NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers keys and game plan to beat Falcons.

Packers vs Falcons:  Kickoff–High noon. Keys to the game–Packers’ offense hasn’t been as prolific as expected, but it hasn't been losing games. Green Bay will have to make the most of its possessions because Atlanta will likely dominate the clock. If the offensive line can protect QB Rodgers, he’ll find mismatches downfield. WR Jennings has been particularly hot. The Packers have allowed 10 combined points the past three weeks while the Falcons are averaging 31.5 points over their past four games. Green Bay isn’t deep throughout the secondary and the Falcons could go with more no-huddle and spread the field. But while Ryan hasn’t been sacked in three of his past four games, the Packers are aggressive and enter with 29 sacks. So look for the Falcons to be conservative and feature plenty of RB Turner. Game plan–The Packers and Falcons not only are riding four-game winning streaks, but both teams haven’t turned over the football in their last three outings. The setting favors the Falcons at the Georgia Dome. For the Packers to break that streak of invincibility, their opportunistic defense will have to take the Atlanta offense out of its ball-control, mistake-free comfort zone. What’s more, the Falcons rank second in the league for time of possession. A high rate of success converting third downs has lot to do with their ability to play keep-away and pounding the football with RBs Turner and Snelling. Green Bay will throw the football and QB Rodgers is red hot. Rodgers has been targeting Greg Jennings with great frequency the last five games, so the Falcons figure to shade coverage Jennings’ way. It will be on Rodgers to look off Jennings and spread the wealth with the other key receivers.

Senior writer jclombardi previews Packers vs Falcons

Packers-Falcons preview: Teams: Packers (7-3) vs. Falcons (8-2). Time: Sunday at noon CST. Place: Georgia Dome, Atlanta. TV: FOX. The rankings: The Packers' 13^th-ranked offense is No. 19 in rushing and is No. 11 in passing. Their 12^th-ranked defense is No. 18 against the run and No. 11 against the pass. The Falcons' sixth-ranked offense is No. 7 in rushing and No. 13 in passing. Their 17^th-ranked defense is No. 6 against the run and No. 24 against the pass. The injury report: Packers – S Atari Bigby (hamstring) is out. S Anthony Smith (ankle) is doubtful. LT Chad Clifton (knee), WR Donald Driver (quadriceps), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf), LB Clay Matthews (shin), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle), C Scott Wells (arch) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) are probable. Falcons – RB Antone Smith (hamstring) is doubtful. .DE John Abraham (groin) and S Shann Schillinger (head) are questionable. LB Curtis Lofton (knee), DT Corey Peters (rib), WR Eric Weems (pectoral) and WR Roddy White (knee) are probable. The line: The Falcons are favored by 2 points. THE BREAKDOWN: FIVE THINGS TO WATCH–The White stuff: Tramon Williams' has emerged as one of the NFL's top cover cornerbacks this season and he'll have a chance to prove it against Atlanta's Roddy White. White leads the NFL with 79 catches and ranks second in the league in receiving yards with 1,017. White uses his strength and leverage to muscle defenders. While the Packers aren't afraid to match Williams up against the opponent's top receiver – freeing up reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson to cover the slot receiver and blitz – the Falcons are effective at lining White up in different spots and using bunched formations to prevent such match-ups.  D at home on road: The Packers entered the week tied with Chicago as the league's best scoring defenses having allowed a total of 146 points as a team. The defense has been particularly stingy on the road, where they've allowed just four defensive touchdowns in five road games this season. The Falcons will provide a stiff test to that road success. Not only have Ryan and White connected, but with future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner in the backfield, making up what might be the best collection of skill position players the Packers have faced this season. "This is the most efficient offense that we've played," Capers said. "They're very well coached, they run the ball well, their quarterback is an outstanding decision-maker. … They aren't just a one-phased offense. We know we've got our work cut out for us." Be quick but don't hurry: The Falcons utilize the no-huddle offense effectively, which will present a significant challenge for the Packers' defense. Capers likened what Ryan does to what Indianapolis' Peyton Manning does at the line of scrimmage. "I don't think it's a real fast no-huddle like in 2-minute, but you have to be ready," Capers said. "It gives a guy like Ryan an opportunity to study your defense at the line. It's kind of like what Peyton does. He'll study you, bait you into showing your look, and then get them into the best play against you." No dome doom: Fresh off of their 31-3 romp over the Vikings at the Metrodome, the Packers now must face a team that is virtually unbeatable at the Georgia Dome, where coach Mike Smith is 18-3 and Ryan is 18-1. But the Packers aren't too shabby in domes, either. The Packers are 10-3 in domes under McCarthy, which is the best road winning percentage in domes among any team with eight or more dome road games. Rodgers, meanwhile, has a 108.3 passer rating in his eight career starts in domes, where he's completed 172 of 261 passes (65.9%) for 2,255 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. Arms race: The game pits two of the league's top up-and-coming young quarterbacks, both of whom are in their third years as starters. Ryan became a starter after the Falcons took him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2008, while Rodgers, who is less than two years older than Ryan, took over in 2008 after three years as an understudy as the No. 24 overall pick in 2005. Both quarterbacks also came into challenging situations, with Ryan taking over after a disgraced Michael Vick was released when his dogfighting ring came to light and Rodgers took over for the iconic Favre.

Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons–3 keys to the game: 1. Gonzalez Cannot Slip Through–Though Tony Gonzalez at age 34 is no longer is the NFL's best tight end, he remains a troublesome matchup because of his big frame and still-impressive athletic ability. If defensive coordinator Dom Capers matches cornerback Charles Woodson on White most of the time, Gonzalez probably will face linebackers A.J. Hawk, Desmond Bishop and Brandon Chillar, and safeties Nick Collins and Charlie Peprah. 2. No-Huddle Difficulties–This is the first time the Packers will see an offense that goes no-huddle regularly. The Packers will have to be flexible enough to stop the run with passing personnel and the pass with running personnel. 3. Turnover Battle–Packers have helped themselves immensely by winning the turnover battle, they're No. 5 in the NFL in turnover differential (plus-8), but they can't count on prevailing there this week. Atlanta is tied for No. 2 with a plus-10 differential, and their quarterback, Matt Ryan, has thrown only five interceptions in 10 games. Sometimes you have to keep teams off the scoreboard with stops alone, and this looks like one of those games.

Knox Is Licking His Chops Knowing Samuel Is Out

“You keep winning, you keep making the next game a little more important.”

—Bears head coach Lovie Smith, whose 7-3 Bears welcome the 7-3 Eagles to Soldier Field Sunday.

Eagles QB Mike Vick is the poster boy for the 2010 NFL season. He was even recently the cover boy for a magazine no one reads anymore – Sports Illustrated.

When the 7-3 Eagles battle the 7-3 Bears at 3:15 from Soldier Field, Mike Vick will dominate the headlines. The Eagles have not lost a game that Vick has started and finished.

But Vick hasn't played a defense that included Pro Bowlers like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers. Vick, who took over QB responsibilities when Kevin Kolb was hurt in the Eagles first game vs. the Packers, has put up MVP-worthy numbers…

• 11 TDs, 0 INTs
• 63% completion
• 8.4 yards per completion (2^nd in league)
• League best 108.7 rating

But so far, most of his production came against teams with defenses nowhere near comparable to the Bears. But the Vick-Urlacher battle will tell only one-third of the game story.

Let's take a look at which team holds the head-to-head advantage in each of the three phases:

Philly Offense vs. Bears Defense

After his 6-TD performance vs. the Redskins two weeks ago, Vick looked human last week against a tough Giants defense. Vick will face a Chicago defense that statistically ranks among the best in the league:

• Tied for 1^st in points allowed (14.6 per game)
• 2^nd in takeaways (29)
• 2^nd in 3^rd down conversion percentage (31%)
• 2^nd in rushing defense (78 yards per game)
• Tied for 2^nd in interceptions (15)

If the Bears can continue their strong play versus the run, they can make the Eagles one-dimensional, allowing Julius Peppers and Co. to tee-off on Vick. Needless to say, the battle between Vick and the Bears defense will be fun to watch.

Advantage: Bears

Bears Offense vs. Eagles Defense

The battle of PHI defense vs. the Mike Martz-led, 30^th ranked offense favors the Eagles on paper.

Philly's attacking defense could wreak havoc on a Bears offensive line that's been in a state of flux and allowed a league worst 37 sacks. They have a former guard playing tackle. A former 1^st-round pick at tackle playing guard. And a 7^th round rookie playing tackle.

