What Can Ravens Do To Stop RG3?

So, what can the Baltimore Ravens do to try and contain Robert Griffin III this weekend? The short, quick answer may be, not much.

Their best defensive options may be to limit the players around him from creating big plays. Griffin is going to get his. He is going to avoid, what looks to be, sure sacks and ens up running for huge gains. He is going to elude the pass rush long enough to get his talented receivers open down field. The Ravens will just have to get back to the basics of football and re-remember how to tackle and set the edge on running plays.Hopefully linebacker Dannell Ellerbe will be back as he adds a dynamic run stopping and pass rushing presence that the team will sorely need without Terrell Suggs in the lineup. Hopefully Pernell McPhee will see more playing time in his second game back as he says he is feeling the best he has all season. These two players could greatly help the Ravens defense in corralling this bright young star in DC.

Perhaps the best thing Baltimore can to to ensure themselves a win against their cross town rivals is simply count on the offense to outscore them. Hopefully offensive coordinator Cam Cameron can remember that he too has one of the league's brightest young offensive stars in running back Ray Rice. If the Ravens can manage to create plays that give the ball to Rice in space he can be as deadly as any player in the league with the ball in his hands.

Also, the Redskins pass defense has been slightly questionable this season, especially over the middle where players like Anquan Boldin, Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson can devastate opposing defenses. This all, however, depends on quarterback Joe Flacco's ability to consistently get the ball into his receivers hands. I swear, if the Ravens had a stable of seven foot five receivers he'd be the best quarterback in the NFL. His constant over-throws are becoming a big problem for the Ravens offense.

So, although it may be hard for the Ravens physically and mentally depleted defense to contain RG3, there is the possibility that they can out-score the Redskins. Or, even get up enough that they force the young signal caller to do too much and turn the ball over a few times.

As far as the defense goes containment is the key. for the offense it is simple, use the weapons you have and score as many points as possible. Maybe they need to learn to ignore the clock a bit and use Rice even if there down by a score and have only three or four minutes to go. He is always their best option. You would think the Chargers game would have, at least, eluded to that just a bit.