Jaguars vs. Ravens: What to Watch for in Monday Night's Matchup

Maybe the best word to describe how the Jaguars might be feeling heading into their Monday night matchup with the Baltimore Ravens is desperate.

The Jaguars, caught in the middle of a five-game losing streak, have a lot to improve upon and the specter of the national stage where all eyes will be on Jacksonville, the city, the team's head coach Jack Del Rio and rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert. This may help this team rise and surprise some pundits, this one included.

Still, myself and others aren't giving the host Jags much of a chance against one of the best teams in the AFC.

The Jaguars tried to improve their passing offense and receiving corps this past week with the re-signing of Mike Sims-Walker, who had been recently released by the St. Louis Rams.

If Sims-Walker, who was drafted by the team in 2007, makes an impact on the game against a tough Ravens' secondary, then maybe there is some credence to his being signed again after an on-again, off-again tenure in North Florida.

These are some things to watch for in the Monday night matchup.

Ray Lewis and Ed Reed

While the Jaguars have some nice players like Maurice Jones-Drew and Marcedes Lewis on offense and some key players like Dawan Landry and Paul Posluszny on defense, most people will be watching to see the star-studded Ray Lewis and Ed Reed shut down the Jaguars' running and passing games.

Maurice Jones-Drew Has to Have a Big Night

The pass rush might be as fierce if not worse than the one Blaine Gabbert faced against Pittburgh.

The Jaguars need a steady diet of their star, Maurice Jones-Drew, on first down and in the passing game as well.

This also means Greg Jones will have to help block more on passing downs and keep Gabbert's jersey clean.

Which Joe Flacco Will Show Up?

Ray Rice has been the centerpiece of the Ravens' offense, but Joe Flacco needs to be more consistent.

Which Flacco will show up on the national stage?

After four years in the league, the Ravens had hoped he would have finally taken the next step toward being a top-tier passer.

It has not happened yet.

Can the Offensive Line Block in the Passing Game for the Jaguars?

It seems every week there is new injury on the offensive line.

Can this team put together a blocking scheme that can allow Blaine Gabbert time to throw?

It seemed the rookie was severely rattled in the first half last week against the Steelers, mainly because he had not time to throw a pass.

Does Haloti Ngata Have a Huge Game?

It's hard to contain the big man.

The Ravens' entire defensive line, led by Ngata, is great at run defense, so it will be interesting to see the one-on-one matchup between Ngata and Maurice Jones-Drew.

Will the Jaguars Be Able to Stop Ray Rice

We have seen, in two of the past three weeks, the Jaguars have had some issues with stopping the run.

This is not a good thing to be dealing with when a runner like Ray Rice comes to town.

Look for the Jaguars to continue to do what they have been doing all along and make more of an effort to tackle and force pass plays.

Manage the Clock Better

There has to be a way to manage the time of a game better than Blaine Gabbert has been doing.

I blame him and the coaching staff.

Gabbert has to show some sense of urgency at the line and in the fourth quarter if the team is close in the ballgame.

If the Jags can preserve timeouts and move the chains with the running game, then this does not become a factor.

Play Like There Is No Tomorrow

There is nothing to lose now. Players, coaches and fans are beginning to understand there is no postseason.

The writing is on the way.

Oh, whatever. You get the message.

The Jaguars might play a little better. Who knows. They also have a chance to play spoiler down the line this season.

Special Teams and Field Position

Nick Harris did a good job with the punting duties for the team last week. Returner Cecil Shorts showed improvement.

The Jaguars must control field position. This also means giving Baltimore a long field to work with.

Hopefully, Kassim Osgood and Montell Owens will return to help with the return game this week for the Jags.