Detroit Lions vs Ravens picks, predictions for NFL Week 3 'Monday Night Football' showdown

Don’t ask Dan Campbell about the last time the Detroit Lions won in Baltimore.

Oh, the Lions coach was alive for it – but he may not have been too into football at the time; Campbell was a 20-month-old – the perfect size to bite some kneecaps, we suppose – when last the Lions came out of “Charm City” with a W, on Dec. 11, 1977.

A lot has changed since Gary Danielson – yes, THAT Gary Danielson – completed 17 of 32 passes for 129 yards for the Lions, Dick Jauron – yes, THAT Dick Jauron – picked off a Bert Jones pass for the Lions and Leonard Thompson – yes, THAT Leonard Thompson – returned a blocked punt 2 yards in  for the winning score in the fourth quarter of a 13-10 barn-burner against the Baltimore Colts.

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The biggest change? The franchise – the Colts packed up for Indianapolis in March 1984, leaving the city without an NFL franchise until 1996, when the Browns shed their, well, their browns in favor of black and purple and a literary allusion known as the Ravens.

Since then, the Lions are 0-4 in Baltimore, dropping games in 1998 (19-10), 2009 (48-3), 2017 (44-20) and, most recently, in 2023 – 38-6, in a game Campbell most definitely remembers.

Will the Lions finally be able to end their nearly 48-year drought in the birthplace of “The Wire” or will the Ravens answer “Nevermore!” once again?

Five Free Press sports writers have some thoughts on the question.

Dave Birkett

The Lions got back on track in a big way last week against the Chicago Bears but have their hands full this week with the team I regard as the best in the NFL. The Ravens are averaging 40.5 points through the first two weeks and have the league's best rushing attack with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. They're not invincible: Henry has two fumbles and Josh Allen had his way with Baltimore's pass defense in the Buffalo Bills' Week 1 comeback victory. But playing a Monday night game on the road is another stern test for the Lions' young offensive line. The Lions took a butt-kicking last time they went to Baltimore. Dan Campbell's team has typically been all-in in revenge games, but I don't see them walking away victorious in a potential Super Bowl preview. The pick: Ravens 31, Lions 27.

Carlos Monarrez

Here’s a bad stat: The Lions have never beaten the Ravens in Baltimore. Granted, that's only four games, dating to 1998. You can either look at this stat as a bad omen or a streak that’s due to end. I’ll go with the latter, especially since Dan Campbell has a way of repaying teams that rout him, like Baltimore did in 2023 with a 38-6 win. The two potent offenses will play a cautious game of cat-and-mouse but it’ll all come down to Jake Bates’ big kick. Take that, 2021 Justin Tucker! The pick: Lions 27, Ravens 24 (OT).

Rainer Sabin

The Lions showed some resilience, bouncing back from their loss to Green Bay in the season opener to thump Chicago in Week 2. But let’s be real: In terms of performance and overall roster strength, the Ravens more closely resemble the Packers than the Bears.

A convincing argument can be made that Baltimore is more formidable than Green Bay. The Ravens' offense also may be more potent than in 2023, when they crushed Detroit by 32 points. With Baltimore playing in front of a home crowd on Monday night, it’s hard to envision the Lions returning to the Motor City with their second victory. The pick: Ravens 31, Lions 23.

Jeff Seidel

I can’t get one game out of my mind. I was in Baltimore in 2023 when the Ravens crushed the Lions, 38-6. I don’t think it’s going to be that bad. Both teams are different. But all summer, I thought the Lions would lose this game – and I don’t see any reason to change it. The pick: Ravens 31, Lions 28.

Shawn Windsor

John Morton made it clear last week when asked about the mission in Baltimore: Score touchdowns. Field goals aren't gonna work, not against Lamar Jackson and Co on their home field. Expect some carry over from the Bears performance. Just don't expect another 50-plus points. The Lions will be competitive in a way they weren't against the Packers. The pick: Ravens 34, Lions 31.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions vs Ravens picks, predictions for NFL Week 3