Will Home Crowd Turn Hostile?

Have a holly jolly gameday, the Baltimore Ravens play on Christmas Eve. The Ravens walk into this game carrying adversity and baggage.

There’s so much to talk about so let’s dive into it.

We have four downs and we’re going for it.

First Down: Home Crowd may not be a Friendly Crowd

The Baltimore Ravens haven’t been playing the most exciting brand of football. The Browns loss was one of the worst games in franchise history, and the aftermath of that game hasn’t been pleasant for anybody involved with the team. John Harbaugh probably didn’t mean to antagonize fans for being critical of the Ravens, but his “guys at the end of the bar” line has consequences, and has reverberated throughout the Flock.

Baltimore sat through a 10-9 win over the Denver Broncos, and saw the Ravens struggle in a 13-3 win over the Carolina Panthers. Fans want to see a more exciting brand of football, and they were essentially just insulted by the head coach.

There’s mounting pressure for change. Most of the pressure comes because a large chunk of fans desperately want to see Greg Roman fired. This season is unique. The Ravens have nine wins and a good chance at a playoff spot, yet the sky feels like it has been falling for over a month. If the Ravens’ offense sputters in this game, the crowd could turn to boos.

Think about your conversations about the Ravens this week. Whether it’s been talking with coworkers or just venting with your friends, I bet it hasn’t been fun. Maybe it’s been cathartic, but I doubt that it’s been fun. There’s passion and a love for the team that is strong, but the Ravens are playing with fire if they come out of the gates sputtering or if the offense remains stagnant.

Second Down: Bet the under

The Ravens are having scoring problems, putting up 16 or fewer in four of their last five games. The Falcons average 21.9 points per game. The Baltimore defense only gives up an average of 19.8 points per game. This is going to be more of the same.

The Ravens probably won’t blow anybody out of the water right now. Tyler Huntley vs. rookie quarterback, Desmond Ridder, probably isn’t the marquee matchup of the weekend. It’s a real possibility that the injury-hampered Huntley doesn’t even finish the game.

On the Falcons’ side, it’s hard to be overly confident in a rookie quarterback against the Ravens’ defense. The Ravens have been one of the best teams at taking the football away. This could be like stealing candy from a baby. Against the Saints, he went 13-for-26 for 97 yards and was sacked four times.

The Falcons’ defense is a lot like that of the Cleveland Browns in that they struggle to stop the run. The Ravens should be able to move the football. This is a game that offers them zero excuses. Will they score the points that will make this matter? The Ravens had plenty of chances to score against the Browns, and they walked away with three points. The Ravens’ offense will likely dominate the time of possession battle. That being said, Justin Tucker will probably be busier kicking field goals than he will be kicking extra points.

Whatever you do, don’t bet on a surplus of points from this matchup.

Third Down: Two veteran defensive leaders will be out

While the Ravens’ defense should have your confidence in this game, injuries are a factor you have to consider. Calais Campbell and Marcus Peters are both ruled out for this game. That means Brandon Stephens has to step up at cornerback. The Falcons probably already planned to ignore Marlon Humphrey. Now it’s certain that they will eagerly attack Stephens. Campbell being out doesn’t help the pass rush. The Falcons have some playmakers on their offense.

Drake London has 54 receptions as a rookie. Olamide Zaccheaus averages over 14 yards per reception. Stephens needs to play solid and the safeties need to play well to prevent big plays from changing this matchup in the Falcons’ favor. Don’t underestimate the impact of missing two battle-tested starters.

It shouldn’t break the defense, but it could act as a little source of hope for Atlanta.

Fourth Down: Potential X-Factors 

For the Falcons, Cordarrelle Patterson is the ultimate X-Factor. Patterson is one of the best kickoff returners in the NFL. Patterson is also able to make the big play on the ground. He’s built like a receiver but he’s a dangerous running back. If the Ravens aren’t careful on special teams Patterson could return a kick for a touchdown. If the Ravens struggle to tackle, Patterson will make them pay for it.,

For the Ravens, Sammy Watkins is an X-Factor. Watkins was just acquired, but he was with the team last year and can step right in. For once, it helps that the Ravens never change anything on offense. Watkins could give the receiving unit a bit of a boost. With Devin Duvernay out for the rest of the regular season, adding Watkins can’t hurt. The offense needs all the help they can get.

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