Patriots now have to deal with an angry Ravens team in Week 3
FOXBORO -- The Patriots won a football game on Sunday for the first time since January. It has everyone feeling a little bit better around New England.
With Sunday's 17-14 win in Pittsburgh, a cloud of darkness around the Patriots has given way for a somewhat sunnier -- but still overcast -- outlook for the team. That 0-4 talk has evaporated, bringing in some hope for the team after all.
It should be a fairly upbeat atmosphere at Gillette Stadium for Sunday's home opener. Unfortunately for the Patriots, a flock of angry Ravens will be their opponent in Week 3. (A group of Ravens is actually called an "unkindness," so stick that in your back pocket for a future trivia night.)
These Ravens will look to spread plenty of unkindness this weekend after absolutely falling apart in their Week 2 home opener. Baltimore let the Dolphins mount a 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter, with Miami torching the Ravens' defense for 233 yards in the fourth quarter. Tua Tagovailoa toasted the Baltimore secondary for four of his six touchdown passes in the final frame.
While the Dolphins were putting up touchdown after touchdown -- including 48-yard and 60-yard scores by Tyreek Hill and the game-winning touchdown to Jaylen Waddle with 14 seconds left -- the Ravens scored a grand total of three points over the final 12 minutes. The end result was an embarrassing 42-38 loss for Baltimore on their home field.
That's the same Miami team that the Patriots lost to in Week 1, though the New England D can hang its head high that it only surrendered 13 points to the Dolphins' offense. And the Pats' defense must be feeling pretty good about themselves after holding the Steelers to just 14 points on Sunday.
They're going up against a whole different beast in Week 3. That beast is an angry and motivated Lamar Jackson.
The Ravens quarterback was brilliant in the first half against the Dolphins, throwing three touchdowns to build that big lead. He put Baltimore up by three touchdowns with an incredible 79-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, which paired nicely with his 75-yard touchdown with Rashod Bateman in the first half.
Jackson was awesome on Sunday, racking up an absurd 437 yards in total: 318 through the air and another 119 on the ground.
And his team lost. On their home field. In a game they led by 21 points heading into the fourth quarter.
Jackson was already playing with a massive chip on his shoulder, seeking an absurd payday this offseason. He's the best dual-threat quarterback in the NFL, the kind of quarterback that has given the Patriots fits over the last few years. It was big plays that doomed the Patriots against the Dolphins two weeks ago, and now they'll have to keep Jackson from ripping off his share on Sunday.
Vegas isn't confident that the Patriots' defense can do that. The Ravens are three-point road favorites heading into the Week 3 tilt at Gillette Stadium.
