Ravens vs. Colts: 7 fun facts about this Week 9 matchup

Seven nuggets for you to impress your friends with regarding this matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts in Week 9

Week 9 of the 2020 season features at least one game between two teams firmly in the AFC playoff picture. The 5-2 Baltimore Ravens take on the 5-2 Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, with the Ravens looking to bounce back after losing to the Steelers last week. The Colts meanwhile are coming off a comfortable victory over the Detroit Lions.

This matchup goes beyond the action on the field, both for the teams and the people of Baltimore. There are a host of connections between these two teams, some you may be aware of and others that may surprise you. Here are seven nuggets about this rivalry for you to drop into conversations leading up to the game, leaving your listeners blown away by the depth of your knowledge.

AFC playoff picture: Steelers still lead the way in the AFC after Week 8

A look at the AFC playoff picture as we approach the halfway mark of the 2020 season.

The faces in play for a spot in the AFC playoff picture remained the same after Week 8. But there was some juggling of places, with wins and losses in the last week of NFL action bringing about some slight re-ordering of the seeding.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, the last remaining unbeaten team this season, continued their winning start to remain atop the AFC. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh’s win came at the expense of the Baltimore Ravens. Still, with both the Ravens and Cleveland Browns losing, the AFC North holds three of the prized seven playoff berths in the conference right now.

Let’s see how the AFC playoff picture looks following Week 8.

2021 NFL Draft order: Ravens drops a spot after Week 8 loss

How would the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft look if the season ended today? The Ravens sit near the back of the first round.

The return to action did not bode well for the Baltimore Ravens, who fell to 5-2 following a Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are now two games back from the AFC North-leading Steelers, who remain unbeaten. It’s created quite the shakeup in the 2021 NFL Draft order near the midseason mark.

After moving back to No. 27 last week, the loss has pushed the Ravens forward to No. 26. If Baltimore’s place holds true this season, it’ll be just the third time the team has selected a player at that point in the draft, with very mixed results. Both wide receiver Breshad Perriman and linebacker Ray Lewis were selected with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2015 and 1996 NFL Drafts.

Let’s take a look at the full 2021 NFL Draft order following Week 8, thanks to NFL.com.

Selection	Team	Record
1	NY Jets	0-8
2	NY Giants	1-7
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	1-6
4	Miami Dolphins (from HOU)	1-6
5	Atlanta Falcons	2-6
6	Dallas Cowboys	2-6
7	Washington Football Team	2-5
8	LA Chargers	2-5
9	Minnesota Vikings	2-5
10	New England Patriots	2-5
11	Cincinnati Bengals	2-5-1
12	Carolina Panthers	3-5
13	Detroit Lions	3-4
14	Denver Broncos	3-4
15	San Francisco 49ers	4-4
16	Miami Dolphins	4-3
17	Las Vegas Raiders	4-3
18	Chicago Bears	5-3
19	Philadelphia Eagles	3-4-1
20	Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)	5-3
21	Cleveland Browns	5-3
22	Indianapolis Colts	5-2
23	Arizona Cardinals	5-2
24	Green Bay Packers	5-2
25	Tennessee Titans	5-2
26	Baltimore Ravens	5-2
27	New Orleans Saints	5-2
28	Buffalo Bills	6-2
29	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6-2
30	New York Jets (from SEA)	7-1
31	Kansas City Chiefs	7-1
32	Pittsburgh Steelers	7-0

The Jets’ grip on the first overall pick remains tightly secured after another loss to open their season against the Chiefs last week. The Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans all have just the single win each, although losing out from here will not help the Texans one little bit. Their first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft belongs to the Miami Dolphins.

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Ravens’ Week 8 snap counts vs. Steelers: Changing the lineup

A look at the playing time for members of the Baltimore Ravens offense and defense in their Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Baltimore Ravens fell, 28-24, to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The Ravens now sit at 5-2 on the year, while the Steelers remain unbeaten and atop the AFC and the AFC North. But the loss will be seen as more costly than just on Baltimore’s current record.

