I recently wrote an opinion piece after a victory over the Cleveland Browns that the Baltimore Ravens might be the one team that no other playoff team wants to face come January. I was quickly reminded by fans that the Ravens are currently not in the playoffs and must win out to achieve their goal of clinching a spot in the postseason. I might be a little optimistic on this one, but I fully expect the Ravens to win out and clinch a spot in the playoffs and I think that Saturday will move them one step closer to their goal as the Indianapolis Colts take come to Baltimore.
The Colts were always going to be a bad team, even if they had Andrew Luck. Due to incredibly poor drafting over the years and a lack of emphasis put on the offensive line, the Colts have been a very bad team that was always teetering on the edge of implosion if Luck were to get hurt. When he finally did get hurt, the Colts finally imploded and now look like they could challenge the Cleveland Browns for the worst franchise currently in the NFL. With just two games left in the regular season, do not expect the Colts to eclipse more than four wins, as Sunday really should be an easy game for the Ravens.
With that said, let us take a look at the key storylines for this game.
Storylines to Watch:
How do the Young Guns at Receiver Look for Baltimore?: As it stands currently, the Ravens may very well be without Jeremy Maclin on Saturday, much to the enjoyment of many Ravens fans. Maclin, who at times has flashed as a play maker and a threat for the Ravens, has consistently shown that he may not be up to the task of being a Baltimore Raven in 2018. With drops, sloppy route running, and a feeling that he may have quit on the season, Maclin just really does not fit the play like a Raven mantra.
For as maligned as Maclin has been, though, the Ravens really do not have anyone who can replace him and fans might just see how much worse off life can be without the veteran receiver on Sunday. While there is a lot of optimism regarding Chris Moore and Michael Campanaro, neither has been able to convert their potential into actual good play on the field. Will a very expanded role for both receivers change that? Will either receiver step up to the plate and make the decision to let Maclin go in 2018 an easier one? Or will fans see that maybe it really can get worse?
Can the Pass Rush Dominate?: There have been many, many Ravens fans who have been very adamant that the offensive line play in Baltimore has been bad for the most part this year (funny how this died down recently when the offensive line play really has been subpar) and the Ravens do not have a quality offensive line. But here is the thing- for all of those who truly believe the Ravens have the worst offensive line in the NFL and that it cannot get worse, you will see on Saturday that it can be much, much worse. Unlike the Ravens who build inside out (offensive line first, then receivers), the Colts build outside in and it shows.
If there were ever a day for a player to challenge for seven sacks in a single game to tie the NFL record, this absolutely would be the day for Terrell Suggs or Matt Judon. Between the duo, they may only have 19.0 sacks, but they have been absolute terrors off of the edge by consistently bringing pressure and being pests to the quarterback. If Brandon Williams and Willie Henry can stop Jacoby Brissett from stepping up in the pocket, Judon and Suggs will feast on the day.
On the season, Jacoby Brissett has been pressured on over 41.0% of his drop backs, a league high. Do not expect that to change on Saturday when the Colts come to M&T Bank Stadium to face a Ravens pass rush that has been heating up as the season has progressed.
How Does Chuck Pagano Look?: According to Tony Lombardi of Russell Street Report, there is a rumor going around that this will be Dean Pees’ final season coaching in the purple and black. Count me as one of those who is highly skeptical of this, but one that could see this as plausible. Being on the road for five months a year, minimum, and being in the facilities for most of the day year round at over 70 years old has to take a toll eventually. While I would be surprised to see this rumor come to fruition, I would not be totally shocked.
If Pees indeed does intend to step down, Chuck Pagano could be an incredibly logical choice to coach the Baltimore secondary yet again. Pagano was once the Ravens coordinator in 2011 and ranked in the top 5 in yards per game, rush yards per game, pass yards per game, yards per play, points given up per game, and third down percentage. Unfortunately, Pagano has not had nearly the same success defensively in Indy and it will very likely lead to his dismissal from a head coaching position.
If Pagano is indeed fired and Pees does retire, the Ravens should give a strong look at Pagano if he still looks up to the job. He battled and beat cancer, but that has to take a toll on anyone and cause faster than needed aging. Could less responsibility be better? Is he even up to the task? These are just a few questions that the Ravens should be asking themselves as they watch a potential candidate.
