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Conference co-leaders collide as Falcons host Ravens

Nov 11, 2010 - 3:51 PM (Sports Network) - The NFL kicks off the Thursday night segment of its season schedule with a most appealing Week 10 matchup between division leaders from the Georgia Dome, where the Baltimore Ravens will be aiming to halt the Atlanta Falcons' recent run of home success.

Both teams enter this interconference clash with 6-2 records that are currently tied for the best in the league at the midway point of this campaign, but the similarities don't end there. Each made major organizational changes following an undesirable finish to the 2007 season, bringing in a new head coach as well as selecting a young quarterback to build around in the first round of the following year's draft.

The results have been overwhelmingly positive in both cases, with the Ravens putting together back-to-back playoff trips in the first two years under the direction of Jim Harbaugh and the Falcons orchestrating a dramatic 2008 turnaround under one-time Baltimore assistant Mike Smith that also culminated in a postseason appearance. In their corresponding tenures as head coaches, Harbaugh and Smith have compiled identical 26-14 overall marks.

There's plenty of symmetry involving the two signal-callers that will be going head-to-head on Thursday as well. Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco have been the offensive leaders of their respective teams ever since entering the NFL as highly-regarded rookies in 2008 and like their coaches, share remarkably alike career numbers that have justified each's lofty draft status.

Through 40 career regular-season starts, Flacco has thrown for 8,501 yards with a 47-to-30 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 61.5 percent completion percentage. Ryan, the 2008 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has put up 8,305 yards and a 51-to-30 ratio while hitting on 60.4 percent of this passes in 38 lifetime assignments.

The two 25-year-old's have also been performing exceptionally well as of late. Flacco enters Thursday's tilt having not been intercepted in any of his last four outings and is coming off a sharp 20-of-27, 266-yard, two-touchdown effort in Baltimore's 26-10 home verdict over Miami last Sunday. Ryan backed up a 299-yard, three-score display in a shootout victory over Cincinnati during Week 8 with a clutch showing against fellow NFC South member Tampa Bay this past weekend, with the former Boston College star amassing 235 yards and a score on 24-of-36 passing and not committing a turnover to help his team to a key 27-21 triumph.

That win over the contending Buccaneers kept the Falcons a half-game in front of defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans for first place in the NFC South. Baltimore is presently tied with rival Pittsburgh for both the catbird's seat in the AFC North and the conference's top record.

Ryan, the third overall choice in the 2008 draft, will be seeking to extend another impressive statistic when he takes the field on Thursday. The standout triggerman owns a stellar 17-1 career mark at the Georgia Dome, and Atlanta has prevailed in 13 consecutive home games in which he's participated.

The Falcons' only loss in Atlanta with Ryan under center took place on Nov. 16, 2008, a 24-20 setback to Denver.

SERIES HISTORY

The Ravens own a 2-1 advantage in their all-time regular-season set with the Falcons, breaking a deadlock in the series with a 24-10 home victory when the teams last squared off back in 2006. A 19-13 overtime win for Baltimore at the Georgia Dome (1999), and an Atlanta 20-17 home victory (2002) mark the other two meetings between the clubs.

The teams also played a memorable preseason game in 2003, with then-Falcons quarterback Michael Vick suffering a broken leg that sidelined him for the first 11 games of that season.

Harbaugh and Smith will be meeting each other, as well as their counterpart's respective teams, for the first time as head coaches. Smith served as an assistant with the Ravens from 1999 through 2002.

WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL

Baltimore may have the reputation of being a stout defensive team, but it can certainly hold its own on the other side of the ball as well. The Ravens have averaged 28.5 points and 389.5 total yards over their last four games and received nearly flawless play out of Flacco (1917 passing yards, 12 TD, 6 INT) over that time frame, as the 18th overall pick in 2008 has eliminated the turnover problems that hampered him during the early portion of the season. Baltimore's offense possesses enviable balance, with running backs Ray Rice (606 rushing yards, 2 TD, 31 receptions) and Willis McGahee (231 rushing yards, 7 receptions, 5 total TD) igniting a strong ground game that churned out 146 yards against Miami, and Flacco firing passes to a deep and experienced group of pass-catchers headlined by three-time Pro Bowl honoree Anquan Boldin (40 receptions, 546 yards, 5 TD). Battle-tested veteran Derrick Mason (30 receptions, 2 TD) provides a reliable secondary target on the opposite side, with tight end Todd Heap (26 receptions, 3 TD) and Rice two more capable options the Falcons will need to account for. Rice had a huge impact as a receiver in last week's win, generating a team-best 97 yards on seven catches.

