The top two teams in the AFC play against each other this Sunday and there is a lot at stake. The Baltimore Ravens, arguably the hottest team in the league, can clinch the top seed with a win against Miami which means they get a 1st round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. If Miami wins this, they become tied with the Ravens and if they also win next week’s game vs Buffalo, they will get the 1st seed. There are a lot of implications and we’re in a treat from Baltimore on Sunday afternoon.
The Dolphins got a huge win last weekend against Dallas and they finally proved they can beat a winning record team. It felt like a playoff game and it was one they needed to win desperately. Their focus shifts to the Ravens now but they won’t have Jaylen Waddle in this game (multiple sources). That’s a huge miss in my opinion and they’ll be missing one of their key receivers. Since Waddle is out, Hill has to step up and I’m sure Tua will be looking for the “Cheetah” all game long. Baltimore’s defense is fast, as shown last week against the 49ers, and Tua’s release will have to be fast or he’ll be in for a similar night Brock Purdy had. The Niners gifted the Ravens lots of opportunities and Tagovailoa has to be extremely aware. They have a better chance of winning if they keep the crowd quiet and if I were them, I’d slow the game down and not rush. On the defensive side, the Dolphins defense has to be spot on and they have to put a lid on Lamar Jackson. He cannot boss the game and it would change a lot of things if they can keep him contained. In addition, the secondary has to do a better job because CeeDee Lamb had a big game last week and Zay Flowers could also put up that type of performance. They play the best team in the NFL and Tua’s team will have to have one of their best performances.
After seeing the Ravens game last Monday Night, Baltimore seems like real Super Bowl contenders. I wasn’t hooked before but after that dominant performance I could see them playing the Super Bowl. They looked composed and that defense was incredible against one of the best offenses. They forced mistakes from Purdy and I believe that if they can pressure Tua, they can force mistakes from him as well. Mike Macdonald’s defense stole the show last week and they face another tough test with the speedy Dolphins. Since the defense did so well, the offense didn’t have to dazzle but it was an exceptional game from the now MVP frontrunner, Lamar Jackson. He was a menace to the 49ers defense and they won because he played turnover free football. That makes all the difference and if he doesn’t give chances to Miami’s explosive offense, they’ll have a similar result to last week. It’s a golden chance for John Harbaugh’s team to clinch the top seed and get the rest but they can’t slack off against another difficult opponent.
My prediction for this game is that the Ravens will win 27-21. Originally, I had the Dolphins winning but after Waddle’s injury, I changed to Baltimore. With Waddle unavailable, the Ravens defense can direct more focus to Hill and they won’t have to worry about the 6th overall pick from 2021. I also feel that the Ravens will be able to exploit Miami’s banged up offensive line and create some mistakes from the lefty quarterback. Tua and Hill have the potential to have a big game but I believe the Ravens will limit Hill from going crazy. Both teams got strong wins last week but the Ravens will win this game at home. You can watch this game on CBS at 1:00 PM EST from M&T Bank Stadium on 12/31/2023.
We have a big AFC game in store for us on New Year’s Eve and we’ll see who soars into 2024. Will the Ravens finish the Dolphins and guarantee the top seed for themselves or will the Dolphins win this game to clinch their division and stay in the race for the 1st seed?
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