Matchup to watch vs Baltimore, and score.

[SubZero]

After blow out wins against 2 bottom of the league teams, this weekend will be a big test going forward. In this game against the Ravens which key matchup will you be looking at?? Also what is your predicted score??

My key matchup is the Ravens OL vs the Colts front 7. The Ravens OL has only given up 2 sacks the past 4 games. They need to apply pressure on Flacco and be able to stop to slow down the Ravens offense. Note: Baltimore hasnt scored a touchdown in Indianapolis in 10 years (just thought it was a fun fact).

GO COLTS!!!! My score 24-31, Colts.

[TYtheMan13]

There's a few matchups I'll be watching closely. But the main 2 I'll be looking at is Our linebackers vs. their TE's and how much pressure we get on the QB, whether its from creative schemes or the more preferable way (from the Dline/ OLB)..honestly it seems like our linebackers have been getting picked on and I don't blame the opponents. Hopefully getting Freeman back will help that.

[SubZero]

There's a few matchups I'll be watching closely. But the main 2 I'll be looking at is Our linebackers vs. their TE's and how much pressure we get on the QB, whether its from creative schemes or the more preferable way (from the Dline/ OLB)..honestly it seems like our linebackers have been getting picked on and I don't blame the opponents. Hopefully getting Freeman back will help that.

I think Freeman will be great to have back! McNary has kinda been the whipping boy for TEs and RBs. Freeman is probably our best cover ILB and Owen Daniels is no where near Ertz, or Julius Thomas IMO, so i see that matchup working in our favor.

[akcolt]

There's a few matchups I'll be watching closely. But the main 2 I'll be looking at is Our linebackers vs. their TE's and how much pressure we get on the QB, whether its from creative schemes or the more preferable way (from the Dline/ OLB)..honestly it seems like our linebackers have been getting picked on and I don't blame the opponents. Hopefully getting Freeman back will help that.

They lost Pitta I think we should be able to hang with Owen Daniels coming of injury and getting a little older. I want to keep the Smith's from getting deep. I really think our D matches up pretty well vs Baltimore.

 

I want to see what we are doing on O Line and TY getting deep.

 

Colts 34-20

[SubZero]

They lost Pitta I think we should be able to hang with Owen Daniels coming of injury and getting a little older. I want to keep the Smith's from getting deep. I really think our D matches up pretty well vs Baltimore.

I want to see what we are doing on O Line and TY getting deep.

Colts 34-20

Ravens weakest point on their team is pass D. I wouldn't be surprised if Hilton had a 100+ game!

[Stephen]

Ill be watching who plays at center

[southwest1]

Ravens weakest point on their team is pass D. I wouldn't be surprised if Hilton had a 100+ game!

For me, Nicks is the WR weapon I wanna see with a lot of catches not TY. I thinks gets bored if he doesn't get catches early in games just like Dez Bryant in Dallas. 

 

My score: 24-20 Colts. 

[UKCOLT17]

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/10/03/pff-preview-ravens-colts-week-5/

 

nice read not alot to read but some good info

[SubZero]

For me, Nicks is the WR weapon I wanna see with a lot of catches not TY. I thinks gets bored if he doesn't get catches early in games just like Dez Bryant in Dallas.

My score: 24-20 Colts.

I would want to see Nicks go off! He is due for a good game.

[pacolts56]

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/10/03/pff-preview-ravens-colts-week-5/

 

nice read not alot to read but some good info

I thought this line was funny....

 

"Andrew Luck – Of Luck’s league-leading 1,305 passing yards, 56.3% have come through the air, good for 10th among all quarterbacks.

 

Don't all passing yards come thru the air....and how is it league-leading and 10th at the same time?

[ProblChld32]

The matchup that ill be watching closely is the secondary. They will have their hands full trying to slow down Steve and Torrey Smith. 

[southwest1]

I would want to see Nicks go off! He is due for a good game.

Thank you for that SZ. I just revere Nick's height, hands, wingspan, & Championship credentials & I can't comprehend why he isn't thrown to more; the dude is a freaking beast! 

[B~Town]

Thank you for that SZ. I just revere Nick's height, hands, wingspan, & Championship credentials & I can't comprehend why he isn't thrown to more; the dude is a freaking beast! 

I agree Nicks is a beast and is wide open a lot but isn't getting the ball . I can't wait for him and Andrew to jell once they do it's going to be a beautiful thing .

[Kyle]

I thought this line was funny....

 

"Andrew Luck – Of Luck’s league-leading 1,305 passing yards, 56.3% have come through the air, good for 10th among all quarterbacks.

 

Don't all passing yards come thru the air....and how is it league-leading and 10th at the same time?

1305 passing yards includes yards after catch.  He leads the league there.

 

56% (730.8 yards) of his passing yards are through the air, meaning 44% (574.2 yards) of his yards are run after catch.  Not including the yards after catch, he is 10th in the league.

