Ravens at Giants: What you need to know
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Credit: AP/Nick Wass
Sunday's Game
RAVENS (3-2) AT GIANTS (4-1)
METLIFE STADIUM, 1 p.m.
VITALS
Line: Ravens by 6; O/U 44 1/2
TV/Radio: CBS (Ian Eagle, Charles Davis) / WFAN-660 AM; Sirius 111 or 232 & SXM App.
NOTABLE INJURIES
Giants: WR Kenny Golladay (knee); WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring); DOUBTFUL: LB Azeez Ojulari (calf); QUESTIONABLE: DL Leonard Williams (knee), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee).
Ravens: OUT: WR Rashod Bateman (foot), LB Justin Houston (groin); DOUBTFUL: RB Justice Hill (hamstring).
ANOTHER MVP
The Giants are in the middle of a two-game span in which they are facing the last three MVPs of the league. They beat Aaron Rodgers, winner of that title the last two seasons, in London last week. Sunday they face Lamar Jackson, who won it in 2019, at MetLife Stadium.
Despite their similar hardware, the two quarterbacks are very different players. Giants outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins compared it to going from guarding LeBron James to Steph Curry.
Luckily for the Giants they have some insight on Jackson. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale coached in Baltimore throughout Jackson’s career there (as did Wilkins) and knows just how dangerous he can be.
“He’s unbelievable and he’s playing at an MVP caliber right now like he was back in ’19,” Martindale said.
Giants linebacker Jihad Ward was on that Ravens team too.
“I chased him around a lot of practice fields,” he said. “Listen, this guy is good and he’s forever going to be good. I’m vouching for that. But we’ll figure it out.”
WINK, WINK
There are a lot of similarities in style between the Ravens and Giants defenses given Martindale’s influence on both. One stark difference stands out, though. Baltimore is tied for the league lead with 11 takeaways and eight interceptions. The Giants? They have only six takeaways which is tied for 19th and they are the only team in the league with no interceptions.
Still, Brian Daboll shrugged when asked if he’d like to see more (or any for that matter) interceptions.
“I like winning,” he said.
— TOM ROCK
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
