No SR’s Fab 5 this Friday due to the Bucs vs. Ravens Thursday Night Football game, but let’s take a look at the key matchups on offense and defense between Baltimore and Tampa Bay.

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KEY MATCHUPS: Bucs Offense vs. Ravens Defense

WR Mike Evans vs. CB Marlon Humphrey

Humphrey plays right cornerback for the Ravens and when the Bucs are strong right on offense (tight end to the right side), Evans will usually play the split end position (X) on the weak side of the formation. This will be an intriguing battle of Pro Bowlers on Thursday night. Humphrey had a career-high three interceptions in 2019 and already has two this year, plus three pass breakups. At 6-foot, 197 pounds, Humphrey has the size, length and physicality to do battle with a bigger receiver like Evans.

Evans is the primary receiver on the Bucs’ offense this year, as Chris Godwin isn’t back to his stellar former self. Evans is the heartbeat of Tampa Bay’s passing game. He has a tough matchup against Humphrey, who is one of the game’s elite cornerbacks. The key for Evans will be to get involved early and stay locked in – with no disheartening drops like last week. Evans needs a “take over” game, and has the ability to do that – even against an upper-echelon cornerback like Humphrey.

ADVANTAGE: Push

LT Donovan Smith vs. OLB Justin Houston

Bucs LT Donovan Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Houston is one of the best pass rushers in NFL history with 106 career sacks since entering the league in 2011 with Kansas City. At age 33, he can still get to the quarterback. He had 11 sacks in 2019 in Indianapolis and eight sacks the next season. After 4.5 sacks last year in his first season in Baltimore, Houston already has a team-high four sacks in four games this year.

Smith started off the season playing pretty good football, but the last two weeks have been tough for him, as he has surrendered a sack in successive weeks. He’ll need to rebound against an old, experienced pass rusher like Houston and play the best game of his season for Tom Brady and the Bucs offense in prime time. It’s pride check time for Smith and the Bucs offensive line.

ADVANTAGE: Push

RT Tristan Wirfs vs. OLB Jason Pierre-Paul

Pierre-Paul spent the last four years in Tampa Bay. But at age 33, the Bucs wanted to move in a different direction, as Pierre-Paul’s body was breaking down over the last couple of seasons. Pierre-Paul just signed with Baltimore a couple of weeks ago and got his first sack two weeks ago against Joe Burrow. He’ll want to put on a show against his former team on Thursday night in a big way against Wirfs, who will be his toughest opponent yet, and Smith.

Wirfs has practiced against Pierre-Paul for the last couple of seasons and both former teammates know each other quite well. With only three QB pressures and no sacks allowed this year, Wirfs is not just the best right tackle in football. He’s also one of the best linemen in the league when it comes to pass protection. He’ll need to remain perfect against Pierre-Paul, who is out to prove something to the Bucs.

ADVANTAGE: Wirfs

RB Leonard Fournette vs. ILB Patrick Queen

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Queen replaced Devin White at middle linebacker at LSU and the two former Tigers have some similarities. They are both good blitzers, but struggle maintaining gap integrity and tackling in the run game. And both need work in coverage. Queen leads the Ravens in tackles this year with 49 stops, 3.5 sacks, two pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble. He’s playing some of his best football in his third year in the league.

Fournette, who also hails from LSU, has had a rough couple of weeks running and catching the ball. Rookie Rachaad White has cut into his Fournette’s playing time, and deservedly so. Fournette must do a better job of being more decisive and authoritative when running the football. He also needs to be more technically sound in pass protection, which is a necessity against Queen, who is a very good blitzer. Too often, Fournette will throw a shoulder into a blitzer and miss. That can’t continue to happen.

ADVANTAGE: Queen

TE Cade Otton vs. S Chuck Clark

Clark is a very underrated safety in the league. He’s tied for the team lead in Baltimore with 49 tackles, but is better against the run than he is in the passing game. Clark has a forced fumble and has a fumble recovery, but does not have a pass breakup or an interception this season. His weakness is pass coverage, and that’s an area the Bucs can possibly exploit with Otton down the seam.

Otton is coming along this year as a blocker and a receiver. The rookie tight end has 16 receptions for 163 yards (10.2 avg.), including four catches for a career-high 64 yards last week at Carolina. Otton also had a career-long 35-yard catch last Sunday against the Panthers. His rapport with quarterback Tom Brady is growing on a weekly basis. Considering he has very good hands and some decent yards-after-catch ability, the Bucs need to continue to incorporate Otton into the vertical passing game.

