Jan 6, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) avoids pressure to throw a touchdown pass to tight end Dennis Pitta (not shown) against the Indianapolis Colts during the AFC Wild Card playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
In what promises to be one of the marquee matchups of week five, Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts, we are expecting to see some serious fireworks from two teams coming off blowout wins in week four. The Ravens manhandled the Panthers at home, while the Colts picked apart the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Both teams are producing the goods on offense, though the Colts defense isn’t on the same level as the Ravens right now.
The Colts feature the 5th ranked passing offense in the NFL, but only the 14th ranked rushing offense. Meanwhile, the Ravens have the 18th ranked passing offense and rank 8th in rushing. The tables really turn on defense, where the Ravens rank 4th against the run and 25th against the pass. The Colts are bad in both categories, ranking 22nd against the pass and 17th against the run.
These stats, along with a bit of common sense, indicate that Sunday’s game could be a potential shootout. While the Ravens should find plenty of room to run, they may also need to keep pace if the secondary fails to stop budding star Andrew Luck from picking it apart. Luck is by far the best quarterback this team has faced in 2014.
So how will the Ravens approach this road test in regards to game planning? We ponder this, along with what factors will play a big role in this tough spot, in our weekly keys to victory segment. Click through to see them all.