From the outside, there are a lot of commonalities between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens. From their records so far [4-2 each] to the number of stars at their disposal [Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson, Mike Evans, Derrick Henry, etc], and their offensive prowess, the two teams look a lot alike. However, it all changes when it comes to the defense.
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The Ravens have the best-rushing offense in the league today, and there is no doubt about it. Statistically, they have raked up a whopping 1,232 rushing yards in 6 games, and from a talent perspective, the names Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson are enough proof.
But how will they fare against a Tampa Bay defense that has neutralized the Eagles, Lions, and the Commanders — three teams with the best rushing attacks after the Ravens?
While one might argue that Baltimore can outscore Tampa Bay to victory, it has to be noted that Baker Mayfield & Co. is the best passing offense in the league [1,896 yards]. So as stats suggest, the game will be decided on the defense and this is where the Bucs have an upper hand.
Interestingly, the advantage for the Bucs’ secondary comes from their performance against Derrick Henry last season, where they held him to just 24 rushing yards.
The key factor behind this success was how effectively the Bucs executed their tackles. However, the challenge is different now. Derrick is no longer in Tennessee—he’s in Baltimore, and now he has Lamar Jackson, an elite dual-threat quarterback, by his side.
This is a dual-threat rushing attack and the way to neutralize it is simple — gang up on the duo. While this might use up all the energy of Logan Hall & Co. and leave extra space for Zay Flower, history has shown that neutralizing Lamar and Derrick is the best way to stop the Ravens.
But this is half the job done. The other half falls on Mayfield!
Buccaneers can capitalize on Ravens’ poor passing defense
On the passing front, the Ravens’ defense is ranked at the bottom of the league with an average of 275.7 passing yards allowed per game. They have also allowed 11 passing touchdowns in this process.
Their rushing defense, meanwhile, is the best in the league with an average of 59 yards allowed per game. This unfortunately plays right into the Buccaneers’ strengths because they are amongst the best passers of the league.
The Bucs average 230.3 passing yards in six games with 15 passing TDs scored — things cannot get clearer than this that they are heavily reliant on passing.
So, what happens when Mayfield, one of the most efficient passers in the league, meets the worst passing defense? We will find out tonight, but based on logic and theory, this is the best possible scenario for the Bucs.
