Ravens vs. Buccaneers: Three Things to Watch

Two of the top teams in their conference clash when the Baltimore Ravens face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) rushes during the second half against the Washington Commanders at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Week 7 will conclude with one of its better matchups when the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers clash on Monday Night Football.

Baltimore enters the primetime matchup riding a four-game winning streak and is coming off a 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders. The Buccaneers got back into the win column with a 51-27 win over the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints in Week 6.

Here are three things to watch when the Ravens (4-2) and Buccaneers (4-2) face off at Raymond James Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET.

Can Baltimore slow down Mike Evans and Chris Godwin?

Few remedies are worse for a faulty pass defense than having to face one of the best receiving tandems in football.

Godwin is on pace for a career season, catching 43 passes for 511 yards and five touchdowns through six games. Evans has also played well to begin the year with 25 catches for 310 yards and five touchdowns. Together, alongside quarterback Baker Mayfield, they're second in passing touchdowns (15) and average the eighth-most passing yards per game (230.3).

The Ravens' pass defense has left plenty to be desired and has allowed the most passing yards per game (275.5) this season. Baltimore has allowed over 250 passing yards in four of their six games this season.

Stopping Evans and Godwin is a tall task for any defense, but if Baltimore can't at least slow the tandem down a little bit, it could find itself having to win another shootout.

Can Baltimore run the ball?

The Ravens leaning on their running game has effectively turned their season around.

Since Week 3, Baltimore has averaged 274 rushing yards per game. Running back Derrick Henry has been at the heart of the Ravens' rushing attack, averaging 128.5 rushing yards over his last four games and scoring six touchdowns.

For the season, Baltimore leads the NFL with 205.3 rushing yards per game. Henry leads the NFL with 704 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns and has scored the longest touchdown on the ground this season with his 87-yard run on the Ravens' opening play from scrimmage against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.

The Buccaneers' defense has typically been one of the stouter units against the run. They rank ninth in rushing yards allowed per game and have held their last two opponents to well under 100 yards on the ground. Having defensive tackle Vita Vea in the middle after he was questionable with a hamstring injury will only make things more difficult for the Ravens.

If the Ravens can find consistent success on the ground against Tampa Bay, it'll be proof their rushing offense may indeed be impossible to defend with quarterback Lamar Jackson and Henry.

Can the Ravens pressure Baker?

It may be cliché and apply to every quarterback, but the difference between Mayfield with time and when he's under consistent pressure is night and day.

In his worst game of the season against the Denver Broncos, he was under siege all game and sacked seven times, leading to him completing 25 of 33 passes for just 163 yards and he threw just one touchdown and an interception. In the other game Tampa Bay was held to 20 points or less, he was sacked five times by Detroit Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Mayfield completed 12 of 19 passes for 185 yards and threw one touchdown and an interception in a 20-16 win for the Bucs in Week 2.

Outside of those two games, Mayfield has only been sacked five times and has thrown for 1,141 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions.

The Ravens' defense is seventh in the NFL with 19 sacks. If Baltimore is going to contain a Buccaneers offense that's third in football in points per game (29.5), it needs to have Mayfield under constant pressure throughout the night.

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