[southwest1]

I agree Nicks is a beast and is wide open a lot but isn't getting the ball . I can't wait for him and Andrew to jell once they do it's going to be a beautiful thing .

Amen B-Town. Amen. If I was Andrew Luck, I'd be throwing to Nicks in practice immediately because Hakeem can go up & get even a less than perfect throw. Plus, he's not shy about telling you how good he really is either.

 

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2014/10/02/colts-wr-hakeem-nicks-waiting-to-be-no-1/16560499/

[southwest1]

I thought this line was funny....

 

"Andrew Luck – Of Luck’s league-leading 1,305 passing yards, 56.3% have come through the air, good for 10th among all quarterbacks.

 

Don't all passing yards come thru the air....and how is it league-leading and 10th at the same time?

We should all demand a video presentation of all the throws from Luck that didn't come through the air. I'd pay good money to laugh hysterically over that PAC56.  ;)

[James Harden]

Vontae Davis on Steve Smith is a good match up to watch for. Looking for Nicks to have a big game also. 

[Coffeedrinker]

I thought this line was funny....

 

"Andrew Luck – Of Luck’s league-leading 1,305 passing yards, 56.3% have come through the air, good for 10th among all quarterbacks.

 

Don't all passing yards come thru the air....and how is it league-leading and 10th at the same time?

Kind of like when the ref says, "Prior to the snap, false start"... of course it was prior to the snap, if it happened after the snap it would not be a false start.

 

Anyways, I think they are taking out YAC (yards after catch) yards.

[Coffeedrinker]

One thing the Raven's like to do under Harbaugh is attack a defense's strength.  Since right now the strength of the Colts' D is the coverage of the CBs, I expect the Ravens to test Davis, Toler and Butler early and often.  They will take advantage of the Colts lack of pass rush and go deep a lot to Mr. and Mrs. Smith.  So it's going to be a huge chess match between Manusky and the Ravens OC.  

 

The Colts are going to have to stop the run with their 3 down lineman and 3 LBers, if they need to use the 4th LB or bring down a safety then it will open up to many things deep off the play action pass.

 

If I were the Colts I would have been seriously looking this week at doing more of a 4-3 or 4-2 with the lineman and lbers.  Have Redding, Hughes, Chapman, RJF then Freeman and Walden  (or Freeman(OLB strong side), A. Jackson(MLB), Walden(OLB weakside), then play man2man with the CB, zone coverage with the LBers and Safeties.  To me this gives the best combination of run defenders and stopping the deep ball. 8-12 yards between the hashes would still be a weak spot but no more so than it is now.

[SubZero]

Thank you for that SZ. I just revere Nick's height, hands, wingspan, & Championship credentials & I can't comprehend why he isn't thrown to more; the dude is a freaking beast!

No problem! I think its just because Luck has so much more connection to Wayne, Hilton, Fleener, and Allen than Nicks. There is also so many receiving options for Luck.

[pacolts56]

1305 passing yards includes yards after catch.  He leads the league there.

 

56% (730.8 yards) of his passing yards are through the air, meaning 44% (574.2 yards) of his yards are run after catch.  Not including the yards after catch, he is 10th in the league.

 

 

Kind of like when the ref says, "Prior to the snap, false start"... of course it was prior to the snap, if it happened after the snap it would not be a false start.

 

Anyways, I think they are taking out YAC (yards after catch) yards.

Okay....now it makes sense....thanks guys.

[southwest1]

No problem! I think its just because Luck has so much more connection to Wayne, Hilton, Fleener, and Allen than Nicks. There is also so many receiving options for Luck.

Yeah, Luck does have a wide array of weapons to choose from no doubt.

 

Plus, in the interest of full disclosure, SW1 has always had a ton of respect for the NY Giants, which probably explains why I respect Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Tom Coughlin, Perry Fewell, Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw, Sean O'Hara, & GM Jerry Reese so darn much. 

 

I still watch them religiously even when they suck because I know that the Mara & Tisch families are fantastic owners who won't be in the basement doldrums very long. 

[coltsfanatic24]

Greg Manusky will be the x-factor not only for the Ravens game, but how far this team will go. Offensively, we can score with the best of them but it'll come down to defensive play calling. We have the personnel to be a top 10 defense, they're just not being utilized correctly.

 

Every team plays to their strength's and the CB's are the strength of the defense. Similar to the Cardinals who have a good secondary, the Colts should be blitzing 40% or more of the time. A 4 man rush just isn't good enough, don't have the pass rushers to run it. I've always liked the more aggressive approach defensively instead of read and react.

 

 I do think we'll beat the Ravens because of how good Luck, the CB's, and run defense has played. I still want to see more exotic blitzes called by Manusky.

 

Colts 27 - Ravens 19

[The Old Crow]

Let's just say I hope it ends up like the Orioles- Tigers game yesterday.

[Ryan Pelley]

I enjoy Steve Smith running his mouth at other teams... But gah, I think we'll all want to punch the TV if it happens tomorrow.