A battle of two teams looking to keep pace in their respective divisions, the Baltimore Ravens travel to Lincoln Financial Field to battle the Eagles this Sunday. Winners of their last two games and currently sporting a 4-1 record overall, Baltimore’s offense still appears to be finding its footing through five weeks, with the team ranked 30th in passing yards and 24th in total yards early on. For the Eagles, the 2020 season has been anything but pretty. Ranked in the bottom half of the league in almost every major statistical category on offense, Doug Pederson’s team has been decimated by injuries. Still, just half a game back of the division-leading Dallas Cowboys despite their 1-3-1 record, both the Ravens and the Eagles will be hungry for a victory in week 6, making this one of the more intriguing games of the 1 o’clock slate.
The Eagles
Fresh off a hard-fought loss last week at the hands of their inter-state rival in the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Eagles remain surrounded by question marks through five games of the season. Searching for consistent targets after a slew of injuries at wide receiver, the team has been led by 2019 sixth-round pick Travis Fulgham to make plays in the passing game. Currently leading the team with 209 receiving yards after appearing in just two games, Fulgham has quickly developed chemistry with Wentz. One week removed from a 150-yard receiving day in week five, the Eagles will once again rely on him in this matchup with starting receivers Alshon Jeffery and Desean Jackson already ruled out for Philadelphia.
In tough against a Baltimore secondary that is among the toughest in the league, the Eagles will need an increased contribution from tight end Zack Ertz and running back Miles Sanders. Held to just five catches in his last two games, the team will need Ertz to step up with the ongoing slate of injuries at receiver if they hope to pull off the upset. Likewise, after a long touchdown run against Pittsburgh last week, Sanders was bottled up for the majority of the game. Failing to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark in any game this season, Carson Wentz and company could use a big day from their ultra-talented back to slow down the Ravens defense.
The Ravens
In a similar situation to the Eagles on the offensive side of the ball, the Ravens have been searching for a third option to step up in the passing game behind Marquise Brown and tight end Mark Andrews. After 19 targets between the pair in their victory against the Bengals last Sunday, with seven others combining for 17, Brown and Andrews now have over half the team’s targets so far this season. Expected to be matched up with Eagles offseason acquisition Darius Slay, Brown will be in touch during this contest. Playing at an all-pro caliber level once again in 2020, Slay has been targeted 27 times, allowing only 18 receptions for 180 yards. Along with this, he has yet to allow a TD in coverage, with opposing quarterbacks having a passer rating of 85.4 when throwing the ball his way.
A clear bright spot for John Harbaugh’s team this season has been the play of the team’s defense. Currently averaging over 3.2 sacks per game, look for Baltimore’s defensive line to create havoc on Sunday against an Eagles offensive line that has allowed Carson Wentz to be sacked 19 times this season, trailing only Cincinnati for the highest total in the NFL.
Game Info
Date: October 18th, 2020
Start Time: 1:00 P.M. est
Location: Philadelphia PA
Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field
TV Info: CBS
Betting Odds Sponsored by Jazz Sportsbook
Points Spread: BAL -9.5 (-110) | PHA +9.5 (-110)
Moneyline: BAL -440 | PHA +340
Over/Under: O 46.5 (-110) | U 46.5 (-110)
Favored by more than a touchdown in this matchup, the Ravens enter the game 3-1-1 against the spread this season while the Eagles enter an unimpressive 1-4 ats. With each win by Baltimore coming by double digits through five games, expect this trend to continue on Sunday. With a surprisingly low over-under total of 46.5, take the Ravens to cover the nine and a half spread along with the over in this matchup with the Eagles supplying enough offensive firepower to push the game total over the number.
Prediction
A game that I expect to be a slugfest in the first half look for the Ravens defense to harass Carson Wentz all game long and force multiple turnovers. While the Eagles offense has looked solid the last two weeks after a slow start to the season, the Ravens will outclass them in this one and win the game by multiple scores.
Final Score: Baltimore 33 Philadelphia 20
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