{"id":17187,"date":"2023-12-29T17:33:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-29T14:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/17187\/dolphins-ravens-preview-match-ups-x-factors\/"},"modified":"2023-12-29T17:33:02","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T14:33:02","slug":"dolphins-ravens-preview-match-ups-x-factors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/?p=17187","title":{"rendered":"Dolphins-Ravens preview: Match-ups, X factors, stats to know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Dolphins-Ravens preview: Match-ups, X factors, stats to know\u060c<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<ul class=\"authors\">\n<li>\n<p>Jamie Hensley<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-overlay\">Close<\/p>\n<div class=\"multi-authors\">\n<p>Jamie Hensley<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"source\">ESPN Editor<\/span><\/div>\n<ul>Jamison Hensley is a reporter who covers the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN.  Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens starting in 2013. Jamison won Maryland&#39;s National Sports Media Association Sports Writer of the Year award in 2018 and he is the author of a book entitled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore.  Crows.  He was the Ravens writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000 to 2011.<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Marcel Louis-Jacques<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-overlay\">Close<\/p>\n<div class=\"multi-authors\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"author-img\" src=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/1703860381_577_Dolphins-Ravens-preview-Match-ups-X-factors-stats-to-know.png&#038;h=80&#038;w=80&#038;scale=crop.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Marcel Louis-Jacques<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"source\">ESPN<\/span><\/div>\n<ul>Marcel Louis-Jacques joined ESPN in 2019 as a reporter covering the Buffalo Bills, before joining the Miami Dolphins in 2021. The former Carolina Panthers writer for the Charlotte Observer won the APSE award for recent news and the South Carolina Press Association Award.  for business writing in 2018.<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"timestamp \">December 29, 2023, 12:33<\/span><\/div>\n<p>BALTIMORE \u2014 When the Miami Dolphins returned to their team facility this <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/week\/\"   title=\"week\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">week<\/a>, they wondered what they did for Christmas and headed to their meeting rooms.<\/p>\n<p>There was no talk of playoff scenarios ahead of a showdown between the AFC&#39;s top teams on Sunday, when the Ravens (12-3) host the Dolphins (11-4) at M&#038;T Bank Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe understand what\u2019s at stake,\u201d Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said Wednesday.  \u201cI think if you overdo it, you might get to a point where you <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/start\/\"   title=\"start\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">start<\/a> chasing ghosts in a way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhereas if you study the way you study and do things the way you&#39;ve done them, and if you just add a little bit each time, we could eventually be the team we&#39;ve always wanted since training camp .&#8221;<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline float-r inline-track\">\n<h2 class=\"img-title\">NFL Playoff Machine<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-lazyload=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1700148964_728_Deshaun-Watson-shoulder-injury-What-it-means-for-the.jpg\" class=\"round lazyload\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Simulate your own scenarios and check out the latest playoff picture. <b>Playoff machine \u00bb<\/b><br \/>\u2022 Projection of the table of the playoffs, races \u00bb<br \/>\u2022 Complete schedule \u00bb |  Rankings \u00bb |  More &#8220;<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>This is the fourth time in the last 30 seasons that the top two teams in the same conference will meet in the final two weeks of the regular season, according to ESPN Stats &#038; Information.<\/p>\n<p>Baltimore, which has won five straight and is a 3.5-point favorite, can clinch the AFC&#39;s No. 1 seed, secure a first-round bye and secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs by beating the Dolphins.  The Ravens have won first place in the AFC once in their 27-year history.<\/p>\n<p>Miami can overtake the Ravens for the No. 1 seed by winning its final two games.  The Dolphins host the Buffalo Bills in the regular season finale.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/exciting\/\"   title=\"exciting\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">exciting<\/a> situation,\u201d Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.  &#8220;You&#39;re getting to that time of year, [and] you play yourself in this type of game where you have an opportunity where the game matters so much, where winning a game brings such a great reward because of what you have done so far.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#39;s a deserved thing, and the Dolphins deserved the same thing. So it&#39;s that kind of game.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley and Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques explain why each team is a strong bet to <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/tag\/win\/\"   title=\"win\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">win<\/a> on Sunday, and provide vulnerability and an X-factor.