The Bears do however seem to be gaining some momentum with their current group, which has started for 3 straight weeks: (from left to right) Frank Omiyale, Chris Williams, Olin Kreutz, Roberto Garza and Jamarcus Webb.

Jay Cutler has thrown 10 interceptions and he faces an Eagles defense that leads the league in picks with 19. Although the Philly unit will take a hit without league interception leader Asante Samuel (7 picks), who will not play Sunday due to a knee injury.

Advantage: Eagles

Bears Special Teams vs. Eagles Special Teams

The return game will be worth the price of admission itself.

Sunday's showdown will feature two of the league's most electric returners in Devin Hester and DeSean Jackson. Hester is second in the league in punt returns and has 2 touchdowns. Jackson (8 yards per return) is a part-time returner, but is obviously a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball.

The battle of placekickers between Robbie Gould and David Akers leans slightly to Gould, who is more familiar with the extreme win conditions that may arise in Soldier Field.

Even without Hester, Dave Toub's special teams rank among the best, if not THE best in the league.

Advantage: Bears

Prediction

In a potential playoff preview, the Bears defense and special teams will do just enough to pull this one out in front of the home crowd – 20-17 Bears in OT.

Of all the people who helped commiserate with me after the Monday Night Massacre, over half of them openly conceded that they had damn near given up hope for the rest of the season. As fans, they had "mailed it in," declaring the season over and filing it away as another year of all hype with no substance.

Really, do you blame them? The Redskins were beaten in every phase of organized football in front of the whole country: offense, defense, special teams, coaching, fan attendance – you name it.

So when the Redskins go and respond to that loss by beating a quality, playoff caliber team on the road – on a short week, no less – what exactly do we make of this team?

The easy answer is that we know this team is consistently inconsistent. We know that they have just enough talent and just the right amount of good coaching where they can beat a good quality opponent on their own turf, yet just enough of a lack of talent and effective coaching to where they can get blown out in front of the whole country. They've shown that they're good enough to capitalize when thing start going in their favor, but not quite good enough to overcome when thing start rolling in favor of their opponents.

But here's another way of looking at it: As a Redskins fan, how many times have we seen this team lose a game like that? Being on the right side of an overtime victory – two times this season, no less – is a completely unfamiliar yet very promising outcome for us fans.The Redskins of this past decade would have found a way to lose this game. It would have been one of their players committing a stupid personal foul on 3rd down, or bumping a receiver downfield right in front of a ref.

Let's be clear: the win did not somehow reassure us that this is team is somehow a contender. Our offensive line is in shambles, our quarterback is irritatingly streaky in finding the strike zone, our wide receivers scare nobody, and our two healthy running backs couldn't even start for their college teams. Defensively, we still have guys playing in positions which don't match their strengths, We can't stop the run, we can't stop the pass, and we can't stop mobile quarterbacks,

You have to believe that the players themselves realize that they're so badly undermanned at this point that it's going to be really damned hard. Yet ironically, could that be just enough of a rallying point to where they start reeling off a few wins against teams they "shouldn't" beat?

Can this bend-like-hell-but-don't-break defense hold the line just enough to where they can not allow opponents to drop 60 points on them – maybe holding them to just a few field goals – and give their offense just enough of a margin to where they can actually compete?

Even as they were being beat to a pulp in front of the whole country, the Redskins never mailed it in. Even if it was nothing more than pride and garbage points, the team kept competing, even as the Eagles onslaught kept coming at them drive after drive. Against the Titans, the Redskins did just enough of the right things, and made plays when it mattered the most, to secure a ridiculously critical win.

Do they have enough of that grit to where they can eek out a few more wins like this, especially in the face of an absoultely brutal stretch of games?

The schedule-makers did the Redskins no favors. Four of the Redskins next six games are against teams with winning records, and one of the remaining two games is against Dallas (in Dallas), who is playing much better football after firing Wade Phillips.

And even with that, the Redskins still very much control their own destiny. Minnesota comes to Washington with an 0-5 record on the road, while Favre is (once again) leading the league in interceptions thrown. The Giants are without their top two wide receivers for the next few weeks, and Eli Manning has turned the ball over six times in the last two weeks. Florida-based teams like Tampa Bay are not nearly the same teams when they come to cold weather climates in December (they come to Washington in three weeks). Anything can honestly happen when the Redskins play the Cowboys.

