BOLD PREDICTIONS: Hunting Lions in the Dark

Are you ready for some football? It’s a Monday Night Football primetime showdown at M&T Bank Stadium when the Ravens (1-1) host the Lions (1-1). This battle features two teams that won their respective divisions in 2024 and each earned victories last Sunday (Ravens,41-17 vs. Cleveland; Lions, 52-21 vs. Chicago). Monday Night at The Bank will feature DARKNESS

turn out the lights @Imaginedragons pic.twitter.com/E6g2LhyhCd

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 18, 2025

The Ravens are 6-1 all time vs. the Lions, winning the past five matchups, and they are 4-0 in home games vs. Detroit. The last time these teams squared off was during the 2023 season in Baltimore. Lamar Jackson & Co. rolled Detroit, 38-6. Lamar has had his fair share of success on MNF. In 9 games he boasts a (7-2) record and has thrown 22 TDs and 0 INTs (124.3 rating) during those nine contests.

Lamar has quite an impressive record against NFC teams during his career as a starter, posting a (24-2) mark which stands as the best winning percentage (.923) by a QB vs. an opposing conference in NFL history. (Jackson is 2-0 against Detroit.) One other interesting note. The Ravens are (43-19) in primetime games under John Harbaugh (since 2008). This winning percentage (.694) is an NFL best. Can they make it (44-19)?

Television: ESPN/WMAR Ch. 2 (ABC Local Baltimore)

On The Call: Joe Buck (PBP), Troy Aikman (analyst), Lisa Salters & Laura Rutledge (sideline)

Officiating Crew Chief: Bill Vinovich

Forecast at Kickoff: Darkness, Partly cloudy, temperature 72 degrees, 7% chance of precipitation, winds SSW 5 mph.

Betting Line:

• DraftKings: Ravens – 4 ½, over/under at 53 ½ points
• Fanduel: Ravens – 5 ½, over/under at 52 ½ points
• Fanatics: Ravens -4 ½, over/under 53
• ESPNBET: Ravens – 4 ½, over/under 53 ½
• Bet365: Ravens -4 ½, over/under 53

Tony Lombardi

This game feels like a shootout. The Ravens are the NFL’s highest scoring offense (40.5 PPG) while the Lions are 3rd (32.5 PPG). Neither team has been able to consistently stop opponents from scoring. The Ravens rank 25th in the league while generously giving up 29 points per game and the Lions willingness to share ranks 21st with 24 PPG. The track will be fast so there’s plenty of reason to believe that this game will be an entertaining one for the national audience. The winner will come down to the last possession.

• The last time these teams squared off, the Ravens waxed the Lions and Lamar had a field day, completing 21-of-27 passes for 357 yards and 3 TDs (155.8 rating), adding 9 carries for 36 yards and 1 rushing TD. Look for more of the same in this one.
• Derrick Henry gets back on track while rumbling for 140 yards and a score.
• Zay Flowers hauls in 6 passes but the yardage leader in this one will be Rashod Bateman who rips off a score from 60+ yards out.
• Mark Andrews finally gets on the board with a tuddy and 4 catches for 50 yards.
• On defense it will be a night of firsts – Malaki Starks gets his first professional INT while Mike Green takes down Jared Goff for his first career sack.
• The game winner goes to Justice Hill who hauls in a checkdown around the 18-yard line and takes it in for the score with less than a minute left. The Ravens hold on for the dub!
• The Ravens have a record of (20-6) all-time when wearing their black-on-black uniforms. Make it (21-6).

Ravens 41 Lions 38

Kevin McNelis

Most of the time when we do these predictions, it’s pretty easy to visualize how the game might go just based on the matchup. With this one, though, it’s wide open. The Lions are coming off of a beatdown of the Chicago Bears that saw them post 52 points, but the week prior against the Packers, they were stifled on the ground and Jared Goff had 39 passing attempts as they fell to Green Bay. The Ravens, meanwhile, also racked up the points against a struggling opponent last week as they put it on Cleveland, but some of the same issues persisted from Week 1’s loss with soft coverage at times, suspect pass protection and a real struggle to get Derrick Henry any running room.

— For the third straight week, the Lions go pass-heavy and Goff records 25+ passing attempts. This comes after the Lions mix up the play-calling early so Baltimore has to shift to a heavier box, leaving the soft zones in the middle of the field that we’ve become unfortunately accustomed to seeing. While Amon-Ra St. Brown is played tight, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs eat the Ravens up for short yardage completions, each recording 50+ yards through the air.

— The guard play for Baltimore has been suspect the first two weeks. If you and I have seen it, you’d better believe the Lions coaching staff has seen it. Aidan Hutchinson takes advantage early and records multiple pressures from twist plays inside… but here’s where the hot take comes in: no sacks for Hutchinson on the day. Lamar’s legs and Todd Monken’s adjustments to pass protection keep their primary EDGE at bay, and Lamar is able to escape the pocket and make Detroit pay with his legs, including notching a rushing touchdown.