Final Score Prediction:
Vegas currently has the Ravens favored by a whopping 13.5 points, which should be no surprise given the incredibly sorry state of the Colts… well, entire team. While I do expect the Ravens to win and would normally expect a huge win, the forecast is calling for rain and I can expect that will keep things a little more in check.
Final Score: Indianapolis Colts: 6, Baltimore Ravens: 17
The Colts were always going to be a bad team, even if they had Andrew Luck. Due to incredibly poor drafting over the years and a lack of emphasis put on the offensive line, the Colts have been a very bad team that was always teetering on the edge of implosion if Luck were to get hurt. When he finally did get hurt, the Colts finally imploded and now look like they could challenge the Cleveland Browns for the worst franchise currently in the NFL. With just two games left in the regular season, do not expect the Colts to eclipse more than four wins, as Sunday really should be an easy game for the Ravens.
With that said, let us take a look at the key storylines for this game.
Storylines to Watch:
How do the Young Guns at Receiver Look for Baltimore?: As it stands currently, the Ravens may very well be without Jeremy Maclin on Saturday, much to the enjoyment of many Ravens fans. Maclin, who at times has flashed as a play maker and a threat for the Ravens, has consistently shown that he may not be up to the task of being a Baltimore Raven in 2018. With drops, sloppy route running, and a feeling that he may have quit on the season, Maclin just really does not fit the play like a Raven mantra.
For as maligned as Maclin has been, though, the Ravens really do not have anyone who can replace him and fans might just see how much worse off life can be without the veteran receiver on Sunday. While there is a lot of optimism regarding Chris Moore and Michael Campanaro, neither has been able to convert their potential into actual good play on the field. Will a very expanded role for both receivers change that? Will either receiver step up to the plate and make the decision to let Maclin go in 2018 an easier one? Or will fans see that maybe it really can get worse?
Can the Pass Rush Dominate?: There have been many, many Ravens fans who have been very adamant that the offensive line play in Baltimore has been bad for the most part this year (funny how this died down recently when the offensive line play really has been subpar) and the Ravens do not have a quality offensive line. But here is the thing- for all of those who truly believe the Ravens have the worst offensive line in the NFL and that it cannot get worse, you will see on Saturday that it can be much, much worse. Unlike the Ravens who build inside out (offensive line first, then receivers), the Colts build outside in and it shows.
If there were ever a day for a player to challenge for seven sacks in a single game to tie the NFL record, this absolutely would be the day for Terrell Suggs or Matt Judon. Between the duo, they may only have 19.0 sacks, but they have been absolute terrors off of the edge by consistently bringing pressure and being pests to the quarterback. If Brandon Williams and Willie Henry can stop Jacoby Brissett from stepping up in the pocket, Judon and Suggs will feast on the day.
On the season, Jacoby Brissett has been pressured on over 41.0% of his drop backs, a league high. Do not expect that to change on Saturday when the Colts come to M&T Bank Stadium to face a Ravens pass rush that has been heating up as the season has progressed.
How Does Chuck Pagano Look?: According to Tony Lombardi of Russell Street Report, there is a rumor going around that this will be Dean Pees’ final season coaching in the purple and black. Count me as one of those who is highly skeptical of this, but one that could see this as plausible. Being on the road for five months a year, minimum, and being in the facilities for most of the day year round at over 70 years old has to take a toll eventually. While I would be surprised to see this rumor come to fruition, I would not be totally shocked.
If Pees indeed does intend to step down, Chuck Pagano could be an incredibly logical choice to coach the Baltimore secondary yet again. Pagano was once the Ravens coordinator in 2011 and ranked in the top 5 in yards per game, rush yards per game, pass yards per game, yards per play, points given up per game, and third down percentage. Unfortunately, Pagano has not had nearly the same success defensively in Indy and it will very likely lead to his dismissal from a head coaching position.
If Pagano is indeed fired and Pees does retire, the Ravens should give a strong look at Pagano if he still looks up to the job. He battled and beat cancer, but that has to take a toll on anyone and cause faster than needed aging. Could less responsibility be better? Is he even up to the task? These are just a few questions that the Ravens should be asking themselves as they watch a potential candidate.
Final Score Prediction:
Vegas currently has the Ravens favored by a whopping 13.5 points, which should be no surprise given the incredibly sorry state of the Colts… well, entire team. While I do expect the Ravens to win and would normally expect a huge win, the forecast is calling for rain and I can expect that will keep things a little more in check.
Final Score: Indianapolis Colts: 6, Baltimore Ravens: 17
