Ravens Look To Gain First Road Win Against The Chiefs
By Samuel Njoku
The Baltimore Ravens will match up against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Here’s the scouting report.
Kansas City Chiefs' record: 1-3-0 (Tied for 4th in the AFC West)
Offense:
Many have classified the Chiefs as a mediocre team, partly because of their (1-3) record so far this season. But in reality, Kansas City fields one of the more dangerous offenses in the NFL. Ranking fourth in total offense, the Chiefs can beat you in any number of ways. Against Baltimore, the Chiefs will try to get the job done on the ground. Jamaal Charles is one of the more prolific running backs in all of football. If he can get yards on the ground on a consistent basis, it would take a load of pressure away from Matt Cassel. Getting Charles going on the ground may be difficult, as Baltimore only allows an impressive 3.2 yards per carry on the ground.
The Ravens struggles have come against the pass. The Chiefs have the talent on the field to take advantage of the Ravens secondary. Dwayne Bowe is one of the biggest receivers in the NFL. Historically, Baltimore has had a tough time covering receivers of his size. If the Chiefs can get Bowe in some jump-ball situations, it could make for an interesting game in Kansas City.
Defense:
The Chiefs' defense will have their hands full against a Ravens' offense that can beat you both through the air and on the ground. The sugar huddle offense that Baltimore has used to near perfection so far this season has been the main focus of practice this week for the Chiefs. The high tempo style of offense can keep even the best defenses on their heels for most of the game. The Chiefs' greatest defense against this offense may not even wear a helmet. The always rambunctious crowd at Arrowhead stadium can make things extremely difficult for Flacco and company. The last time the Ravens played a game away from Baltimore, they rarely used the sugar huddle offense. The team feared the loud noise would cause communication issues that could lead to miscues. Baltimore may take the same approach in this game.
If Baltimore decides against the no huddle attack, they could always rely on Ray Rice. The Chiefs will most likely make containing Rice their main priority. If Rice is able to get going, there is almost no way the Chiefs can win this football game. Look for Kansas City to keep eight men in the box for the majority of the game in order to keep the quick running back in check.
Coaching:
Romeo Crennel hasn’t had much success against the Ravens. When he coached for the Browns, he lost to Baltimore on a consistent basis. But Crennel is familiar with the ball club, and will use his past experiences to help him game plan for this Sunday afternoon matchup. The Chiefs actually hold a winning record All-Time against the Ravens at (3-2) excluding the postseason. However the Ravens have won the past 2 matchups dating back to 2006.
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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. He can be reached for comments at SamuelN870@gmail.com. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.
