The Ravens (0-1) will face the Las Vegas Raiders (0-1) at 1 p.m. Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Here’s what you need to know about their home opener.
TV: CBS, Chs. 13, 9 (Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, A.J. Ross)
Stream: Paramount+
Radio: WBAL (1090 AM, 101.5 FM), 98 Rock (97.9 FM) and SiriusXM Radio Chs. 85, 225 (Gerry Sandusky, Rod Woodson); WLZL El Zol (107.9 FM) (David Andrade, Allen Gutierrez)
Forecast: Low 80s, partly cloudy
Line: Ravens by 8 (as of Saturday evening) | Over-under: 41 points
Uniforms: The Ravens will wear purple jerseys with white pants.
History: The Ravens lead the all-time series 9-4, but Las Vegas has won three of the past five meetings.
The big question: Can the Ravens avoid an 0-2 start? They nearly left Kansas City with a season-opening win over the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, but tight end Isaiah Likely landed just out of bounds as time expired on what could have been a game-tying touchdown catch. Now the Ravens have to move past a 27-20 loss to one of the NFL’s most talented teams and on to a matchup against one of the league’s least talented teams. Gardner Minshew handed the Ravens a surprising home loss as the Indianapolis Colts’ starting quarterback last year, and he’ll get another opportunity Sunday as the Raiders’ QB1. The Ravens haven’t started 0-2 under quarterback Lamar Jackson, and coach John Harbaugh is 13-3 in home openers.
Players to watch: The Ravens are counting on a bounce-back game from tight end Mark Andrews, who was often double-teamed in the loss to the Chiefs and finished with just two catches on two targets for 14 yards. The Raiders finished with a top-10 pass defense last season, according to FTN’s efficiency metrics, but they ranked just 18th against tight ends. Even if Likely’s production levels off after a breakout Week 1 (nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown), Andrews could have opportunities over the middle.
Las Vegas, meanwhile, will be counting on defensive end Maxx Crosby to lead its upset bid. The three-time Pro Bowl selection had a sack in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers and will likely line up on most snaps against the shaky right side of the Ravens’ offensive line. Crosby rarely leaves the field and has a nonstop motor as a pass rusher. He had two sacks and five quarterback hits in the teams’ last meeting, a 33-27 Raiders home win in overtime in 2021.
Injury report: The Ravens ruled out rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins (neck/concussion) after the first-round pick was involved in a car crash this past week. Wiggins played 31% of the defensive snaps in Week 1. Rookie outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (hamstring) is doubtful after being a limited participant in practice all week. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (eye) is questionable despite fracturing an orbital bone against Kansas City. Van Noy said after Friday’s practice, in which he was a limited participant, that he was optimistic about playing.
Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson (knee), a first-round pick in the 2023 draft, and reserve cornerback Decamerion Richardson (hamstring) were ruled out of Sunday’s game. Rookie offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson (illness), who sat out Week 1, is considered a game-time decision. Defensive end Malcolm Koonce, who had eight sacks last season, is on injured reserve with a knee injury.