ADVANTAGE: Push

KEY MATCHUPS: Bucs Defense vs. Ravens Ravens

OLB Shaq Barrett vs. QB Lamar Jackson

Jackson is playing great football for the Ravens as the team’s ultimate weapon on offense. With 13 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns, Jackson is having an MVP-caliber season already. He only had 16 passing TDs last year with 13 INTs, so he’s on pace to surge past his touchdown numbers from 2021. He also had a career-high seven rushing scores in 2021, and already has five TDs this year. He presents a multitude of challenges for the Bucs’ defense as the pinnacle dual-threat quarterback in the game.

Barrett hasn’t had a sack since Week 2 at New Orleans. He’s in a big-time slump and needs to get out of it – fast. Getting to the athletic and elusive Jackson will be tough, but Barrett needs to step up on Thursday night and apply pressure and get him on the ground. The Bucs will need to do a better job of containing Jackson than they have other QBs this year. When Jackson gets sacked, it’s because he’s contained and there is no escape route. Barrett needs to not only sack Jackson himself, but help contain him and create sacks for others by keeping him in the pocket.

ADVANTAGE: Jackson

ILB Devin White vs. RB Gus Edwards

Bucs LB Devin White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

At 6-foot-1, 238 pounds, Edwards is a big, fast back – the kind of back that gave the Bucs problems last week in the form of Carolina’s D’Onta Foreman. Edwards returned from a knee injury he suffered last year and ran for 66 yards and two touchdowns in his season debut against Cleveland last week. He’s not a huge threat in the passing game, but does his damage on the ground, wearing down defenses with his physical running style.

After a great start to the season in Week 1, White has reverted back to his undisciplined form of play, which is unfortunate for the Bucs. He overruns his gaps in the ground game, can’t get off blocks and isn’t a sure tackler. White can be a good blitzer and has his moments in coverage when he’s assignment sound. He needs to grow up mentally and be more consistent. More importantly, White needs to fill his gap and not let Edwards get started by stopping him at the line of scrimmage.

ADVANTAGE: Push

CB Zyon McCollum vs. Devin Duvernay

Duvernay is a sensational, explosive return specialist for Baltimore. He already has a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 46-yard punt return this year. He’s also grown as a receiver with 20 catches for a career-high 282 yards (14.1 avg.) with three touchdowns to start the year. Duvernay, a third-year receiver, is a burner and will present a big challenge for the rookie cornerback.

McCollum has had some growing pains on defense, giving up a touchdown last week at Carolina. The rookie also blew contain and gave up a big run against the Panthers. With Carlton Davis III and Sean Murphy-Bunting out for this game, McCollum has no choice but to play better immediately. He has the speed to keep up with Duvernay, but he has to play with much better technique and discipline.

ADVANTAGE: Duvernay

CB Dee Delaney vs. WR Rashod Bateman

Bucs CB Dee Delaney – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bateman, last year’s first-round pick, started off the season with a bang. He had two touchdowns and two catches longer than 50 yards in the first two games of the season, but he’s cooled off since then. At 6-foot-1, 193 pounds, Bateman is fast and physical. He’ll be a challenge in the slot for Delaney, who is a backup cornerback and lacks the athletic ability to hang with Bateman all night.

The Bucs would feel better about this matchup if it was Antoine Winfield Jr. in the lineup in the slot. But he’s out with a concussion this week. Delaney spent most of last week at free safety, but will need to line up mostly at nickel cornerback and face Bateman in the slot. This is not a good matchup for Tampa Bay and could prove costly on Thursday night if Jackson has time to survey the field and throw the ball.

ADVANTAGE: Bateman

ILB Lavonte David vs. TE Mark Andrews

Andrews is a two-time Pro Bowler and one of the best tight ends in the game. He had a career-high 107 receptions for 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns last year, and is once again leading the Ravens this year. Andrews has 39 catches for 455 yards (11.7 avg.) and five touchdowns. He’s on pace for another monster season with 94 catches for 1,105 yards and 12 touchdowns, which would be a career high. Andrews is Jackson’s go-to guy, especially in the red zone.

David used to be one of the best coverage linebackers in the game. But at age 32, David has lost half a step. That has led to fewer pass breakups and interceptions over the last couple of seasons and more catches for the tight ends he’s covering. It’s been seven weeks and David has yet to record a forced fumble, a fumble recovery or an interception this year. He used to be a dynamic playmaker in his youth. The Bucs could use a takeaway from David and solid coverage against Andrews on Thursday night.

ADVANTAGE: Andrews