What the ESPN FPI Says About the Panthers' Chances Against the Ravens
Believe it or not, the Carolina Panthers aren't totally out of the race for the NFC South division crown but need an unlikely win this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens to keep pace with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons.
To do so, the Panthers will need a solid outing from Baker Mayfield, who is starting in place of the injured PJ Walker (ankle). Mayfield, a familiar foe of the Ravens, has a 3-5 record against Baltimore and in those eight starts he's thrown for 2,221 yards, 13 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. In his two starts against them last year, Mayfield completed 40-of-69 pass attempts for 437 yards, three touchdowns, and one pick. Cleveland and Baltimore split the season series.
As for Baltimore, they're riding into this matchup with some momentum having won three straight games, two of which against NFC South opponents. The Panthers hope that the bye week slowed down that momentum as they face one of the top rushing attacks in the NFL. Carolina has had its issues in containing the run game, allowing an average of 139.2 yards per game.
According to the ESPN FPI, the Panthers have just a 15.1% chance to win while the Ravens have an 84.7% chance.
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