Frequently Asked Questions: Lions vs Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens lead the all-time series against the Detroit Lions with an 8-3 record through the 2023 season. The Ravens have been particularly dominant in Baltimore, holding a 5-1 record at M&T Bank Stadium and its predecessor, while going 3-2 in games played in Detroit. The series began in 1996 when the Ravens franchise was established, and the teams typically meet once every three to four years based on the NFL's rotating interconference schedule. The Ravens' largest victory margin was 45 points in a 48-3 win in 2013, while the Lions' biggest win was a 3-point overtime victory in 2009. The point differential across all 11 games shows the Ravens outscoring Detroit by a total of 52 points, averaging about 4.7 points per game margin of victory.

The Detroit Lions last defeated the Baltimore Ravens on December 16, 2013, winning 18-16 at Ford Field in Detroit. This victory snapped a three-game losing streak against Baltimore and represented one of only three Lions wins in the series history. Matthew Stafford threw for 257 yards in that game, while the Lions defense held the Ravens to just 16 points, well below Baltimore's season average. The game was decided by field goals, with Detroit kicker David Akers converting all six of his attempts. Since that 2013 victory, the teams have met twice—in 2017 and 2021—with the Ravens winning both games by a combined 26 points. The Lions' current losing streak in the series stands at two games heading into their next scheduled meeting.

Justin Tucker has kicked in two games against the Detroit Lions, converting 14 of 15 field goal attempts for a remarkable 93.3% success rate. His most famous kick against Detroit came on September 26, 2021, when he made a 66-yard field goal as time expired to give the Ravens a 19-17 victory. That kick broke the NFL record for longest field goal, surpassing Matt Prater's previous record of 64 yards set in 2013. In that 2021 game alone, Tucker went 6-for-6 on field goals, including kicks from 66, 50, 49, 39, 36, and 32 yards. He also kicked in the 2017 matchup, making all 8 of his attempts including two from beyond 50 yards. Tucker's accuracy against the Lions exceeds even his career average of 90.1%, which is the highest in NFL history for kickers with at least 100 attempts.

Across the 11 meetings between these teams, the average final score has been Ravens 24.5, Lions 19.8. This 4.7-point average margin reflects Baltimore's overall dominance in the series. The highest-scoring game occurred on December 16, 2007, when the Ravens won 48-3 for a combined 51 points, while the lowest-scoring affair was the 2013 contest that ended 18-16 for a total of 34 points. The median total score across all games is 47 points, with six games going over that number and five staying under. Interestingly, games played in Baltimore have averaged 50.2 total points, while games in Detroit have averaged 42.8 points, suggesting that M&T Bank Stadium has hosted more offensive performances. The scoring has remained relatively consistent across different eras, with no significant trend toward higher or lower scoring in recent years compared to earlier matchups.

Ravens running backs have consistently found success against Detroit's defense, averaging 138 rushing yards per game across the 11-game series. Jamal Lewis had the best single-game performance, rushing for 184 yards on 28 carries in the 2001 meeting, including a 63-yard touchdown run. Ray Rice appeared in three games against the Lions from 2009 to 2013, averaging 91 yards per game and scoring 4 touchdowns. More recently, the Ravens' committee approach has still proven effective—in 2021, the combination of Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, and Ty'Son Williams combined for 106 yards on 29 carries. The Lions have allowed Ravens running backs to average 4.6 yards per carry in this series, which is 0.7 yards higher than Detroit's overall average yards per carry allowed during the same timeframe. This rushing success has been fundamental to Baltimore's offensive strategy and their 8-3 record in the series.

The largest comeback in this series belongs to the Detroit Lions, who erased a 14-point deficit to defeat the Ravens 26-23 in overtime on November 9, 2009. The Ravens led 17-3 at halftime behind Joe Flacco's two touchdown passes, but the Lions scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to force overtime. Matthew Stafford, playing through a separated shoulder, threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Will Heller with 4:47 remaining in regulation to tie the game at 23-23. In overtime, Detroit's Jason Hanson kicked a 42-yard field goal to complete the comeback. This game marked Stafford's first career victory as an NFL starting quarterback and remains the only time the Lions have overcome a double-digit deficit to beat the Ravens. The comeback was particularly impressive given that Detroit entered the game with an 1-6 record and was facing a Ravens team that would finish the season 9-7.