Ravens vs. Commanders: Top offenses, quarterbacks clash

BALTIMORE -- Three weeks ago, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels knew he would get blasted. Facing a cover-zero blitz, the rookie first-round pick stood in the pocket and threw a 27-yard strike to Terry McLaurin in the end zone just as he was hit. That has been the most improbable touchdown pass of the season, with Next Gen Stats giving it a completion probability of 10.3%.

Then, last Sunday, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbled a snap in the red zone and was on his knees frantically trying to scoop up the loose ball. The NFL's reigning MVP got up, stiff-armed a 265-pound defensive lineman and fired a six-yard touchdown pass across his body to tight end Isaiah Likely for one of the signature plays of his career.

When the Ravens play host to the Commanders on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Jackson and Daniels will be headlining two of the best and most dangerous offenses in the NFL -- and ones that often play their best when the circumstances appear to be at their worst.

With Daniels' accuracy and ability to make big plays with his legs, the Commanders (4-1) lead the NFL in scoring (31 points per game) and touchdowns scored (13). With Jackson's elusiveness and strong arm, the Ravens (3-2) top the league in total yards (448) and yards per play (6.8).

For nearly three decades, the "Battle of the Beltway" -- the name of the regional rivalry between two teams whose stadiums are separated by 32 miles -- has been more about the franchises winning over fans in neighboring counties and establishing exclusive marketing rights. Now, it's shaping up to be one of the most explosive showdowns of the season.

"Obviously, you're playing like every snap's going to score and every snap is the one that's going to spring the next big play," Commanders running back Austin Ekeler said.

The Ravens and Commanders have met seven times in a regular season series that has produced few memorable highlights. The last time Washington played in Baltimore was 2016, when quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Kirk Cousins combined for two offensive touchdowns in a 16-10 win for the Ravens.

This time, the offenses for Baltimore and Washington have been nearly unstoppable. The Ravens have scored touchdowns on 14 of their last 15 trips in the red zone. The Commanders have scored 30 points in three straight games, which is one shy of tying the longest streak in team history.

"We have our hands full," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.

Here is a look at why these offenses have been so good:

What's been the biggest strength?

Ravens: Versatility. Baltimore can beat teams a number of ways, and the Ravens' counterpunch is among the best in the NFL. When the Buffalo Bills were light in the box with their nickel defense, Baltimore went with its heavy personnel of two tight ends and fullback Patrick Ricard, powering their way to 271 yards rushing and two touchdowns. A week later, when the Cincinnati Bengals crowded the box to stop the run, the Ravens threw the ball for 348 yards and four touchdowns.

"It says we're unpredictable," Likely said. "We can do anything on any given Sunday to be able to put as much points on the board as possible."

Currently ranking first in rushing (1,056) and ninth in passing (1,182), this Ravens offense could become the first in the franchise's 29-year history to finish in the top 10 in both categories. --Jamison Hensley

Commanders: Everything stems from Daniels' ability, combined with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's playcalling. Daniels leads the NFL with a 77.1 completion percentage and is third in QBR at 73.2. But his ability to extend plays has been pivotal. Daniels became the first player in NFL history to throw for 1,000 yards and rush for at least 250 in his first five career games. He's injected life into the franchise.

"He's able to pull the ball down on looks that aren't great and go get it himself," receiver Noah Brown said, "and he's also able to put the ball where it needs to be when it's time for that. It's hard to stop." --John Keim

Who, or which group, has exceeded expectations?

Commanders: The offensive line. Internally, multiple team sources said the Commanders liked this group. Washington changed both talent on the line and its scheme. The biggest addition has been center Tyler Biadasz. He's been a rock in the middle.

The Commanders rank fourth in rushing yards before contact and are tied for 13th in sacks allowed. Right guard Sam Cosmi is playing at a Pro Bowl level and a left tackle rotation of Cornelius Lucas and rookie Brandon Coleman has, so far, worked.

"We know they weren't the most hyped up to start the season," Kingsbury said of the O-line. "Their physical nature and finishing plays and toughness, and their communication is awesome."

