Three key matchups to watch as Patriots take on Ravens

The Patriots finally get to play in front of their home crowd as they welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Gillette Stadium on Sunday; (the Patriots, Colts and Buccaneers are the only teams yet to play a home game). After dispatching the New York Jets in week one, the Ravens raced out to a 35-14 lead over the Miami Dolphins last week before falling apart in a disastrous fourth quarter that saw them get outscored 28-3 (that score will never get old). While everything with the Ravens starts and ends with former MVP Lamar Jackson, here are three key matchups to keep an eye on in week three.

Key matchup: Patriots edge rushers vs. Lamar Jackson

Even without the large contract he covets, Jackson is back to his MVP ways after sitting out the majority of last season with an injury. He’s off to a hot start through the air with six touchdowns to only one interception, and ranks third in the NFL with a 120.1 quarterback rating. But through two games, Jackson also has been the best running threat for the Ravens as well with 15 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown, while the rest of the team combined only has 31 carries.

The Patriots should be able to provide pressure, mainly off the edge as the Ravens are battling injuries at offensive tackle. Ronnie Stanley is still working his way back from injury and Ja’Wuan James is out for the season after tearing an Achilles in week one. The key is for rushers such as Matthew Judon, Josh Uche and Deatrich Wise to keep contain and not let Jackson make plays with his legs.

Key matchup: Patriots receivers vs. Ravens secondary

It’s currently a battle between the running backs and the secondary as to who is the weakest unit on the team. Offseason acquisition Kyle Fuller tore his ACL in week one, Marcus Peters is limited as he works his way back from an ACL tear, Marlon Humphrey was limited at times last week with a sore groin, and Brandon Stephens was inactive with a quad injury. Those injuries and the inexperience of the backups caught up to the Ravens in the fourth quarter, as they allowed the Dolphins to score 28 points, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw four of his six touchdowns as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle had huge days.

Patriot receivers looked much better against Pittsburgh in week two than they did in Miami, as Nelson Agholor topped the 100-yard mark, including an acrobatic touchdown grab, while the reliable Jakobi Meyers contributed nine grabs for 95 yards of his own. Even Kendrick Bourne was dusted off to help provide a spark. Look for this group to have an even better day in week three.

Key matchup: Patriots linebackers/safeties vs Ravens tight ends

Mark Andrews has become one of the best tight ends in the game and Jackson’s go-to receiver, especially after the trade of Hollywood Brown in the offseason. Last season, Andrews topped the 1,000-yard mark for the first time, as he was targeted a whopping 153 times in the passing game. Andrews is off to another good start in 2022, but the Ravens have also added talented rookie Isaiah Likely to the mix at the tight end position to provide a good one-two punch. After being shutout in the opener (despite four targets), Likely brought in four balls for 43 yards against the Dolphins.

This will be a tough matchup for a Patriots team that was victimized by Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth for a touchdown last week, especially if safety Kyle Dugger is unable to go. The good news is that safety Adrian Phillips was back after leaving week one’s loss, and Jabrill Peppers was able to fill in for Dugger, making two key plays against the Steelers. The linebackers also seemed up to the task as Mack Wilson Sr. is already paying dividends, making an athletic play against the pass to force an interception. This will be the biggest test by far for this unit in the young season.