The Baltimore Ravens will be looking to pick up where they left off when they welcome Terrell Suggs and the Arizona Cardinals to M&T Bank Stadium.
Lamar Jackson threw five touchdown passes against the Miami Dolphins and the Ravens broke all sorts of records in the 59-10 hammering, including most points scored in a game and biggest margin of victory.
Debutants Mark Ingram and Marquise Brown, and also Mark Andrews, stood out with 100-yards apiece on the offense, so the Ravens will be eager to continue their winning start to the new season.
As for the Cardinals, rookie quarterback Kyler Murray lead a remarkable fourth-quarter comeback to force overtime, with the game ending 27-27 with the Detroit Lions.
Jackson Shines In Season-Opener
It was a statement, but after the game, Head Coach John Harbaugh admitted that the win would only mean something if they followed it up with another one and then another one.
Dominant. That’s probably the best way to describe the Ravens in Week 1 and quarterback Jackson certainly silenced a few of his critics too.
Jackson went 17-for-20 for 324-yards and five touchdowns, while Brown, Ingram and Andrews also surpassed the individual 100-yard mark in the game.
Not only did the offense shine in the game last Sunday, but the new-look defense did too with Earl Thomas, former Seattle Seahawks safety, and Marlon Humphrey both intercepting Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Miami are certainly not one of the strongest teams in the NFL, but you can only beat what’s put in front of you. The Cardinals will provide a tougher test, but Harbaugh’s side will be just looking to pick up where they left off.
Suggs Makes Emotional Return to Baltimore
Coming out of college and into the 2019 Draft, high expectations were placed on the shoulders of rookie quarterback Murray.
The Cardinals’ offensive line didn’t offer a great deal of protection to Murray in the game against the Lions last week, with Detroit sacking the rookie on five occasions.
However, Murray showed experience beyond his age when he guided the Cardinals to a fourth-quarter comeback to force overtime.
Suggs spent 16 years in Baltimore, won a Super Bowl and was selected for seven Pro Bowls. He admitted that coming back, playing for another team, would be “weird”.
Suggs, along with Michael Crabtree, who spent the 2018 season with the Ravens, will be playing for the Cardinals.
Prediction
The Ravens will have too much for their opponents, for the second consecutive week. Watching the game last week, the Dolphins offered very little, but it was a professional performance from Harbaugh’s side and they got the job done, in emphatic fashion.
Lamar will throw three touchdown passes against the Cardinals, with Andrews scoring one of those. I also believe Mark Ingram will have a touchdown and 100-yards to his name come the end of the game.
This Ravens defense is as strong as it has been in recent years, they will force turnovers in the game. If the Cardinals are to surprise the league and get the victory, they will have to do a better job of protecting Murray than they did last week.
Arizona Cardinals 13-34 Baltimore Ravens