Lions vs. Chargers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction

Lions vs. Chargers: Last-minute thoughts and final score prediction from Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon

We’re back into more of a normal Lions routine…mostly. After a Monday night game and a bye week, it’s been a few weeks since I enjoyed the Sunday morning pot of coffee while pondering the day’s Lions game.

Of course, today’s game is a late-afternoon kickoff in Los Angeles. At least the NFL has given us a breakfast game from Germany to help wake up the football mind.

Here’s what I’m thinking about the Lions and the Chargers in Week 10.

Why I think the Lions will win

This Lions unit is about as close to full strength as any team can reasonably be expected to be in Week 10. The bye week came at a great time for Detroit, allowing a lot of key players with nagging injuries to rest and heal. It’s especially true on the offensive line, and that’s the engine that runs Ben Johnson’s offense.
The Chargers are on the wrong end of the schedule hose. They played in New York on Monday Night a week after playing on Sunday night in L.A. Their bye came in Week 5, so there’s no rest for the wicked.
L.A.’s offense gets one-dimensional too easily. Their last game, the Monday Night Football win over the Jets, is a great example. The Chargers ran the ball 21 times, but nine of those attempts came on their final 10 offensive plays, with the outcome already decided. Four other carries came on 3rd-and-short situations. The Lions defense handles predictable, one-dimensional offenses well. The Chargers have considerable talent with Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen et al, but paint by the passing numbers way too often offensively. Aaron Glenn’s defense should be able to handle that.
The Chargers pass defense is really bad overall. They’re really good at two things: pressuring the quarterback and creating takeaways. Actual coverage and tackling? Not so much. They’re bottom-tier in yards per pass attempt (30th), passing yards per game (32nd), net yards per attempt (28th), 3rd down conversion rate via pass (30th), and opposing QB Rating (25th). As long as Jared Goff avoids mistakes–which he’s done very well all season–and the healthy OL gives him a little time, it could be a very big game for the Lions passing offense.

What worries me about the Chargers

The Chargers are very good at converting red zone possessions into points. The L.A. defense is middle-of-the-pack in the red zone, but Detroit’s offense (somehow) ranks near the bottom in scoring touchdowns in the red zone. That could be a real problem if the game evolves into a shootout.
That Chargers defensive front/pass rush is as good as any the Lions will see all year. Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack get the attention, but L.A. is a lot more than just those two All-Pros. EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu is a front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year, leading all rookies in sacks, QB pressures and penalties drawn. Morgan Fox might be the most anonymous player in the league with five sacks. They also blitz LB Kenneth Murray quite effectively. The Chargers are 3rd in TFLs on first-down run plays, too. Even against a great Lions OL, they’re capable of ruining the day.
Los Angeles leads the NFL in turnover margin, including the dumb luck of recovering a league-high nine fumbles on defense and special teams. They’ve given the ball up just six times in eight games. I believe in two things here: regression to the mean is coming, but the positive inertia of good luck is a fickle mistress to tangle with.
At some point, they have to stop underachieving relative to high-end talent. Right? Right?! There is some existential dread that coach Brandon Staley figures out how to stop “Chargering” and does it against Detroit.

Final score prediction

This is a tough one. On paper, the Chargers should be a very difficult matchup for Detroit. Los Angeles probably should expect to win this game at home. I don’t fault anyone for thinking (or betting) that the Chargers will win.

There are many scenarios in the bottom of my coffee mug where the Lions lose this one. But I topped off the java and feel good about the Lions not losing. Emphasis on “not losing” more than winning. The Chargers need to force mistakes on both sides of the ball to beat a team. I trust Dan Campbell’s Lions to not make those costly mistakes. I expect a sharp Lions team that is looking to make a statement coming out of the bye, too.

Lions 27, Chargers 20

Ravens vs. Bills final score predictions: Baltimore’s heading to the AFC Championship Game

We believe the Baltimore Ravens will do enough to get the job done against the Buffalo Bills in the NFL playoffs. But by how much?

The Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills go toe-to-toe tonight in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. The victor will go on to face the winner of the other AFC contest on this weekend between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns in the AFC Championship Game. So who will win?

Well, based on our predictions here at Ravens Wire . . . Baltimore will, though it’ll be a one-score finish. All of our predictions are for the Ravens, though we all seemingly have some different reasoning.

Check out below to see what we think will happen between the Ravens and Bills in the NFL playoffs.

Ravens vs. Jaguars final score predictions: Boom or bust in Week 15

Can the Baltimore Ravens take care of business and win big? Or are the Jacksonville Jaguars itching for an upset on the final score?

The Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars clash in Week 15. Formerly a divisional rivalry the likes of the Ravens-Steelers, this matchup has lost quite a bit of its luster over nearly the last two decades they’ve been split into different divisions. But with something on the line for Baltimore and Jacksonville likely needing a win to keep the coaching staff in place for another year, there’s plenty riding on this game.

Could this be an upset brewing or will the Ravens take care of their business and secure a big win? Take a look at our Ravens vs. Jaguars final score predictions below to see what we think will happen.

Ravens vs. Browns final score predictions: Uncertain but hopeful in Week 14

This should be a “Monday Night Football” matchup worth watching as the Baltimore Ravens take on the Cleveland Browns in Week 14.

It’s almost time for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns to clash in Week 14. A “Monday Night Football” matchup worthy of its national spotlight, this game will likely define Baltimore playoff hopes and could either be the jumping-off point for Cleveland or the start of their slide.

We here at Ravens Wire are hopeful Baltimore will be able to win but with how inconsistent they’ve been this season, there’s more than a little doubt as you’ll see from our predictions. If the best version of the Ravens shows up tonight, it shouldn’t be close. But if the sloppy team we’ve seen all too often this season gets off the plane, it could be for a long night and a very close finish.

Take a look at our Ravens vs. Browns final score predictions for Week 14:

Ravens vs. Cowboys final score predictions: High-scoring affair?

We here at Ravens Wire look at the Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys matchup in Week 13 to give our final score predictions.

The Baltimore Ravens take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13, as they begin their return to a normal football schedule again.

Both the Ravens and Cowboys were expected to be special squads this season, led by young quarterbacks, tough rushing attacks, and capable defenses. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed both teams’ hopes. Now with the final stretch of the 2020 season in front of them, both Dallas and Baltimore are looking to go on a strong run to finish the season and squeak into the postseason. That all begins this week as both teams are eyeing up a critical win.

There’s so much uncertainty surrounding both the Ravens and Cowboys. For Baltimore, it’s a roster that’s still just coming back from the Reserve/COVID-19 list while Dallas is still putting starters on injured reserve this week.

We here at Ravens Wire do our best to predict how this game will go given what’s known and our experience with what Baltimore tends to do in these situations. Of the five of us, only one person had a prediction below 30 combined points while the rest had predictions going above 40 combined points.

Week 13 Staff Picks: One man stands along, picking Cowboys over Ravens

It seems so long ago, the last time the Dallas Cowboys played a football game. The team was met with their second bye week by means of days off, 12 of them to be exact. Dallas returned to their facility on Wednesday before their Week 13 opponent …

The game was scheduled for Thursday Night Football but this one will be played the following Tuesday giving the Cowboys more preparation time for a returning Lamar Jackson lead team. Jackson along with running backs Mark Ingram and JK Dobbins are expected to be back in the offensive lineup for this Tuesday night showdown.

The Cowboys Wire staff were quite confident headed into Thanksgiving except for our leader, KD Drummond, who had a feeling the Cowboys would drop one at home again. They did. Let’s see which which writers have lost all hope and lets see if there’s any still hanging on!

Ravens vs Steelers final score predictions: Is an upset brewing?

The Baltimore Ravens are finally ready to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. We here at Ravens Wire throw out our final score predictions.

It’s almost time for one of the best rivalries in football to add another game to its storied legacy. Despite the Baltimore Ravens being overwhelmed by COVID-19, it should not stop them from putting the pedal to the metal against the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers.

With the NFL determined to have this game played during Week 12, the Ravens will be forced to sit numerous starters, including 2019 MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. This will be a tough test for backup quarterback and former No. 2 pick Robert Griffin III as he leads a depleted offense against one of the most well-coached teams in football.

Here at Ravens Wire, almost all of us believe the Ravens are just too depleted to beat a Pittsburgh team determined to capture the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. However, one of us is bucking all common sense to pick Baltimore in this game.

Let’s take a look at our Ravens vs. Steelers final score predictions:

Ravens vs. Colts final score predictions: Can Baltimore overcome a tough week?

The Ravens are coming off their worst week this season. While some are expecting them to pull it out against the Colts, others have doubts

The Baltimore Ravens have had a pretty awful week. They placed two starting offensive linemen on injured reserve, saw their top cornerback contract COVID-19, have a handful of other defensive starters be in close contact and also go on the Reserve/COVID-19 list for a bit . . . All on top of losing last Sunday to the rival Steelers. If anyone wanted to see what the Ravens were really made of this season, they’ll get a chance in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Both Baltimore and Indianapolis enter this week at 5-2 and in the thick of the AFC playoff picture. This game will not only be a barometer for where each team stands this season but will undoubtedly impact the final playoff seeding come January.

