Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts: Keys To Victory
By Brett Foote
Sep 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Darrin Reaves (36) carries the ball as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) tackles at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Key to Victory #2: The Ravens Must Get Pressure on Andrew Luck
The only way to cover up the atrocious secondary is to generate consistent pressure on Andrew Luck, and even that may not work 100% of the time. Luck is very smart and athletic, and is likely to turn a broken play into a big gain at least some of the time. But forcing him out of the pocket and bringing the heat will prevent him from simply picking them apart through the air.
Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil have done a pretty good job of creating pressure, even though the sack numbers aren’t terribly high. The Ravens actually rank 2nd in the NFL in pass rush despite only racking up a total of five sacks through four games. They have generated an impressive 33 hurries, which is indicative of their ranking.
The Colts, on the other hand, only rank 17th in pass coverage and have given up two sacks, 13 QB hits, and 22 hurries through four weeks. Part of the problem here is the Colt’s ineffectiveness running the ball (3.9 ypc as a team), which allows opposing defenses to tee off on Luck. The Colts have only rushed 121 times this season, vs. 167 passing attempts. If the Ravens continue to do a great job of stopping the run, this skewed percentage will continue.