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/NFL-Week-6-picks-schedule-odds-injuries-fantasy-tips.png\" width=\"100%\"\/><\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline inline-photo full\">\n<figure><picture><source data- media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source data- media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><img class=\" lazyload lazyload\" data-image-container=\".inline-photo\" height=\"320\" width=\"570\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"photoCaption\">Lamar Jackson scored four touchdowns in a loss to the Dolphins last season.  He threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns. <cite>AP Photo\/Julio Cort\u00e9s<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Why Every Team Is a Strong Bet to Win<\/h2>\n<p><b>Crows:<\/b> Lamar Jackson.  The betting favorite for NFL MVP, Jackson has wanted the Ravens to have wins this season, whether it&#39;s avoiding passers to buy more time to throw or running for a big play.<\/p>\n<p>Jackson has Baltimore averaging 30.1 points over his last nine games, despite missing its most explosive running backs (JK Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell) and its most productive target (tight end Mark Andrews).  Plus, Jackson has been perfect at M&#038;T Bank Stadium this time of year.  He is 9-0 at home in December in his career, which is the most home wins without a loss in the final month of a calendar year since 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau . <i>&#8211;Hensley<\/i><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><b>Dolphins:<\/b> Offense.  The Dolphins have the highest scoring offense in the NFL at 30.9 points per game.  They also lead the league with 411.5 yards per game, 275.1 passing yards per game and 4.98 rushing yards per play.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline editorial float-r\" data-behavior=\"article_related\">\n<h2 class=\"editorial-title\">Editor&#39;s Choice<\/h2>\n<p>2 Related<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>When fully healthy, this offense has four players capable of scoring from anywhere on the court \u2013 Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, De&#39;Von Achane and Raheem Mostert \u2013 but that&#39;s not the only reason why Miami is a real threat in the AFC.  .<\/p>\n<p>The Dolphins defense ranks top five in yards allowed per game (fourth with 296.5), rushing yards allowed per game (fifth with 90.8) and sacks per pass attempt.  They trail only the Ravens in total sacks (54-52), which is impressive considering Miami&#39;s leading passer, Jaelan Phillips, tore an Achilles tendon in Week 12.<\/p>\n<p>This is a complete team that has proven itself on both sides of the ball. <i>&#8211;Louis-Jacques<\/i><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/NFL-Week-6-picks-schedule-odds-injuries-fantasy-tips.png\" width=\"100%\"\/><\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline inline-photo full\">\n<figure><picture><source data- media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source data- media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><img class=\" lazyload lazyload\" data-image-container=\".inline-photo\" height=\"320\" width=\"570\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"photoCaption\">Expect Tua Tagovailoa to look for Tyreek Hill often on Sunday and Jaylen Waddle is not expected to play. <cite>Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Why every team is vulnerable<\/h2>\n<p><b>Crows:<\/b> The ground game.  Stopping the run is the only area where Baltimore&#39;s defense hasn&#39;t dominated.  In three losses, the Ravens have given up an average of 134.6 yards rushing.<\/p>\n<p>Baltimore has allowed two 100-yard rushers (Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams and Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers) in its last three games.<\/p>\n<p>The Dolphins are fifth in the NFL with 136.4 rushing yards per game.<\/p>\n<p>On offense, the Ravens lead the NFL in rushing, but they haven&#39;t gotten much out of the ground game lately outside of Jackson.  Current running backs Gus Edwards and Justice Hill have averaged 3.6 yards per carry over the last six games.  It was tough at times running out of time in the fourth quarter. <i>&#8211;Hensley<\/i><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><b>Dolphins:<\/b> The injuries start to pile up.  Thursday&#39;s news that Waddle is not expected to play due to a sprained ankle is a major blow.  Waddle has 1,014 receiving yards and he caught 11 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens last season.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline inline-with-table float-r\">\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" data-text-contract=\"-\" data-text-expand=\"+\" data-fix-cols=\"0\" data-behavior=\"responsive_table\" class=\"inline-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Season<\/th>\n<th>No. 1 OFF<\/th>\n<th>No. 1 DEF<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"last\">\n<td>2023 Week 17<\/td>\n<td>dolphins<\/td>\n<td>Crows<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"last\">\n<td>1980 Week 16<\/td>\n<td>Cowboys<<\/td>\n<td>Eagles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"last\">\n<td>2012 Week 15<\/td>\n<td>Patriots<\/td>\n<td>49ers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"last\">\n<td>2010 Week 15<\/td>\n<td>Patriots<<\/td>\n<td>Packers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"last\">\n<td>1990 Week 15<\/td>\n<td>Invoices<<\/td>\n<td>giants<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<tfoot>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"3\">>>Game won<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tfoot>\n<\/table>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Safety Jevon Holland hasn&#39;t played since Week 12 due to MCL sprains in both knees, although he has participated more in practice since Wednesday.  