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MNF – Ravens at Cardinals

Patrick Peterson returns a punt all the way for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in 2011
Photo credit: Larry French/Getty Images North America
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The Russell Street Report staff picks who will win on Monday Night Football as the Baltimore Ravens travel to Glendale to face the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals (-9)

Ryan Jones

This one has the making of lopsided blowout by halftime on the surface, but look closer and it could be closer than most people think.

The Cardinals are 4-2 but they’ve beat up on some pretty bad teams. Their four wins have come against teams that have a combined 7-18 record. Their two losses are against teams that are 6-5. Overall they’ve had a really weak schedule.

The Ravens will have to get the run game going and they’ll have to stick with it even if they initially fall behind. The Cardinals rank 21st against the run so Justin Forsertt should have some room to run. The Ravens will play loose because for the first time in a while because there is no expectation for them to win.

Forsett has 150 total yards and two TDs, and the Ravens pull out the upset in the desert. 28-24 good guys.

Joe Polek

The only prediction that technically would be a BOLD one would be predicting that somehow the Ravens win this ballgame tonight in Arizona. That would be bold, because looking at this game, there doesn’t seem to be much of a chance of a Ravens victory, taking it at face value. The Ravens defense is not that good, and the Cardinals have a high-powered offense that will beat you in the air and on the ground. Their defense is also better than the Ravens defense. So everything points to a Cardinals win. But that’s why they play the game. Ravens win 27-24.

Adam Bonaccorsi

With each passing week, it’s becoming less of a prediction, and more of a trend: The Ravens offense starts cold, but the defense keeps them in the game. In the second half the offense shows up, while the defense falters. In the last 5 minutes of the game, the defense will show back up making a key stop and giving the Ravens offense another stab at taking the lead, only to have a costly turnover or 3 & out rear its ugly head, ending with another loss, a 1-6 record, and more calls for more heads to roll.

Rinse and repeat.

The only difference this week: the Ravens will suffer their 1st loss on the season by more than 1 score.

ARI-33
BAL-20

Derek Arnold

This game has the feel of last year’s SNF laugher in Pittsburgh when Fat Ben threw six touchdown passes. Carson Palmer owned the Ravens as a young man, and now the grizzled vet continues his resurgence at their expense. At some point(s), we’ll roll our eyes, shake our collective fist at the sky, and wonder aloud why Larry Fitzgerald is matched up in single coverage with Shareece Wright. The last time the Cardinals beat the Ravens was 1997 – grab your Beanie Baby collection and get ready to go see Titanic in the theater for the 4th time, because the Ravens are about to get Tubthumped.

Nadeem Kureishy

The Ravens have to win this game. We are in the territory of playing to see who will be in the organization next year. I expect a close game with the Ravens finally catching a break for their second victory.

Kyle Rate

My bold prediction is that the Ravens actually come to play football tonight. Early on, they will throw to Steve Smith to open up lanes in the running game. Baltimore will try a trick play in the first half, and they’ll find a way to post 14 points to take a lead into halftime.

The defense will lock down early, shut down the run, and make the Cardinals one dimensional. Unfortunately, that dimension is the passing game, where Palmer will pick his spots in the second half, and the elusive John Brown will get free deep in the secondary (if he plays). Look for Brown to be the difference maker instead of Fitzgerald.

The Ravens actually impress in a game that looks like it should be a rout. But is it enough? No. Arizona 28 Baltimore 17

John  Brown dances in the endzone after scoring a touchdown at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ
Photo credit: Getty Images

Tony Lombardi

This game has all the makings of a blow out. The Cardinals have an excellent secondary, and they’ll be matched up against a very pedestrian posse of Ravens receivers. Offensively, the Cardinals have such an impressive arsenal that on paper it looks as if the the Ravens will have to defend nuclear weapons with a sword and a shield.

The Ravens enter the game as 9 to 10 point underdogs, a line that has ballooned from 7 1/2. Look for the Ravens to fight to the end. The difference will be the play of the offensive line. They’ll help to keep it close.

In his career, Carson Palmer is 9-5 against the Ravens with 17 TD passes against 12 interceptions for a passer rating of 85.5. But that was against the stout Baltimore defenses of what is seemingly long ago. Palmer will prove to be too much for a maligned secondary, as he pulls out the win in the 4th quarter by the score of 27-20. He will also eclipse the 4,000 passing yard mark against the Ravens by throwing for 430 yards.

Brian Bower

The Ravens keep this one closer than many will expect but the Cardinal offense will once again prove the lack of talent in the secondary with a 37-27 victory.

Justin Forsett will lead the Ravens in both rushing yards and receiving yards and Crockett Gillmore finds the endzone twice.

Mike Fast

I can’t wait to see the fireworks between Steve Smith, Sr. and Tyrann Mathieu. Both are playing at a Pro Bowl level this year, and both are fearless trash talkers.

The Cardinals offense is no longer just Larry Fitzgerald. Their running backs are fast and elusive, and all their wide receivers present different challenges. Chris Johnson gains 125 yards from scrimmage, and the trio of Fitzgerald, Floyd, and Brown totals 400 yards receiving (each over 100).

As usual, the Ravens should keep it within one score, but the game won’t be that close. Arizona wins and handles Baltimore, 26-19.

Ken McKusick

It is very unlikely that a winning score falls in the 20s for one of these teams. The Ravens will stop the run, but again prove that’s not truly critical in today’s NFL as they surrender 300+ passing yards again. The offensive line will lead the Ravens to 400+ yards as well while playing catch up, which as is typical, leads to a loss. 37-31 Cards in a game made close in the final minute.

Tyler Lombardi

Tonight isn’t going to be a lot of fun. The Arizona Cardinals come with an offense that has had a couple of breakout performances so far this season. Last week, they may have put up over 400 yards, but they managed only 13 points, largely because of turnovers. Expect at least two of those from the Cardinals this week, and expect the defense to hold the Cardinals to a low point total.

But, in what has become a theme for the season thus far with one side of the ball always faltering when the other does well, the offense gives a putrid performance. They manage just 3 first downs in the first half, going into halftime down 10-0. The offense eventually manages to score in the second half, but it’s not enough. The Ravens lose by more than one score for the first time this year.

Cardinals 20 Ravens 10

Drew Forrester

I’m very fearful of a blow out in this one. The Ravens’ two biggest weaknesses, defending the throw and throwing it themselves, fall right into Arizona’s two biggest strengths.

There’s not much else to say. I would be shocked if the Ravens win. I am in Phoenix for the game and will be there from start to finish no matter what, but I am fully expecting an ass kicking.

Cardinals 38
Ravens 20

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