I won’t lie, I’m nervous coming into this one. Baltimore has shown a lot of vulnerability over the first two weeks in ways that are all too familiar. Still, it’s Monday Night Football against an NFC opponent at home. I think it’d be folly for me to not trust that Baltimore can figure this one out.

Ravens 38 Lions 27

Rob Shields

The news about Madubuike (even though we don’t know everything) has put a damper on this game.

With him and Kyle Van Noy out, the Ravens need their rookies to grow up fast.

When the Ravens last played the Lions, they beat them 38-6.  The Ravens offense did whatever they wanted and the defense made it tough on Jared Goff all game.

In the past, they have some close games where Justin Tucker has made some big kicks to win it at the buzzer.

I expect another close game, and a high scoring one.

I look for this to be a Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson running game with the Ravens trying to control the clock and keep the Detroit offense on the sideline.

Ravens 34 Lions 30

Jared Pinder

This game has taken a drastic turn with the news on Nnamdi Madubuike. I know we have Lamar and we have a shot with him anytime he steps on the field but I just can’t put on a good face and lie and say I feel even confident in winning the game.

— Lamar is his usual spectacular MNF self, and Derrick Henry has a touchdown.

— Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman both score touchdowns.

— The defense struggles a ton without Mads; however Mike Green does record a sack.

I’m sorry but I can’t see a scenario where the Ravens win. Lamar will do what he can but without their best pass rusher, I don’t see it this week.

Lions 40 Ravens 31

John Hughey

There’s something special about a primetime matchup at M&T Bank Stadium, and it’s multiplied when the fan favorite all-black uniforms are worn. Monday night’s game against the Lions features a battle between the league’s top two offenses from a season ago. Both coming off explosive performances in Week 2, it’ll be interesting to see whose offense can lift their team above .500 to close out Week 3. Baltimore’s defense enters banged up, especially within the front seven. Limiting the Lions passing attack is obvious, but can the Ravens depleted run defense slow down the duo of “Sonic and Knuckles?”

— Derrick Henry gets back on track, totaling 70+ total yards and a touchdown on the ground.

— Lamar Jackson and Jarred Goff enter Week 3 tied for the league lead in passing touchdowns, and the QBs combine for six passing TDs, continuing their hot starts.

–Mark Andrews wakes up from his offseason slumber, finding the end zone and picking up 35+ receiving yards.

-Jahmyr Gibbs exploits the absence of Madubuike, picking up 80+ yards rushing and a receiving score.

— Mike Green steps up in the absence of Kyle Van Noy, and records his first career sack.

Ravens 38 Lions 31

Chris Schisler

I think this is going to be a game that shows us what the Ravens defense is. Will it be the disappointment from Buffalo or the impressive unit that beat the Browns? The answer is probably somewhere in between, which should be enough with a good showing from Lamar Jackson and the offense.

Put Zay Flowers down for a huge game. Put Derrick Henry down for a huge game and another 40 points for the Ravens.

Ravens 40 Lions 32

Nick Polinsky

Monday Night Football Lamar Jackson might just be the best player in NFL History. In nine MNF games, he has a passer rating of 124.3 and 22 touchdowns to 0 interceptions. Some of his most iconic performances have come over this stretch. His Jackson 5 in LA against the Rams in 2019, the epic Colts comeback in Baltimore in 2021, and the Christmas beatdown of the 49ers in 2023.

Even when Derrick Henry couldn’t surpass 25 yards last week, the offense still scored 34 points. Jackson played another clean game and after the first two weeks Zay Flowers has the 5th most receiving yards in the league. This offense can truly win however they need to. If you stack the box Lamar will pick you apart over the middle of the field with his arm. If you lighten the box Derrick Henry will start ripping off big gains left and right.

The Ravens aren’t the only offense coming in off a huge performance. Detroit hung 52 points on the Bears defense and their star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had three touchdowns. The Lions offense too has an arsenal of weapons that can produce. Sam LaPorta is still one of the better tight ends in the game and the pairing of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs is always dangerous out of the backfield.

This just feels like one of these classic Ravens blowouts. Lamar Jackson has won his last five games on Monday Night and the primetime home field advantage will be a massive benefit.

Ravens 38 Lions 20

Chad Racine

Two high flying offenses meet for what should be one of the most exciting games of the week. I still don’t know what to expect out of the Ravens defense yet, but I know they’re still a work in progress, much like last year.

– Rashod Bateman will have his first standout game with 75 yards, five receptions and a touchdown.

– Derrick Henry has a bounce back game with 120 yards and a touchdown.

– DeAndre Hopkins will have two touchdown receptions.

-Aeneas Peebles will record the first sack of his career with Madubuike sidelined and Travis Jones getting constant double teams.

-Roquan Smith follows up last week with another stellar game with 10 tackles, two for loss and a sack.

-Malaki Starks gets his first interception.

Ravens 34 Lions 27

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