Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton Present Huge Challenge for Ravens

Sep 28, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to Lunchtime Links, where we round up all the latest Ravens news from around the web for your convenient consumption. Today we take a look at the big challenge facing the Ravens this Sunday in containing both Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton, and figure out where the team stands as a true contender after four games.

Ravens prepare for Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton

The Andrew Luck that the Ravens will be facing on Sunday isn’t the same, wide eyed rookie they last faced roughly a year and a half ago in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.  After four games this season, Luck is rated as the top quarterback in the NFL while leading the league in virtually every category.  The Colts offense is also ranked tops in the league despite a sputtering ground game.

The challenge of stopping Luck is something the Ravens are well aware of.  Terrell Suggs isn’t one to lavish praise on just anyone, but he did have some for the rising star quarterback. “When it comes to Andrew Luck, he’s definitely emerged as one of the best in the league,” Suggs said. “Usually we come up here and play the political game and are like, ‘Oh, this guy can make every throw,’ or, ‘This guy is pretty good.’  But this guy is actually really [freaking] good.”

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Covering the bevy of offensive weapons the Colts employ will likewise present a huge challenge for a secondary that has struggled to cover anyone this season.  Jimmy Smith has done an admirable job covering opposing teams’ wide receivers, but the Colts have a number of pass catchers that can get it done.  It’s truly a case of pick your poison, and it remains to be seen how the Ravens will employ top corner their top corner in coverage.

Where do the Ravens stand after four games?

ESPN’s Chris Berman picked the Ravens to win the Super Bowl this year.  That may not seem like a big deal, but the last time he picked Baltimore was back in 2012.  Kevin Byrne at BaltimoreRavens.com is still cautiously optimistic about the team’s chances, as he should be.  It’s still a long season and there are a lot of challenges ahead, namely Sunday’s road tilt at Indy.

Byrne points out that the Bengals have only given up 11 points per game so far, so the opening day loss to them doesn’t seem to bad in retrospect.  The Ravens have handled some tough situations well and appear to be a resilient team that is capable of putting up a fight against anyone.  The true test lies in the difficult upcoming schedule, which begins a pretty long road journey.