Everything you need to know about the Patriots’ Week 16 opponent.
The New England Patriots’ win streak is over, now the task at hand is to start a new one. The first opportunity to do so comes on Sunday night against a Baltimore Ravens team fighting for its playoff life.
While this is not an elimination game for Baltimore yet, a loss to the Patriots would severely hurt the team’s chances of returning to the postseason for a fourth year in a row. Needless to say that the prime time battle will be a challenge for the visitors, whose own advantage in the AFC East is down to a single game now.
With all that said, let’s get to know the Patriots’ Week 16 opponent.
Ravens key stats
Through 15 weeks, there might not be a more mediocre team than the Ravens. They are an even 7-7 so far, while statistically hovering round the middle of the pack with few true outliers in either direction.
Record: 7-7 (2nd AFC North/9th AFC)
Scoring differential: +15 (16th)
Turnover differential: -4 (t-21st)
Offense: 23.9 points/game (14th), 324.6 yards/game (20th), 20 giveaways (t-25th), -0.001 EPA/play (19th), -0.007 EPA/dropback (24th), 0.006 EPA/run (6th)
Defense: 22.9 points/game (15th), 344.4 yards/game (23rd), 16 takeaways (18th), 0.006 EPA/play (14th), 0.064 EPA/dropback (17th), -0.095 EPA/run (12th)
The Ravens might be a statistically unremarkable team overall, but two numbers on the offensive side of the ball still stand out. The first is takeaways, which have been a problem for Baltimore this year: they have thrown 10 interceptions while also losing 10 fumbles. For a Patriots team that has struggled to consistently take the ball away this year, there might be opportunities to do so and add to their 21st-ranked tally of 14 so far.
The other number worth highlighting, meanwhile, is a concerning one. The Ravens are ranked as the sixth-best team in the NFL in terms of expected points added per run. Ranked 12th in the league in rushing attempts (394), they are third in yards (2,047) and seventh in touchdowns (16) on the ground. Their yards-per-carry number (5.2),meanwhile, tops the league after 15 games. Given New England’s recent woes stopping the run, that could become an issue.
Ravens 2025 season
For Baltimore, the 2025 season so far has been one of two halves. The first saw the team struggle to play winning football on a consistent basis, in part because of quarterback Lamar Jackson missing time with a hamstring injury. Following their bye, however, the Ravens won five in a row to get themselves back into the playoff mix.
Week 1: 41-40 loss at Buffalo Bills (0-1)
Week 2: 41-17 win vs. Cleveland Browns (1-1)
Week 3: 38-30 loss vs. Detroit Lions (1-2)
Week 4: 37-20 loss at Kansas City Chiefs (1-3)
Week 5: 44-10 loss vs. Houston Texans (1-4)
Week 6: 17-3 loss vs. Los Angeles Rams (1-5)
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: 30-16 win vs. Chicago Bears (2-5)
Week 9: 28-6 win at Miami Dolphins (3-5)
Week 10: 27-19 win at Minnesota Vikings (4-5)
Week 11: 23-16 win at Cleveland Browns (5-5)
Week 12: 23-10 win vs. New York Jets (6-5)
Week 13: 32-14 loss vs. Cincinnati Bengals (6-6)
Week 14: 27-22 loss vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-7)
Week 15: 24-0 win at Cincinnati Bengals (7-7)
Recently, the Ravens faced some challenges again. They dropped back-to-back games against division rivals before bouncing back last Sunday with a convincing win over the Bengals. As a result of their 24-0 victory, they are only one game behind the Steelers in the AFC North and could be playing for a third straight division title against Pittsburgh in Week 18.
Ravens active roster
Roster up-to-date as of Dec. 17, 5 a.m. ET | *denotes projected starter
Quarterback (3): Lamar Jackson* (8), Tyler Huntley (5), Cooper Rush (15)
Running back (4): Derrick Henry* (22), Patrick Ricard (42 | FB), Rasheen Ali (26 | KR), Keaton Mitchell (34)
Wide receiver (6): Zay Flowers* (4), Rashod Bateman* (7), DeAndre Hopkins (10), Devontez Walker (81), LaJohntay Wester (83 | PR), Tylan Wallace (16)
Tight end (3): Mark Andrews* (89), Isaiah Likely* (80), Charlie Kolar (88)
Offensive tackle (4): Ronnie Stanley* (79 | LT), Roger Rosengarten* (70 | RT), Carson Vinson (71), Joseph Noteboom (68)
Interior offensive line (5): Andrew Vorhees* (72 | LG), Tyler Linderbaum* (64 | C), Daniel Faalele* (77 | RG), Emery Jones Jr. (51), Corey Bullock (67)
Interior defensive line (5): Travis Jones* (98), John Jenkins* (94), Brent Urban (97), C.J. Okoye (91), Aeneas Peebles (93)
Defensive edge (5): Dre’Mon Jones* (41), Kyle Van Noy* (53), Mike Green (45), Tavius Robinson (95), David Ojabo (90)
Linebacker (5): Roquan Smith* (0), Teddye Buchanan (40), Trenton Simpson* (32), Jake Hummel (35), Carl Jones (48)
Cornerback (5): Marlon Humphrey* (44), Nate Wiggins* (2), Chidobe Awuzie (3), Keyon Martin (38), T.J. Tampa (27)
Safety (5): Kyle Hamilton* (14), Alohi Gilman* (12), Malaki Starks* (24), Ar’Darius Washington (29), Keondre Jackson (39)
Specialists (3): Tyler Loop (33 | K), Jordan Stout (11 | P/H), Nick Moore (46 | LS)
The Ravens have may have had their issues so far this season, but there is no denying the talent that they have on their roster. The biggest names among the group can be found on offense, with the two-headed monster of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry serving as the motor for the entire unit.
