Baltimore Ravens vs. Oakland Raiders: 5 Keys to Victory
By Joe Serpico
Sep 13, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (88) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (22) during the second half at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos won 19-13. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Ravens Cornerbacks vs. Raiders Wide Receivers
Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb did a terrific job limiting the Broncos’ Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas last week and will look to do the same on Sunday. Peyton Manning is in a different class as a quarterback, but Carr has shown potential to be the man Oakland has been waiting to run the show for some time now.
Oakland also has some talent at wide receiver. Amari Cooper is not your average rookie. He is a polished route runner and his comparisons to Atalnta Falcons WR Julio Jones are not just because they both played collegiality under Nick Saban at Alabama. Cooper is the next big, strong and fast receiver that looks like he could dominate the league for years to come. Michael Crabtree has never became the phenom that everyone expected, but he is still capable of making plays.
Baltimore did not see many passes down the field as it looked as though Manning was lacking the strength to make deep passes. That allowed Smith and Webb to keep everything in front of them, preventing any big plays from happening. That won’t be the case with Oakland as Carr has a live arm and will look to get downfield in a hurry.
Next: Will There Be a Pass Rush?