Before the season started, this week’s matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams looked like it was going to be a big one. Both teams had Super Bowl aspirations coming into the season, and while the Rams still do, the Ravens are scratching and clawing just to make the playoffs after a 1-4 start.

Lamar Jackson has officially been ruled out for this game, meaning Cooper Rush will start at quarterback for the Ravens for the second straight game. With the way Baltimore’s defense has been playing this year, this game is shaping up to be a blowout.

Nonetheless, there’s still a lot to talk about before the game, so let’s hop into some key storylines, players to watch, and bold predictions.

Key Storylines

Can Cooper Rush give the Ravens’ offense any life?

Since stepping in as the Ravens’ QB1, Cooper Rush has been…not great. He’s thrown for 231 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions in 1.5 games this season. Granted, all three of those picks came against a really good Houston Texans defense, but he still just didn’t look in command of the offense.

Rush wasn’t helped by the fact that Derrick Henry is in the biggest slump of his career. Since rushing for 169 yards and two scores in Week 1, Henry’s totaled 148 yards and two touchdowns in his last four outings. With Jackson out and the weather looking suspect at best, defenses can load the box and sell out to stop the run without worrying much about Rush beating them over the top.

This is a recipe for disaster for the Ravens, and the Rams’ defense is no slouch. Points are going to be hard to come by in this one, but maybe Rush can settle in and give the offense some juice after his first start of the year.

How often will the Rams punt?

The Rams have played three really good defenses – the Eagles, 49ers, and Colts – the last three weeks, and have punted a combined seven times in those games. This weekend, they get a Ravens defense that is one of the worst in the league, and I don’t know how often they’ll get the Rams off the field.

With Matthew Stafford under center and Puka Nacua out wide, the Rams offense has been virtually unstoppable. This is like when an unstoppable force meets a very movable object. However, the weather should play a big role. With a hurricane heading right for Baltimore, it could change the whole complexion of the game.

The Rams have relied heavily on the pass this season, but their run game hasn’t been bad. However, if it’s storming to the point they can’t throw the ball more than a few yards downfield, how will Kyren Williams hold up against a loaded box?

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. If the weather isn’t too bad, the Rams might score 40+. But if it’s pouring rain and heavy winds, this game might get turned on its head.

Will Matthew Stafford become the MVP favorite?

We just talked about how the Rams should have a big game against the Ravens, but I’m curious to see just how much damage Stafford and the Rams can do. Stafford already leads the league in passing yards (1,503) and is second in touchdowns (11), but still has the fifth-best odds to win MVP.

With a big game this weekend, that could change quickly. If Stafford can throw for, say, 275+ yards and 3+ touchdowns, that would bring his total to about 1,800 yards and 14+ touchdowns through six games. With passing yards way down this season because of the new kickoff rules, that would be a very impressive feat. Plus, the Rams would be 4-2, which looks much better than 3-2.

But again, the weather could play a huge factor. Nowadays, teams are pretty good at throwing the ball in inclement weather, but it could limit how many yards Stafford can throw for. If he has to dink and dunk all day, he might not be able to hit that 275-300 yard mark he’s been averaging.

Players to Watch

• Derrick Henry (RB, Baltimore Ravens)

If the Ravens want any chance to win this game, they’re going to need Derrick Henry to have a big game on Sunday. The Ravens’ star running back has looked like a shell of himself this season despite running behind the 12th-best run-blocking offensive line in the league, per PFF.

On the surface, Henry’s stats don’t look bad, but if you remove the season opener against the Bills, Henry is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry on just 11.5 touches per game. Last week was tough because the Texans kept loading the box, but he was just as bad the three weeks prior with Jackson starting.

Again, if the Ravens want a chance, Henry’s going to have to touch the ball 25+ times and just hope he can get going against a loaded box. If the weather is bad, it will be a battle between Henry and Williams, and I’d take Henry all day.

• Nate Landman (LB, Los Angeles Rams)

Omar Speights and Nate Landman are the only two Rams inside linebackers who have played more than one run defense snap this season. With Speights doubtful for this weekend’s game, Landman is going to have to step up to help stop Henry and the Ravens’ run game.

I know we’ve talked extensively about how bad the Ravens’ run game has been, but that’s still Derrick Henry back there. He can go off at any given moment, so the Rams’ defense needs to be ready. Troy Reeder will likely be the one to replace Speights, but he has seen very little game action this year. It will be up to Landman and the Rams’ defensive line to stuff Henry and force Rush to beat them with his arm.

• Byron Young and Jared Verse (DEs, Los Angeles Rams)

The worst thing to have to deal with as a quarterback is an elite pass rush. Especially when you’re a backup fighting just to keep your team afloat. That’s what Cooper Rush and the Ravens have to deal with this week.

Byron Young leads the way for the Rams’ pass rush. Through five games, Young has 20 pressures and 5.5 sacks, but his teammate Jared Verse is having a strong sophomore season, logging 23 pressures and two sacks. The Rams can get after the quarterback, and if they do this weekend, it could be a slaughter.

Bold Predictions

Derrick Henry rushes for 150+ despite a loaded box

The Rams are going to put 7-8 guys in the box on pretty much every single play, unless it’s an obvious passing down. Despite that, I think Henry could have a big game.

While I think there’s a good chance the Rams win by 30+, this also feels like it could be a bit of a trap game. With the weather expected to be pretty bad, I wouldn’t be too surprised if, at halftime, this game is a bit ugly with a 7-3 score, and I think the only way they keep it close is with Henry going off. He might not even have to average 7+ yards per carry to do this; they might hand it to him 30 times with Jackson out and all the rain expected.

It’s hard to predict this Ravens offense doing anything good, but if something is going to go right for them, it’s going to be Henry.

Rams sack Rush 4+ times

We talked about Byron Young and Jared Verse’s ability to get after the quarterback, and I think that’ll come into play on Sunday. Per PFF, the Rams are the fifth-best coverage team in football. Rush is going to have a hard time finding an open receiver, especially if Zay Flowers ends up missing the game. That means he’s going to sit in the pocket long and let the Rams’ defensive ends get after him.

Five sacks may be a lot, especially since he was only sacked once against the Texans last week, but if the Rams DBs hold up in coverage, there’s no reason they can’t get Rush’s jersey dirty.

Ravens cover the spread and lose by a field goal

This whole time I’ve been talking about how the Rams should win big and Matthew Stafford will have a big game, but for my final bold prediction, I’m going to say the Ravens cover the 7.5-point spread and lose by a field goal.

Vegas knows something. With the way the Ravens’ defense has played and with Jackson out, the spread should be way higher than 7.5 points, but it isn’t. The public is all over the Rams -7.5, and yet the line hasn’t moved. If Vegas is right (which they usually are), this game will be closer than most people anticipate.

And yes, I’m ready to eat my words when the Rams win by 21+.

For full staff predictions for Week 6, check here.