OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The 3-5 Baltimore Ravens travel to Minnesota this Sunday to face the 4-4 Vikings in a place where they have never won in franchise history. Despite their 1-5 start to the season, there's growing optimism that this three-game road stretch could be the turning point for Baltimore's season.
Sunday's matchup presents significant challenges for the Ravens. The Vikings' aggressive blitzing schemes have caused major problems for quarterbacks this season, including sacking Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff five times just last week.
Ravens looking to get a win over the Minnesota Vikings and improve to 4-5
"They're gonna run their blitzes. They're going to run their simulated blitzes. They're going to run their bluff blitzes. They're gonna line up and play too. They're going to disguise coverage, you know, they're gonna be split safety a lot. They have been," said Ravens coach John Harbaugh.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has history with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, struggling against his schemes in a 2021 matchup when Flores was with the Miami Dolphins. However, Jackson has made significant improvements against the blitz since then.
"I try to focus on everything I could to get better, you know, and blitz' was one of them because early on in my career I believe we was getting sacked, like crazy," Jackson said. "Me just getting older, you know, older in my career, 8th year, it's like, man, we gotta get the ball out, gotta know where the protection is, know where the hots are. Just execute."
The Vikings will counter with second-year quarterback JJ McCarthy, who will be making just his fourth career start.
"The guy's a fighter, you know, he's just a real fighter. He's a never say die guy, you know. He never says die within a play. He never says die within a series, never says die within a game. Never says die within a season," Harbaugh said of McCarthy.
For the Ravens, history could be made this weekend. Tight end Mark Andrews needs just 18 yards to surpass Derrick Mason as the franchise's all-time receiving yards leader.
"Feel incredibly blessed, you know, one, to, you know, be a part of such an amazing organization, you know, throughout these last eight years," Andrews said.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday in Minnesota.
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