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Alright, picture this: two of the NFL’s most electrifying offenses — the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens — are lining up for what could be a Monday Night Football shootout that sets the stadium on fire. But here’s the kicker — can either defense step up and actually slow down these offensive juggernauts? I mean, both squads started this season dancing to a similar tune: rough road losses to perceived juggernauts, then home blowouts that made fans smile wide. Baltimore’s putting up a league-leading 81 points already, while Detroit just dropped a franchise-best 52 in a single game this season. So, buckle up: this clash promises fireworks, strategy, and maybe a few defensive surprises. But who’s got the chops to turn the tide? Dive into the numbers, the key matchups, and the predictions as we break down this high-stakes showdown. LEARN MORE

There could be a Monday Night Football shootout as the high-octane Lions and Ravens do battle. Can either defense slow one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL?

Lions vs. Ravens: The Key Stats

The Ravens are considerable favorites over the Lions, winning 66.4% of game simulations by the Opta supercomputer (as of Sunday).
Lamar Jackson has 22 touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 124.3 passer rating in nine career games on Monday Night Football.
The Lions averaged 8.8 yards per play in their Week 2 win – the most by the franchise in a single game dating back to 1964.

The Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens head into their Week 3 Monday night showdown having followed similar scripts through the first two weeks of the 2025 NFL season.

Both teams opened with disappointing road losses to opponents who look like they could be playing in the Super Bowl (the Lions being run over by the prolific Green Bay Packers and the Ravens losing a heartbreaker to the mighty Buffalo Bills).

But both bounced back with convincing home victories over teams that look like they’ll be among the league’s worst (Detroit embarrassing the hapless Chicago Bears and Baltimore overwhelming the lowly Cleveland Browns).

Week 2 was a nice elixir for both the Lions and Ravens, but now it’s back to reality and a formidable NFL opponent.

Baltimore’s 81 points on the season are the most in the NFL, while Detroit’s 52 points in last week’s laugher over the Bears are the most by a team in a game this season, so the onus will be on the defenses to come up with some stops in this matchup.

Lions’ Key to Victory vs. Ravens

With a 41-40 loss at Buffalo in Week 1, followed by last Sunday’s 41-17 win over the Browns, the Ravens became just the sixth team in the last 50 seasons to open with consecutive 40-point games.

Baltimore won last week’s game by 24 despite the fact that Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry was limited to a mere 23 yards rushing. This came after he rushed for 169 yards and the Ravens ran for 238 against the Bills. Last Sunday, the Ravens rushed for just 45 yards, the fewest by John Harbaugh’s team in a game with Lamar Jackson at quarterback.

Baltimore still prevailed thanks to its defense and special teams setting up some short fields.

Oh yeah, and there were also plays made by the two-time league MVP at QB.

Jackson had four touchdown passes on Sunday, giving him six TDs without an interception to go with 83 rushing yards and another score on the ground through two games.

Defending against Jackson keeps defensive coordinators up all night. Keeping him in the pocket is crucial because when he gets on the move, the dual-threat quarterback can beat defenses in a variety of ways.

Lions first-year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard likes to flummox opposing offenses by bringing extra heat, blitzing 40.6% of the time (league average 31.1%).

This might not be the best strategy against Jackson, however, as he’s been sensational regardless of what defenses throw at him, and hasn’t been fazed at all when being blitzed.

The Lions had no answers for Jackson and the Baltimore offense the last time these teams met in Week 7 of the 2023 season. Jackson completed 21-of-27 passes for 357 yards with three touchdowns for a 155.8 QB rating in a 38-6 rout.

The Ravens are averaging 9.1 yards per play, their second-highest average in a game in franchise history. That drubbing has been Detroit’s only loss by more than two touchdowns since the start of 2023, and the Lions are undoubtedly using that beatdown as motivation this week.

Ravens’ Key to Victory vs. Lions

The Lions eviscerated Chicago’s defense on Sunday, racking up 511 total yards for an average of 8.8 yards per play – the most by the franchise in a single game dating back to 1964.

Jared Goff was 23 of 28 for 334 yards with five touchdowns for a 156.0 passer rating, burning the Bears with the play-action pass.

With the dynamic duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in the backfield, Detroit can keep defenses in check by running play action. No team ran more play action last season than the Lions (152 plays) – 34 more times than the next-closest team (Los Angeles Chargers) – and their 17 play-action passes this season are one fewer than the Bears for the most in the NFL.

On the first play from scrimmage against Chicago, Goff faked the handoff to Gibbs and found a wide-open St. Brown streaking across the middle of the field for an immediate 34-yard gain, setting the tone for things to come.

Out of play action against Chicago, St. Brown also had a 32-yard reception, tight end Brock Wright caught an 8-yard touchdown and Jameson Williams was on the receiving end of a 64-yard catch and run.

Through two games, the Lions are averaging 13.6 yards per pass when running play action and St. Brown’s six targets in play action are the most in the NFL.

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams play action stats

The Lions’ propensity for big plays through the air poses problems for a Ravens team that has been susceptible to the deep ball. They’ve already surrendered 10 pass plays of at least 20 yards. Only the New England Patriots have yielded more such plays with 13.

Sure, Baltimore was picked apart by reigning MVP Josh Allen in the demoralizing opener for seven of those 20+ yard throws, but the Ravens also allowed the 40-year-old Joe Flacco to complete three passes of at least 20 yards.

Making matters worse, the Ravens may be a bit depleted defensively with linebacker Kyle Van Noy and cornerback Marlon Humphrey both getting hurt against the Browns.

Lions vs. Ravens Prediction

Both Detroit and Baltimore face big challenges in the final game of the Week 3 slate, but the Ravens are the favorites on most betting sites. The Opta supercomputer also sees Baltimore improving to 2-1, giving the Ravens a 66.4% chance of winning (as of Sunday).

Though these interconference foes don’t play frequently, the Ravens have won five straight over the Lions by an average of 21.0 points since a 35-17 loss at Detroit in 2005.

Dating back to Jackson’s rookie season in 2018, Baltimore has dominated the NFC, winning 26 of its last 30 games against those teams for an .867 winning percentage.

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