Ravens vs. Colts: What Are Experts Saying About Indianapolis?

Time to check in, as we do (almost) every week, with the experts around the country.

Last week we didn't bother, but in Week 3, experts correctly predicted that the Indianapolis Colts would roll the Jacksonville Jaguars.

And roll they did.

The Colts laid down one of the biggest beatdowns of the season, leaving Jacksonville with a 44-14 victory.

This week should prove to be a bit more tightly contested, as the Colts are hosting the 3-1 Baltimore Ravens. Fresh off their 38-10 shellacking of the Carolina Panthers, the Ravens currently sport a three-game winning streak.

But how will they fare in Indy?

Mark Montieth: A New Center in Indy?

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

A.Q. Shipley could be losing his job.

According to ESPN.com's Mark Montieth, the Colts could be making a surprising move on the offensive line.

"

That's why it was surprising to see a potential change during practice on Thursday. Jonotthan Harrison, an undrafted rookie, was working with the starters in place of veteran A.Q. Shipley, who grades out as the third-rated NFL center by Pro Football Focus.

"

Wow.

Projected as the team's most obvious weakness, the offensive line has been improved from last season. So far, the team is averaging 118 rushing yards per game, which ranks 18th in the league. The team has also allowed only five sacks.

So why switch things up now?

This probably has something to do with it.

Rookie guard Jack Mewhort will miss the Week 5 tilt against the Ravens. While head coach Chuck Pagano has indicated that Lance Louis will slide into Mewhort's starting spot, working Harrison in at center would allow for at least the possibility of using Shipley there, instead.

We likely won't know until they take the field, so this is something to keep an eye on.

Herm Edwards: Indy Is Looking for Revenge

AJ Mast/Associated Press

This time it's personal.

NFL Live's Herm Edwards believes that the Colts will come out on top this Sunday.

"

This might be a high-scoring affair, I agree. I like Indy at home. They're scoring about 34 points a game. Right now, Andrew Luck is on a mission. Baltimore cannot get to the quarterback, that helps Andrew Luck right away. They're 48 percent on third down, so I like Andrew Luck at home. This is kind of a revenge game for him.

"

Edwards is referring to the last time the Colts clashed with the Ravens, in the AFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs in 2012. That game saw Baltimore emerge with a 24-9 win.

The Ravens went on to win the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.

But that was (seemingly) eons ago. Luck is no longer a rookie. He's leading the NFL passing yards and touchdowns. That can't be denied.

Perhaps Terrell Suggs said it best this week: "He's really (expletive) good."

Scott White: Richardson Still Isn't Performing

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Richardson still isn't performing.

If you have the dubious honor of owning fantasy stock in Trent Richardson, you were finally rewarded in Week 4, as he put up 99 total yards and a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.

Nevertheless, CBS Sports' Scott White has it exactly right.

"

But here's what he still didn't do against the Titans: run the ball effectively, which is saying something considering they rank 22nd against the run, allowing 127.0 yards per game. On a daring 20 carries, Richardson picked up only 47 yards for an average of 2.4 yards per carry.

"

It might be getting stale to talk about, but Indianapolis hasn't quit giving him the ball. Richardson now sits at 3.3 yards per carry on the season, which is somehow nearly half a yard better than last year.

When will it end?

Richardson has been categorically outperformed by his backfield brother Ahmad Bradshaw, who quietly comes off the bench to score receiving touchdowns like it's his day job.

By now, it can only be a matter of time until Bradshaw gets the majority of the work.

Right?

Jordan Garretson: Two Big-Time Receivers Headline This Matchup

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Wayne will share the field with fellow 14th-year veteran Steve Smith.

Yahoo Sports' Jordan Garretson highlighted one of the best parts of this Sunday's showdown in a recent article.

"

This matchup also features receivers Steve Smith and Reggie Wayne, who have enjoyed strong starts to their 14th seasons. Smith's AFC-leading 429 receiving yards are the most in the first four games by a player at least 35 years old. He racked up a season-high 139 yards and two TDs against his former club last week.

"

Two of the more romantic storylines of this NFL season, Wayne and Smith are the elder statesmen of the NFL receiving elite. While some would say Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Wes Welker are getting old, none of them are older than 33.

Wayne and Smith are both 35.

Watching them square off in a battle of the graybeards will be something to behold. It was also remind us of the fleeting nature of the game we love. Soon, these icons will hang up their cleats and be gone, not likely to be heard from again.

I, for one, will regret that day.

Matt Grecco: The Ravens Can't Score in Indy

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

The Colts D will need to stay hot this weekend to stymie the Ravens offense.

Interesting stats here from Stampede Blue's Matt Grecco:

"

In what I'm dubbing "The Curse of the Mayflower", the Ravens have never won a game in Indianapolis, an 0-5 record. In fact, it's been almost 10 years since the Ravens scored a touchdown in Indianapolis. They lost 20-3 back in the 2009 Playoffs (it was a ass-kicking), and lost 31-3 back in 2008, a game where the Ravens turned the ball over five turnovers, including three interceptions from rookie Joe Flacco. Overall the Colts have a 9-5 record against the Ravens, including the three Playoff games.

"

Not one touchdown in Indianapolis in 10 years? That's... um... bad.

Dreadful, really.

Grecco probably isn't trying to insinuate the Ravens will not score a touchdown this weekend, as they are currently seventh in the NFL in points per game with 25.8. He does, however, go on to predict a 30-25 win for Indy.

The truth is, these two teams are very different from the last time they faced off. Luck is a completely different animal, Flacco has evolved into a more mature passer; everything is different but the mascots, really.

Pagano wasn't even 100 percent during the 2012 playoff showdown, as he had just returned from his bout with cancer.

So, while the histories of these two organizations are undeniably intertwined and they make for a fun storyline for the fans and media, the reality is that very little of that history will be reflected in this particular game.