McLaurin said: "The O-line has done a great job protecting Jayden." --Keim

Ravens: Running back Derrick Henry. No one was predicting that the 30-year-old Henry would enjoy this level of success in his first year in Baltimore -- well, except for Henry himself.

Asked if he expected to lead the NFL in rushing through five weeks, Henry replied, "If I didn't, then I wouldn't be playing."

Still, a year after being held to 68.6 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry -- his worst since 2018 -- Henry is producing a throwback season with an NFL-best of 114.4 yards rushing per game and 6 yards per carry. For those who wondered if Henry had lost a step, his seven runs of at least 20 yards are already two more than he totaled all of last season. --Hensley

Who has been the underrated star?

Ravens: Ricard. It was only a year ago when Ricard was so unsure of his role in Todd Monken's first season as offensive coordinator that he looked into becoming an offensive lineman and worked with that group for a week in training camp. Now, he's back as the 6-foot-3, 300-pound X-factor, repeatedly putting defenders on their backs and clearing out running lanes.

In Baltimore's first two games, Ricard played 27% of the snaps and the Ravens running backs managed a total of 150 rushing yards. In the last three games, Ricard's playing time has increased to 48% of the snaps and Baltimore's rushing yards for running backs have risen to 510. --Hensley

Commanders: Ekeler. In his eighth season, Ekeler built a reputation before coming to Washington. But last season with the Los Angeles Chargers he gained 1,064 yards from scrimmage, his lowest total since his second season with at least 14 games played.

But Ekeler also suffered from a high ankle sprain as well as another minor one later in the year. This season, he looks quick and it shows. Ekeler is on pace for 1,200 yards from scrimmage. He's only on pace for 120 touches, which would be his lowest since his rookie season. However, he's averaging 10.0 yards per touch.

"I feel like myself," he said. --Keim

What's the biggest remaining question mark?

Commanders: Can the Commanders continue to thrive as teams get more film on them? That will be the challenge. In three of Kingsbury's four years as head coach in Arizona, the Cardinals' offense was better in the first half of the season than the second. However, Washington feels good because it has a diverse attack -- not just with Daniels, but because of running backs Brian Robinson and Ekeler.

Kingsbury has been creative early in the season, a lot of which stems from Daniels' dual-threat ability. Sources close to Daniels have said they like how Kingsbury has eased the rookie into the NFL. One veteran player said the exciting part for them is that Daniels makes big plays while still learning. The player said it's impressive how far Daniels has come in a short time. --Keim

Ravens: Stretching the field. With how Baltimore has gashed teams running the ball, it seems like the Ravens would have plenty of opportunities to go over the top of the defense. Ravens quarterbacks coach Tee Martin said this summer that success on long passes comes down to ball placement, timing and separation from the defender.

Jackson is 4-of-17 on passes that have traveled at least 20 yards in the air. His 23.5% completion rate on those passes is only better than Deshaun Watson, Will Levis and Jacoby Brissett -- all of whom are at 20%. --Hensley

What are the chances the NFL's MVP comes from this offense?

Ravens: The numbers say very high. Baltimore's social media team has been calling Jackson, "MV3," and for good reason. After winning in 2019 and last season, he ranks in the top 10 in both passing yards (1,206, ninth) and rushing yards (363, eighth).

Jackson reminded the football world that he's the reigning MVP when he carried Baltimore to a comeback overtime win in Cincinnati last Sunday. Then, there is this: No player in NFL history has thrown for 4,000 yards and rushed for over 1,000 yards in the same season, and Jackson is on pace to do both.

If Jackson captures the MVP award again this season, he will become the youngest three-time winner ever. --Hensley

Commanders: If the Commanders continue to excel, how is Daniels not a strong possibility? But the difficult part stems from the fact that he's only played five career games. How does he adjust the more the league adjusts to him?

Last season, Houston's C.J. Stroud had a fantastic rookie year -- 4,108 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions; leading a seven-win improvement -- and managed just four fifth-place votes for MVP. But Daniels will have plenty of years to win this award if he can continue on this path in the months and years to come.

"We got all the confidence in the world that Jayden's going to be that guy for a long time," Ertz said. --Keim