The Redskins have proven that they still have something left in the tank. Now, it's up to them whether we'll see the team that got streamrolled by the Eagles will show up for the rest of the season, or the team that did enough of the right things to win a critical game late in the season (like the one in Tennessee).

Both teams are coming off of lopsided loses.  Both teams are 5-5.  Both teams need to victory to keep themselves in the playoff hunt.  Home team is 4-1 at home, road team is 4-1 on the road.  This game could be ugly as both offenses showed nothing last week, but won't be on TV locally so unless you are there, will you really know what happened?  Let's preview how the Raiders can stop the Dolphins….

Attack QB x

Whether it is Chad Henne or Tyler Thigpen, the Raiders must send pressure at both of these QB's.  They are prone to make mistakes.  The Raiders can not just rely on  the front 4 putting pressure, give Nnamdi Brandon Marshall and send pressure from all other angles.

Keep Ricky and Ronnie Quiet

No, I'm not talking about the band New Edition, I'm talking about the running back tandem that the Dolphins have decided not to unleash this year.  The only thing that has kept them quiet this is year is the Dolphins coaching.  If the coaching wakes up and let's them loose, the Raiders must slow them down early.

Get Creative on Offense

The Raiders can not just line up and say let's run it down their throat or say let's have Campbell take 7 step drops and throw the ball.  The Dolphins have statistically a Top 10 defense, both against the rush and the pass.  The Raiders must be creative in their approach, start a possession in the Wildcat, try a reverse, look for a drag pattern that gives your speedsters a step to create space, put DMC in space.  Otherwise, the Dolphins will send blitzes all game.

Let Jacoby be Special

The Dolphins special teams have been horrible.  Give the speedster opportunities in the special teams to use his speed to break one during the game.  It could be a momentum shifter that the Raiders need this week (and my fantasy team too!)

I'll be part of the Nation this weekend watching the game live, and fully expect this to be a boring game.  The Dolphins best 11 players are when they run the Wildcat, but are hesitant to use it.  The Raiders continue to struggle against the blitz, and I expect the Dolphins to bring the heat.  These teams are even on paper and on the field, and a Raiders victory will mean that they are learning to win versus finding ways to lose.

Raiders 17 Dolphins 7

To add insult to injury, the Rams will not only have to travel on the road, but to a mile above sea level to play the high-flying Denver Broncos.    Being that the Rams couldn't catch their breath against the Falcons at sea level last week, the Broncos in Denver will be a huge challenge.

TV

This week, the Sam Bradford corridor is back with everywhere from St. Louis to Oklahoma City getting the game.  Additionally, the big Denver market gets the game naturally and then practically all the way South to Ciudad Juarez in Mexico.  Check out the map for any changes.

What to Watch For

• Rams Defensive Line -  The Rams defensive line was sucking wind and unable to get any pressure or substitute any pass rushers as Matt Ryan slowed the blitz and the pass rush with one fell swoop known as the no huddle offense.  Will the Rams have an answer for this if the Broncos go to the no huddle at altitude? Without pressure on the quarterback, the Rams defense will struggle.  The good news is that Denver's offensive line is not nearly as good as Atlanta's.

• Rams Offensive Line – The Rams other line, the offensive one, got manhandled by the Atlanta and San Francisco front sevens over the past two weeks.  They will need to improve their play, especially on 3rd and shorts, which will allow the offense to get moving in the right direction.  Good news is, Denver's defensive line is not a big threat to rush the passer and are struggling against the run.  Give John Greco a chance to use his size to push the smaller and quicker Denver defense out of the way.

• Denver Defense – The Denver defense is the second oldest in the league and not nearly as good as the oldest defense (Pittsburgh).  They are susceptible against the run and the pass, although star corner Champ Bailey can still make plays on the ball even though he may have lost a step.  Brian Dawkins has lost several steps and the Rams will scheme to get a TE or RB lined up on him 1 on 1.

• Danario Alexander – Alexander proclaimed himself "ready to go" this week for the Denver game.  The Rams could use Alexander's speed, size and full arsenal on the field to help the offense.  Will Alexander be able to hold up?  How much will he play?

• No Huddle – Will the Broncos deploy the no-huddle that so effectively slowed down the Rams pass rush and opened up holes in the Rams secondary and sent 3 Rams DBs to the locker room with cramps?  Especially at altitude, the Rams defense will need to get to the sideline quickly to prevent long no-huddle drives.