Days after signing a lucrative long-term extension, the Ravens lost left tackle Ronnie Stanley to a season-ending ankle injury. Matthew Judon allowed his emotions to get the better of him as he was ejected from the game for contacting an official. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, one of the young stars of the offense broke ranks to make his displeasure regarding his role known to the watching world. There are worrying cracks beginning to develop on this roster.

Let’s dive into the Ravens’ offensive and defensive snap counts from Week 8.

What to expect from Yannick Ngakoue vs. the Steelers in Week 8

Yannick Ngakoue is in line to make his Ravens debut against the Steelers. But can he make an immediate impact?

The Baltimore Ravens’ trade for Yannick Ngakoue was a move unquestionably with one eye to the future, with the other eye firmly set on solidifying an already fine defense in 2020. Both Baltimore and Ngakoue will get their first session together in Week 8 when the Ravens square off against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As intelligent a player as Ngaokue is, it is questionable as to whether he will have digested the full Ravens playbook after just a week. Ngakoue could certainly play a part on Sunday against the Steelers, chipping in on passing downs and being turned loose on the quarterback at times. However, Ngakoue hasn’t been quite the “Steelers killer” when rushing Ben Roethlisberger in the past, as the numbers can attest to.

Ngakoue has played against the Steelers three times in his career when he was a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Two of these games were in the regular season with the third coming in the 2017 playoffs. In those three games, Ngakoue tallied two sacks and two tackles for loss, while also dishing out a further five quarterback hits.

His most productive game against the Steelers came in the 2017 playoff clash between the Steelers and Jaguars. Ngakoue sacked Roethlisberger once and laid two further hits on him. He chipped in with three combined tackles, as well as one for a loss. Ngakoue also forced a fumble in that game, adding to the league-leading six forced fumbles he had during that regular season.

Roethlisberger has been sacked an average of 2.3 times per game during his regular-season career, absorbing 511 quarterback takedowns in 224 games. These numbers jump to 2.5 when he plays the Ravens, having been sacked 58 times in 23 regular-season meetings.

With plenty of heat to this rivalry and potentially some tricks up their sleeves, the Ravens will be hoping Ngakoue can help achieve this average on Sunday, and possibly even beat it.

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Scouting the Steelers’ offense and defense for Week 8

The battle for supremacy in the AFC North heats up in Week 8 when the 6-0 Pittsburgh Steelers take on the 5-1 Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are coming off a bye following their Week 6 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers retained their perfect start to the season with a closely fought victory over the Tennessee Titans, and currently own the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

The Ravens will look a little different this week, with new acquisition Yannick Ngakoue in line for his debut and Ronnie Stanley slightly weighed down in his wallet after signing a long-term extension on Friday. These two teams are no strangers to each other, however, with John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin two of the longest-tenured coaches in the NFL. This one should be another hard-fought battle in the legacy of arguably the biggest rivalry in sports.

Let’s take a closer look at what the Ravens can expect to see from the Steelers this week.

Ravens vs. Steelers: 7 fun facts about this matchup

We take a look back at the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry for some of the coolest little facts you might not have known.

The Ravens are back off their bye and welcome their bitterest rivals to Baltimore in Week 8. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 6-0, the last unbeaten team in the NFL, and currently sit atop the AFC North as well as holding the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

This has been one of the most fierce rivalries in the NFL for the best part of two decades, with the series producing a litany of tight, competitive matches both in the regular season and the playoffs. It’s fair to say that these two teams flat out don’t really get along.

The series has produced a whole heap of memorable moments and noteworthy occurrences. But there may be something about the Ravens vs. Steelers matches that you have forgotten, or maybe didn’t know to begin with. I can help you there. Here are seven fun little nuggets about this rivalry for you to take away and impress your friends, wow your families, and dominate the opposition with . . . Or you could just idly drop them into your group chat. The choice is yours, really.

