5 NFL teams on upset alert in Week 8
4. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens showed a ton of fight in Week 7 in their Monday Night Football matchup with the Arizona Cardinals, even in a losing effort for the Ravens. However, no one should forget the simple fact that everything in the 2015 season has taught us about the Ravens: they are not a good football team.
Despite having a worse record, the Ravens are favored by three points against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, undoubtedly a product of the Ravens being at home for the contest. Even at home, though, there is no circumstance where the Ravens have looked like a better football team than the Chargers to this point in the season. Even more perplexing is the fact that San Diego is actually built to tear apart the Ravens.
Baltimore currently ranks 28th in the NFL this season in terms of passing defense, allowing 283 yards per game through the air, per ESPN.com. Meanwhile, the Chargers rank as the best passing offense in the league through the first seven weeks of the season, throwing for 344 yards per game. Sure, that’s partially a product of San Diego falling behind and needing the throw. However, that doesn’t erase the fact that Philip Rivers can definitely toss the pigskin and should be able to do so with ease against the Ravens.
The way to cause the Chargers real problems is to attack their depleted offensive line, but the Baltimore pass rush has been lackluster at best thus far and may not be able to do that. Again, this is a matchup between two teams who aren’t great, but the Ravens are favored at home and there’s no way that should be the case.
Next: No. 3 Kansas City Chiefs