That has us here at Ravens Wire a little divided. Some believe the Ravens overcome their issues to get the job done while others think it’s simply too much in one week. Check out each of our Ravens vs. Colts final score predictions below to see what we believe will happen today.

Ravens vs. Titans final score predictions: Another blowout win for Baltimore

It’s time for playoff football for the Baltimore Ravens and everyone here at Ravens Wire believes they’ll stomp the Tennessee Titans.

The Baltimore Ravens are finally awake after resting in the first round of the playoffs. They’ll get a hot Tennessee Titans that is fresh off upsetting the New England Patriots in the wild-card round, featuring a tough rushing attack and a good-enough defense.

But after taking a look at the tape and how both teams stack up, all the writers of Ravens Wire are not only predicting a Baltimore win but a blowout. Take a look at all our detailed final score predictions for the Ravens vs. Titans divisional-round playoff game.

Matthew Stevens:

Ravens 49 – Titans 13

People seem to be forgetting just how prolific Baltimore’s offense is this season. They lead the league in scoring, have a record-shattering quarterback under center and set an NFL record for rushing yards. While Tennessee rightfully has people excited after their win over the Patriots, the Ravens are a completely different beast that can hang 14 points on them in the blink of an eye.

As we’ve seen quite often this season, that’s precisely what happens here. Baltimore gets out to a quick lead and forces the Titans to back off their powerful rushing attack and instead rely on the arm of Ryan Tannehill, which isn’t the recipe for success. The Ravens get out to a comfortable lead and Tennessee picks up points in garbage time while Baltimore coasts to another dominant win this season.

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Ravens vs. Steelers: Final score predictions for Week 17

The Baltimore Ravens will look to sweep division rival the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending their season in Week 17.

The Baltimore Ravens end their season at home, taking on their division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the game doesn’t mean much to Baltimore, who have already secured their playoff seed, it’s vitally important to Pittsburgh, who is still searching for a way in.

It’s questionable just how many Ravens starters we’ll see in this game with several already have been ruled out in order to rest for the postseason. The Steelers aren’t in much better shape thanks to injuries piling up.

The writers here at Ravens Wire mostly believe Baltimore’s backups will get the job done, though in far closer fashion than many fans have become accustomed to seeing.

Check out the final score predictions below.

Matthew Stevens:

Ravens 17 – Steelers 16

This is a tough game to gauge simply because we don’t know how many Ravens will be sitting out and which ones will get very little playing time, even if they do start. But with several key players already resting this game, it shows a bit of Baltimore’s hand and I’d expect this to look more like a preseason game than a typical Week 17 contest.

Because of that, this isn’t the blowout win I think the Ravens would hand the Steelers normally. They’ll struggle to move the ball as effectively with Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram out and the defense will have some more headaches with a bunch of members of the secondary likely resting this week. But they still get the job done to sweep Pittsburgh and land the best record in franchise history.

Alex Bente:

Ravens 23 – Steelers 12

To go along with my bold prediction, the Ravens defense will hold the Steelers to only field goals in this one. Baltimore’s offense, on the other hand, may find trouble dealing with Pittsburgh’s solid defense, especially without Lamar Jackson. That said, RGIII should lead the offense admirably with the added benefit of working in the now-trusted system. Even with backups leading the lineup, the Ravens have enough versatility on offense to take care of business and close out the season with an easy victory over their biggest division rivals.

Neil Dutton:

Ravens 14 – Steelers 17

The Ravens never like to lose to the Steelers, but on this occasion the prudence of resting the stars takes precedence. The second stringers will acquit themselves well, but ultimately they’ll fall just short against a Steelers team that needs the win.

Kevin Oestreicher:

Ravens 17 – Steelers 14

I think this is a tough, low scoring game. The Ravens are going to be missing many key pieces due to rest, and the Steelers will be missing some as well due to injuries. I’m not expecting a high scoring output from either offense, but I think Gus Edwards will have a monster day en route to carrying (literally) the Ravens to their 12th straight victory

Joe Serpico:

Ravens 21 – Steelers 17

As noted in our betting preview; Robert Griffin, Gus Edwards and the Ravens’ second team has played a lot for backups. The ground game doesn’t slow down with Edwards and Justice Hill getting the bulk of the touches, and Griffin makes just enough plays to end the Steelers season.