The Indianapolis Colts were in the red zone, looking for a touchdown to win the game or possibly tie the game to go into overtime with the New England Patriots. Peyton Manning dropped back, got hit from the side. It looked as if he was aiming for Pierre Garcon in the end zone, but the ball was intercepted. Game over, Patriots win, 31-28. But this shows Indianapolis can win games despite being totally banged-up. Just think how good they could be if all their players were there. If Gary Brackett, Joseph Addai, Bob Sanders, and all those guys who are looking to return sometime this year were there. I have all confidence in Indianapolis in the playoffs now if they face New England somehow.

But now, the Colts are at 6-4. They need to avoid another loss as they host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night. The Colts are 4-0 at home and they are looking to stay undefeated. While the Colts struggled, the Chargers are looking hot since beating the Houston Texans. Now at 5-5 and back in the race for the AFC West title, can they get the Colts? There has been a great rivalry between these two teams. Sunday Night will be the battle of the offenses and which quarterback can perform better. Is it Peyton Manning or Phillip Rivers? We'll see.

The rivalry all started between these two teams in the 2005-06 season. The Colts were 13-0 entering the game, but lost to the Chargers, 26-17, and fell to 13-1. They would finish up the season 14-2. Then they would face the Chargers in the 2007 season. They lost 23-21 in the regular season, as Manning threw six interceptions. Indy came back, but Adam Vinatieri missed a possible game-winning field goal. Then the Colts lost to the Chargers in the playoffs, 28-24, after Manning failed to get a touchdown inside the ten. Indy would face San Diego in 2008, winning off a game-winning drive set up by Manning. But Indy would wind up losing in the playoffs, 23-17, off a game-winning score by Darren Sproles in overtime.

"They are a team that creates problems for you just in terms of matchups," coach Jim Caldwell told the Colts' official website. "It's been a real battle with them throughout the years as well."

Manning has struggled versus the Chargers, having a 77.5 overall rating against them since 2005. The Colts are 1-4 in the last five match-ups against San Diego. The Chargers have played solid defense in each game. But with the way Indy has been playing this year, Manning is paying a lot closer attention to see how the Chargers are going to play.

"I think that the 3-4 defense helps us defensively. I think that we've done a good job giving them a lot of different looks so we've been able to get pressure," Chargers' head coach Norv Turner said. "And then we've been able to score points and keep the ball and that's a big part of playing good defense."

The Colts are tied in the AFC South with the Jacksonville Jaguars while the Chargers trail one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs. The Colts plan to get the Jaguars back at home in a few weeks after losing by a 59-yard-field goal by Josh Scobee to give Jacksonville a 31-28 win. The Chargers got killed by the Chiefs in Week One of the regular season.

Manning has struggled in his last three games. It started in Philly when Manning threw two picks. The Colts had a chance to win, down 26-24. But Manning threw an interception to Asante Samuel to end the game. Although the Colts won against the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-17, Manning kept struggling offensively as there were many three-and-outs in the second half. Manning failed to do anything and he was lucky his defense stepped up in that game. Against New England, Manning threw the interception in the final minute of the game. Manning can't commit these mistakes anymore.

"Peyton knows we're behind him 100 percent because we've seen him time and time again win games for us," cornerback Jerraud Powers said.

Manning will be without two of his favorite targets. Austin Collie will be out, though he played last week against the Patriots. Collie would leave the game during the second half as it was not safe enough for him to play. And, of course, tight end Dallas Clark is out for the year. Rivers will have Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates, however, returning. But Manning will find ways to win as he still has Pierre Garcon, Reggie Wayne, and Jacob Tamme to rely on.

Another good thing for the Colts is that Joseph Addai may finally be returning. Addai's last game was a 128-yard performance in the Colts' 27-24 win over the Washington Redskins. Addai is 600 yards away from cracking the 1,000-yard milestone, something he hasn't cracked since the 2007-08 season. But if he gets at least 800 yards for the year, that's good enough. It's Week Eleven, and he has a lot of time. Addai has also shown he is a fierce in the passing game, which will also help Manning.

The Colts have an advantage here, as they are 4-0 at home while the Chargers are 1-4 on the road.

"They have disappointed us in a few seasons knocking us out of the playoffs," Colts linebacker Gary Brackett said. "So definitely, the rivalry is starting to brew with San Diego, and they are picking it up like they usually do in the second half of the season."

