Ravens could use health, staying power in game with Packers
The Baltimore Ravens (4-5) need a win over the Green Bay Packers this weekend if they hope to have even an outside chance at making the playoffs. With a Pittsburgh Steelers win, 40-17, over the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football, the Ravens watched their AFC North rival move to 8-2 on the season and at the top spot in both the division and the conference. The Packers are coming off of a 23-16 win over the Chicago Bears.
Collins is most consistent playmaker for Ravens offense
When the Ravens grabbed running back Alex Collins, no one could have expected that he’d pick up the ball and run with it, literally, to the top of the production chart for the Baltimore offense. The Ravens offense is a quagmire but feeding Collins the ball is arguably their best move against their future opponents, including the Packers. Collins has started the past four games for the Ravens and ranks second among all NFL running backs with a 5.6 yards-per-carry average.
Danny Woodhead and Terrance West are getting closer to returning to form, but they aren’t there yet. And even if they were, Collins would still be Marty Mornhinweg’s choice to carry the workload. “He’s done a good job, hasn’t he?” Mornhinweg told ESPN‘s Jamison Hensley. “He’s gotten better every week. He’s getting better at the details as well, so we can utilize him in more ways. Certainly, he’ll be a featured guy.”
Mornhinweg and the offensive coaches spent time during the bye week looking at areas that the offensive unit, as a whole, could improve. “There’s a lot of things…” the offensive coordinator admitted. “Yards per attempt is a big correlator here – both in the run and pass – to winning.” He added that turnovers, yards per attempt and schemes play a part as well.
Getting healthy in time to earn wins?
The Ravens got a late ‘bye’, and that means they have seen Jeremy Maclin, Mike Wallace, Brandon Williams, Maxx Williams, Carl Davis and Matt Skura return as Jim Harbaugh gets ready for yet another post-bye game; his team 7-2 after bye weeks during his era (including 2-1 on the road).
“That’s what we need right now,” Harbaugh said about the team utilizing the week off to get players healthy and back on the field. “Hopefully, it will pay off for us.”
Entering the game with the Packers, the Ravens are just one game behind the Buffalo Bills (5-4) who are in the sixth, and final, AFC playoff spot, but Baltimore looks to have an easier schedule and will play four-of-seven games at home to finish out the regular season. That march to wins begins against a Brett Hundley-led Packers team that has struggled this season as well.
You’ve got to string together some wins at some point in time. That’s kind of the difference, I think, between making the playoffs or not … winning the division or not. – J. Harbaugh
Harbaugh knows that he may see an ugly performance from his team, in light of the adversity they’ve faced with injuries, but that a win followed by another is key to getting his team on the right track. “Just find a way to win. There’s different ways to do that from one week to the next, but that’s where we’re at right now.”
Ravens defense needs to shut down Packers offense quickly
The Packers gave Brett Hundley more options in last week’s game and his response was to throw for 212 yards and a touchdown. Davante Adams was the go-to target due to Jordy Nelson battling with injuries. But, with the offensive line giving up 30 sacks this season, the Ravens defense want to get off to a quick start by rattling Hundley and creating opportunities for takeaways and defensive scores.
Baltimore defenders watched tape of Hundley in preparation for this game. “When you look at him without the number on him, he has a lot of the same characteristics as Aaron Rodgers,” safety Eric Weddle admitted, saying he felt Hundley had spent the last three seasons emulating everything the starting veteran quarterback had done. “I would do the same thing if I was in his position … He has a great feel in the pocket.”
Baltimore is ranked third in pass defense in the NFL and have held opponents to just 185 passing yards per game this season, but they’re catching the Packers as Hundley is on the rise – something they want to key-in on early to keep the game under control.
“He is not a rookie,” Harbaugh said. “He knows the offense.”
As for the run, fourth-round pick Jamaal Williams stands pretty much alone in the Packers’ offensive backfield after both Ty Montgomery and Aaron Jones were injured last week. Williams rushed for 67 yards on 20 carries and could be a factor if the Ravens’ run-defense isn’t able to contain him. Baltimore will also need to prepare for the Packers to get receiver Randall Cobb involved in the run as well. In their past two games, the Ravens allowed just 116 rushing yards and 40 carries. The biggest boost came when Brandon Williams returned from a toe injury and Carl Davis was inserted into the lineup at defensive end.
The Ravens have seen Terrell Suggs earn 5.5 sacks, but their younger pass rushers haven’t gotten as involved; Tyus Bowser used sparingly and Tim Williams missing four games in a row with a hamstring injury. They haven’t done well against teams that utilize athletic tight ends this season and pass coverage will have to be solid as the defensive front for Baltimore ramps up the pressure. Maurice Canady will be a player to watch at cornerback.
Thursday Injury report:
FULL: TE Nick Boyle (toe), WR Michael Campanaro (shoulder), S Chuck Clark (thigh), RB Terrance West (calf), LB Tim Williams (thigh)
LIMITED: T Ronnie Stanley (concussion)
DNP: CB Jimmy Smith (achilles)— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 16, 2017
.@BenjaminSWatson with a powerful message on battling back from the adversity of his Achilles injury. pic.twitter.com/rTfdd7lLeF
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 15, 2017
