Ravens at Dolphins how to watch: Pick, TV channel, live stream, what to know for ‘Thursday Night Football’

We’re formally into the second half of the 2021 NFL season, and the kickoff sport for Week 10 pits the Miami Dolphins towards the Baltimore Ravens. 

Each groups have been coping with accidents all through the season, however solely the Ravens have been capable of climate them and stack wins anyway. Baltimore enters the sport with a 6-2 document and management of first place within the AFC North, whereas Miami is available in at 2-7 and within the basement within the AFC East. 

Time is working out for the Dolphins to avoid wasting their season, whereas the time is now for the Ravens to stake their declare as one of the best staff within the convention. Who will come out on prime? We’ll discover out later this night. However first, let’s preview the sport. 

The way to watch

Date: Thursday, Nov. 11 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Laborious Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
TV: Fox | Stream: fuboTV (click here)
Comply with: CBS Sports App
Odds: Ravens -7.5, O/U 46.5

When the Ravens have the ball

Lamar Jackson is taking part in at a very excessive degree in the intervening time — and in a a lot totally different manner than he did when he was the MVP of the league again in 2019. The Ravens have morphed from a run-oriented staff primarily based round Jackson’s talent set as a rusher, to a pass-oriented staff primarily based round Jackson’s talent set as a thrower. And they’re nonetheless thriving. 

Jackson leads the NFL in each yards per completion (12.3) and yards per rush try (6.2, his third consecutive season over 6), and Baltimore ranks seventh in Soccer Outsiders’ offensive DVOA regardless of taking part in this season with out beginning left deal with Ronnie Stanley for all however one sport, with none of their prime three working backs, and with both Sammy Watkins or Rashod Bateman sidelined for each sport this season. The extent of duty he’s carrying is outrageous. Final week, he turned the primary participant in league historical past to try 40-plus passes and 20-plus dashing makes an attempt in the identical sport as he led the Ravens to a comeback victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Although they’re coming off what was seemingly their greatest efficiency of the season (5 sacks and 4 turnovers towards the Texans), the Dolphins protection has been one of many league’s extra disappointing models this season. It is notable that their worst performances did are available in video games the place each Xavien Howard and Byron Jones have been sidelined as a consequence of accidents, however the protection as an entire just isn’t taking part in on the similar degree it did final season even when everyone seems to be wholesome.

The Dolphins have gotten strain at an above-average fee, in accordance with TruMedia, however they’ve nonetheless confirmed susceptible to deep passes. Miami ranks simply twenty seventh in DVOA towards throws at the very least 20 yards within the air, which they Dolphins have allowed opponents to try on the league’s eighth-highest fee. The 24 completions they’ve allowed on these performs is 4 greater than the next-closest staff within the league, and the 688 yards they’ve allowed are second-most behind solely the Detroit Lions. 

Jackson has been much better on intermediate throws (39 of 58 for 722 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception on passes 11 to 19 yards downfield) than deep ones this season, however between Bateman and Marquise Brown, he has a number of receivers able to burning a protection excessive. The Dolphins have been ultra-vulnerable over the deep center, although, which is the place they’ll get overwhelmed by tight finish Mark Andrews working towards their linebackers and safeties — the weakest members of their protection unit. 

Baltimore has cycled by a number of totally different backs this season however has landed on Devonta Freeman because the lead ball-carrier in the intervening time — at the very least till Latavius Murray returns from harm. Miami has a historical past of ignoring fluff within the run sport to concentrate on the largest menace, so it might not be stunning in the event that they dared Jackson to proceed handing the ball off to Freeman and Le’Veon Bell time and again, making an attempt to make Baltimore transfer down the sector with quick features on the bottom. Even in they occasion the Dolphins pursue that technique, although, Jackson is greater than able to making them pay if they provide him even one alternative to take off across the edge. 

When the Dolphins have the ball

Tua Tagovailoa is listed as questionable for this sport after lacking the staff’s victory over the Texans final week. He has been far simpler underneath heart than has backup Jacoby Brissett, who holds the ball for too lengthy and does not even throw downfield that always to make up for it. Particularly towards this Ravens protection, it’s essential to be prepared to take some probabilities and make performs downfield. 

Very like the Dolphins, the Ravens have performed a very good job getting strain on opposing QBs, however their protection unit has left one thing to be desired. Baltimore misplaced Marcus Peters to a season-ending harm earlier than the season started and has additionally seen each cornerback Chris Westry and security DeShon Elliott hit injured reserve, so the downtick in efficiency from the defensive backfield is at the very least comprehensible. Just one cornerback within the NFL has been focused extra typically than Anthony Averett, whom opponents hold testing as they’d fairly take their probabilities with him than any of Marlon Humphrey, Jimmy Smith, or Tavon Young.

Nonetheless, as a result of the Ravens play a lot man protection, they’ve been beatable on longer-developing performs when the opponent can block it up alongside the offensive line. Tagovailoa has been significantly simpler towards man this yr (33 of 56 for 354 yards, 5 touchdowns, one interception, 0.25 EPA per dropback) than has Brissett (30 of 54 for 285 and two scores, 0.12 EPA per dropbacks), owing to his faster launch and decision-making. He is flashed extra chemistry with each Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gesicki, who’re the staff’s greatest man-coverage beaters as a consequence of their elite pace (Waddle) and athleticism (Gesicki). 

Waddle appears more likely to see an entire lot of Humphrey due to how a lot time he spends within the slot, whereas Gesicki traces up within the slot or out large typically sufficient that he ought to see loads of each Humphrey and Smith. If they’ll get both of them matched up with Averett, maybe we’ll see Tagovailoa take a uncommon (for him) shot deep down the sector and attempt to get an enormous play. (Assuming he finally ends up energetic, that’s.)

Miami has struggled to run the ball all season and appears unlikely to seek out success towards Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams, and firm up entrance. Using the run sport as a part of the RPO-based offense is extra more likely to yield optimistic outcomes, particularly if the Dolphins can use the aggressiveness of Baltimore’s again seven gamers towards them. Nonetheless, that is a tall order for both Brissett, or Tagovailoa coming off yet one more harm. 

Newest Odds:

Miami Dolphins
+8.5

Prediction: Ravens 30, Dolphins 17