Divisional Round Preview: Ravens VS Broncos

Peyton Manning and Ray Lewis will square in Denver as two future Hall OF Famers will go at it on Saturday. Manning is riding on a 8 game winning streak coming into this game and Ray Lewis and the Ravens beat the Colts last week in Ray Lewis's final home game as a Raven, 24-9. In each of the last 8 meetings against Baltimore, Peyton Manning has won all 8, including a 34-17 against Baltimore, in Week 15.

Here are the keys for the game for Baltimore:

• Pressuring Peyton Manning is huge for the Ravens, in this game. If OLB's Terrell Suggs and Paul Kruger can overwhelm OT's Ryan Clady and Orlando Franklin, Manning will have a rough day. NT Haloti Ngata should help Kruger get the rush off the right side and a nice gap blitz to free Suggs will help get Manning off-rythem
• LT Bryant McKinnie will have his hands full with Pro Bolers DE Elvis Dumervil and OLB Von Miller attack the left side of the offense. Miller and Dumervil both finished with 11 sacks or more and have harrassed QB all season long. IF McKinnie can contain the speedy Dumervil and Miller, and protect Joe Flacco, Flacco will have enough time in the pocket to find one his recievers.
• The Ravens showed that they could strech the field last week with WR Anquan Boldin (5 catches 145 yards 1 TD). The other WR Torrey Smith, has very dangerous speed and could outrun Bailey for a long bomb. If he matches up in the slot, Smith will burn Denver CB. Bailey is a lockdown CB and usually doesn't give up big playes, but if Smith flies pass Bailey, WATCH OUT! Streching the field with Smith and Boldin will leave guys like slot reciever Jacouby Jones, Tandon Doss, TE Dennis Pitta, and Ray Rice open and have a nice 10-25 yard gain.
• Special Teams is huge for the Ravens this game. If punter Sam Koch pins the Broncos inside the 20 or ten yard line a couple times, this will affect the Broncos field position. If there playing against the wind, it will be difficult for them to strech the field. KR Jacouby Jones has had a 107 yard return TD this season against San Diego, if Jones breaks free in the open, Jones could help the Ravens field position a lot, or he scores a big TD in the game.

Here are the kyes for the game for Denver:

• We saw Ray Lewis very active last week against the Colts (13 tackles). Denver needs to use crossing route plays, play action fakes, and FB Fake HB Toss type plays to slow Ray down. If Lewis sin't on top of his game, Denver's offense will exploit the middle of Baltimore's defense.

Ravens CB's Cary Williams, Corey Graham, and Jimmy Smith haven't played up to there potental yet. WR's Demariuys Thomas and Eric Decker have the size and speed to beat these CB. In week 15, Decker had burned Baltimore on a 50 yard TD pass on a streak route. If Decker and Thomas take advantage of this matchup, Manning will show this Baltimore's defense whos boss.
• Von Miller and Elvin Dumervil need to disrupt Joe Flacco's blindside to win. Having Miller and Dumervil pressure Flacco makes Baltimore adjust there OL to the right side. This could free guys like D.J. Williams and Robert Ayers free to swallow up Flacoo. This will force Flacco in the pocket (which he's not that great with) and contain Flacco on all blitz types. This will force Flacco out of rythem, having a successful day for Denver's D.

Here are my Bold Predictions for the game.

Broncos 30-Baltimore 19

• Ravens RB Ray Rice will rush for 96 yards on 19 carries because the Ravens OL will be the ones dominating the line of scrimmage early, until the middle of the 3rd quarter
• Ravens rookie kicker Justin Tucker will kick 4 field goals for the Ravens
• In the 2nd half and partly the first quarter, Von Miller's presence will be huge for ther Broncos defense. The pressure caused by him will get QB Joe Flacco out of rythem.
• Look for either WR Eric Decker or Demariuys Thomas to have a big game against the Ravens secondary
• LT Ryan Clady will keep OLB Paul Kruger out of Peyton Manning's face
• Manning will throw for 314 yards, 2 TD, O INT