Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens Matchup Preview (11/7/21): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens Matchup Preview (11/7/21)

Coming off an abysmal home performance in their loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, the Minnesota Vikings travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens at M&T Stadium.  Minnesota is seventh in total offense averaging 394.7 yards per game this season.  Baltimore is coming off a bye but was blown out in its last game 41-17 against the Cincinnati Bengals at home.  On the season the Ravens defense is allowing 382.3 yards per game, ranking them 25^th in the league.  

Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens Betting Odds

Baltimore is listed as 5.5 home favorite.  Minnesota is 3-4 against spread this season; 1-2 on the road. The Ravens are scoring 29.5 points per game at home while the Vikings are scoring 30.3 points per game on the road.

My prediction: Ravens 27-20, Ravens cover, but under 49.5 points.

TV Schedule

Date: 7th, November 2021
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Baltimore, MD
TV Coverage: CBS

Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens Live Stream

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Minnesota Vikings Analysis

The Vikings failure to convert on third down was on full display in the loss to the Cowboys.  In the game Minnesota was one of 13 on third down conversions.  Throws were consistently short of the first down marker or Viking ball carriers were stuffed at the line of scrimmage on many of the third down plays.  The average distance to gain on 12 of the 13 third downs was 6.9 yards. On the season the Vikings are converting 35.7% of third downs for first downs; ranking them 24^th in the league.

Minnesota had eight of 12 possessions last only five plays or less in the loss last Sunday night.  Minnesota totaled 278 yards against a Dallas defense that was allowing the second-highest yards-per-play average in the NFL entering last weekend.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 184 yards and a touchdown in the loss vs. Dallas. On the season, the former Michigan State Spartan has thrown for 1,963 yards, 14 touchdowns, two interceptions with a completion percentage of 69.  Instead of throwing dump-offs like he did against Dallas, Cousins needs to push the ball downfield, allowing his talented receivers to make a play.

Wide Receivers Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson are the Vikings two leading pass catchers with 43 receptions each.  Jefferson, Minnesota’s deep threat is leading the team with 563 yards receiving, averaging 13.1 yards a catch while adding three touchdowns.  Thielen who battled a foot injury going into last week’s game has 471 yards receiving and a team leading six touchdown catches.   

Due to the team’s inability to convert on third down, Dalvin Cook was limited to 18 carries for 78 yards in the loss to Dallas.  In 2021, Cook has 444 yards rushing and two touchdowns: averaging 4.5 yards per carry.  In road games this season he’s averaging 110.7 yards per game.  With Mike Zimmer being from the Bill Parcells coaching tree, he likes to have a dominate rushing attack to control the game.  The Vikings #33 is the key to Minnesota’s success.  

The Vikings are second in the league in sacks with 24 but were surprisingly not aggressive in their loss to the Cowboys.  Defensive End Danielle Hunter who was leading the team in sacks with six is now out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.  Defensive End Everson Griffen who has five sacks and Linebacker Eric Kendricks (three sacks) will be expected to step up even more with Hunter out for the season.  I’d expect Mike Zimmer to have his defense play more aggressive against Baltimore, but that allows themselves to be vulnerable to Lamar Jackson’s ability to improvise in the open field. 

Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart

QB: Kirk Cousins
RB1: Dalvin Cook
RB2: Alexander Mattison
WR1: Justin Jefferson
WR2: Adam Thielen
WR3: K.J. Osborn
TE1: Tyler Conklin
TE2: Chris Herndon

Baltimore Ravens Analysis

In seven games this season, Lamar Jackson has accounted for 2,423 yards (1,943 passing and 480 rushing) of total offense this season.  He’s accounted for 12 touchdowns (10 passing and 2 rushing) in 2021, while averaging 277.6 passing yards per game.  The 2019 MVP is tied with Michael Vick for the most games with at least 75 yards rushing amongst quarterback since at least 1950 with 21.  The Ravens 27-point loss to the Bengals in week 7 was the third time Baltimore lost by at least seven points in Lamar Jackson’s 44 career starts.  The Ravens #8 had rough game vs. Cincinnati throwing for 257 yards with a touchdown and adding 88 yards on the ground.  I’d expect Jackson to play better at home against a Minnesota team allowing 5.7 yards per play.   

Baltimore’s rushing game is third in the NFL averaging 149.4 yards per game.  Quarterback Lamar Jackson is the Ravens leading ball carrier averaging 6.3 yards per attempt.  Running back Latavius Murray, who’s battling an ankle injury suffered against the Chargers in week 6 did not play in the Ravens last game two weeks ago.  He has rushed for 259 yards and a team leading four rushing touchdowns: averaging 3.6 yards a carry.  His status for Sunday’s game is unknown currently.  In the loss to the Bengals in week 7, the ground attack had zero impact on the game; Devonta Freeman, T’Shon Williams and LeVeon Bell ran for a combined 29 yards.  Out of those three players, Williams leads the group with 180 yards rushing on 33 carries this season.  Freeman is averaging 5.5 yards a rushing attempt while Bell in three games has 34 yards in limited duty.  The productivity of these players on the ground will be pivotal in the Ravens being successful on Sunday.  

Marquise Brown is the Ravens leading receiver, with 37 catches (tied with Mark Andrews) for 566 yards and six touchdowns.  The former Oklahoma Sooner has 21 touchdowns overall in 37 career games.  He’s averaging a fantastic 15.3 yards per reception and is the big-time weapon that can take the top off a defense.  Brown has surpassed his teammate Mark Andrews for the most receiving touchdowns by a Baltimore player in their first three seasons with 20.  Tight End Mark Andrews is another important piece to the Ravens offense using the middle of the field as his office.  On the season Andrews has 37 receptions for 516 yards and three touchdowns.  

This season the Ravens defense hasn’t been as dominate as it has been in years past.  Baltimore has allowed at least 400 total yards four times this season; in comparison to three times all of 2020.  The pass defense is statically the worst in the NFL allowing an average of 296.1 passing yards per game.  

Baltimore Ravens Depth Chart

QB: Lamar Jackson
RB1: Latvius Murray
RB2: Tyson Williams
WR1: Marqise Brown
WR2: Sammy Watkins
WR3: Rashod Bateman
TE1: Mark Andrews

Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens Daily Fantasy Picks

On the fantasy side, I really like the Vikings Tight End Tyler Conklin.  He’s not in the same category as Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Darren Waller, but he’s a quality pass catcher.  He’s overshadowed by the excellence of receivers Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson but can make the catch in traffic.  Conklin has been targeted 37 times and has caught 27 of those for 297 yards and a touchdown.

With Sammy Watkins out with a thigh injury suffered in week 5 against the Colts, Rashod Bateman stepped in his place and has seven catches for 109 yards in the last two games.  Bateman, a first round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, will be looked upon to pick up some of the slack in the passing game if Watkins continues to be out of action.