3 predictions as Washington looks to pull off upset against Ravens originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Ravens come down to Washington for a 1 p.m. Sunday game as two touchdown favorites, with most of the world expecting a huge win for Baltimore.
On some level, it's hard to see a reason that won't come true.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is coming off his worst game of the season, but so is Washington QB Dwayne Haskins. Jackson threw for fewer than 100 yards, while Haskins got over 200 yards but that came with three interceptions.
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What will happen Sunday? Here are some guesses:
- The Ravens Bounce Back - Baltimore averaged 35 points in the first two games of the season before running into the Kansas City buzzsaw last week. Lamar Jackson wasn't very good, and his pass catchers didn't help much, and the Ravens only scored 20 points. Don't expect that to happen again, and if Baltimore gets their ground game working, this could be hard for Washington to keep up.
- QB Moves - The country might be watching to see how Jackson responds from being out-dueled by Patrick Mahomes last week. The D.C. area is watching to see how Haskins responds to a four-turnover game last week in Cleveland. Washington Football head coach Ron Rivera met with Haskins this week to make clear the second-year QB understands his play needs to improve, and if it doesn't, then Rivera might look for a change. Stay tuned on this one for sure.
- Star Non-Power - Chase Young isn't playing this week, and that's a major blow for the Washington Football Team. In two games, Young registered 2.5 sacks and was tied for the NFL lead, but after a groin injury in the first quarter last week against the Browns, Young hasn't played. He won't go against Baltimore, and the team is smart to be cautious with the No. 2 overall pick. Young looks like a game wrecker and a defensive force for Washington for a long-time, but his absence will be felt Sunday.
It's hard to see a Washington win against Baltimore, but that doesn't mean it has to be ugly. If Haskins' play doesn't improve and switching quarterbacks becomes a real option, that would be ugly.
