Week 5 will conclude with a Monday night showdown between the 3-1 Baltimore Ravens and 1-3 Indianapolis Colts. On paper, this matchup appears to be between two teams headed in opposite directions, but a Colts win would see them get right back into the thick of things in the AFC South.
For John Harbaugh and Co., a Ravens victory would firmly place them atop a competitive AFC North division following Sunday’s losses for the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. There’s a lot at stake for both of these teams, and we expect a competitive matchup.
Between the likes of Lamar Jackson, Quenton Nelson, and Jonathan Taylor, just to name a few, star power will be plentiful when these teams take the field. Here are three player-versus-player matchups we’re particularly excited to monitor.
MICHAEL PITTMAN JR. VS. MARLON HUMPHREY
This should serve as the night’s most appetizing “game within the game,” as they say. Pittman has begun to come into his own throughout the early portion of his sophomore campaign. The former USC standout is already more than halfway (23 receptions for 279 receiving yards) to his totals as a rookie (40 catches for 558 yards) through just four games.
Pittman will be faced with a difficult task when he encounters the excellent Humphrey in coverage. The two-time Pro Bowler is off to yet another fantastic start in 2021, having given up just 14 receptions on 175 coverage snaps, via PFF. This has the potential to be one heck of a battle.
ODAFE OWEH VS. ERIC FISHER
This matchup is intriguing and will see a savvy veteran square off with an exciting young pass rusher. Fisher is just nine months removed from a horrific Achilles tear and is still getting his feet wet as he continues to work back into Indianapolis’ lineup. There is no rest for the wicked though, and Fisher will be tasked with holding Oweh in check.
Oweh has impressed in his rookie season after the Ravens selected the former Penn State standout with the 31st overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. Oweh was a polarizing prospect throughout the pre-draft process after he failed to record a sack in his final season at Penn State. The Ravens decided to bet on the tools, and Oweh’s rare length and exceptional athletic tools have already been on display through four games.
MARK ANDREWS VS. KENNY MOORE II
The Ravens like to move their star tight end all over the formation, but we expect Andrews to line up in the slot on a fairly consistent basis on Monday night. When he does, he’ll see plenty of Moore.
Moore is one of the best at his trade in the league, but will be on the receiving end of a huge challenge when Andrews lines up as Baltimore's “big slot.” Moore began the 2021 campaign in disappointing fashion but has been back to his true form in recent weeks. It’s worth noting that Andrews has a massive size advantage here, but Moore is used to competing against players of much larger stature than him.
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