) Making Lamar a little uncomfortable. It sounds dumb because it's almost impossible to do; he just takes off when he feels pressure. But if Hutch can get home once or twice in the first few drives, they can get some creative blitz packages in there, and just make Lamar see some ghosts, he will start taking off before he needs to. That's when our defensive line can get him, before he breaks contain and we are chasing him all over the field like two years ago.

2) Linebackers playing disciplined. One big piece that is different from two years ago is our linebacking corps. I think Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, and Derrick Barnes are one of the most underrated linebacking corps in football this year. Two years ago, it was the same three, but Campbell was a rookie in his 7th game ever. He got schooled. They need to be flying sideline to sideline this week.

3) The offense needs to be flawless. There is no room for a stalled start or missed assignments. They need to go into this game like they need to score every time they touch the ball. First to 50 wins. That likely won't ultimately be the case, but it needs to be the attitude. The Bills showed you that it's possible to score some points on the Baltimore defense. Go execute. I would also agree with you that to the extent they can control TOP, that will work in their favor. But more than anything, just score points. Every. Single. Time. I'll take a 1-play, 75-yard pass to Jamo in 0:08 over a 14-play, 68-yard methodical drive that results in a field goal. Whether the defense is gassed or not, Lamar is going to score points.

[holygoat]

3 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Jamo was asked about this play and quoted saying that he knew it would be a touchdown before the ball was snapped, but "would keep why to himself" (paraphrasing)

It's too bad offensive mastermind Ben Johnson left us...

Wait, you mean to tell me that Ben Johnson didn't invent conditioning a defense to expect a particular thing from a particular set by running it multiple times, then doing something different out of the same set later? My entire worldview is shattered...

[MichiganCardinal]

Just now, holygoat said:

Wait, you mean to tell me that Ben Johnson didn't invent conditioning a defense to expect a particular thing from a particular set by running it multiple times, then doing something different out of the same set later? My entire worldview is shattered...

Of course he didn't, that's ridiculous.

He just taught Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Jameson Williams, Jared Goff (of course), and Sam LaPorta everything they've ever known about football, and they're now doomed without him.... Actually add TeSlaa to that list too, just in case.

[Motown Bombers]

So CBS tweeted out this graphic:

but someone was missing, so here’s the updated graphic:

[Motown Bombers]

 

[lordstanley]

37-27 Baltimore. Lions’ offense struggles tonight on its first two possessions before hitting its stride, so is playing catch up the entire game. Keeps it relatively close but the Ravens never feel in danger. 

[holygoat]

I feel oddly confident the Lions will, at a minimum, keep this close the entire game.

[RandyMarsh]

1 hour ago, lordstanley said:

37-27 Baltimore. Lions’ offense struggles tonight on its first two possessions before hitting its stride, so is playing catch up the entire game. Keeps it relatively close but the Ravens never feel in danger. 

This is my feeling as well. If they manage to get out of the first quarter still in good shape I will feel pretty good about their chances but I just have a bad feeling it's gonna start off like the Packers game. 

[Hongbit]

I don’t have a feel on how the defense will hold up but I will be shocked if this Ravens defense comes anywhere near slowing us down.   35 points at least and that should be enough.   
 

Lions 41

Ravens 31