The NFL schedule pits a pair of playoff hopefuls against one another in Week 8.

The Carolina Panthers are riding high after a road win over the Eagles that was fueled by a furious 17-point fourth-quarter comeback. The Baltimore Ravens lost a nail biter at home to the Saints Baltimore Ravens Hoodie , yet are listed as two-point road favorites in this upcoming contest.The trends clearly favor the 4-2 Panthers. Since 2016, Carolina is 6-3 against the AFC and 13-6 in Charlotte, including an undefeated mark at home this season.Conversely, Baltimore is 3-6 out of conference, 8-11 on the road and 6-9 against teams with a winning record over the same period.Both head coaches, John Harbaugh and Ron Rivera, are known for producing overachieving teams. Both rosters are constructed with the intent to bully and impose their will on the opposition. And while the Panthers rushing offense and run defense have been better than in those combined phases, the Ravens have a clear advantage in the passing game on both sides of the ball. Baltimore’s passing game edge should bode well in an old school matchup played in the modern NFL.Three key matchups:OLB Matt Judon vs RT Taylor MotonAt least from a statistical standpoint, the Ravens edge rusher has regressed from his breakout sophomore campaign in 2017. Through seven games this season, Judon has posted just 1.5 sacks Cheap Customized Baltimore Ravens Jerseys , five quarterback hits and four tackles for a loss despite playing an average of 48 snaps per game. If he struggles to make an impact again in Week 8, the Ravens may consider promoting ascending pass rusher Tim Williams ahead of Judon in future games.Right tackle Taylor Moton has come on strong in his second season, he is currently ranked as Pro Football Focus’ #7 offensive tackle. The former second round selection has helped pave the way for the Panthers fourth ranked rushing attack and his protection has been instrumental in their impressive sacks allowed totals. Judon will be challenged to both hold the edge and provide pressure with his bull rush against this physically strong blocker.On the road against a similarly matched team, controlling the line of scrimmage will be a top priority for Baltimore’s front. WR Michael Crabtree vs CB James BradberryIn Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis and Shaq Thompson, as well as recently acquired safety Eric Reid, the Panthers field a group that is fully capable of taking away underneath routes and controlling the middle against the Ravens tight ends. This, combined with their top-ten run defense, will put pressure on Joe Flacco to move the ball with his outside receivers. However, James Bradberry is an inconsistent player who was responsible for much of Alshon Jeffery’s 7-88-1 stat line last Sunday.Following his huge game in Week 7 www.ravensfootballauthentics.com , Carolina will probably opt to mark John Brown with their speedy rookie Donte Jackson and provide safety help over the top. They may also take their chances with Captain Munnerlyn marking Willie Snead in the slot. This will leave Michael Crabtree, a receiver who has rebounded from a poor outing in Cleveland by stacking his two best games for the Ravens in consecutive weeks, with a prime matchup in Bradberry.The key to victory for the Ravens is attacking the Panthers vulnerable pass defense and Crabtree is the ideal receiver to emphasize.ILB C.J. Mosley vs QB Cam NewtonCarolina’s lackluster receiving corps is unlikely to find much success against the Ravens second ranked pass defense. They will feature versatile running back Christian McCaffrey on the ground with a run-first game plan. Dual threat quarterback Newton essentially serves as their short yardage back, he has rushed for 257 rushing yards and three scores this season on nearly nine carries per game.Despite missing almost two full games with injury, Mosley is tied for the team lead in tackles. Nonetheless, he has not made many impact plays this season, recording only one tackle for loss, one pass breakup, zero interceptions and zero sacks. C.J. fared well in his previous outing against the Panthers in 2014 with 11 tackles in a game where the Ravens allowed just 67 rushing yards, yet his #35 PFF linebacker grade this season is less than stellar. Baltimore needs their defensive captain to make short yardage stops on money downs this week in order to avoid another time-of-possession disadvantage.Prediction: Ravens 20 Baltimore Ravens T-Shirt , Panthers 13Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Ravens vs. Steelers The 2-1 Baltimore Ravens will travel to Pittsburgh for Sunday Night Football to take on the 1-1-1 Steelers for a crucial Week 4 matchup. As the first quarter of the season rounds out, the contest will be a barometer type game for the division and will set the narrative for who will be favored to take the AFC North.Both teams are coming off of big offensive performances, with the Steelers winning a shoot out in Tampa Bay, and Baltimore taking care of business at home against the Broncos. With Pittsburgh’s defense getting off to a rough start, and Baltimore’s offensive attack looking better to start the season than they have in recent years, there is reason to believe this will be an offensive type game with good fantasy plays across the board.Start: QB Joe Flacco Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesThere are several factors contributing to what is looking like a mid-career renaissance for the 33-year-old veteran and Super Bowl MVP. Chief among them are his improved health, motivation in the face of his first ever position competition, and maybe most of all, his new collection of surrounding skill talent.Individually Baltimore Ravens Hats , the Ravens receivers, running backs and tight ends would not scare many NFL defenses. As a unit though, they mesh pretty well and are a perfect fit for what Flacco wants to be as a quarterback.Given that the offensive game plan is centered on spreading it around and Flacco is off to ahot start, look for him to put up some points for you as a QB1 this week. Sit: Ravens skill positionsPhoto by John Grieshop/Getty ImagesThe reason Flacco is having a rebound year (and is this week’s start) is also the same reason you should avoid Baltimore’s skill guys. It is not that any of them are off to a bad start, but the opposite.All of them, including the backs and tight ends, have proven to be complementary pieces that Flacco and offensive coordinator Marty Morninwheg are comfortable targeting. That unpredictability in utilization is what makes any of them (including guys like John Brown and Michael Crabtree) avoidable plays as the offense continues to mesh.Start: WR’s JuJu Smith-Schuster and James WashingtonDouglas DeFelice-USA TODAY SportsAntonio Brown is an obvious WR1 and a good bet to continue to haunt the Ravens, especially with Jimmy Smith out of the lineup. The flip side of that is Baltimore’s coaching staff may be determined to keep Brown under wraps and bracket him with double and triple coverages.Unfortunately, there are only so many defensive resources to go around, and with a lot of them committed to Brown Baltimore Ravens Womens Hoodie , other players will have room to break out. Smith-Schuster is a known quantity who is bound to be owned in a decent percentage of leagues, while Washington is more likely to be available. Either receiver is a solid play against the softer spots in the Ravens D.Sit: Pittsburgh’s defenseDouglas DeFelice-USA TODAY SportsAfter a big time first-half performance last Monday, the Steelers defense is expected to continue to take the ball away. As opportunistic as they were though, they were still gashed as they have been all season, and this could very well happen again Sunday night. Baltimore’s revamped O represents a bit of a bigger test than the Ryan Fitzpatrick led Buccaneers. They are a big time sit this week, especially if you need a plus performance out of them.