Ravens passing game vs. Raiders pass defense
The Ravens begin the 2021 NFL season on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders on “Monday Night Football.” Here’s who has the edge in each phase of the game:
The Ravens went from a lowvolume, high-efficiency passing offense in 2019 to a lowvolume, medium-efficiency passing offense in 2020. They’ll look to do better with quarterback Lamar Jackson operating behind a revamped offensive line and a receiving corps bolstered by free-agent addition Sammy Watkins. Tight end Mark Andrews (58 catches, 701 yards, 7 touchdowns) and wide receiver Marquise Brown (58 catches, 769 yards, 8 touchdowns) were Jackson’s favorite targets, and they’ll be at the center of the operation again. But much will depend on the offensive line, which will be different at every position from the unit that failed to protect Jackson in the team’s playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills last season. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley will try to show he’s back to All-Pro form after ankle surgery, and center Bradley Bozeman will try to bring stability to the middle after switching from left guard. They’ll start out against one of the league’s worst pass defenses from 2020. The Raiders allowed opposing quarterbacks to average 7 yards per attempt, 27th in the league, and ranked 30th in third-down defense. They drafted safety Trevon Moehrig in the second round and added former Raven Yannick Ngakoue to rush off the edge, but they still lack high-end veterans in the secondary.
EDGE: Ravens