In the spirit of Thanksgiving, a battle of the birds is going down on Sunday, and if there is any game worth tuning in to, it’s this one. This matchup features the league’s top two running backs, a leading MVP candidate and a pair of threatening defenses.
The Lamar Jackson show rolled on in Baltimore’s Monday Night Football win over the Chargers. Surrounding cast members like Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews also came up big to remind everyone that they are still that good despite a Week 11 loss. The Eagles had a field day in L.A. in Week 12, marked by Saquon Barkley’s 302-yard performance and a five-sack beatdown from Philly’s defense for good measure.
Seven straight wins has earned Philly the well-deserved No. 3 spot in this week’s NFL Power Rankings, No. 1 in overall rushing efficiency and top 10 rankings in both pass and run defense efficiency. Meanwhile, Baltimore is ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in passing and rushing efficiency, respectively, No. 2 in run defense efficiency, and No. 5 in the Power Rankings. In other words, both teams threaten to upend everything that the other does well. Forget can’t-miss — this is must-watch.
The Ravens have allowed the second-lowest explosive run rate (4.5%) to running backs this season, having allowed just 3.3 yards per carry. They’ve also allowed opposing running backs to gain just 2.6 yards after contact per carry this season, the fewest in the NFL.
Saquon Barkley has recorded a league-high 29 explosive runs this season, nearly matching his career high of 32, set in 2022.
