1. Peyton Manning:
Manning always seems to be on an extra state of alert against the Baltimore Ravens. Whether it’s running the hurry-up offense or getting off quick
plays and snaps so that Baltimore cannot change personnel, Manning always
seems to take his head games up a notch.
Besides trying to catch the
Ravens napping or with the wrong defensive package on the field, Manning
will also be firing out line protection calls and scheme changes if
he feels potential blitzes coming from Raven linebackers or defensive
backs. There always seems to be a very intense game within the game between
Manning and Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan when Indianapolis
plays the Ravens.
2.Tony Ugoh:
As Brad Keller noted in his scouting report on the Ravens defense, “The
Ravens, for the most part, deploy a 3-4 front as their primary defense.
They have been known to switch back and forth between a 3-4 and a 4-3
front throughout the course of a game or a drive since they have so
many interchangeable parts on defense. In the event that they come out
in the 4-3, linebacker Terrell Suggs — who played defensive end in
college — puts his hand on the ground and right end Haloti Ngata moves
to the inside, next to nose tackle Kelly Gregg.”
The man to watch closely here
is Suggs. Besides coming at the QB from the RE spot in a 4-3 you might
also see Suggs blitzing Manning from his base 3-4 ROLB position. Ryan likes to shuffle his defenders around
within the box in an attempt to create free rush lanes for blitzing
linebackers.
The burden of slowing Suggs
will usually fall on LT Tony Ugoh, especially when Suggs is rushing
from the RE spot. Through the first 12 games of 2007, the Ravens have
just 24 sacks, and Terrell Suggs, with four, is the lone defender with
more than two sacks.
Ed Johnson
AP Photo/Darron Cummings |
3. Robert Mathis and 4. Ed Johnson:
Baltimore loves to run right, and given the size advantage they have
over the left side of the Colts defensive line, we should expect
more of the same on Sunday night. So look for RB Willis McGahee to run
to his right behind massive tackle Marshal Yanda and guard Ben Grubbs.
Yanda will want try to drive smaller defensive end Robert Mathis off
the line, and Grubbs will block down on defensive tackle Ed Johnson
in hopes of opening huge seams for McGahee.
McGahee
is coming off an excellent game on Monday night, where he ran for 138
yards and a touchdown as the Ravens piled up 166 yards rushing during
a 27-24 loss to New England. Baltimore likes to use their size up front
to wear opponents down. They lean on opponents all day with an offensive line
that averages 319 pounds and batter defenders with the 232-pound McGahee.
The Colts had handled power
running teams effectively until Sunday, when Jacksonville pounded them
for 168 yards. "I think we got ourselves in trouble a little
bit with our tackling, but I think if we clean things up a little bit,
we'll be fine," defensive captain Gary Brackett said of the problems
last week.
5. Marlin Jackson: CB Marlin
Jackson and Ravens WR Derrick Mason will be following each other around
the field all evening. Baltimore coach Brian Billick likes to spread the field and move Mason
down from an outside receiver spot into the slot in an attempt to create
mismatches. Jackson, though, moves from RCB to slot when the Colts employ
the nickel. So on Sunday, Mason and Jackson will be matched up in each
situation.
Mason is the Ravens' best receiver
and can be very effective in the short and intermediate areas in the
passing game. Through 12 games, Mason has made 85 catches for 842 yards
and three touchdowns. The next closest receiver is Mark Clayton with just 34 catches.
With the Colts' game plan focused on slowing McGahee and forcing Boller
to beat them through the air, Mason should see plenty of
one-on-one situations against Jackson, especially when a safety has
dropped down in the box.