Cardinals first and foremost
Don?t commit turnovers early. If the Cardinals can avoid mistakes, they should be able to score in the first half and build a lead. The Ravens will have a difficult time making a comeback against the Cardinals in Glendale.
Cardinals key stat: 2
That?s how many touchdowns the Cardinals scored in nine red-zone opportunities in their two losses. If they reach the 50 percent mark, they will beat the Ravens.
Cardinals key player: Tyrann Mathieu
He appeared to let the crowd and other circumstances affect him last week in Pittsburgh. Uncharacteristically, he dropped an interception, too. But he?s played well for the most part, and the Cardinals need him to bounce back tonight.
Cardinals injury report
TE Darren Fells (shoulder), OLB Alex Okafor (calf), out. WR John Brown (hamstring), questionable. CB Justin Bethel (foot), WR Brittan Golden (groin) DT Cory Redding (shoulder), DT Frostee Rucker (foot), LaMarr Woodley (chest), probable.
Ravens first and foremost
Force turnovers. Punch the ball out. Strip Palmer. Something. If the Ravens don?t, they won?t win this game. They aren?t good enough offensively to hang with the Cardinals without some help from the defense.
Ravens key stat: 4
That?s the number of turnovers by Ravens? opponents: three interceptions and one fumble recovery. Among teams that have played six games, only the Jaguars have fewer.
Ravens key player: OLB Elvis Dumervil
With Terrell Suggs out for the year, Dumervil is the Ravens best pass rusher. Putting heat on Carson Palmer is a priority. If he has time, the Cardinals will put up big yardage and a lot of points.
Ravens injury report
S Terrence Brooks (thumb), S Kendrick Lewis (knee), WR Breshad Perriman (knee), TE Maxx Williams (knee/ankle), out. CB Asa Jackson (thigh), S Kendrick Lewis, CB Lardarius Webb (thigh), questionable. DE Chris Canty (calf), G Marshal Yanda (ankle), WR Darren Waller (concussion).
Cardinals on offense
Two weeks ago, they opened in the no huddle. Last week, it was an empty backfield. What?s next? The swinging gate? Not much is going to work unless the Cardinals can run block better than they did a week ago. Part of the reason Bruce Arians got away from the run in the second half was that it wasn?t working. Right guard Jonathan Cooper still doesn?t look like a seventh-overall pick should. Left guard Mike Iupati has been so-so since missing the first three games with a knee injury. Left tackle Jared Veldheer hasn?t played as well as he did a year ago. It?s not that the group has been awful. Far from it. It?s been very good in some games. But against good defenses, the Cardinals need more. The same could be said of quarterback Carson Palmer, who made mistakes in the fourth quarter of both losses. The Cardinals would be smart to get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald early. That energizes the crowd and would mean Palmer is getting rid of the ball quickly. The Ravens have a young secondary, and the Cardinals have the best deep passing game in the NFL. It?s a mismatch, if Palmer gets enough time to throw.
Edge: Cardinals
Ravens on offense
They have to be able to run the ball because it?s going to be hard to throw on the Cardinals secondary. Or at least it should be. The Ravens don?t have many receiving weapons. Cornerback Patrick Peterson should be able to handle receiver Steve Smith Sr., and the Ravens' best tight end, Dennis Pitta, remains on the physically unable to perform list. The Ravens have a decent offensive line, and running back Justin Forsett is capable. The Cardinals need inside linebackers Kevin Minter and Deone Bucannon to have strong games against the run. The Cardinals? most serious weakness is the lack of a pass rush. Against the Steelers, third-team quarterback Landry Jones was barely touched in the second half, and he made the Cardinals pay a price. Joe Flacco doesn?t have a lot of threats at his disposal, but the Cardinals can?t afford to let him order room service when he drops back. The Cardinals lack an outside pass rush, unless Dwight Freeney shows he has something left. This is only his second game, so it?s hard to tell. Maybe what used to be the NFL?s best spin move is lubricated and ready to begin work.
Edge: Cardinals
Special teams
Cardinals punter Drew Butler has been just fine dropping punts inside the 20, but must eliminate that one poor punt a game that?s been hurting his team. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker might be the best in the NFL and he has tremendous range. Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro has made 9 of 10 field goals. His miss came on his longest attempt, 47 yards. Kick returner David Johnson was shaky at catching the ball last week, but he probably let the wind in Pittsburgh blow through his head.
Edge: Ravens
The NFL didn?t do the Ravens any favors with the schedule. They opened the season on the road against the Broncos and Raiders, then came home to play the Bengals. At full strength, the Ravens might have been able to handle that. But injuries have taken a toll. About the only thing these two teams have in common is losing close games. The Ravens have done it five times, the Cardinals twice. Had they not lost to the Steelers last week, the Cardinals might not be on point tonight. But they did, and they will be.
