Beanie Wells Injury: Cardinals Have No Chance Against Ravens with or Without RB

The Baltimore Ravens have a horrible taste in their mouth after their 12-7 defeat last week to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football. It marked the second time this season John Harbaugh didn’t prepare his team well enough for a football game on the road against inferior competition.

Still, the Arizona Cardinals have no chance, even if running back Beanie Wells can play, of beating the Ravens on Sunday in Week 8.

It won’t happen.

Wells is a quality running back in the NFL, rushing for 423 yards and six touchdowns in five games. It won’t matter though, because the Ravens are that good defensively.

Baltimore has one of the best defenses in the league, and their rush defense will be on top of its game. The Ravens average 86 yards allowed on the ground, which is third best in the NFL.

Teams coming off playing in the Monday night game are 7-7 in 2011. With the Jaguars heading to Houston and likely to lose, it looks as if the Ravens will keep that .500 MNF record going by picking up their fifth victory of the season.

One of the biggest reasons why the Ravens will be too much for the Cardinals to handle is Joe Flacco. The quarterback tends to struggle in big games, but does particularly well in others. He will put points on the board while allowing his defense to rest on the sidelines.

He also tends to play better at home. In the past two seasons, Flacco has thrown 25 touchdowns compared to six interceptions at the friendly confines of M&T Bank Stadium. On the road, Flacco has 21 touchdowns compared to 17 interceptions.

Flacco isn’t the only one that plays well at home, the entire team does. Baltimore is one of the best home teams in the NFL.

They are 3-0 at home so far in 2011. They were 7-1 in 2010, 6-2 in 2009 and 6-2 in 2008. It is very tough to defeat the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

The statistics certainly lead to one conclusion: Baltimore will go as far as Flacco takes them. I see Flacco taking the Ravens to a Week 8 victory over the Cardinals.