A matchup that could very well determine the outcome: Aqib Talib vs Torrey Smith

[Joey007]

Talib vs. Smith.

This should be pretty obvious. What has Flacco done well at the last few games?? The deep ball, and the guy that he throws it deep to most would be Torrey Smith. Torrey Smith can flat out light it up down the field as we saw last week. I think besides the Refs, Smith was the main reason we lost the SNF game in week 3. Fortunately, Kyle Arrington hopefully won't be matching up with him this time.

Besides Brady, I think no one is under more pressure to perform at their best than Talib Sunday. We've seen Talib play very good football at corner since he arrived midseason. Once in a while, however, we've seen him get beat on the deep ball. Not often, but it'll happen on occasion. Great corner, but he's not quite shut down. One slip up could change this game into Baltimore's favor. We need the best out of him Sunday.

I'll even go as far to say if we neutralize Smith, we will most likely win the game. And if Smith has a monster day, we may likely lose the game.

 

[Tunescribe]

Dorky Joe will not complete a pass longer than 35 yards Sunday. You read it here first.

 

[Joey007]

Dorky Joe will not complete a pass longer than 35 yards Sunday. You read it here first.

No I will not.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I wouldn't put Talib on Smith. I'd play Talib at LCB because Flacco likes to throw right or down the middle. Have McCourty sitting back on that half of the field. Let Dennard play RCB and if they put Smith over there fine. Flacco completes less than 50pct of his passes when throwing left.

 

[Wax Frog]

I just wish we had a coach who could figure this matchup stuff out

 

[andrewgarrr]

I'd expect to see Dennard across from Smith more often.

 

[ALP]

how has Talib been playing recently in terms of who hes been covering?

is he taking a team's specific WR or taking a side of the field? (Left for defense? usually a teams #1?

the deep balls that were open for Flacco in the denver game were on the right side of the offense, usually where Talib lines up no? Smith/Jones either streak down the field next to the sideline or to a little post to the middle of the field than turn it up


the defender we need to have the best day is McCourty, whose really sole job this game will be to stop Smith and Jones deep

 

[supafly]

I wouldn't put Talib on Smith. I'd play Talib at LCB because Flacco likes to throw right or down the middle. Have McCourty sitting back on that half of the field. Let Dennard play RCB and if they put Smith over there fine. Flacco completes less than 50pct of his passes when throwing left.

I agree that Talib will likely play his usual position of LCB, however the potential matchup of Boldin vs Dennard isn't making anyone comfortable either.

Safety help is great obviously, and I would think that there will be some, depending on their initial success of course; however, it also limits having someone come up to help out in the run game, as the front 7 will have to do their jobs effectively stopping Ray Rice.

Another thing is that while Flacco is completing less than 50 percent of his passes to the left, that very well could also be one of their "wrinkles" that they don't expect us to see coming. All it takes is one or two nice gains. That isn't out of the realm of possibility, and it makes me wonder if some are making too big of a deal about the L vs R side statistics (not you personally).

I think we have to start with the most obvious choices of first limiting Rice's effectiveness, then limiting Smith's deeper play potential. Boldin's possession catches and 3rd down conversions would definitely be third, and Pitta and the TE's ability would likely be on the same level of concern. Then we'd have J.Jones and his potential blended in somewhere too....but I think they need to focus on taking away the first 2 options and that should allow them to be a limiting defense.

 

[Fencer]

The Ravens are an obvious target for bend-don't-break, so the real question to me is how bendy the bend will be.

 

[randomk1]

It's all about the OL.

Solder,Vollmer are playing at a high level and i think Mankins might be getting healthy at just the right time.

 

[Triumph]

Usually BB likes to take something away from QBs with a couple of players. Last season vs SD, NE took out Gates with a couple of DBs.

If Flacco is relying on Smith, he would be my guess. Pitta is a Flacco favorite and seems like a matchup problem to me.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

The Ravens are an obvious target for bend-don't-break, so the real question to me is how bendy the bend will be.

The first 3 quarters of the Texan-Patriot game is the benchmark for how "bendy" the defense will be (hopefully ). When the Texans were on their side of the field, Schaub definitely had some places to throw.....but I didn't see anything open deep-no blown coverages on deep routes by the secondary. When the Texans crossed into the Patriots side of the field, Schaub's completions dropped off. Everything was thrown underneath (with good Patriot tackling) and/or getting strongly contested by the Patriots' pass coverage. The Texans never got anywhere near the endzone by way of their passing game. ((obviously the front 7 playing stout run D forcing the Ravens into throwing the ball is a critical component))

 

[cstjohn17]

I wouldn't put Talib on Smith. I'd play Talib at LCB because Flacco likes to throw right or down the middle. Have McCourty sitting back on that half of the field. Let Dennard play RCB and if they put Smith over there fine. Flacco completes less than 50pct of his passes when throwing left.

Good breakdown, I will just go with history. The Patriots don't move their corners around, even with Law and Samuels, they let guys stay on their own side of the field.

This year that means Talib on the RCB and Dennard at LCB. This puts Smith on Dennard and Talib on Bolden.

Talib vs. Bolden - I like Talib on Bolden because he can match his physicality and should be able to shut him down without too much help. This is a trick from the old Dallas / SF days. When Deion was with Dallas they would not play him against Rice, they double teamed Rice and let Sanders go 1:1 with the #2 WR, basically rubbing him out of the game.

Dennard & MCCourty vs. Smith - The would allow the Patriots to double cover Smith for most of the game. Dennard better damn well learn to jam Smith at the line or it will be a long day.

TEs & RBs vs. LBs - There will be a lot of pressure on the Patriots LBs to cover the TEs and Rice out of the backfield. If the front seven can stop the run and Talib holds up against Bolden then Gregory can help with the TEs.

In the end I think the ability of the Front Seven (especially the front four) to stop the run is the key to the game. Otherwise play action becomes a big factor.

Go Pats