Lions-Ravens preview: Detroit’s success isn’t surprising to John Harbaugh

The last time the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens faced off was in Week 3 of the 2021 season, and it was a memorable game.

The Ravens, who had early uncertainties surrounding their team, were in dire need of a boost of confidence. On the other hand, the Lions were searching for their first win under the leadership of Dan Campbell. As the game approached its final moments, it seemed like the Lions were about to secure a victory, but then something incredible — for the Ravens –occurred.

In a remarkable turn of events, Justin Tucker, arguably one of the NFL’s greatest kickers, delivered what could be considered one of the luckiest — and longest — field goals of all time—a 66-yard game-winner as time expired. The ball hit the crossbar and miraculously bounced back into the net, giving the Ravens a 19-17 win. The fans at Ford Field, who had been rowdy and jubilant just moments earlier, were suddenly left in stunned silence and confusion.

Once again, they had to endure the familiar pain of the Lions losing in the closing moments of a game.

However, the Lions of yesterday are not the same as the Lions of today.

Back then, the Lions were a young team with a new coach and general manager, striving to establish a culture and identity, something that the Ravens had already achieved. When the leaders of the NFC North and AFC North divisions meet this Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, Dan Campbell and his Lions won’t be dwelling on the past. Instead, their focus is on improving their record to 6-1.

“We’ve got an opportunity,” Campbell told reporters on Wednesday. “We’re in year three of this program, we’re 5-1 and we’ve got to go earn the next win, so everything that happens, happens for a reason and it helps you grow, and if it doesn’t, it’s because you don’t know how to grow. So, we’ve taken our lumps and we’re going to be better for it.”

Solving the Lamar Jackson problem

The Lions are 1-0 against former NFL MVP quarterbacks this season, having defeated Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the season opener at Arrowhead Stadium. While Mahomes is a dynamic passer, some argue that Lamar Jackson is even more athletic. With the NFL’s top rush defense, the Lions face the challenge of containing Jackson, one of the most versatile and mobile quarterbacks since Michael Vick.

Currently, Jackson leads the team in rushing yards (327), rushing touchdowns (4) and first downs (23), showcasing his dual-threat abilities. Also, thanks to Jackson, the Ravens have a 46.8% success rate, ranking sixth in the NFL.

Jackson’s 5.5 yards per carry could pose a problem for the Lions. However, one factor in favor of the Lions is their recent success in containing mobile quarterbacks. In the first two weeks of NFL action, Mahomes and Seattle’s Geno Smith rushed for 45 and 20 yards, respectively, against them.

Facing other quarterbacks like Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder, Green Bay’s Jordan Love, Carolina’s Bryce Young, and most recently, Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, the Lions limited their combined scrambling to less than 12 yards. While Jackson is a more dynamic runner, this trend suggests the Lions may have a strategy for containing mobile quarterbacks, which will be tested on Sunday.

Ravens’ John Harbaugh commends Lions’ performance on both offense and defense

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh remembers the 2021 encounter with the Lions vividly. At the time of that Week 3 matchup, Harbaugh already considered them to be a tough and talented team, hence what it took for his team to emerge victorious. Their current success under Campbell’s coaching isn’t a surprise to him. And like many other coaches that’s faced the Lions this season, Harbaugh praised Jared Goff for his part in the turnaround.

“They’re executing at a high level. That starts with the quarterback – Jared [Goff]’s doing a great job with it,” Harbaugh said during a Wednesday media session. “It’s a system that he’s basically grown up in. That system is a system he learned right from the first year when he started off with McVay – [Los Angeles Rams] coach Sean McVay.

He just knows how to run those plays really well. I think [the] timing is really good. The receivers are on the same page – the [running] backs and everything. They’ve been in it for a few years now, and they’re just executing at a high level.”

To emphasize Harbaugh’s point, Goff is currently delivering the best performance of his NFL career, and by a significant margin. At present, he and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa stand as the sole two quarterbacks in the league who rank among the top five in passing yards, completion percentage, touchdowns and passer rating.

Nonetheless, when considering the Lions’ defense as their most formidable challenge, a sentiment echoed by Ravens linebacker and former Detroit Lion, Kyle Van Noy, Harbaugh refrained from entirely concurring, while still acknowledging the Lions’ merit.

“I’m not really rating the challenges. The ones that you face, they seem like the one that comes up is the toughest one. That’s how you feel about it,” Harbaugh said. “Obviously, they’re very good. They have one loss. They’re leading [the NFC North] division. They’ve won their recent games by large margins. They haven’t even been in a close game, I don’t think, since early in the season. They’re tough. They’re physical. They’re legit. We’re looking forward to the game. [We] can’t wait to get out there and play.”

Could the Lions spoil another celebration on Sunday?

The Lions disrupted the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII banner-raising celebration during Week 1 by defeating them 21-20 at Arrowhead Stadium. While winning the game was the most important goal, it was also something they set out to do to send a message to the league.

This Sunday, the Ravens will pay tribute to one of their all-time great players as they induct Terrell Suggs into their ring of honor. Suggs, a two-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker, played a crucial role in delivering one of the franchise’s two Super Bowl championships. This special ceremony is scheduled to take place during halftime.

While winning the game remains the Lions’ top priority, it could be a two-for-one special if they manage to secure the victory and disrupt the overall celebration of Suggs’ honor.

Injury status of Jadeveon Clowney

There are no indications that Ravens outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney is expected to miss Sunday’s game. Although he did not participate in Wednesday’s practice, it was stated that this absence was not injury-related. However, the Ravens’ injury report did mention that he was resting his knee. Given Clowney’s documented injury history, it’s something to keep an eye on over the next couple of days to see if his status changes.

Additionally, not practicing on Wednesday for the Ravens were cornerback Kevon Seymour (ankle), defensive end Brent Urban (neck), and Marcus Williams (hamstring). Linebacker Malik Harrison (concussion) and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (ankle) were limited participants.