Ravens vs. 49ers: What's the Game Plan for Baltimore?

The Baltimore Ravens will look to get their season back on the right track when they hit the road to face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6. 

This will be the first time the 49ers and Ravens have faced each other in the regular or postseason since Super Bowl XLVII. That matchup saw Baltimore escape with a 34-31 win to claim its second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. 

That seems like forever ago, though, with both teams falling on hard times since then. The 49ers went 8-8 last season and are now sitting at 1-4 this year.

The Ravens had more promise coming into this year after going 10-6 last season. However, last week's 33-30 overtime loss to the Cleveland Browns now has them on the brink of falling out of playoff contention before the month of October even ends. 

Needless to say, this is a must-win game for the Ravens if they are to get their season back on track. 

Here is a look at the game plan for Baltimore in this matchup. 

Offensive Game Plan

The good news for the Ravens offense in this game is that the 49ers defense has struggled stopping anyone this season. It ranks 20th in rushing defense, 28th in passing defense and 28th in points allowed per game (28.0).

The problem for Baltimore's offense is that it's not exactly healthy. The final Ravens injury report has starting running back Justin Forsett (ankle) and wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. (back) listed as questionable to play. 

If Smith Sr. doesn't play, that will greatly affect the Ravens' ability to stretch the field and have a balanced attack against the 49ers. The good news is starting tight end Crockett Gillmore could be back from his calf injury this week, though he too is listed as questionable.  

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Regardless, Baltimore's offensive game plan should be more focused on the ground game in order to open up the passing game. The Ravens are simply too thin at too many skill positions to effectively throw the ball 30-plus times. 

The ground game is going to have to carry Baltimore to victory in this one. If Forsett is unable to go with his ankle injury, that could mean we see Javorius "Buck" Allen make his first NFL start this week.

Baltimore spent a fourth-round pick on Allen in the 2015 NFL draft in hopes he could give an added dimension to the offense. He's a speedier, east-west runner who can make big plays outside of the tackles, whereas Forsett gets a lot of his yards in between the tackles.

After playing sparingly through the first four weeks, Allen broke off a 44-yard run down the sideline in the third quarter against the Browns last week. Allen would finish the game with 58 yards rushing after gaining just 66 yards in his first four games combined. 

If Forsett is unable to go this week, look for Allen to get the bulk of the carries this week. If Forsett does play, look for there to be more of a split to better keep the 49ers off balance on the ground.

Either way, the Ravens need to pound the rock early and often in this one if the offense is to find any rhythm, even against a struggling 49ers defense. 

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Defensive Game Plan 

San Francisco's offense features a unique challenge for Baltimore's struggling defense. However, it may actually be one that the Ravens have the personnel to defend better than they have against most teams this season. 

The 49ers are a run-heavy team that relies on quarterback Colin Kaepernick and running back Carlos Hyde to carry the load. Kaepernick isn't your typical NFL quarterback. He's more of a dual-threat QB who leads an option-based offense in which he can decide to keep the ball or hand it off to his running back on certain plays.

From 2012 to 2014, Kaepernick has rushed for 1,576 yards and 10 touchdowns, the second-highest mark of any quarterback over that span. Through five games this year, Kaepernick has rushed for 218 yards on 36 carries (6.1 yards per carry) and one touchdown.

As for Hyde, he's developed into one of the game's better running backs after a so-so rookie season. Through five games, Hyde has rushed for 375 yards and three touchdowns on 83 carries (4.5 YPC).

Kaepernick has been more willing to hand it off to Hyde this year, making them a tough duo to stop. The 49ers rank fourth in rushing offense this year, and that's the focal point of their offense. 

Having front-seven players who can defend the read-option will be critical to stopping them and getting this win. The defensive ends and outside linebackers will often find themselves in a spot where they have to wait for the quarterback to make his read, whether that's to keep the ball or hand it off to the back. 

It won't be easy stopping this attack, but if the Ravens defense can keep it from having success, they should shut down the 49ers offense.

Key Matchup to Watch

Ravens Front Seven vs. Colin Kaepernick and Carlos Hyde

As mentioned above, stopping the 49ers' read-option attack is no easy task. Making matters worse is outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil is listed as questionable to play with a groin injury. 

George Gojkovich/Getty Images

The Ravens will also be without starting defensive end Chris Canty as he deals with a calf injury. That leaves Lawrence Guy set to make his third start this season. 

Guy will often be the guy (no pun intended) whom Kaepernick reads on read-option plays and decides whether to keep the ball or hand it off to his back. Depending on what Kaepernick does, the two most critical players to stopping the option will be inside linebackers Daryl Smith and CJ Mosley. 

They are two of the best in the business and one of the best inside linebacker tandems in football. Smith ranks fifth in the NFL with 46 combined tackles in five games this season, while Mosley has 29 total tackles.

Those two will be the most important players in stopping the 49ers offense, but the front seven as a whole will have to play well to do so. 

Prediction

Both of these teams will be playing desperate in this one, and I can't see either pulling away at any point. This will come down to the fourth quarter, as both teams put themselves in positions to make game-winning plays. 

That's been the theme of Baltimore's season thus far. Unfortunately, it's only been able to make a game-winning play in one game, but it'll find a way to make one in this game.

Baltimore does just enough on defense to contain the 49ers offense, while the Ravens offense gets enough from the ground game to open up the passing game for Joe Flacco to have a good day.

Final Score: Ravens 23, 49ers 20