Baltimore Ravens vs Houston Texans: Keys to Victory Week Sixteen
By Brett Foote
Dec 7, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett (29) carries the ball against the Miami Dolphins in the second half of game at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports
Rediscover the Run Game
Justin Forsett was a top 10 NFL running back until two weeks ago, and has been battling an injury ever since. His carries have been scaled back but his effectiveness has waned as well. To add insult to injury (or injury to insult?), the Ravens had to place Lorenzo Taliaferro on I.R. after he suffered his own multitude of injuries. This, right after he was beginning to come on strong.
The offensive line had trouble opening holes last week against an underrated Jaguars’ defensive front, further complicating matters. The Jaguars did what no other team had tried to date, and that is stacking the box with eight defenders and forcing the Ravens to throw. It didn’t go so well for the Ravens.
We know that the Ravens can’t make a serious run in December unless they continue to run the ball well. Joe Flacco’s struggles when forced to throw too much are well documented, and his pass catchers have been very inconsistent this year. The Texans are middle of the pack (15th) in rushing defense, allowing 109.1 yards per game. This would be a great week to get things on the ground back on track.
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