The Underrated Factors That Could Swing Vikings-Ravens
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has faced every team in the NFL at least once except the Baltimore Ravens. That will all change this Sunday, and here’s what could swing that game between the Vikings and the Ravens.
The overlooked details that could tilt Sunday’s matchup — also known as the main storyline for Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings in Week 10.
Minnesota is a 4.5-point home underdog, so for the second week in a row, it will hope to defy the odds.
Key Storylines for Vikings-Ravens
The main stuff to watch on Sunday when the purple teams do battle.
1. Lamar Jackson against Brian Flores
The last time Flores faced Jackson as a defensive playcaller, he utterly bothered him with his blitz-happy tendencies. That was four years ago, and Jackson has markedly improved against all blitzes since.
Still, most believe Flores will consult his moneymaker tactic once again this go-round.
Baltimore Banner‘s Jonas Shaffer wrote this week, “At no point in Jackson’s Ravens career had he ever faced a defense so predictable. Yet Jackson and then-offensive coordinator Greg Roman were almost powerless against it. Excluding a kneel-down drive at the end of the first half, the Ravens punted on seven straight possessions over the second and third quarters. They didn’t score a touchdown until late in the fourth. Jackson grew so frustrated in the second half that he vented animatedly on the sideline.”
“Four years later, as the Ravens (3-5) prepare to face the Minnesota Vikings (4-4) and a Flores-coordinated defense for the first time since their meeting at Hard Rock Stadium, the game stands as a milepost in Jackson’s development. He is now one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks against the blitz, one of the hardest to fool before or after the snap. He has so many of the answers that eluded him early in his career.”
Minnesota’s blitz flustered Jared Goff, too, last week to the tune of a three-point triumph.
“Four years ago, Jackson and the Ravens had prepared for the Dolphins’ Cover 0 looks — threatening an all-out blitz before the snap, with man coverage across the board and no safety help — over their short week of practice. They were expecting pressure,” Shaffer continued.
“Other Ravens opponents had given Flores something of a blueprint. In a Week 4 blowout win over the Denver Broncos, Jackson went just 2-for-7 for 11 yards and was sacked once against Cover 0, according to Sports Info Solutions. Three weeks later, in a blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Jackson was 1-for-4 for 3 yards against the coverage.”
If Flores’ plan works even half as effectively as it did in the 2021 Dolphins-Ravens game, Minnesota will probably prevail.
2. J.J. McCarthy Avoiding a Step Back
The last time McCarthy led his team to a thrilling road divisional victory, he turned around and played poorly six days later.
Of course, he didn’t practice much that week because of the birth of his son, Rome, and the Atlanta Falcons’ defense is renowned in 2025 for pestering all quarterbacks, even Josh Allen.
Nonetheless, McCarthy cannot deliver another trashy sequel effort. The hangover must be cured. He doesn’t have to play like a Pro Bowler, but he can’t perform in a futile fashion, like he did in Week 2.
3. Forcing Turnovers at the Vikings’ Usual Rate
Here’s a sickening statistic for Minnesota. May want to cover your eyes:
Vikings INTs on Defense:
So Far This Season — 4
Last Season — 24
And the 2025 season will hit the halfway mark at halftime against Baltimore. Minnesota is on pace to record just one-third as many interceptions as it tallied in 2024.
The law of averages states that takeaways should pile up soon for the Vikings’ defense and special teams. But, you know, that has to actually happen at some point.
Minnesota likely won’t win in Week 10 if it loses the turnover battle. It’s a Kevin O’Connell litmus test during most weeks.
4. Ravens in Desperation Mode
NFL pundits and sportsbooks insist the Ravens will win the AFC North. Mind-bogglingly, they’re favored to win that division while showcasing a 3-5 record. Their main rival, the Steelers, possesses a 5-3 record. The playoff math is totally backward.
Still, Baltimore will embark on a rather easy handful of games after taking on Minnesota, and oddsmakers like its chances.
Now — the Ravens have to, you know, go win the games. Could John Harbaugh and Co. really sink to 3-6 and just expect to eventually start winning? Probably not.
Therefore, Minnesota can probably afford to tally a 4-5 record without the season swirling down the toilet. It’s unclear if Baltimore can survive 3-6.
EbonyBird.com‘s Leigh Oleszczak opined this week: “Working even more so in the Ravens’ favor is their schedule in the back half of the season. Their next five games are against the hit-and-miss Vikings, a bad Browns team that they’ve already beaten once when their defense was awful, a horrid Jets team, a Bengals team with a terrible defense, and then a home game against the Steelers.
“That last one could be a challenge but going 5-0 in this stretch is entirely on the table.”
The Vikings have never lost to the Ravens in the state of Minnesota. Three dubs since 1996.
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