Jackson has started all 11 of the games he appeared in this season, missing three because of the aforementioned hamstring injury. While he did return in Week 9 against Miami, he has not looked like the MVP-caliber dual threat he usually is and appears to be bothered by a knee injury he originally suffered in mid-November. That said, he remains a dangerous player who has gone 174-of-274 for 2,210 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions as a passer this year and is ranked second on the team with 341 rushing yards and two touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry.
Henry, meanwhile, continues to be an ageless wonder at the running back spot. Despite turning 32 next month, he has carried the ball 233 times for 1,125 yards with a 4.8-yard average and 10 touchdowns. In addition, he also has hauled in 15 catches for another 150 yards to bring his total yardage to 1,275.
One other Raven, wide receiver Zay Flowers, has also surpassed that number so far. The Ravens’ leading receiver with 71 catches and 959 receiving yards (as well as two touchdowns), Flowers also has 44 rushing yards on nine carries to his name. Interestingly enough, tight end Mark Andrews also has carried the ball nine times this year, gaining 45 yards and finding the end zone once. Andrews also leads the team with five receiving TDs, and trails only Flowers in receptions (40) and receiving yards (359).
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens are missing standout defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. Without his disruptive presence in the middle, the team’s pass rush has not lived up to expectation so far. Just look at it this way: Madubuike is still tied for fourth on the team in sacks (2.0) despite playing only two games this year.
In his place, the 25th-most disruptive pass rush with a pressure rate of just 19.2% has relied on a team effort. Rookie Mike Green is ranked first on the team with 3.5 takedowns, with 14 other players also credited with at least one half-sack. They are still only ranked 30th in the NFL with 22 overall sacks.
That does not mean there is no talent to be mentioned. Madubuike’s running mate, Travis Jones, is a more-than-capable defensive tackle in his own right. Meanwhile, the top three linebackers — Roquan Smith, Dre’Mont Jones and Kyle Van Noy — are all multi-year veterans capable of making life hard for opposing offenses at the first and second levels.
In the backfield, Baltimore is relying heavily on its three-safety packages. Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks rarely leave the field, as does in-season trade acquisition Alohi Gilman: the three have played a respective 90.4%, 95.2% and 97.7% of available defensive snaps so far this season.
On special teams, Baltimore is in Year 1 after longtime kicker Justin Tucker. His replacement, rookie Tyler Loop, has played well so far this year: the sixth-round draft choice has made 26 of 28 field goals (92.9%) and 33 of 35 extra points (94.3%).
Ravens reserves
Practice squad (15): RB Jonathan Ward (30), FB Lucas Scott (47), WR Cornelius Johnson (86), WR Keith Kirkwood (18), TE Scotty Washington (85), OT Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan (78), OL Kenyon Green (76), OL Jared Penning (63), OL Laken Tomlinson (74), DT Josh Tupou (69), ED Malik Hamm (59), ED Kaimon Rucker (56), LB William Kwenkeu (57), CB Amani Oruwariye (36), CB Marquise Robinson (28)
Practice squad exempt (1): ED David Olajiga
Practice squad injured reserve (1): LB Chandler Martin
Injured reserve (9): RB Justice Hill, WR Dayton Wade, DT Taven Bryan, DT Nnamdi Madubuike, DT Broderick Washington,LB Jay Higgins, LB Adisa Isaac (IR-R), CB Bilhal Kone, CB Robert Longerbeam
Suspended (1): OL Ben Cleveland
The aforementioned Nnamdi Madubuike is not the only starter-level interior defensive lineman on injured reserve: Broderick Washington has also been out for the team since early in the season. The pair will soon be joined on injured reserve by another core defender, linebacker Teddye Buchanan, who suffered a torn ACL on Sunday against the Bengals.
Ravens coaching staff
Head coach: John Harbaugh
Coordinators: Todd Monken (OC), Zachary Orr (DC), Chris Horton (ST)
Led by the second-longest tenured head coach in the NFL, the Ravens field an experienced coaching staff that also includes some connections to New England. Wide receivers coach Greg Lewis had a short stint with the team in 2009, while tight ends coach George Godsey was part of the Patriots’ staff between 2011 and 2013.
Category: General Sports
