Vibes around Sunday’s game between the Bears and Ravens have changed over the course of this Saturday afternoon.

Superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson was formally ruled out of this game with a hamstring injury. Tyler Huntley will start. The Bears are down all of their starting cornerbacks due to injury.

The Bears are looking for their fifth straight win and the Ravens are desperately trying to save their season after a prolonged losing streak.

The Ravens have a wounded-animal quality to them, which makes them scary considering their talent level and reputation. No Jackson changes things. Will it change who will play a major role in this game? Will it change our game predictions? Let’s find out:

How to watch

Kickoff: Noon CT

TV: CBS

Radio: ESPN Chicago (1000 AM, 100.3 FM HD2), LATINO MIX 93.5 FM (Spanish), Sirius XM 161 or 383

Out-of-market streaming: NFL Sunday Ticket (YouTube TV); NFL-plus

Wild card

S Jaquan Brisker

The Bears are down all of their featured cornerbacks. Jaylon Johnson has been unavailable for some time, but they lost Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon – Gordon’s now on IR – to injury over the last week.

That will change how Dennis Allen calls the game, but the aggressive coordinator will still want defensive backs involved in the pass rush and in-the-box run defense. That’s where Brisker comes in. He’s the roving chess piece Allen values.

How much he’ll be able to move around remains to be seen. Will Brisker play deeper to help reserve cornerbacks thrust into a starting role, or will he play downhill as the attack presence that helped the Bears so much last week?

Time will tell on that. We know for a fact that Brisker prides himself on being a tone setter and will bring the energy required for this defense to maintain its aggressiveness without key starters.

[READ: Ravens rule Lamar Jackson out of NFL Week 8 game vs. Bears]

X Factor

TE Colston Loveland

If you go back to last week’s preview, you’ll see Loveland in the exact same category. Couldn’t move him out of it, not with Cole Kmet ruled out with a back injury. The Bears will need more from the No. 10 overall pick than ever before.

He has proven a better blocker than many anticipated, and he has been called upon in crucial moments. His target share has been low to this point, as have his receiving numbers. That’s set to change in this game. If he can be the dynamic presence in the middle of the field Bears fans expect him to be, that will unlock explosive plays on the perimeter and make the offense tough to stop.

This will be a defining game for Loveland’s early season. His teams needs him to show up in a big way. If he does so, as a receiver and a run blocker, the Bears could take firm control of this one.

[READ: Kyle Monangai among five players to watch in Bears vs Ravens NFL Week 8 game]

Bold prediction

Rome Odunze goes over 150 yards

Rome Odunze had a bad game, by his standards, against the New Orleans Saints in Week 7. He couldn’t corral two catchable balls that would’ve resulted in explosive plays, which is an uncharacteristic as it gets.

Last year’s No. 9 overall pick won’t put two off games together. Not his style. I’d expect a big game from the Williams’ favorite target. And, if we want to just go nuts, Loveland’s going over 100 yards, too. I’d expect lots of early runs and playaction passes later on, which Odunze will exploit to great effect.

[READ: Bears place Kyler Gordon, Braxton Jones on injured reserve among roster moves]

Week 8 picks

Scott Bair’s selection

Ravens 28, Bears 21

The obvious move is to pick the Bears following the Jackson news, which admittedly alters the landscape of this contest. The Ravens are nearly dead, making this a virtual must-win to keep playoff hopes alive. Derrick Henry will sustain them with a steady churn on the ground and old friend Roquan Smith will help the Ravens run defense get right.

I could see it going the other way, but I believe Baltimore finds way at home. This Baltimore organization won’t just lay down.

Nick Moreano’s pick

Bears 27, Ravens 24

This is a game that old Bears teams would lose. While Jackson remains out, the Ravens desperately need a win. Previous Bears teams would fold and lose a winnable game

But this team, through the first seven weeks, has been different. Caleb Williams needs to show up, and the Bears defense must contain Henry. The Bears do just enough to win their fifth straight game.