But now it is Indy's turn to pick up. They need to step up in this game.

I look forward to a win in this one.

1. Michael Vick's Versatility
There isn't a quarterback in the league who has shown the type of versatility that Michael Vick has shown this season. He's always been an elite running quarterback, but he is showing everyone that he can be just as deadly with his arm.

This is bad news for teams around the NFL because Vick is surrounded by young, explosive talent everywhere you look. Vick's individual efforts have been great this season, but he wouldn't be having the success that he's had this season without the weapons he has on offense.

With the extra time off, the Bears have had an extended opportunity to game plan for Vick. However, his versatility makes it nearly impossible to shut him down completely. He has the ability to extend plays with his legs when nothing is available and is throwing accurate strikes when he has time in the pocket.

2. Eagles Rush Defense is Dominating Right Now
The Eagles have seen a lot of elite running backs this year and have done a tremendous job in shutting them down. On the season, the Eagles rank 8th against the run.

Last week against the Giants, we may have seen one of the Eagles most dominating performances against the run so far this year. The Giants totaled 61 yards on 19 carries, and the combination of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs were shut down all game.

Matt Forte isn't having his best season, but he is still a guy the Bears will look to get going early. Although they will try to run the ball on the Eagles, I can't see the Bears having a whole lot of success. The Eagles run defense is playing at an extremely high level right now.

3. Eagles Will Force Jay Cutler to Beat Them With His Arm
As mentioned in the last point, the Bears probably won't see a whole lot of success running on the Eagles on Sunday. This means they will be forced to throw the ball and I don't think that exactly spells success when you have Jay Cutler at the helm.

Cutler has thrown for 12 touchdowns this season while also throwing 10 interceptions and has a quarterback rating of 84.2. These aren't the type of numbers you would expect to have from a quarterback whose team is 7-3.

Cutler's high number of interceptions seems to match perfectly with an Eagles defense that leads the league in picking off opposing quarterbacks.

The Eagles know that's the match-up that they want, so at the end of the day, they will force Cutler into beating them with his arm. That's not something I think he can do.

4. The Eagles Have Too Many Offensive Weapons
I've already talked about Vick, and the Eagles offense starts with him. However, as I also mentioned, Vick has countless weapons surrounding him.

The one that stands out the most after last week's game is LeSean McCoy. He still hasn't been receiving a ton of touches offensively, but he is taking advantage of every touch he gets. McCoy has been stepping up and making big plays all season, but he may have made some of his biggest in the win against the Giants last week.

Everyone knows about the DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin duo, and they continue to play at a very high level. If one is getting double-teamed, the other one steps up. Each of them has a ton of big play potential and we've seen Vick connecting on the long ball with both targets. It's impossible to shut both of them down, and if you don't shut either of them down, you're really in trouble.

Jason Avant doesn't make those 80-yard touchdown grabs, but he has been incredibly consistent this season (let's not talk about his touchdown drop last week). Although we've seen limited production out of Brent Celek this season, I'm not ready to say he can't be a threat. The Eagles just aren't really involving tight ends in their passing formations this season.

We've also seen guys like Riley Cooper and Jerome Harrison step up when given the opportunity. The Eagles are extremely deep at the play-making positions on offense.

5. The Bears are Overrated
I find it very difficult to believe that this team is 7-3. I really do. Bears fans are definitely going to disagree with me here, but I'm just not that impressed by this team. The only really good team that they've beaten is the Packers.

Outside of that, they've beaten the Lions, Cowboys, Panthers, Bills, Vikings, and Dolphins. Nothing too impressive there. Two out of their three losses were close games, but they came against the Redskins and Seahawks. Again, not very talented teams.

The Eagles are as hot as any team in the NFL right now and have beat very talented teams in their hot stretch since the bye week. I think this will be the Bears toughest game up to this point in the season, and I just can't see them coming out on the winning end.

Week 12: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Baltimore Ravens

Sunday November 28, 2010 4:15 PM

Line: Ravens -8 O/U 41

It took roughly 52 minutes for it to happen,but the Ravens finally did what the good teams are supposed to do, put mediocre teams away with extreme prejudice. With Ray Lewis' pick six, and Ed Reed's lateral to Dawan Landry for a pick six as well, the Ravens defense finally came to the rescue and bailed out the offense, who after an early flurry, had begun to spin it's wheels. Up until then, the Carolina Panthers were a little to close for comfort.

