The Ravens have six takeaways in three road games, and their best chance to get a third road victory is to create a couple of turnovers on Sunday. Short of that, the Vikings should handle an inconsistent Baltimore offense and get to 5-2.
Ravens at Vikings: Vikings will beat the Ravens if ...
The Ravens have six takeaways in three road games, and their best chance to get a third road victory is to create a couple of turnovers on Sunday. Short of that, the Vikings should handle an inconsistent Baltimore offense and get to 5-2.
October 22, 2017 at 2:02AM
Prediction: Vikings 27, Ravens 17.
Three big story lines
Acquaintances renewed
Mike Zimmer faced Ravens QB Joe Flacco 12 times as Bengals defensive coordinator, going 5-7 in those games from 2008-13. Flacco has thrown only four touchdown passes this season against eight INTs.
Wallace returns
The Ravens' leading receiver should be plenty familiar to Vikings fans: Mike Wallace, who came to the team as a possible deep threat but was let go after the 2015 season. He has 239 yards on 15 catches for the Ravens this year, after surpassing 1,000 yards with them last year.
Can Keenum keep it up?
Case Keenum will make his fifth start of the season and will again be without Stefon Diggs as the Vikings face a Ravens D that's generated the second-most turnovers in the league (14) this season. Keenum threw an INT against the Packers and had a couple more passes that could've been picked.
Two key matchups
Vikings QB case Keenum vs. Ravens S Eric Weddle
Weddle went to his fourth Pro Bowl last year and is tied for the team lead with a pair of interceptions. He'll look to disguise coverages as the Ravens secondary attempts to lay traps for Keenum.
Vikings offensive line vs. Ravens LB Terrell Suggs
The 35-year-old has 4½ sacks this season, lining up primarily on the right side of the Ravens' formation but also shifting to the left side at times. He'll blitz Keenum, as the Ravens try to remain unpredictable against what's been a solid protection unit.
One stat that matters
31.3 The average yard line where the Ravens have begun their drives.That's the third-best field position in the league.
The Vikings will win if…
• They can avoid the turnovers the Ravens have been so adept at creating this season, and bottle up big plays, either from Baltimore's special teams or its attempts to throw downfield.
The Ravens will win if…
• They're able to pick Keenum off once or twice, or take advantage of the Vikings' penchant for fumbles this season, while finding ways to run the ball against a stout Minnesota defensive front.
Goessling's win probability
65%
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
