5. Can the Ravens stop an elite ground game?
When it comes to running the football, the Denver Broncos are showing themselves to be elite. The Broncos have the second rated rushing attack in terms of yards per game. The Broncos are being lead by two rookie running backs, Phillip Lyndsay who has 178 yards already, and Royce Freeman who the Broncos drafted in the third round. The Broncos offense is all about the ground game and the Ravens run defense has been inconsistent going back to last season.
The Ravens run defense is all about the defensive line. When Brent Urban and Brandon Williams show up, this team is hard to run the ball against. The problem is that neither Urban or the highly paid Williams made much of a factor against the Bengals. While the Ravens are hoping C.J. Mosley plays on Sunday, he could miss the game. The Ravens have been given some optimism from the play of Kenny Young, but Patrick Onwuasor has been underwhelming.
The Ravens have to bring their A game defensively. Stopping the run is the first key in stopping the Broncos. With a 2-1 record as the reward for a good game, the Ravens have to bring it. This is a must win game for the Ravens and if the front seven doesn’t show up, they have no chance. The result of this game will have a lot to do with the Ravens rushing defense. If the Ravens stuff the run, the Broncos will be in trouble.