Ravens Expected to Extend Win Streak vs. Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings find the Baltimore Ravens at the biggest fork in their schedule.

November was talked up for weeks as the point in the Ravens' opponent lineup to look forward to, right around when the gauntlet of contenders was expected to stop cycling through Baltimore. The Ravens weren't exactly lucky over that span, losing a slew of contributors headlined by star quarterback Lamar Jackson, and they didn't do themselves any favors with uncoordinated play.

But last week's win against the Miami Dolphins gave the fans their first real taste of what the second half Ravens can look like. Jackson is back, and with him came the productive offense that hadn't been spotted in a month. They took over Miami's Hard Rock Stadium in a 28-6 win behind Jackson's quartet of touchdowns, winning a second straight to dig their way out of their old 1-5 hole.

Vikings are No Chumps

While the Vikings sit squarely in the middle of the portion of matchups that the Ravens were expected to take care of business with, they aren't to be taken lightly. Their 4-4 record, one win ahead of the visiting favorites, was built off of playing spoiler over more impressive-looking perennial winners, having just made that point against the same Detroit Lions team who decisively beat the Ravens in Baltimore in Week 3.

Momentum seems to be all on the Ravens side as they finally have a few wins to back up their re-discovered confidence, and that's just where they can fall victim to the rare trap game as the team with the worse win percentage.

"The Ravens are favored as the visiting team, and they should be," Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski wrote. "With Lamar Jackson in the lineup, this squad has a chance to ascend quickly. However, the Vikings also have their starting quarterback back in the lineup. Granted, J.J. McCarthy isn't anywhere near Jackson's level.

"At the same time, Minnesota looked like a different team against the Detroit Lions last weekend after suffering losses during the previous two contests. Expect Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores to attack Jackson and a weakened offensive line to at least disrupt the Ravens offense and give Minnesota a chance."

Minnesota Vikings Quarterback J.J. McCarthy — Nov 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Ravens are still favored by -3.5, and the majority of Bleacher Report's "experts" rode with the team that's finally seeing their fortunes turn.

"I hate the hook here because this feels like the sort of game Baltimore might win with a walk-off field goal," Kris Knox wrote. "The Ravens are on the road, their defense is getting better but still not great, and Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy can create some mismatches. However, Lamar Jackson is healthy, so I have to back the Ravens against a QB with three career starts."

That quarterback mismatch continues prevailing as the deciding factor, as only the reigning MVP in Josh Allen has prevailed as such a guarantee for regular season wins throughout the first half of this decade. The Ravens seem likely to move to tie the Vikings at four wins, but both their own recent history and their opponent's track record both act as indicators that it may not be a smooth ride.

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