The Baltimore Ravens quietly beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, dropping 38 points in the first half en route to the blowout win. Joe Flacco looked as good as ever, while the Ravens defense did its job to contain the Buccaneers. The Atlanta Falcons, on the other hand, lost their third consecutive game, this time to the Chicago Bears. Matt Ryan completed just over half of his passes and threw an interception.

Two quarterbacks leading two teams heading in different directions will meet in Baltimore on Sunday. Here’s what you need to know.

Quarterback

The 2008 draft class one of the least-talked about quarterback classes of all-time. With Joe Flacco abd Matt Ryan both coming out of the first round, the comparisons were bound to these players for their entire careers.

This year, Flacco has the upperhand in passer rating (97.8), but Ryan leads in yards (1.850). Ryan, though, has been forced to throw, as his team has been trialing much of the time.

Can Ryan find Julio Jones and his receivers early and often against a weak Ravens secondary? Or will Flacco repeat his dominance against an equally vulnerable Falcons’ defense?

Another important aspect of the game could be turnovers, where Flacco owns the advantage in terms of interceptions. He leads Ryan by four interceptions this season, which could reflect the desperation of the Falcons offense this season.

Running back

Both teams have dealt with issues at the running back position this season, but the Ravens have made the best of the situation, while the Falcons have struggled. With Justin Forsett leading the Ravens, they rank 10th in the league in rushing offense.

However, the Falcons’ starter Steven Jackson has struggled with the role this season and Antone Smith is slowly taking over more snaps. Together, the rushing attack ranks 20th in the league, which certainly does not help Ryan and his passing game.

Going against an eighth-ranked Ravens’ rush defense, it will be tough to move the ball. Smith and Jackson will need to trust in their offensive line and hope that rare holes open up.

The Falcons will need to come out strong on the ground, or the Ravens defense will be able to commit more to defending the aerial attack. Smith may have the majority of the snaps in this one, but will it make a difference?

Defense

The Ravens have the clear advantage in defense, as they have for the better part of the last decade. However, the Ravens pass defense has holes, especially if cornerback Lardarius Webb is still injured.

The Falcons, though, have failed to stop both the run and pass this season. They rank second-to-last in total defense, only eclipsed by the Ravens last opponent, the Buccaneers. This has allowed opposing teams to score an average of 28.3 point per game, leading to the 2-4 record.

After the Ravens put up first-half touchdowns against the Buccaneers last week, the Falcons will need to come up with a huge game offensive. If not, it could end up being another high-scoring affair.