2021 NFL Draft order: Ravens move up one spot during bye week

If the NFL season ended today, the Baltimore Ravens would own the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft order.

The Baltimore Ravens are refreshed and ready to take on the world following their Week 7 bye. There is now only one team who has yet to lose, and one team who has yet to win in 2020. For the 30 teams in between, there is still much to play for as the season inches closer to the midpoint.

Sitting at 5-1 on the season, Week 8’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers will not only help define the AFC North landscape for this season but could dramatically alter Baltimore’s standing in the 2020 NFL Draft order. For now, the Ravens still sit near the bottom of the pile, moving up one spot from No. 28 last week to No. 27 this week.

Let’s take a look at the full 2021 NFL Draft order following Week 7, thanks to Draft Wire.

Selection	Team	Record
1	New York Jets	0-7
2	New York Giants	1-6
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	1-6
4	Atlanta Falcons	1-6
5	Miami Dolphins (from Houston Texans)	1-6
6	Minnesota Vikings	1-5
7	Cincinnati Bengals	1-5-1
8	Dallas Cowboys	2-5
9	Washington Football Team	2-5
10	Los Angeles Chargers	2-4
11	New England Patriots	2-4
12	Denver Broncos	2-4
13	Carolina Panthers	3-4
14	Miami Dolphins	3-3
15	Las Vegas Raiders	3-3
16	Detroit Lions	3-3
17	San Francisco 49ers	4-3
18	New Orleans Saints	4-2
19	Philadelphia Eagles	2-4-1
20	Indianapolis Colts	4-2
21	Cleveland Browns	5-2
22	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5-2
23	Jacksonville Jaguars (from Los Angeles Rams)	5-2
24	Buffalo Bills	5-2
25	Chicago Bears	5-2
26	Arizona Cardinals	5-2
27	*Baltimore Ravens*	*5-1*
28	Tennessee Titans	5-1
29	New York Jets (from Seattle Seahawks)	5-1
30	Kansas City Chiefs	6-1
31	Green Bay Packers	5-1
32	Pittsburgh Steelers	6-0

The Jets still hold the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft as their winless start to the season continues. The Giants are currently set to pick second, with the Jaguars sitting at three.

The Ravens, picking at No. 28 a week ago, now find themselves as the proud owners of the 27th overall pick. They have used this pick once before in their history, and it is fair to say they’ve had their money’s worth out of it. In 2011, the Ravens used the 27th pick of the draft to select cornerback Jimmy Smith. 113 games, 71 pass defenses, and 14 interceptions later, Smith is still a vital cog in the Ravens’ defense.

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AFC playoff picture: A new leader of the pack after Week 6

If the season were to end today, the Pittsburgh Steelers would rule the roost in the AFC while the Baltimore Ravens would be a wild card.

Though history says the Baltimore Ravens’ impressive 5-1 record points to Super Bowl glory, the Ravens’ first task includes just getting into the postseason. But as Baltimore enters its Week 7 bye, it’s right in the thick of the AFC playoff picture.

With Week 6 formally concluded after a Monday night doubleheader, the playoff picture continues to take shape, especially in the AFC. This conference now boasts two of the last three unbeaten teams in 2020. With only one team earning a first-round bye in the playoffs landing that No. 1 seed is more important than ever before.

Let’s see how the AFC playoff picture looks following Week 6.

AFC playoff picture – Week 7

Seed	Team	Record
1	Pittsburgh Steelers	5-0
2	Tennessee Titans	5-0
3	Kansas City Chiefs	5-1
4	Buffalo Bills	4-2
5	Baltimore Ravens	5-1
6	Cleveland Browns	4-2
7	Indianapolis Colts	4-2

The Indianapolis Colts are now in the playoff picture after improving to 4-2 with their win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. This victory has knocked the Las Vegas Raiders out of their spot, although the Raiders were on a bye in Week 6.

