Physical game expected with Ravens.
BALTIMORE — Forgive Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs if he gets a little mistyeyed thinking back to the old days.
The question was about Raiders quarterback Derek Carr’s mobility, and the challenge it will present Sunday.
“Every week, you get a mobile quarterback,” Suggs said. “Not everybody is Michael Vick and Tyrod Taylor, but these quarterbacks can run now.
“There aren’t any more Drew Bledsoes who just stand there and take it like a man; God bless him. All these quarterbacks are looking to make plays with their feet to extend plays and make plays downfield.”
Annoying quarterbacks with survival instincts aside, Suggs knows this game between his undefeated team and the Raiders (2-1) will be an old-school, physical “battle.”
“They have been working a lot to be one of the better teams in the AFC. It has been proven,” Suggs said. “They have an inspired coach. They have a lot of good players at their skill positions, so it is definitely a challenge.
“But we get to line up and play football. Anytime you do that, it is a gift, it is an honor. Now, we are just going to compete.”
The Raiders’ offensive line loves to compete, and that’s why it is the heart of this team, leading the way to 148 yards rushing per game and only allowing two sacks.
“It’s fun,” right guard Gabe Jackson said. “We just keep delivering body blows until they start to think about it, and that’s when you knock them out.”
Oakland comes in with the second-ranked offense in the NFL (436 yards per game) and the 32nd-ranked defense (476 yards). Baltimore, on the other hand, is No. 2 in defense (254 yards) and No. 25 in offense (324).
“It’s going to be an extreme challenge,” Carr said. “They’re very physical, no one’s beat them yet and it’s going to be very tough, especially going into their place.”
The Raiders are 2-0 on the road for the first time since 2002, but the Ravens are obviously a little tougher than the Saints (0-3) or Titans (1-2).
“It’s just two games,” Carr said. “We’ve taken care of business so far, but we feel that there’s room to grow and that’s a good thing.”
Carr completed 30 of 46 passes for 351 yards with three touchdowns in last September’s 37-33 win over the Ravens in Oakland.
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, meanwhile, is shooting for his third straight game against the Raiders with 300plus yards. Oakland is last in the league, allowing 16 completions of 20 yards or more, and Flacco thinks if Baltimore gets the running game going Sunday, that will really open things up.
“I think once we start going, and once everybody gets the confidence that Mike (Wallace) and Steve (Smith Sr.) have out there and that Dennis (Pitta) is getting, I think we will really start to put some points on the board,” Flacco said. “Once we get some chunk plays out of the run game, that will make it a little easier.”
It’s hard to imagine Pitta having any more confidence, giving the Raiders’ history of not covering tight ends.
Oakland needs to get some pressure on Flacco, and only has three sacks on the season.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh is worried that Raiders defensive linemen Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin might put it all together Sunday.
“(General manager) Reggie (McKenzie) and (coach) Jack (Del Rio’s) plan is to be very physical, to be fast, to dominate in the trenches,” Harbaugh said. “I think that’s their goal and they put a team together that can play that way. … I’m sure this one will be very physical.” Get your kicks: The Raiders’ Sebastian Janikowski and the Ravens’ Justin Tucker are two of the best kickers in the league, but a comparison shows they’re far apart in crunch time.
Tucker ranks first in the NFL in career field-goal percentage in the second half or overtime, at a clip of 91.4 percent. Janikowski is 63rd at 79.7 percent (mininum 20 attempts).
Tucker is second all-time (91.1 percent) when his team is losing by one to seven points. Janikowski ranks 61st, at 75.2 percent.