NFL Playoffs 2012: Ravens Defense Will Dominate Texans Offense

The Cincinnati Bengals brought a solid defense into Houston to face the Texans last weekend and were promptly shredded to the tune of 153 yards and two touchdowns on the ground from by Arian Foster.

The Baltimore Ravens should do better.

For one, they are stouter in the interior of their line, boasting excellent run-stuffers in Haloti Ngata and Terrence Cody. But as Grantland's Bill Barnwell notes, they also have more disciplined linebackers.

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Foster picked up several big plays against the Bengals last week when the player responsible for backside contain abandoned his responsibilities in an attempt to make a big play. With great blocks from tackles Duane Brown and Eric Winston, Foster was frequently able to cut back and pick up extra yardage by going against the grain of the play. The Ravens are far savvier and much more disciplined; it's hard to imagine that Foster will be able to get away with more than one or two big cutbacks on Sunday

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Taking away the Texans' running game will be key to Baltimore's success. While we've seen that the strategy of stacking the box and forcing a quarterback you don't respect to beat you through the air can backfire (we're looking at you, Pittsburgh), forcing teams into obvious passing downs is still ideal.

Especially when you sack the quarterback as often as the Ravens do.

Baltimore finished tied for third in sacks during the regular season with 48. Expect to see the Ravens defenders pinning back their ears and attacking rookie T.J. Yates every time they get the chance.

It's a strategy that should prove effective for Baltimore. As Barnwell notes, the Ravens have excellent depth at defensive back and should be able to spread the field to match the Texans' crop of solid receivers led by Andre Johnson, Jacoby Jones, Kevin Walter and Owen Daniels.

With two defenses as solid as the two in this matchup, the game will likely hinge on which team is able to stay on the field, sustain drives and limit turnovers. Each would like to do this by establishing the running game, but the Ravens were second in rush defense this season and the Texans were fourth.

In other words, it's going to be tough sledding on the ground.

The difference will ultimately be that Joe Flacco and the Ravens passing game should be able to make enough key plays through the air to lead Baltimore to victory, and Yates will likely spend the majority of his dropbacks getting pressured and being knocked to the ground by the Ravens' swarming defense.

Look for Baltimore to stuff the run, pressure Yates, win the turnover battle and come away with a tight, defense-led victory.

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