Ravens Offense will need to separate from man coverage

Joe Flacco typically struggles against cover 2 zone. As seen by his many subpar games against the Bengals, sustaining drives without big plays is not his strength.

The Ravens will face a New England Patriot defense which is now tilted more towards man-to-man coverage than in the past. The emergence of Malcom Butler along with the improved play of Logan Ryan gives them a pair of physical corners who Steve Smith and Mike Wallace could have trouble separating from without help.

The Ravens will need to use motion and stack releases to create the natural movement to give their receivers a head start. In the second match-up against the Cleveland Browns, the Ravens created run after catch opportunities thanks to natural picks on crossing routes. This will help Flacco and the offense sustain drives.

The Patriots' tendency to play man-to-man on clear passing downs will also present the opportunity for Joe Flacco to attack with deep balls. For this reason, Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman come to the forefront of the Ravens gameplan. Wallace has shown the ability to get off press coverage against the Giants. Perriman has been steadily improving, and his ability to get deep and make contested catches has been seen against the Browns and the Bengals.

In the past, especially under Cam Cameron, the Ravens struggled against man coverage. The current group of receivers, however, has proven that they have the ability to be successful. But at the end of the day, it will come down to their execution.