Ravens Stumble Against High-Powered Colts
By Samuel Njoku
Offense Grade: F
It's been a while since the Ravens have done so well on offense in a given week, just to come crashing down to earth the following week. But that's what happened in this game as the offense couldn't get anything done against the Colts defense. The Ravens got away with the loss of LT Eugene Monroe against the Panthers. But the Colts were not going to let them get away with it in Week 5. They bullied James Hurst for the majority of the game and made it impossible for Flacco to sit comfortable in the pocket.
Gary Kubiak has called great gameplans so far this season, but Sunday was a letdown for the former Texans head coach. As is often the case, the Ravens got away from the run once they were behind. It's a shame because both Forsett and Pierce averaged over 7 yards a carry. With receivers unable to hold on to the ball, it would've been beneficial to keep the ball on the ground and out of the hands of Andrew Luck.
Defense Grade: B-
The Ravens found out that Andrew Luck was definitely as good as advertised. But the good news for Ravens fans was that the defense looked up to the task. This game could have gotten out of control in a hurry but Dean Pees and the Ravens defense helped contain Luck as much as possible. In the beginning, the Ravens had a hard time taking advantage of the Colts sub-par offensive line. But they began to break through as the game progressed. Luck still found ways to keep the play alive but Baltimore knew having him sit in the pocket was unacceptable.
The Ravens secondary still continue to disappoint but the return of Webb helped a great deal. Their safeties left a lot of plays on the field as their were a few instances where they could have forced turnovers. That boils down to awareness. The coaches have to like what they saw from the defense. It doesn't get any harder than trying to contain Andrew Luck, and the defense performed better than expected.
Quarterback Grade: C+
It was 2013 for Joe Flacco all over again as we witness him run for dear life on almost every passing down. The offensive line didn't help Flacco out at all in this one. But there were still mistakes that Flacco made that he must limit if Baltimore hopes to return to the postseason. For starters, Flacco holds on to the ball a few seconds longer than necessary. It is the difference between an incomplete pass and a sack in the NFL. He also needs to be more accurate with the football because his receivers struggle to make the tough catch.
All that being said, Joe still came within a drive of stealing one in Indy. This is a game that the 6th year QB will bounce back from.
Special Teams Grade: C-
Jacoby Jones has not performed well as a receiver or a returner this year for Baltimore. During a punt return, he was unable to move before the ball bounced into him. Indianapolis was able to recover the football and the Ravens offense lost a chance to cut into their deficit. Baltimore replaced him with Lardarius Webb, but he's not the long term solution. They may need to bring in preseason sensation WR Michael Campanaro to provide a spark for this unit.
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Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.
