NFL | 2006 | Playoffs | Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens - Preview

• Dungy: 6-8 playoff record
• Billick: 5-2 playoff record
• Manning: 4-6 playoff record
• McNair: 5-4 playoff record
Summary
I like the Ravens to win it all this year, and I certainly like them in this matchup. On both offense and defense, the Ravens have what it takes to defeat the Colts.

Ravens On Offense
The USA Today put out this table detailing exactly what the Ravens offense has done since Billick has taken over the play calling. The article (which is a good read as well) came out on December 20th, so it’s a little out of date. The Ravens are actually 9-1 now since the change was made during their bye week.

So if you take the USA table and update it to include the Ravens’ last two games, here’s what it looks like:



WITH FASSEL CALLING PLAYS
Bold indicates highest output in this span
Date	Game	Result	Total offense yards	Lewis rushing yards	McNair passing yards	Offensive points
Sept. 10	at TB	W 27-0	271	78	181	20
Sept. 17	OAK	W 28-6	264	70	143	26
Sept. 24	at CLE	W 15-14	340	86	264	15
Oct. 1	SD	W 16-13	206	34	158	14
Oct. 9	at DEN	L 13-3	257	43	165	3
Oct. 15	CAR	L 23-21	292	41	230*	21
Record: 4-2		Averages	271.7	58.7	190.2	16.5
*McNair injured; Kyle Boller threw for 226 of the team’s 230 passing yards

WITH BILLICK CALLING PLAYS
Bold indicates highest output in this span
Date	Game	Result	Total offense yards	Lewis rushing yards	McNair passing yards	Offensive points
Oct. 29	at NO	W 35-22	293	109	159	21
Nov. 5	CIN	W 26-20	374	72	245	19
Nov. 12	at TEN	W 27-26	421	45	373	27
Nov. 19	ATL	W 24-10	328	91	236	24
Nov. 26	PIT	W 27-0	275	66	140	20
Nov. 30	at CIN	L 13-7	316	61	227	7
Dec. 10	at KC	W 20-10	376	81	283	20
Dec. 17	CLE	W 27-17	373	109	238*	27
Dec. 24	at PIT	W 31-7	359	77	256	31
Dec. 31	BUF	W 19-7	327	69	216	19
Record: 9-1		Averages	344.2	78.0	237.3	21.5
*McNair injured; Boller threw for all 238 passing yards
Sources: Nate Davis, USA TODAY research


The improved production is impossible to ignore. And what I like most about the Ravens new offense is that they run the football, no matter how effective it is. They don’t give up on it because they know they need the threat of the run to be there at all times in order to execute their passing game.

Against the Colts defense, we’ll see them have at least enough success on the ground to make their offense work. Any team that Baltimore sees the rest of the way will be one that can stuff their average ground game (Chicago).

Colts On Offense
The Ravens are the nightmare matchup for the Colts offense. Forget the 3-4 vs the 4-3 debates; this defense is going to disrupt everything the Colts do.

When you’re playing Indy, it’s all about 2 things: play physical off the line with the Colts receivers to disrupt their timing and show different defensive fronts and rush different players every down. The Ravens do both very, very well.

This video, also from the NFL Network this week, is the best explanation on what the Colts do with their pass blocking and you can see why unpredictable defenses give them trouble:

That’s really all there needs to be said. I’ve detailed my dislike for Indy’s offense in great detail here. Just browse their category for more. The Ravens should roll all over Indianapolis in this one.