Ravens vs. Giants: Three Things to Watch
The Baltimore Ravens make their return to the field in a matter of hours, taking on a struggling New York Giants team at MetLife Stadium.
After the much-needed bye week, the Ravens kick off a stretch of three games in 11 days that will test them physically and mentally. The Giants are the easiest opponent during this stretch by far, but still demand their attention.
With that said, here's three things fans should keep an eye on throughout the game.
Can Ravens Continue Post-Bye Success?
Under John Harbaugh, the Ravens are an exceptional 13-3 coming off their bye week, including wins in each of the past three seasons. They had to work for that win last year, though, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 37-31 on a walk-off punt return touchdown in overtime.
A well-rested Ravens team facing a struggling, injured opponent should lead to continued success after the break, but no win in the NFL should be taken for granted (more on that later).
How Will Ravens Attack Giants On The Ground?
It feels like the Ravens' offense has slowed down over the past three games, but on the ground, they've still hovered around their season average. Still, they have no doubt that the ground game can be better, and now they have a chance to prove it against the league's worst rushing defense. Expect Derrick Henry and even Justice Hill to see a ton of carries throughout the day, even more so than usual.
Will Ravens Avoid Another Trap?
All of the Ravens' losses this season have been frustrating, but two of them stand out above the rest. Those would be losses to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 and Cleveland Browns in Week 8. Those two teams have a combined five wins (one coming in a game against each other), but two of them have come against Baltimore.
The 2-11 Giants look like easy prey, but the Ravens have fallen into such traps before. With two huge games immediately after this, Baltimore best make sure it isn't looking ahead and overlooking this game.