Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts: Keys To Victory
By Brett Foote
Sep 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) runs the offense against the Carolina Panthers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Key to Victory #4: Have a Plan to Deal With Crowd Noise
Lucas Oil Stadium is a loud place. So loud, in fact, that the Colts have even been rumored to have piped in fake noise to give them a competitive advantage. While we won’t speculate on silly rumors, we will accept the fact that crowd noise is a big factor in games. Just look at the Seahawks dominance at home over the years.
So how will the Ravens counteract the noise and avoid communication issues that lead to penalties? Running the ball effectively is perhaps the number one way to deflate the crowd. Long, grinding drives will quiet things down and set the Ravens up for some big plays.
Joe Flacco will need to be prepared. There will be drives where he will have a hard time getting a call in, and the Ravens may find it tough to call audibles or change plays when the momentum is on the side of the Colts. The best way to strike back is by gaining positive yardage on simple, fundamental plays.