Some Maryland football fans are calling it the “biggest game of the year”. Others are calling it the “DMV Super Bowl”. Regardless of how fans want to coin the matchup, it’s sure to be a battle when the Washington Commanders travel up to Baltimore to face the Ravens on Oct. 13.
Not gonna lie Ravens vs. Commanders might be game of the year. pic.twitter.com/p5lnLuM32R
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) October 6, 2024
Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson will be looking to outduel rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. The Commanders front seven will be looking to slow down the likely future Hall of Famer Derrick Henry. Here are the major storylines and important information you should know before kickoff:
Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels are both performing admirably
Jackson is following his second MVP season with another strong season both statistically and performance wise. Although the Ravens dropped their first two games in the season, — one to the defending champions, Kansas City Chiefs — they have since won three games in a row.
Jackson is tied for the third most total touchdowns in the NFL with nine passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and only one interception to his name. Jackson is coming off his best performance of the season so far against division foe Cincinnati Bengals where he threw for four touchdowns on 348 yards and zero interceptions.
Game of The Year Incoming… 👀
📸: @dots0n // tt pic.twitter.com/ZshSoEjLII
— 𝒆𝒍𝒊… (@CMNDERS) October 9, 2024
Daniels has had an impressive start to his NFL career, truly energizing the entire Commanders fanbase. Daniels currently leads the NFL in completion percentage and has led his team to a 4-1 start, their best start since 2008.
Daniels has added a couple of records to his resume only five games into his career, including being the first quarterback to have over 1,000 passing yards and 250 rushing yards in their first five games.
The 2023 Heisman winner and 2024 NFL Draft number two overall pick is also responsible for leading the Commanders to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to score at least 150 points in their first five games while starting a rookie quarterback. The Commanders currently have the number one offense in the NFL.
Both teams are committed to the run
As if Jackson was not enough to deal with, the Ravens picked up the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year Derrick Henry this offseason. Henry is currently tied for 13th in the NFL for total touchdowns with seven touchdowns. Henry has added a dominant, downhill running attack to an offense that already featured a dynamic quarterback like Lamar Jackson, who can get it done both through the air and on the ground.
The Commanders have a strong running attack as well, leading the NFL in total rushing touchdowns this season with 13. The Ravens are in a three-way tie for third with eight.
In terms of rushing yards, The Ravens lead the league with 1,056, with the Commanders in second, with 892.
Oooooooooohh Weee!! JD5 got the @Commanders video department cutting up don’t they!
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) October 9, 2024
When and where to watch
The Washington Commanders at the Baltimore Ravens is slated to kickoff at 1 p.m. EST at M&T Bank Stadium. The game will be broadcasted on CBS, but you can also stream the matchup on NFL Sunday Ticket via YouTube or on NFL+ (paid subscription).