Don?t commit turnovers early. If the Cardinals can avoid mistakes, they should be able to score in the first half and build a lead. The Ravens will have a difficult time making a comeback against the Cardinals in Glendale.
Cardinals key stat: 2
That?s how many touchdowns the Cardinals scored in nine red-zone opportunities in their two losses. If they reach the 50 percent mark, they will beat the Ravens.
Cardinals key player: Tyrann Mathieu
He appeared to let the crowd and other circumstances affect him last week in Pittsburgh. Uncharacteristically, he dropped an interception, too. But he?s played well for the most part, and the Cardinals need him to bounce back tonight.
Cardinals injury report
TE Darren Fells (shoulder), OLB Alex Okafor (calf), out. WR John Brown (hamstring), questionable. CB Justin Bethel (foot), WR Brittan Golden (groin) DT Cory Redding (shoulder), DT Frostee Rucker (foot), LaMarr Woodley (chest), probable.
Ravens first and foremost
Force turnovers. Punch the ball out. Strip Palmer. Something. If the Ravens don?t, they won?t win this game. They aren?t good enough offensively to hang with the Cardinals without some help from the defense.
Ravens key stat: 4
That?s the number of turnovers by Ravens? opponents: three interceptions and one fumble recovery. Among teams that have played six games, only the Jaguars have fewer.
Ravens key player: OLB Elvis Dumervil
With Terrell Suggs out for the year, Dumervil is the Ravens best pass rusher. Putting heat on Carson Palmer is a priority. If he has time, the Cardinals will put up big yardage and a lot of points.
Ravens injury report
S Terrence Brooks (thumb), S Kendrick Lewis (knee), WR Breshad Perriman (knee), TE Maxx Williams (knee/ankle), out. CB Asa Jackson (thigh), S Kendrick Lewis, CB Lardarius Webb (thigh), questionable. DE Chris Canty (calf), G Marshal Yanda (ankle), WR Darren Waller (concussion).
Cardinals on offense
Two weeks ago, they opened in the no huddle. Last week, it was an empty backfield. What?s next? The swinging gate? Not much is going to work unless the Cardinals can run block better than they did a week ago. Part of the reason Bruce Arians got away from the run in the second half was that it wasn?t working. Right guard Jonathan Cooper still doesn?t look like a seventh-overall pick should. Left guard Mike Iupati has been so-so since missing the first three games with a knee injury. Left tackle Jared Veldheer hasn?t played as well as he did a year ago. It?s not that the group has been awful. Far from it. It?s been very good in some games. But against good defenses, the Cardinals need more. The same could be said of quarterback Carson Palmer, who made mistakes in the fourth quarter of both losses. The Cardinals would be smart to get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald early. That energizes the crowd and would mean Palmer is getting rid of the ball quickly. The Ravens have a young secondary, and the Cardinals have the best deep passing game in the NFL. It?s a mismatch, if Palmer gets enough time to throw.
Edge: Cardinals
Ravens on offense
They have to be able to run the ball because it?s going to be hard to throw on the Cardinals secondary. Or at least it should be. The Ravens don?t have many receiving weapons. Cornerback Patrick Peterson should be able to handle receiver Steve Smith Sr., and the Ravens' best tight end, Dennis Pitta, remains on the physically unable to perform list. The Ravens have a decent offensive line, and running back Justin Forsett is capable. The Cardinals need inside linebackers Kevin Minter and Deone Bucannon to have strong games against the run. The Cardinals? most serious weakness is the lack of a pass rush. Against the Steelers, third-team quarterback Landry Jones was barely touched in the second half, and he made the Cardinals pay a price. Joe Flacco doesn?t have a lot of threats at his disposal, but the Cardinals can?t afford to let him order room service when he drops back. The Cardinals lack an outside pass rush, unless Dwight Freeney shows he has something left. This is only his second game, so it?s hard to tell. Maybe what used to be the NFL?s best spin move is lubricated and ready to begin work.
Edge: Cardinals
Special teams
Cardinals punter Drew Butler has been just fine dropping punts inside the 20, but must eliminate that one poor punt a game that?s been hurting his team. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker might be the best in the NFL and he has tremendous range. Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro has made 9 of 10 field goals. His miss came on his longest attempt, 47 yards. Kick returner David Johnson was shaky at catching the ball last week, but he probably let the wind in Pittsburgh blow through his head.
Edge: Ravens
The NFL didn?t do the Ravens any favors with the schedule. They opened the season on the road against the Broncos and Raiders, then came home to play the Bengals. At full strength, the Ravens might have been able to handle that. But injuries have taken a toll. About the only thing these two teams have in common is losing close games. The Ravens have done it five times, the Cardinals twice. Had they not lost to the Steelers last week, the Cardinals might not be on point tonight. But they did, and they will be.
