Rodgers and Packers will be too much for Ravens on Monday

[mike]

by: Chris Tripodi - NLS Fantasy Football Writer

On Monday night, the 6-5 Baltimore Ravens will try to stay in the AFC playoff hunt when they travel to Lambeau Field to face quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the 7-4 Green Bay Packers. The Packers have won three straight since a 4-4 start, outscoring their opponents 81-43 in those three games.

While the Packers come into this game hot, the Ravens have been inconsistent since starting 3-0, alternating wins and losses over their last six games and coming off of a 20-17 overtime win over Pittsburgh last week, who played without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Much has been made of Green Bay?s inability to protect Rodgers this season, as the Packers have allowed a league-high 44 sacks. However, the Ravens once-vaunted defense has generated just 21 sacks this season (24th in the NFL) and they have been susceptible to the big pass play. On paper, it seems like one of the NFL?s best passing offenses could have a field day.

But in their last four games Baltimore?s defense has improved, allowing just 51 points. The Ravens held the Colts and their top-rated passing offense to 17 points and intercepted Peyton Manning twice, the only time this season Manning has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in a game (1 TD, 2 INT).

The Ravens offense has scored only 58 points during that stretch, as Joe Flacco has thrown just 1 touchdown pass against 3 interceptions. He may find the going tough this week against Charles Woodson and Green Bay?s sixth-rated pass defense, even after the Packers lost cornerback Al Harris and defensive end Aaron Kampman for the season two weeks ago against San Francisco.

With both teams ranked in the league?s top six in rushing defense, it?s hard to envision Ryan Grant or Ray Rice having a huge day on the ground. Rice will get his through the air, as he?s had at least 5 receptions in seven of his last eight games, but Baltimore should look to exploit Harris? replacement, Tramon Williams, down the field with Mark Clayton.

This game will come down to which team can throw the ball more effectively, and that leads me to give the Packers an edge. Baltimore will need to pressure Rodgers and keep him from getting the time to look downfield to stay in this game. If Rodgers has the luxury of sitting back in the pocket all day, this one could get ugly.

The Pick: Green Bay 20, Baltimore 13

[JCStone57]

I don't know mike. The Packers have trouble protecting Aaron Rodgers and the Ravens are an excellent defensive team who puts pressure on the QB. They'll essentially take Ryan Grant out of the game and pressure Rodgers.

But on the other hand Flacco hasn't been a world-beater either and the Packers have a good run defense and will put Nick Barnett and Clay Matthews on Ray Rice. Plus Charles Woodson taking on Derrick Mason and will probably dominate him this one is close I think the Ravens take it in a close one 13-10.

[mike]

This article was written by our new writer Chris Tripodi, I do not see a low scoring game and I honestly do not see the Packers defense being that good. I like the Ravens to win easily in this game.

[JCStone57]

This article was written by our new writer Chris Tripodi, I do not see a low scoring game and I honestly do not see the Packers defense being that good. I like the Ravens to win easily in this game.

Oh, I guess reading is fundamental when reading about the author... lol... Good write-up, should be an interesting game.

[mike]

lol

[Quiggle]

I should be a very good game. The Packers O-Line has been playing better the last couple games, although the competition hasn't been the toughest. The D has been solid. The loss of Harris still scares me. The Kampman loss isn't nearly as big since they weren't using him correctly anyway, Brandon Jones will actually be better than Aaron at OLB.
If Rodgers gets sacked 3 times or less, the Packers win 23-17.

[mike]

So is anyone in that last game pinch to save a trip to the post season of fantasy football?

[HybridTheory]

I need Driver and Balt ST to have VERY good games.

[DDS]

Packers owned the Ravens last night

[mike]

Ravens running back Ray Rice bashed Lambeau Field, the home of the Packers, following Baltimore's loss on Monday night.

"As a man I would like to apologize the fans of green bay you can't judge a book by it's cover and for me to talk about your city was wrong," Rice wrote on his Twitter page.

Rice called Lambeau Field "terrible" earlier in the week