Week 7 should have massive implications for the whole AFC with the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the Tennessee Titans. This battle of two 5-0 teams will see one extend their lead at the top of the conference, while the other must come down and join the dogfight with the rest of the playoff-caliber teams.

Despite boasting a 5-1 record, the Ravens would still go on the road in the first round of the playoffs, taking on the Buffalo Bills. The Bills may have lost their last two games, but they lead the AFC East with a 4-2 record due to the improved play of quarterback Josh Allen. The Ravens’ one defeat means they are looking up at the Steelers in the AFC North standings, and will therefore probably be hoping for a Titans win this weekend.

Things are undoubtedly going to continue jockeying around over the final few months of the regular season. But as it stands right now, the Ravens are firmly in the AFC playoff picture after Week 6.

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2021 NFL Draft order: Ravens currently own the 24th overall selection

What would the 2021 NFL Draft order look like if the season were to end today? Well, the Baltimore Ravens would be near the back for sure.

We still have many weeks of football ahead of us in the 2020 NFL season, fingers crossed. But while teams like the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs are focused on what they can achieve this season, some teams’ and fanbases’ eyes have already turned to the future and the 2021 NFL Draft order.

There are three winless teams after five weeks of the season, and fans of those teams must be starting to look to the college ranks to see what blue-chip prospects could be available early in next year’s NFL Draft. If the season were to suddenly end today, the 2021 NFL Draft order would look like this.

2021 NFL Draft order:

Selection	Team	Current Record
1	New York Giants	0-5
2	Atlanta Falcons	0-5
3	New York Jets	0-5
4	Los Angeles Chargers	1-4
5	Washington	1-4
6	Jacksonville Jaguars	1-4
7	Minnesota Vikings	1-4
8	Houston Texans	1-4
9	Detroit Lions	1-3
10	Denver Broncos	1-3
11	Philadelphia Eagles	1-3-1
12	Cincinnati Bengals	1-3-1
13	Miami Dolphins	2-3
14	San Francisco 49ers	2-3
15	New England Patriots	2-2
16	Carolina Panthers	3-2
17	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	3-2
18	Indianapolis Colts	3-2
19	Dallas Cowboys	2-3
20	New Orleans Saints	3-2
21	Las Vegas Raiders	3-2
22	Arizona Cardinals	3-2
23	Kansas City Chiefs	4-1
24	Baltimore Ravens	4-1
25	Chicago Bears	4-1
26	Cleveland Browns	4-1
27	Los Angeles Rams	4-1
28	Buffalo Bills	4-1
29	Green Bay Packers	4-0
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	4-0
31	Tenessee Titans	4-0
32	Seattle Seahawks	5-0

The New York Giants, two years after earning the second overall pick, would be the first team on the clock for the 2021 NFL Draft. They have only picked first twice in their long, long history, and have not done so since 1965. Back then they used the first pick to select running back Tucker Frederickson out of Auburn. He went on to play 66 games for Big Blue, rushing 651 times for 2,209 yards and scoring nine touchdowns. He also caught 128 passes for 1,011 yards and another eight scores.

The Giants’ other first overall pick was spent on End/Halfback Kyle Rote in 1951. Rote played 11 seasons in New York, earning four Pro Bowl berths on his way to 5,668 yards from scrimmage and 52 touchdowns. His 4,797 receiving yards are still good for seventh all-time for the Giants.

The biggest winners, if the draft order were to stay the same, would unquestionably be the Miami Dolphins. They own the Texans’ first-round pick after the Laremy Tunsil trade, and at present, that selection is the eighth overall. You can’t really class them as losers in the trade, but at present, the deal that took Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks is “only” earning the New York Jets the last pick in the first round.

The Ravens would have to wait until the 24th pick before they made their selection in the current standings. They have only picked at 24 once in their history but it is safe to say they were quite happy with the player they got. In 2002, the Ravens used the 24th overall selection on a safety out of Miami named Ed Reed.

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