Baltimore Ravens

3 Reasons The Baltimore Ravens Can Beat The New England Patriots

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Baltimore Ravens can pose as a major threat to AFC powerhouse New England Patriots on Monday night

Monday night’s match-up between the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots is going to be a fun one.

These two teams have been dominant forces in the AFC in recent years. They have met in the playoffs numerous times and their last meeting was a 35-31 thriller won by New England.

The Patriots (10-2) sit as the #2 seed in the AFC while the Ravens (7-5) sit at the #3 spot. If the playoffs started today, there is a possibility these two would meet up in the divisional round.

This game has major playoff implications. The Ravens are virtually tied atop of the AFC North with the Pittsburgh Steelers and they cannot afford a loss. Both teams control their own destiny to the playoffs and the Ravens biggest test of the season comes against the Patriots on Monday night.

The road to the Super Bowl will be through either Oakland or New England and I think the Ravens could beat both of these teams.

Here are 3 reasons why the Ravens can beat the Patriots on Monday night.

Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

A Record Setting Defense

Defense wins championships right? The Ravens are certainly firm believers in that.

Compared to last season, the defense has vastly improved. The Ravens are on pace to produce record setting numbers on the defensive side of the ball. They currently rank 1st in run defense, only giving up 73.8 yards per game. The defense also ranks 1st in total yards allowed and 2nd in points per game allowed.

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This defense is also battle tested. Ezekiel Elliot, Le’Veon Bell, and Jay Ajayi were all held under 100 yards against the Ravens. There are not some scrub running backs. Keep in mind, these 3 rank in the top 10 in rushing yards this season. The front seven has the ability to get to both stop the run frustrate the top running backs in the NFL. Legarrette Blount is more than a handful, but I trust that the defense will be able to slow him down.

With the absence of Rob Gronkowski, the Ravens have caught a huge break. The All-Pro tight end is the best in the game and is impossible to guard. With Jimmy Smith back, I think the Ravens secondary matches up well with the Patriot’s receivers. Rookie corner-back Tavon Young can cover the elusive Julian Edelman or Chris Hogan and Jimmy Smith can match-up with Malcolm Mitchell. C.J. Mosely has show his ability to cover in the passing game and will provide much needed help on the massive Martellus Bennett.

Plus, who doesn’t love to watch the match-up between Terrell Suggs and Tom Brady. It is clear that there is bad blood between the two and it is always a show when the two teams play.

A Calm Quarterback

They do not call him “Joe Cool” for nothing.

No he might not put up the numbers like an Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees, but Joe Flacco does enough to win games. A 2-2 career record against the Patriots on the road is impressive considering Foxborough is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. No matter the atmosphere, the quarterback’s expression never seems to change. He is calm, cool, and collected and plays some of his best games on the road.

Coming off of his best performance of the season on Sunday, Joe Flacco must keep his momentum going. No one is asking him to throw for 5 touchdowns against the Patriots, but he must stay mistake free. He needs to  avoid forcing the ball into double and triple coverage. The team can manage 1-2 interceptions against a team like the Browns, but it is completely different with the Patriots. The last thing the Ravens want is for Tom Brady to have the ball in his hands.

The Ravens can beat the Patriots because Joe Flacco plays well when it matters. No matter how bad he might play in the early months of the regular season, his play elevates in December and January.

An Elite Kicker

You may argue that Joe Flacco is not an elite quarterback, but there is no question that Justin Tucker is an elite kicker. He is cocky and knows he is good.

The 5th year pro has not missed a single field goal this season and has never missed an extra point in his career. With recent rule changes, the extra point is not a gimme and field goals are a luxury.

Tucker is not just automatic in short yardage, but from all distances. Against the Bengals alone he hit from 52, 54, and from 57. I’m convinced that he could make it from 70 if the John Harbaugh gave him the chance.

While the offense seems to be back on track, they cannot score a touchdown on every drive. There are going to be times when the Ravens will have to settle for field goals. In a game against Tom Brady and company, every point matters. The Patriots offense can put up points in the blink of an eye. I expect this game to be a close one and it could come down to a field goal or extra point.

In the past, Tucker has put the team on his back and won games when the offense hasn’t produced. The Ravens should not settle for the field goals Monday, but if that have to then they are in good hands.

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