The Ravens may very well be relying heavily on Flacco's rocket right arm on Thursday, as the Atlanta defense has been stingy versus the run but significantly more vulnerable to opposing aerial attacks. The Falcons surrendered 320 and 385 passing yards in recent games against Philadelphia and Cincinnati, respectively, but didn't have top cornerback Dunta Robinson (25 tackles) present for the majority of those contests due to a concussion. He returned for last Sunday's bout with Tampa Bay and helped trigger an improvement, as the team limited the Bucs' Josh Freeman to 182 yards and a 50 percent completion rate while intercepting him twice. Flacco was sacked four times by the Dolphins and will have to deal with an active Atlanta front that sports a trio of talented pass rushers in ends John Abraham (17 tackles, 6 sacks) and Kroy Biermann (19 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and tackle Jonathan Babineaux (12 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT), whose ability to apply pressure has helped contribute to the Falcons' notable total of 13 interceptions in eight games. Physical middle linebacker Curtis Lofton (63 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) and strongside starter Stephen Nicholas (44 tackles, 1 INT) key a rush defense that's yielding just 95.9 yards per game on the ground (6th overall).

WHEN THE FALCONS HAVE THE BALL

While the Falcons have a very good quarterback in Ryan (1949 passing yards, 13 TD, 5 INT) and one of the league's premier wide receivers in the ever- dangerous Roddy White (58 receptions, 796 yards, 5 TD), how effective the team is in running the football usually winds up as the determining factor towards success or failure. In its lone two defeats of 2010, Atlanta was held to just 58 and 65 rushing yards. The NFL's sixth-rated rushing offense (136.5 ypg) is powered by burly back Michael Turner (694 rushing yards, 5 TD, 9 receptions), who eclipsed the century mark for the fourth time in six games with last week's 107-yard, two-touchdown outburst against the Bucs, with fellow bruiser Jason Snelling (280 rushing yards, 22 receptions, 3 total TD) lending an assist in his third-down role. White has been tremendous as Ryan's go-to receiver, with the two-time Pro Bowler currently leading the NFC in both catches and receiving yards despite being the focus of the defense's attention. The return of wideout Michael Jenkins (10 receptions) from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the first five weeks has helped prevent opposing teams from paying sole attention to White, while 14th-year pro Tony Gonzalez (37 receptions, 3 TD) still commands respect as well from his tight end position.

Turner will be taking on a Baltimore defense that hasn't quite been up to its usual high standards against the run this season. The Ravens allowed 132 rushing yards in a narrow overtime victory over still-winless Buffalo in Week 7, and Miami's Ronnie Brown averaged better than six yards a carry in limited duty during last Sunday's encounter. The unit still owns a pair of elite stoppers in sturdy lineman Haloti Ngata (43 tackles, 5 sacks) and iconic inside linebacker Ray Lewis (68 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT), as well as one of the league's unquestioned playmakers in free safety Ed Reed (8 tackles, 3 PD), who's come up with three interceptions in two games since coming back from preseason hip surgery. His impact has been undeniable, as Baltimore has forced seven turnovers over its past two matchups after registering just five takeaways with Reed sidelined for the first six weeks. The one weak spot in an otherwise-solid secondary has been cornerback Fabian Washington (27 tackles, 8 PD), who's been replaced in-game two straight times by nickel back Josh Wilson (10 tackles, 1 INT, 7 PD) and will surely be noticed by Ryan if he's out there this week. Ngata, who's already surpassed a career best for sacks in a season, and accomplished outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (34 tackles, 4.5 sacks) have been the primary pressure-producers of a group that's come through with a modest 14 sacks.

FANTASY FOCUS

Atlanta's got a couple of fantasy superstars on its roster in Turner, who's on a streak of two straight multi-touchdown games, and the prolific White, and those two should be started in all formats without hesitation. Ryan has put up excellent numbers when at home this season, making the Falcons' field general a recommended play as well. Conversely, Flacco's production hasn't been as good on the road, so it may be best to explore other avenues if available. Rice and Boldin are two Baltimore player that are certainly safe to use, while McGahee has scored a touchdown in four straight contests and is a reasonable flex choice. Those in need of a bye-week fill-in at wide receiver may want to give Mason a look, and the Falcons' Gonzalez remains a lower-end No. 1 option at tight end. Atlanta also has an attractive possibility at kicker in veteran Matt Bryant, who's 8-for-8 in field goal attempts at home so far this year. Baltimore's defense has been very opportunistic as of late, but keep in mind that the Falcons are averaging better than 30 points at the Georgia Dome.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Since these teams have been virtual mirror images of one another over the past three years, as well as two of the more consistently-good outfits during the first half of this season, it's reasonable to expect a tightly-contested affair that should come down to a handful of plays. Whichever club is better able to run the ball effectively and gets the better night out of its young quarterback figures to be the one that comes out on top here. Considering Ryan's track record of success at the Georgia Dome and the way Turner has performed at late, that would mean advantage Falcons. While the Ravens are more than capable of coming out of Atlanta with a victory if they're on top of their game, it'll be quite a challenge to be that sharp on the road coming off a short week.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Falcons 23, Ravens 20