A Real Ravenous Test Is Coming

There are a couple of ways to talk about the Minnesota Vikings 38-10 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

One could discuss the maddening defense, which gave up 400 total yards to an offense that was mired in a season-long slump, but then stopped the Rams inside the 10-yard line thrice. Or the Vikings continued dominance in the third quarter.

But why even bother with a third discussion option about a blase win over a team going nowhere this season, when such an important, Ravenous test looms next weekend?

The Baltimore Ravens are coming into the Metrodome this weekend with a two-game losing streak, and are considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders by most NFL pundits. They might be undefeated if Mark Clayton's hands didn't vanish at the worst time against New England or if a couple calls went their way against Cincinnati. 

The Ravens will play angry, angrier than usual, and with the desperation of a team needing a win. This isn't the typical Baltimore team either, as their offense has finally caught up with—and possibly surpassed—their defense.

Second-year quarterback Joe Flacco is the head of the NFL's fourth highest total offense. He has a 90.2 quarterback rating, a 64.2 completion percentage, and is throwing for 258 yards per game. He has become one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, as opposed to the caretaker he was last year.

Baltimore has five receivers with 17 receptions or more and 200 yards or more, including Rice. Flacco has spread the ball around between a talented and veteran receiving corps featuring Derrick Mason, Todd Heap, Kelley Washington, and Mark Clayton.

Flacco and the passing game's accelerated development has in no small part been helped by the Raven's great running attack. Currently ranked sixth in the NFL, Baltimore is averaging 133 rushing yards per game.

Ray Rice, the second-year running back from Rutgers, is progressing into one of the best running backs in football. Despite splitting carries with Willis McGahee, Rice has 364 rushing yards on 5.8 yards per carry, and has contributed 208 receiving yards in the passing game. His receiving touchdown against Cincinnati in week five was a mix of Marshall Faulk and Walter Payton and hyperbole-inspiration.

The offense has been surprisingly excellent, while the defense has been surprisingly mediocre. Baltimore's run defense is still it's normal top-five self, but the pass defense is languishing (25th in the NFL) near the Detroits and St.Louises of the NFL. But with their track record, and Ed Reed, no one can expect this anomaly to last, and the Baltimore defense should still be feared. And respected. And feared.

Especially feared.

The Vikings, meanwhile, have a problem nobody saw coming: Adrian Peterson is going to have to help Brett Favre more than he has.

Peterson has averaged 70 yards on 3.5 yards per carry over the last three games. Arguably, he hasn't needed to do more than that, but it is hard to believe the Vikings can beat the Ravens without Peterson increasing his contribution.

Something to consider: The Ravens had not allowed a 100-yard rusher for 44 straight games, until Cedric Benson hung 120 yards on them last week. It remains to be seen if that's a sign of things to come, or something that will motivate Ray Lewis into a hurricane-like tizzy.

A reason for Peterson's recent lack of yards is that opposing defenses have stacked up against the run, and dared Favre to beat them. So far, Favre has done just that. In the past two games, Favre is averaging 251 yards, with a 76.3 completion percentage, and four touchdowns.

If he can continue that kind-of performance against the Ravens, MVP chatter will soon begin for the player who is discernibly the difference for a team that was 2-3 after week five last year, and 5-0 after week five this year. But that doesn't mean Favre is or should be the MVP—he's but one great cog in a great team.

The Vikings have shown through the first five games that they are flush with disciplined playmakers all over the field who can take over a game at any point. Favre, Peterson, Percy Harvin, Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, etc.. The Vikings are not undefeated because of any one aspect or any one player. This is an all-around team that could beat anybody in the league in any number of ways.

That is just the paper though, what has happened, what is known. And we watch for the unknown, what will happen.

As for what will happen in the Baltimore/Minnesota game, there should be big hits, big turnovers, and big performances. These are two evenly matched, evenly talented, determined teams.

But Miss Cleo won't even predict a winner, except to say they'll be wearing purple.