Right guard Robert Hunt hasn&#39;t played since Week 13 due to a hamstring injury.  Meanwhile, left guard Isaiah Wynn remains on injured reserve with a quad injury, center Connor Williams is out for the season with a torn ACL and right tackle Austin Jackson is battling with an oblique injury .<\/p>\n<p>Injuries aside, three of Miami&#39;s four losses have come on the road, all against opponents with a winning record.  Although beating the Cowboys last week helped block the narrative that Miami can&#39;t beat teams with winning records, the Dolphins need to prove they can win away from South Florida.  If won, it would be the first time in franchise history that the Dolphins have beaten 10-win teams in consecutive weeks, according to ESPN Stats &#038; Information. <i>&#8211;Louis-Jacques<\/i><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/NFL-Week-6-picks-schedule-odds-injuries-fantasy-tips.png\" width=\"100%\"\/><\/p>\n<h2>Best match to watch<\/h2>\n<p><b>Crows:<\/b> Tagovailoa and Hill against Ravens secondary.  Tagovailoa leads the NFL in completions (18) and touchdown passes (nine) on throws that travel at least 25 yards through the air.  Hill caught seven of those touchdown passes, more than double any other player this season on such throws.<\/p>\n<p>The Ravens have ranked among the best against passes since allowing Hill to catch touchdown passes of 48 and 60 yards during last season&#39;s fourth-quarter collapse.  Since that Week 2 loss to Miami, Baltimore has held teams to 34 touchdown passes, which is the third-fewest touchdown passes in the NFL.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cObviously it was a tough pill for us to swallow,\u201d Harbaugh said.  &#8220;[But] we learned a lot about ourselves [and] our blankets.&#8221; <i>&#8211;Hensley<\/i><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><b>Dolphins:<\/b> The Dolphins offensive line versus Baltimore&#39;s front seven.  Baltimore leads the NFL in sacks, and Miami&#39;s battered offensive line will face its toughest task of the season.<\/p>\n<p>Besides adequate pass protection, Miami will rely on a strong running game to keep Tagovailoa upright.  Mostert leads the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns and could become the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006 to score more than 20 rushing touchdowns in a season.<\/p>\n<p>If Baltimore is going to respect the threat of a run, its front seven can&#39;t just focus on putting pressure on Jackson. <i>&#8211;Louis-Jacques<\/i><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/NFL-Week-6-picks-schedule-odds-injuries-fantasy-tips.png\" width=\"100%\"\/><\/p>\n<h2>X factors<\/h2>\n<p><b>Crows:<\/b> Sales figures.  The Ravens forced an NFL-high 26 turnovers \u2014 their most in six years \u2014 including five interceptions in Monday&#39;s win at San Francisco.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline float-r inline-track\">\n<h2 class=\"img-title\">The best of NFL Nation<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-lazyload=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolphins-Ravens-preview-Match-ups-X-factors-stats-to-know.jpg\" class=\"round lazyload\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u2022 In the Ravens-Dolphins confrontation<br \/>\u2022 How the Falcons can reach the playoffs<br \/>\u2022 How Smith conquered the locker room<br \/>\u2022 Packers&#39; Kraft gets bigger role<br \/>\u2022 The 49ers district becomes a containment CB<br \/>\u2022 Career year for Bills&#39; Allen?<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Baltimore&#39;s plus-10 turnover differential is tied for best in the league with the Steelers and Buccaneers.  The Ravens have scored 91 takeaways this season, which ranks second behind Miami (99 takeaways).<\/p>\n<p>Ball security was key to Baltimore&#39;s end to the season.  During their five-game winning streak, no team has turned the ball over less than the Ravens.  The Ravens had two giveaways in 332 offensive plays (Jackson threw two interceptions). <i>&#8211;Hensley<\/i><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><b>Dolphins:<\/b> De&#39;Von Achane.  Against that pass rush, the rookie could provide an explosive safety valve out of the backfield.  Especially with Waddle&#39;s status unknown, Miami could use every home run hitter possible on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>Since returning from a knee injury in Week 13, Achane has managed 100 yards from scrimmage just once, despite having double-digit touchdowns in three of four games.<\/p>\n<p>He averaged 11.5 yards per touch on 45 touches during his explosive three-game stretch from Week 3 to Week 5, but that&#39;s an unreasonable number to expect from a running back.  However, this is an example of what the third-round pick can accomplish. <i>&#8211;Louis-Jacques<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dolphins-Ravens preview: Match-ups, X factors, stats to know\u060c Jamie Hensley Close Jamie Hensley ESPN Editor Jamison Hensley is a reporter who covers the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens starting in 2013. Jamison won Maryland&#39;s National Sports Media Association Sports Writer of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17188,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[8433,8434,6663,42,1073],"class_list":["post-17187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-sports","tag-dolphinsravens","tag-factors","tag-matchups","tag-preview","tag-stats"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17187"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17189,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17187\/revisions\/17189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wikidollar.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}