The 2-2 Green Bay Packers going into Baltimore to face the 3-2 Ravens may not have the glamour of a game with undefeated teams, but it features the NFL’s two highest-paid quarterbacks. Any time that happens there’s bound to be some intrigue, and when you combine that factor with two of the most rabid fanbases, you’ve got an instant recipe for one of the biggest Week 6 matchups. Kickoff is slated for 1pm Eastern / 10am Pacific, and if this game preview teaches you anything, it should be that if you can’t see the game live on FOX, make darn sure you watch Packers vs Ravens live online streaming free using one of several different methods. This one has “must-see TV” written all over it.
On paper, the Packers vs Ravens doesn’t appear to be close. Green Bay heads into Baltimore today with the third-ranked offense, fourth-ranked passing game and fifth-ranked rushing attack. No big surprise there, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the helm. The Ravens, meanwhile, with QB Joe Flacco, haven’t performed nearly as well in the rankings, even though they’re last season’s Super Bowl champions. Baltimore hosts the Packers sporting the NFL’s 14th-ranked defense, 14th-ranked passing game, 21st-ranked offense and 27th-ranked ground game. Still, the Ravens have the better record, having gone 3-2 through the first five weeks of the NFL season.
The first shots in the Aaron Rodgers vs. Joe Flacco battle were fired this off-season, when Flacco signed a six-year, $120.6 million contract, followed about seven weeks later by Packers QB Rodgers agreeing to a seven-year, $130.75 million deal. Contract posturing aside, the quarterbacks’ respective performances this season have been back and forth as well. Rodgers has gone 101-152 for 1,331 yards and nine TDs, while Flacco has thrown 116-201 for 1,360 yards and 5 TDs. The big difference on the offensive side of the ball has gone clearly in Rodgers’ favor, where he’s averaging nearly 60 more yards per game in the air than Flacco.
Things may swing in Flacco’s favor against the Packers, though, because it’s been reported by NFL Media Insider that Packers defensive anchor Clay Matthews will miss at least the next month. That’s one thing you’ll definitely want to watch for if you watch Packers vs Ravens live online streaming free or on FOX: the impact of Matthews’ absence in the middle. Matthews broke his thumb in last week’s win over the Detroit Lions, and Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer has reported that Matthews has already had surgery on the digit. Any time a high-profile quarterback has a new defensive void to exploit, you’ve got to keep your eyes peeled for a big day. And Flacco definitely would like to have that big day against his contract rival Aaron Rodgers.
On the other side of the field, Ravens’ star linebacker Terrell Suggs is finally starting to look like his former Defensive Player of the Year self. Suggs missed half of the 2012 season with a torn Achilles, which was then compounded by a torn biceps. Now that he’s healthy, Suggs has found a groove, recording three sacks last week against the Miami Dolphins, all coming in the fourth quarter. Suggs’ return could make it hard for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, particularly since Suggs started talking about Rodgers not even 20 minutes after the Ravens had beaten the Dolphins.
Ultimately, that means the Packers vs Ravens game today may come down to the ground game, if the quarterbacks duel themselves to a draw. In that case, victory could be determined by whether the Ravens decide to stop the run. Two weeks ago, Baltimore gave up 203 yards rushing to the Buffalo Bills, but last week held the Dolphins to 22 rushing yards. These teams’ 2-2 and 3-2 records may not look like much, but this game promises to be one of the biggest of Week 6. You can see the game live on FOX or you can watch Packers vs Ravens live online streaming on DirecTV with the NFL Sunday Ticket package. The package requires a fee, but subscribers can watch the online stream for free.
