Raven Country

Ravens — Buccaneers Week 8 Pregame Notes: Tampa Bay Marred By Injuries

Baltimore Ravens play shorthanded Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a short week.
Ravens — Buccaneers Week 8 Pregame Notes: Tampa Bay Marred By Injuries
Ravens — Buccaneers Week 8 Pregame Notes: Tampa Bay Marred By Injuries

BALTIMORE — The Ravens are playing a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team on Thursday night that resembles a MASH unit.

Tampa Bay has already ruled out seven players — tight end Cameron Brate, cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Sean Murphy-Bunting, wide receiver Russell Gage Jr., guard Luke Goedeke, defensive end Akiem Hicks and safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

That means the Buccaneers won't have a healthy scratch for the game.

Tampa Bay wide receivers Mike Evans (ankle) and Julio Jones (knee) were both listed as questionable, and if they cannot play, the Ravens would have a serious advantage. 

The Ravens should be able to take advantage of the short-handed roster, especially in the secondary. Lamar Jackson could have numerous opportunities to throw the ball downfield. 

Defensive end Calais Campbell is the only Ravens player who has been ruled out for the Week 8 game.

Elevations

The Ravens elevated linebacker Devon Kennard and nose tackle, Isaiah Mack, from the practice squad. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson was not promoted, which likely means that Rashod Bateman will be able to play despite being listed as questionable with a foot injury.

Buccaneers Rushing Woes

Jackson has amassed more rushing yards (510) over seven games than Tampa Bay has as a team (451). Jackson also has 82 fewer attempts. 

The Buccaneers' running attack is ranked dead last in the NFL, averaging just 64.4 yards per game.

Leonard Fournette has 362 yards on the ground. He's a downhill runner looking to have a breakout game this season. 

Brady Vs. Ravens

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has gone 6-2 against the Ravens over his career, throwing for 2,177 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, However, Brady is just 2-2 against Baltimore in the postseason. He threw for 1,080 yards with six touchdowns and eight interceptions in those four playoff games.

This year, Brady has been uneven this season, throwing for 1,942 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception. 

A loss would drop Tampa Bay to 3-5 and they would have lost five of their past six games. Brady has never lost five of six games in his career, 

Ravens Need to Finish Strong

The Ravens have squandered leads of 10 or more points in three of their first six games. Jackson has thrown four of his six interceptions in the fourth quarter. The Ravens have also allowed an NFL-worst 856 yards and 10 touchdowns in the final quarter.

It's no secret that Baltimore has to do better job finishing games.  


Published
Todd Karpovich
TODD KARPOVICH

Twitter: @toddkarpovich Email: todd.karpovich@gmail.com Skype: todd.karpovich Todd Karpovich has been a contributor for ESPN, Forbes, the Associated Press, Lindy's, and The Baltimore Sun, among other media outlets nationwide. He is the co-author of “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Baltimore Ravens Sideline, Locker Room, and Press Box,” “Skipper Supreme: Buck Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles,” and the author of “Manchester United (Europe's Best Soccer Clubs).” Karpovich, a Baltimore native, is a graduate of Calvert Hall College high school, Randolph-Macon College in Virginia, and has a Masters of Science from Towson University. 

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