Ravens vs. Buccaneers Preview: Sunshine and Rainbows

The Baltimore Ravens head down to the Sunshine state looking to win their fifth-straight game.

Oct 27, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is sacked by Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (50) in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

If the start of the Baltimore Ravens' season was a dark storm, then this recent stretch is a bright, sunny day.

Following an 0-2 start, the Rvaens have won four straight and look like one of the best teams in the league once more. The pairing of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry has lived up to the hype and then some, and the offense looks unstoppable now that it's rolling.

So, what better place to play for a fifth-straight win than in the Sunshine State?

In front of a national audience on Monday Night Football, the Ravens will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a matchup of 4-2 teams. The Bucs put up a whopping 51 points last week, and with the Atlanta Falcons' loss on Sunday, they hold the lead in the NFC South. With both teams playing very well, it should be another good matchup for Baltimore in a season full of them.

On offense, the Bucs' bread and butter is simple: Baker Mayfield throwing to his two star wide receivers in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans (who is a game-time decision). A new wrinkle to the offense is the rushing attack, as rookie Bucky Irving and NFC Offensive Player of the Week Sean Tucker helped Tampa Bay run for 277 yards last week, the most by any team in a single game this season.

The Ravens' defense has dominated against the run and struggled against the pass this season, so how they adjust to an offense that can do both will be fascinating to watch.

"Baker has been doing a great job since he's gotten there, and their offense is running pretty smoothly right now," safety Kyle Hamilton told reporters Thursday. "They're playing physical. They have a few backs back there who are running the ball pretty hard. Their scheme is good, receivers are good, quarterback is good, [and the] O-line is playing [well]. So yes, it's a good challenge for us to go into Tampa Bay and hopefully come out with a win."

Defensively, the Bucs could be a bit shorthanded with cornerback Jamel Dean being ruled out and defensive tackle Vita Vea being questionable. However, this defense still has a ton of talent with veteran linebacker Lavonte David patrolling the middle and arguably the league's best safety in Antoine Winfield Jr. in the secondary. Much like Baltimore, Tampa Bay is noticeably stronger against the run than the pass.

Of course, there's also the storyline of Jackson's dominant 22-1 record as a sttarter against NFC teams, which he'll look to improve on once more.

"[It's] just an all-around team effort [and] gameplan," Jackson said. "It's probably because we see each other [every once in a while], so it's hard to game-plan for us. [It's] a little bit of everything."

The last meeting between these two teams came in 2022, when the Ravens beat the Bucs 27-22 on the road in Tom Brady's final NFL season. In that game, also a primetime showdown, Jackson led three long touchdown drives in the second half for an impressive comeback.

Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.

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