The Ravens have been spotty and inconsistent all season long. Despite their seemingly boundless potential, they have not been able to put together a complete game and have at often times look down right pedestrian. They have many holes, and if they're going to make a legitimate run, they'll have to fill them quickly. This week the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to town and bring a stout 7-3 record with them. The Bucs will be ready to roll and eager to show the NFL that they're a legit contender despite them not beating a team all season with a winning record.

RavensGab.com Keys to the Game

RUN! THE! BALL!

I'm going to keep this in here until the Ravens get it right and figure it out. The Buccaneers have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, but then again so did the Panthers, so did the Patriots, and so did the Bills, but for some reason, the Ravens have got it in their heads to be a pass first offense. It's like watching a stubborn bull bash itself against a wall trying to get through. If the Ravens are going to make it deep into the playoffs they are going to have to start to establish a dominate run game. Do that and the pass attack will follow behind it.

Pass Smart

In what has been a constant theme this season, the Buccaneers are soft against the run, but oddly stout against the pass. The Bucs are currently sitting as the fifth ranked pass defense, and it's been a major reason why they've managed to have success against the weaker teams. This reinforces two things, one the Ravens must, MUST, get the run going, and two, the Ravens have got to protect the ball and shorten their routes. Hit the quick strikes and move the ball down the field.

Protect Joe Flacco

The Ravens' offensive line has been struggling the past few weeks. For whatever reason, they haven't been giving Flacco the time he needs to get the ball down the field on Cam's intermediate/long pass packages he's been prone to running. If the Ravens are going to continue to have success, they need to give Joe time to allow his receivers to do what they do, i.e. double moves, head fakes, etc. He's being rushed, and his pass catchers aren't having enough time to run their routes properly.

Demoralize the Enemy

You want to know how to win this game easily? Get up early in the first quarter, and get up big. The Bucs are coming in riding a wave of confidence built upon a paper-tiger won/loss percentage. If you run up and smack them hard in the mouth, you'll deflate their ego and render them ripe for the picking. The key to winning this game is absolute dominance. Do not allow them to believe they belong.

Play to Their Strength

The Ravens are a team that do a lot of things well but generally don't do anything great. For them to win this game they will have to play to their strengths, recognize those things that they do well, and execute. Do this and it should be a short and enjoyable exercise leading up to the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday night. Fail to do this and the Ravens will likely surrender their lead atop the AFC North.

Ravens Gab Predictions

Jonathon Scruggs (8-2)

The Buccaneers have yet to beat a team with a winning record this season. If the Ravens are smart, play to their strengths, limit their weaknesses, and dominate the pace and play of the game, I don't expect that will change.

Ravens 24— Buccaneers 17

Matt Jergensen (8-2)

The young Bucs have some players that could give the Ravens fits this Sunday. They are playing with a lot of confidence and have a defense that can turn you over. However they are team that has yet to be truly tested and when they have played playoff caliber squads they wilt under the heat. The Ravens haven't lost a home game in a little over a year – that won't change Sunday.

Ravens 24 – Buccaneers 20

Gene Winner (7-3)

Time for the Ravens to turn it a notch (play at a high level for 4 quarters) as they get ready for a stretch run for the playoffs. It starts first with Tampa Bay, a young and talented team. On defense the key will be containing the run. Offensively, it will be important to get out to an early lead and attack Tampa's run defense with a heavy dose of Ray Rice

Ravens 27 – Buccaneers 17

According to the Sun-Sentinel, which cites a source close to the Miami Dolphins, head coach Tony Sparano is leaning towards starting third year quarterback Chad Henne over the veteran Tyler Thigpen this week against the Oakland Raiders.

Henne is returning from a displaced knee that he suffered during the Tennessee game two weeks ago in Miami's 29-17 win.

After Thigpen failed to lead the team into the endzone at all in a 16-0 loss last week against the Chicago Bears, Sparano will be looking for another spark to get his offense going again. He, and the rest of us Henne can be that spark, who is 11-10 in his 21 career starts.

Henne will be without star receiver Brandon Marshall though, with Marshall being listed as doubtful after not having practiced all week long due to a hamstring injury. In Marshall's place, Brian Hartline and Davone Bess will get the starts.