Baltimore @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 13, 2015 ) Seattle 35, Baltimore 6

Russell Wilson is the early favorite to be named NFL MVP, but Lamar Jackson might be the league's most exciting player. The two quarterbacks clash on Sunday, when Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks host Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

Jackson is in his first full season as a starting quarterback and has the Ravens leading the NFL in total offense (450.7 yards) and ranking second in scoring (30.7 points) after becoming the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw for at least 200 yards and rush for at least 150 in last week's 23-17 triumph over Cincinnati. "Lamar, to his credit, he's about winning the game," Baltimore coach John Harbaugh told reporters. "And really, the point is, that's what it took to win the game. We needed him to run the ball like that to win the game. That was a necessity in the game, the way they played us. And he did it, and we won the game. ... I'm proud of him." Wilson has been winning plenty of games for his team as well and owns 14 touchdowns without an interception while completing 72.5 percent of his passes. "Russell was exquisite again," Seattle coach Pete Carroll told reporters after last week's 32-28 victory at Cleveland. "He found us ways to make plays - two touchdowns and ran one in as well. He is just making stuff happen, and it has to be hard for the other side to try and figure out how you are going to stop the guy. He just keeps making plays."

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Seahawks -3. O/U: 48.5

ABOUT THE RAVENS (4-2): Safety Earl Thomas is in his first season with Baltimore after spending nine years and winning a Super Bowl in Seattle and is making his return after a frosty exit. "If there's any emotion at all, it's always fire," Thomas told reporters. "I love when I play with fire, because I know what’s going to happen. Some games, you just don’t feel it, but you still go out and compete. (This week) just try to keep my same routine, build up, simmer back down, and hopefully once I get out there, I'll be ready to go." Thomas is one piece of a Baltimore secondary that got better with the acquisition of veteran Marcus Peters via trade from the Los Angeles Rams this week, which gives the Ravens a compliment to star corner Marlon Humphrey on the outside.

ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (5-1): Wilson's play has helped overcome some gaps on defense which the team hopes will be filled this week by the return of defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who sat out the first six games while serving a suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy. "There's no question that when he's back to full speed playing, whenever that happens - if that's now, it would be welcomed—he's a big factor," Carroll told reporters. "He's a big factor. The spacing that happens with a guy that causes problems there, in the sets that happen to take care of him, open up areas and spaces for the other guys." Reed, 26, was second on the team with 10.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss last season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Seahawks TE Will Dissly (Achilles) is expected to miss the rest of the season.

2. The Ravens placed S DeShon Elliott (knee) on injured reserve and signed S Bennett Jackson off the Jets' practice squad.

3. Seattle LT Duane Brown (biceps) sat out last week's win and is doubtful to return on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Seahawks 28, Ravens 24