The Las Vegas Raiders’ 2024 season got off to an underwhelming start in Week 1 with a 22-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Gardner Minshew’s offense looked uneven in enemy territory, and the defense could only hold firm for so long before Justin Herbert got the best of it. But now, the Raiders face an even more daunting challenge as they fly across the country to take on Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens suffered a brutal Week 1 loss in the NFL season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite playing a poor offensive game throughout the night, Baltimore had a chance to tie or take the lead in the final seconds when Jackson fired a laser to tight end Isaiah Likely in the endzone. Likely came down with the catch but had one toe out of bounds, resulting in a 27-20 loss.
But make no mistake, the Ravens are undoubtedly one of the best teams in football, giving the Raiders a massive Week 2 challenge. They are loaded with talent on the offensive side of the ball, starting with a two-time MVP in Jackson, but also Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, Likely and an incredible offensive line.
Superstar edge rusher Maxx Crosby will have his work cut out for him trying to get to the quarterback. Crosby had three QB hits and a sack against Herbert last Sunday, but the Raiders were largely held in check by the Chargers’ offensive line featuring first-round draft pick Joe Alt. They’ll have to work to generate pressure against an even better line and faster QB.
Minshew was efficient in his ability to gain yards but could not convert that to points when it mattered. The Ravens are flooded with talent in their secondary, including Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, and Marcus Williams. This puts some pressure on Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers to find the soft spots in a tough defense.
Head coach Antonio Pierce is seeking his first win with the interim tag removed from his name, and doing so in Baltimore would be a massive upset.
The Ravens are favored to win this Week 2 battle with a minus-9 spread and an over/under set at 41.5.
Las Vegas Raiders (0-1) vs. Baltimore Ravens (0-1)
Sunday, September 15, 10:00 a.m. PST
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
TV: CBS
