The Baltimore Ravens (3-1) head back to the road to begin what should be a tough stretch as four out of the next five games away from M & T Bank Stadium. First stop is Indianapolis to play the Colts (2-2) who have put up impressive offensive numbers over the first quarter of the season. Baltimore has had its struggles in Indy and are 0-4 lifetime there. Can the Ravens win their fourth in a row?
(Discuss this post on the BSL Board here.)
Let’s take a look at a few of the key match-ups for this Sunday’s game:
Ravens Defensive Tackle Brandon Williams vs. Colts Center A.Q Shipley / Jonotthan Harrison
Williams has done a fabulous job taking over the role of run-stuffer this season helping the Ravens limit opponents to 3.3 yards per rush. Even though the Colts are known for Andrew Luck and his potent aerial attack they will look to pound the ball with Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw as well. The Colts offensive line has several question marks such as Right Tackle and at Left Guard where starter Jack Mewhort is out with an ankle injury. But I think one of the biggest is at center where former Raven A.Q. Shipley has been underwhelming in his starting role. It’s still unclear if Shipley will get another shot this week or weather the un-drafted rookie will get the nod instead. Either way the Ravens may have an advantage to exploit this weekend.
Ravens Cornerbacks (Jimmy Smith, Asa Jackson, Lardarius Webb) vs. Colts Wide Receivers (Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton, Hakeem Nicks)
The entire Ravens secondary has had it’s issues in coverage so far this season. The lack of a consistent pass rush hasn’t helped but Dean Pees has favored a lot of zone and at times communication has been an issue. Webb’s health has also been a concern as he’s had to work back into playing shape after being shutdown all pre-season. This week he should play but we will have to see how much and if he’ll be able to provide any help against a formidable passing attack. It’s week five and the Ravens have only one interception and that’s from Haloti Ngata. This group needs to start making plays and they’ll have a stern test against the speedster Hilton and the vet Wayne who is Luck’s favorite target on third down.
Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco vs. Colts Defense
It’s only taken a short time for Flacco to adapt to Gary Kubiak’s offense. He’s tossed seven touchdowns against only two interceptions for a QB Rating of 93.5 and last week he ran the offense with efficiency and accuracy en route to a 38-10 thrashing of the Panthers. In the past Flacco has had his issues on the road and a solid game from him would go a long way in setting up Baltimore’s fourth consecutive victory.
Meanwhile, the Colts defense has been fairly pedestrian this season. They are missing their top pass rusher in Robert Mathis and as a result haven’t generated much in that department since his departure. Their secondary may be their best unit of this group with Vontae Davis and Greg Toler leading the way. Expect the Ravens to use their rejuvenated running game to set up plays to the Tight Ends in the middle of the field and the wideouts on the edges.
Ravens Tight End Owen Daniels vs. Colts Inside Linebackers (D’Qwell Jackson/Jerrell Freeman)
The Colts have shown a weakness in being able to guard the middle of the field. Jackson has been a pleasant surprise though since coming from Cleveland and leads the team in tackles. With Dennis Pitta out again for the season Daniels steps into the starting role. It will be interesting to see if Kubiak will stick to his two Tight End sets and add Crockett Gilmore to the mix or perhaps utilize Fullback Kyle Juszczyk even more. Either way Daniels will need to help move the chains and to continue to be a threat in the red zone.
Matt has lived in Maryland his entire life and is a graduate of Calvert Hall and Towson University. has always been an avid Baltimore sports fan. Since 2007, he has been writing and talking about Baltimore sports, especially the Ravens. His work has appeared on Ravens Gab, Russell Street Report, and he currently co-hosts a podcast “The Blitz- A Ravens podcast” with Brent Harris.