Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens : Prediction Ravens 24, Colts 20
Colts fans, it’s prime time football season. The Indianapolis Colts will face the tough Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore on Sunday. Do you think Indianapolis will be able to keep Lamar Jackson in check? When facing the Baltimore Ravens’ defence, can Carson Wentz get the ball down the field quickly? Let’s get started with our weekly game preview, and then we’ll wrap things up with a forecast.
Ravens
Head coach John Harbaugh made an important adjustment in the second half of the previous season when the Colts had the Ravens completely on the ropes. Indy’s zone-heavy defence was no match for Lamar’s 10-of-10 passing performance, as he found the open receivers with ease. Especially in light of Baltimore’s dominant ground attack, that’s critical tonight.
This game will be decided by the Ravens’ ability to send a message to their opponents. They’ll do everything in their power to put pressure on Carson Wentz and make him make mistakes. Until recently, I would have called that naive because he used to thrive in high-stress situations. The Ravens should now go after Wentz and try to break down his pocket.
Wink Martindale continues to be the aggressor despite the Ravens’ defence being without Marcus Peters. I assume the Ravens’ low blitz frequency is due to the loss of Peters, because they’ve been first by a wide margin since 2019 before that. Only four teams blitz more than the Ravens.
DVOA rates the defence as the 12th most efficient despite the setback. If we consider EPA/play, they are two places worse off. While Odafe Oweh is showing promise as a backup pass rusher, rookie Justin Houston has been a huge asset to the team.
Historically, the Ravens’ defence has been one of the league’s most reliable units. When facing a front seven that is built similarly to their own in terms of length and speed, will the Indianapolis Colts be able to move the ball? That’s the big question, so backups Chris Reed and Julien Davenport are under a lot of pressure once more.
This game must follow a similar script to the one the Colts used against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019. Football played with ball control and dominant trench play.
Colts
When Jonathan Taylor and a heavy dose of the power running game arrive, Baltimore prepares for the worst. This means the onus will be on Carson Wentz to carry the load on this one. When facing a depleted Ravens secondary, can Carson Wentz effectively move the ball down the field? As Michael Pittman Jr. officially becomes a WR1, he should continue to be fed heavily.
Calais Campbell, who has 16 pressures in 2021 but no sacks, isn’t even included in that total. Week 5 could bring about a shift in this dynamic.
What is the current state of health of Darius Leonard? If Leonard isn’t feeling 100 percent, Lamar will use quick concepts and zone reads to frequently target him. A vintage Maniac performance from Indy is required to beat an opponent whose prototype was designed to stop him.
Do you think the Colts will be able to hang on for the win? Against a likely playoff team, we’ll find out how good this football team really is this season.
Prediction
It’s Ravens 24, Colts 20
The Ravens currently have a 7-point lead over the Colts in the AFC North divisional round. The Colts must make this a bad game in order to get the win. A few fumbles against Jackson and the Ravens’ offence will be necessary for them to win, as will being more effective on third down and in the red zone, where they currently rank 23rd and 30th.
Honestly, I don’t see how Indianapolis wins this game. I believe the Colts will keep this game closer than many people expect, even though they are underdogs. As long as the offence is effective and Lamar is confined to the sidelines, it’s a good plan to keep the game close until the end.
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The Ravens simply have a better football team, and as a result, they are the clear winners in this matchup.
As a result, the Colts are now winless so far this season and face a crucial stretch to keep their playoff hopes alive.
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