3 Keys to a Win vs. Patriots | Baltimore Ravens Final Drive

3 Keys to a Win vs. Patriots | Baltimore Ravens Final Drive

Sunday night football returns to Mnt Bank Stadium and it doesn’t get much bigger than this. The Ravens and the Patriots meet in week 16 with momentum on both sides. Baltimore has won six of its last eight. New England has won 10 of its last 11 and both teams know what’s at stake as December football ramps up. The Ravens are coming off one of their most complete performances of the season, a shutout win in Cincinnati. But John Harbaugh has said it all week. This Patriots team can beat you in multiple ways. So if the Ravens want to protect home turf in prime time in the final home game of the regular season, here are my keys to the game. In my opinion, it starts as it often does for Baltimore on the ground. The Ravens are one of the most productive rushing teams in football. And while New England ranks among the league’s best against the run, the last month tells a different story. We just saw Buffalo have success against the Patriots by sticking with the run and leaning into physical football. Baltimore did the same thing last week in Cincinnati. Derrick Henry carried the ball on the opening plays to set the tone. And as the game wore on, the runs got bigger and more punishing. As a team, they rushed for nearly 200 yards. That’s the Ravens blueprint. Stay patient early, trust the run game, and let it break a defense down over four quarters. In December, when bodies are sore and the weather gets colder, that kind of approach can flip a game in the second half. And the King has made a career out of wearing down defenses this time of year. Just as important is what the Ravens do with the run game defensively. Zachor’s unit is coming off a shut out against the Bengals offense that had been putting up points in bunches. But this Patriots rushing attack presents a different kind of challenge. New England ran the ball extremely well last week using a mix of speed, power, and quarterback involvement. They rushed for nearly 250 yards a season high and scored four touchdowns on the ground. Rookie Trayvon Henderson brings explosive home run ability, but Raadre Stevenson is dangerous, too. Physical downhill style and capable of taking over stretches of a game. But there’s an opportunity there for the Ravens defense. Since last season, Stephvenson has more fumbles than any running back in the league with 10. And that’s something Baltimore can take advantage of. This week, it’s not just about stopping the run, it’s about attacking it. Gang tackling, punching at the football, turning physical stops into takeaways. Finally, this key belongs to the flock. Mnt Bank Stadium in prime time has long been one of the toughest environments in the NFL and Sunday night gives Baltimore a chance to reassert that edge. Lamar Jackson has been dominant at home late in the season and historically the Ravens have thrived under the lights at the bank. That said, the challenge is real. Patriots quarterback Drake May has been outstanding and undefeated in prime time this season. calm, efficient, accurate, nearly 900 passing yards and zero interceptions under the bright lights. He’s shown he can handle big moments, but he hasn’t faced a Ravens crowd at full volume on a Sunday night in Baltimore. Noise matters, disrupting communication matters. Making a young QB reset, burn timeouts, or rush decisions can swing momentum fast. The Patriots also haven’t lost a road game this season. So flock, let’s hand them their first on Sunday. Run the football, attack the run, and turn Mnt Bank Stadium into a true home field advantage. If the Ravens can check those boxes, they give themselves a chance to deliver another statement win. This time under the brightest lights of the season. Fans, just a reminder, get to the stadium early on Sunday because the first 15,000 fans will get this 30th anniversary scarf. That’s it for me today. Thanks for watching and we’ll see you Sunday night at the bank.

The Ravens need to limit Drake Maye and the Patriots big plays and keep Derrick Henry rolling against a strong defensive front.

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