What to Watch For: Ravens

After what happened Sunday against the Packers... (pardon me while I finish vomiting...) I'm ready to keep moving forward. I'm not sure if this means Lovie and Ron (and for that matter, everyone else) are fired, but it should. On a personal note, this loss stung me twice. First and foremost, the Bears lost. That is ALWAYS the number one dealie. Second, as was discussed a couple times in the game threads, in fantasy, I'm an owner of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Defense (yes, you may commence stoning me), and neither gave me any help - in short, I'm in the fifth-place game of my league's fantasy playoffs. Thank you, Bears, for not giving me any joy on Sunday.

So it's time to look forward to this week's opponent, the Baltimore Ravens. Accountability and the look ahead after the jump.

Looking Back in Anger - The Keys That Were

Afalava and the Secondary: Rodgers did not have a good day passing the ball. Rodgers went 16 of 24 for a buck eighty with two passes deflected (Kevin Payne and Alex Brown), and only five passes complete to wide receivers. Jermichael Finley was Rodgers' biggest weapon of the game. Afalava himself had an okay game with four tackles, but the secondary can not let the first run of the game go for a huge play.

Pressuring Aaron Rodgers: 2 sacks and four QB hits on the day. The defense did a good job creating pressure on Rodgers when he dropped back, but the front four still needs linebacker help - 3 of the QB hits (including Briggs' sack) were by 'backers.  

Hang on to the damn ball: A concept our offense doesn't get, still. Cutler threw two more picks to match his touchdowns but the Bears recovered two Green Bay fumbles.

Finish Drives: Not like the Bears had too many opportunities to finish drives - Gould only saw the field to kick extra points and Cutler took the offense off the field twice. Maynard continued to be effective punting (6 punts on the day, 36.2 avg, 1 in the 20)

Packers X-Factor Jermichael Finley: 5 receptions for 70 yards on 7 targets, eerily close to my prediction (7 targets, 5 receptions, 65 yards). Didn't see the end zone but it didn't matter as Ryan Grant was huge.

Bears X-Factor Adewale Ogunleye: Didn't come through at all. One tackle. One would think Gaines Adams was finally on the field. Oh wait... Adams had one tackle as well. Maybe I should work on who I call out...

Prediction: I predicted Packers, 27-17. Unfortunately, I was correct (result only). (3-0 on the year since I began this segment)

A few random thoughts from the game... I'm not going to get all hyper-reactive and say that Devin Aromashodu proved the entire coaching staff wrong - I don't care who you are, but if you've been on four different teams floating around as a practice squad player/barely on the roster, there's probably a reason - but I liked what I saw from him, especially on that TD catch. ... When discussing the possibility there's people upstairs looking at whether or not to challenge a play, aren't we making a wrong assumption that they can think quickly... or think at all? ... I think I counted five different ways to pronounce Aromashodu, and all of them were wrong. Thanks, Brian Billick! ... Well Lovie, you've failed on both of your two biggest announced goals for the first time - you failed to win the Super Bowl AND you failed to beat the Packers. Congratulations, and for having a worse record in each of the last three years after the Super Bowl season, here is my pink slip to you. Merry Christmas.

Moving on, the Edgar Allen Poes are next on the sked, fresh of a shellacking of the Motor City Kitties (meow). Here's what I'm going to be looking for:

1) Hold Down RB Ray Rice

The Ravens used Rice in more of a timeshare with Willis McGahee last week than they usually have this year, but then again they DID face the Lions. No doubt Rice will be the feature back against the Bears this week, especially between the 20s. QB Joe Flacco hasn't lit the world afire like he did last year, though he is quietly having a good year; Rice (and to a lesser extent, McGahee) will be the rumbling killers against our defense. To have a chance to win, the Bears linebackers must be ready to play. Don't think Baltimore hasn't seen what Ryan Grant did on Sunday.

2) Turnovers

The Ravens have 22 takeaways on the year (16 INT, 6 Fumbles). QB Jay Cutler has thrown 22 INTs himself on the year. This is a stat that can not get worse if the Bears are to win this game - giving the ball back up to Baltimore means more Ray Rice poundage, and I don't like this matchup against the Bears defense.

3) Field Position

Brad Maynard, Robbie Gould, Ravens P Sam Koch and K Billy Cundiff could play huge roles in this game. Baltimore's returners are tenth in the league in kickoff returns while the Bears are second, and on punts the Ravens fall to 21st (Bears 14th). The further back the team starts in their own field, the further Joe Flacco and Ray Rice have to lead their offense. And kicking field goals, would you rather have Robbie Gould or a recently-signed Billy Cundiff?

4) Four Quarters

Maybe a little Norm Van Lier-ish (and we miss you Norm), but I want forty-eight minutes... well, four quarters of hard, rock-pounding action out of both sides of this team. I'd say the Bears have officially reached "Needing Norm's Four Quarters Lecture" status. The game is NOT over at 14-13, end of Q3.

Ravens X-Factor) RB Willis McGahee

McGahee started the year as the goal-line basher, spelling Rice, but during the year, Rice starting taking most of the carries. Looking at the workload last week, it's likely Rice might be wearing down - if he is, McGahee (and LeRon McClain) will get the red zone looks. Against this defense, I can see a score coming. Prediction: 8 carries, 37 yards, TD

Bears X-Factor) WR Johnny Knox

I guess Knox gets this week's Kiss of Death by being named in my X-Factors. But if the offense is going to really move the ball, Lewis and co. won't allow it to be the run game. This #8 defense is more vulnerable against the pass than the run (#11 vs #6), but they aren't afraid to do a little ballhawking. It's accurate to say the only people that know if Devin Aromashodu will see meaningful playing time are the coaching staff. Knox is going to have to step up for certain against this secondary, like he's had to do most of the year. Prediction: 4 receptions, 65 yards, TD

Prediction) RAVENS 24 - 20 BEARS

...And now watch the Bears totally prove me wrong and put up 35. But any team that has a decent running back and a good defense has to be a decided favorite versus our Bears (Current line at bodog.com is BAL -11). It isn't going to be THAT rough, but it isn't going to be pretty.

Any questions? Comments on Derrick Mason's impact on the Ravens after his short retirement? "SJS you're a dumbass"? (I'm finally starting to get a few of those, thank you!) Bring 'em to the comments!