EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens are doing their best to avoid all the speculation that their game against the struggling New York Giants is going to be a blowout.
The Ravens (8-5) are coming off a bye week and are heading to New Jersey to face the Giants (2-11), who are riding an eight-game losing streak and have not won at MetLife Stadium in seven home games this season. To make things worse, New York is very banged up with Tommy DeVito replacing the injured Drew Lock in the Giants' latest quarterback switch.
BetMGM has made the Ravens a 16-point favorite.
“The challenge is playing the team that we’re playing, and this team has really good players, and this team has a lot of motivation to play well,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “They’re going to be motivated to win the game. That's the way it is in the National Football League. There’s no difficulty in getting ready for a team.”
The Ravens know well what can happen against supposed weaker teams. They lost to Las Vegas (2-11) early in the season and dropped a 29-24 decision to Cleveland (3-10) in late October.
“It helps us just not let our guard down,” Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton said. “You’ve got to win every game in this league. Doesn’t matter the situation, what week it is, who’s on the other side, who’s not on the other side — if they’ve got 11 guys out there and there’s a football, then you’ve got to win the game.”
The Giants are in the midst of their second straight losing season and seventh in eight years. The current skid is one game shy of the franchise record, which has happened three times. The last came in 2019 and led to the firing of Pat Shurmur. Current coach Brian Daboll is on the hot seat despite making the playoffs in his first season in 2022.
DeVito said the Giants still are tight-knit group.
“Guys don’t have their headphones in,” he said. “Guys are not not talking to each other. So, this locker room is very tight. We still operate the same way, whether we’re winning or losing. We’re very close. We stay that way. We just have to find a couple more of those plays on Sundays to go out and get a win.”
Lamar Jackson is set to play his 100th regular-season game Sunday. The Baltimore star leads the NFL in passer rating and yards rushing by a quarterback.
“It’s been an awesome ride, 99 and counting,” Harbaugh said. “Let’s make it at least 100 more, but one at a time.”
Giants leading receiver Malik Nabers isn't getting to the playoffs in his rookie season, but the No. 6 overall pick has 80 catches for 819 yards and three touchdowns. His total is 11 shy of the team's rookie record of 91 receptions by Odell Beckham in 2014 and matched by Saquon Barkley in 2018.
“I mean, as a receiver, that’s your landmark for over a year,” Nabers said. “College, whether it be the league, you want to hit 1,000 yards. So yeah, 1,000 yards is in my head, for sure.”
Daniel Jones started the first nine games this season for New York before being benched and cut in late November.
DeVito jumped from the No. 3 quarterback to the starter for the game against Tampa Bay on Nov. 24, but hurt his right forearm. Lock, the backup who was passed over after Jones was sent to the sideline, then started the next two games before hurting a heel last weekend in a 14-11 loss to the Saints.
DeVito will return this week as the starter. Lock is a long shot to play, so recently re-signed Tim Boyle is likely to be the No. 2.
“Tim is doing a nice job. He’s catching up to speed as fast as he possibly can,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said.
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews needs one touchdown break a tie with former running back Jamal Lewis for the most in franchise history. They both have 47 TDs.
Running back Derrick Henry has 15 TDs, tied for the Ravens’ single-season record. Ray Rice (2011) and Mark Ingram II (2019) also scored 15.
Giants defensive boss Shane Bowen was a coordinator in Tennessee when Henry played there. He has also faced Jackson more than a few times.
“It’s always a headache throughout the week and even more so on Sunday,” Bowen said of Jackson. “Special player, MVP candidate every single year.”
He said the 30-year-old Henry is amazing.
“He’s an outside linebacker playing running back,” Bowen said. “He’s 250-plus pounds. Runs hard. It’s going to be tough if you let him get downhill. Tough to bring down. You’ve got to get hats to the ball. It’s going to take more than one guy. Probably the best stiff-arm guy ever.”
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AP Sports Writer Noah Trister contributed to this report.
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