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The Washington Commanders are parlaying their four-game winning streak into a showdown at the Baltimore Ravens

The Washington Commanders are parlaying their four-game winning streak into a showdown at the Baltimore Ravens

3 minutes, 50 seconds Read

Washington (4:1) and Baltimore (3:2)

Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EDT, CBS

BetMGM NFL odds: Ravens at 6 1/2

Against the Spread: Commanders 4-1; Ravens 3-2

Series record: Ravens lead 4-3.

Last meeting: Baltimore defeated Washington 31-17 on October 4, 2020 in Washington.

Last week: Ravens beat Bengals 41-38 in overtime; Commanders defeated the Browns 34-13.

Commanders' Offensive: Total (4t), Charge (2), Pass (14), Scoring (1)

Commander Defense: Total (14), Rush (22), Pass (23), Scoring (21t)

Ravens Offense: Total (1), Rush (1), Pass (9), Points (2)

Ravens Defense: Total (19), Rush (1), Pass (31), Points (26)

Sales Difference: Commanders straight; Ravens plus-1.

Ravens player to watch

Derrick Henry leads the NFL with 572 yards rushing, and his seven total touchdowns – six on the ground and one receiving – are the most among running backs. He has scored at least one goal in each of his first five games with Baltimore, giving QB Lamar Jackson a perfect complement to balance the offense. He should get the ball early and often, which has proven to be a winning formula.

Commanders player to keep an eye on

WR Terry McLaurin caught four passes for a season-high 112 yards, and his relationship with rookie QB Jayden Daniels grew with each game. The Ravens' difficulty defending the pass creates a real opportunity for Daniels to find McLaurin on all sorts of throws, from short and mid-range throws to deep shots. McLaurin caught a 66-yard pass from Daniels against Cleveland.

Key match

Baltimore's offensive line versus Washington's pass rush. Jackson was sacked just five times this season despite being injured up front. The Commanders sacked Deshaun Watson seven times last week, taking advantage of the Browns' struggling lineup. If Jackson has all the time he needs to throw and run, he could expose some real flaws in the Commanders' defense.

Major injuries

Commanders DE Clelin Ferrell has not played since Week 2 due to a knee injury. … WR Noah Brown is leaning toward playing after missing the previous game with a groin injury. … The team is tending to RB Brian Robinson Jr.'s knee injury … WR Rashod Bateman (groin), CB Marlon Humphrey (ankle), LB Malik Harrison (groin), CB Arthur Maulet (knee and hamstring), T Ronnie Stanley (toe) and DE Broderick Washington (knee) all missed practice early in the week.

Notes on the series

The home team has won three of their last four meetings. … They have split four games since John Harbaugh coached Baltimore in 2008. … The teams' stadiums, each in Maryland, are less than 30 miles (48 kilometers) apart.

Statistics and stuff

The Ravens and Commanders are the only two teams ranked in the league's top five in points, total yards, rushing yards and third-down conversions. … Jackson and Daniels are the only two players in NFL history to average more than 200 yards passing and more than 50 yards rushing during their careers. … Jackson, the two-time and reigning MVP, threw for 1,206 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception and ran for 363 yards. … Henry had 92 yards rushing in Cincinnati. … WR Zay Flowers led the team with seven catches and rushed for a career-high 111 yards in the Bengals game. … TE Isaiah probably made two TD catches last week and has three seasons. … LB Kyle Van Noy has a team-high six sacks. … LB Roquan Smith leads Baltimore with 50 tackles, including 15 last week. … Washington has 13 rushing TDs, tied with the 1975 Miami Dolphins for the most in the first five games of a season since 1970. … Daniels is the third rookie QB to start and win four of his first five career games. … Daniels' 300 yards rushing are the most by a QB in his first five games of the Super Bowl era. … Robinson scored two touchdowns against Cleveland despite not having a carry in the second half. … RB Austin Ekeler had a season-high 97 scrimmage yards last week. … McLaurin has 15 catches for 264 yards in the last three games after starting the season with eight for 39. … McLaurin had 10 for 118 yards in his previous game against Baltimore. … LB Frankie Luvu recorded a career-high 2 1/2 sacks and his fifth career fumble recovery in the Browns game. … Six-time All-Pro LB Bobby Wagner leads the Commanders with 44 tackles.

Fantasy tip

Baltimore's defensive woes make many Washington pass-catchers attractive, but avoid TE Zach Ertz and be careful with receiver roulette beyond McLaurin. Brown's potential return makes it unclear whether he, Olamide Zaccheaus or rookie Luke McCaffrey will get more attention. Outside the backcourt, Ekeler is the safer choice.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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