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The Jacksonville Jaguars are losers of three of their last four games. The Baltimore Ravens, however, are winners of three of their last four, and coming off a dominating win against the Miami Dolphins.
For many reasons, we shouldn't expect a win, nor should that be the benchmark for what could be viewed as a successful outcome. The Ravens are inconsistent, yes, but they have a strong running game and defend even better against it. That's not a recipe for success for a team led by a rookie quarterback and a depleted receiving corps.
So, what would be a success? Winning individual matchups, and there will be several to look for at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday.
DT Sen'Derrick Marks vs. C Jeremy Zuttah
Marks has played incredibly well this season. To the level of legitimate Pro Bowl consideration, honestly. But he'll be up against one of the best interior offensive line groups in the league, captained by Zuttah.
Zuttah has had a good recent few weeks, helping the Ravens average more than 168 yards on the ground over the past four weeks. His right guard, Marshal Yanda, is one of the best in the game and his left guard, Kelechi Osemele, is also very, very good.
Marks, along with Roy Miller III and Abry Jones will have their hands full on Sunday, but it should still be a great physical matchup to watch.
WR Marqise Lee vs. CBs Lardarius Webb and Asa Jackson
Lee started off the season as you'd expect any high-risk/high-reward rookie wide receiver to do. He flashed, but was largely inconsistent and wasn't contributing much on Sundays.
That's changed in the last two weeks, where he's led the team with 11 receptions and 142 yards over that time, not to mention Moss'ing cornerback A.J. Bouye.
Whomever he's up against, whether it's Webb or Jackson, Lee will
QB Blake Bortles vs. himself
Bortles is a gifted athlete and the best hope Jaguars fans have had at quarterback in a long, long time. Everything is there to make him a special quarterback in the NFL -- strong arm, mobility, confidence -- but his mental errors are getting in the way. The rookie quarterback has certainly limited them as the season has gone on, but they still find a way to creep in there.
Case in point: The interception Bortles threw last week against the Houston Texans was a result of a bad read on the opposing secondary...
...and an even worse decision to throw even though his feet weren't set to make a throw across his body and out to the opposite sideline.
Watch Bortles when offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch keeps him in the pocket and makes him throw without the bootleg as his friend. Can Bortles have his second interception-free game of 2014, or will he continue to make these kinds of mistakes?