Ravens at Colts

Please refresh your page to get the latest updates to Mike Duffy's game blog.

3:32 p.m.:  I know it's early, but we have to pack up and head down to the locker room for post-game interviews.  It's a madhouse to get out of this press box in time.  Catch you on the flip side.  Thanks for reading today. 

------

3:07 p.m.: Also, if you're wondering about this Week's "Us Against Them" video interview, we weren't able to film because of the strict policies the Colts have on opposing team videographers.  Even RaveTV was affected, as only one cameraman is allowed on the field, and that has to be behind the Colts' bench so teams don't have the chance to film Peyton Manning and his signals.  Apparently, that's been a problem in the past.  Because there is only one camera allowed, my erstwhile videographer, Eddie, did not come on the trip.  I can multi-task, but his duties are a lot for me to handle.

------

3:06 p.m.: Looks like Willis McGahee is being helped off the field with an injury.  No word yet on what that injury is yet.  Ray Rice is in the game now. 

-----

3:00 p.m.: The Colts have this mascot - much like Poe - that is basically a big, blue horse with a pink mane and tail.  I think the pink is because of breast cancer awareness. 

OK, so that horse is a regular-sized person.  There is also this smaller mascot horse that is follwoign him around holding a pink guitar.  It's like his kid or something.  Maybe little brother.  I'm wondering who is inside that costume.  Is it a teenager, or a little person? 

------

2:56 p.m.: As if it wasn't enough of a challenge to keep the Colts' offense off the field, the Ravens have to kick off to start the second half, and Peyton Manning promptly marches the unit to paydirt.

A 34-yard connection with Reggie Wayne was the key play.  Wayne hauled in a pinpoint pass while he was blanketed by Frank Walker. 

Following a pass attempt to defensive tackle Darrell Reid, who was an eligible receiver, that fell incomplete, the Colts lined up in the same formation and Dominic Rhodes punched it across the goal line.  That was the first rushing touchdown the Ravens have given up this year. 

-------

2:29 p.m.: At the half, the Ravens only have three first downs and 48 total offensive yards.  Tough sledding against a Colts defense ranked last in the NFL in rush yards allowed. 

------

2:22 p.m.: The Ravens are typically a sound tackling team, but Dominic Rhodes is making the unit look pourous.  He broke six tackles en route to a 38-yard run, bouncing off Frank Walker and Jarret Johnson, amongst others. 

In the red zone, the Colts convert on another Harrison score, as he shakes loose from Chris McAlister.  Manning and Harrison's chemistry is pretty impressive, as Manning throws the ball before Harrison even comes out of his break.  This is Harrison's 29th career multiple-touchdown game. 

The Ravens have a tough task to come back from 24 down in a hostile stadium. 

------

2:13 p.m.: Field position is key, as coaches always say.  That is definitely a point in this game.  The Ravens have started drives on their own 20, 11, 16, 14, 20, 16 and now 4.  Indy has started on Baltimore's 30, 28 and 47, and their own 21, 39 and 24. 

Everything is going the Colts' way, as a reporter in front of me in the press box just stated.

Oh, and one cool feature of the Luke is these field-level suites that lets fans sit literally on the turf in one end zone.  Pretty sweet.  It would be neat to catch a Peyton Manning misfire in the end zone on time or another. 

------

1:57 p.m.: The Ravens aren't doing themselves any favors on special teams.  After a Colts punt - and bad Baltimore return - is re-booted because of offsetting penalties, Corey Ivy is called for holding on the make-up, forcing the offense back another 10 yards to their own 16. Ouch.

------

1:52 p.m.: One thing I'm noticing is that Dwight Freeney is rarely playing.  His hamstring must be worse than advertised. 

Also, I've spoken about how the Colts fly around.  It's like they're filling up gaps in the blink of an eye.  No really big hits, but they do a good job of ankle tackling and taking good angles.

-------

1:44 p.m.: OK, so I was a little off on today's attendance.  Apparently, there were 66,000 ticktet distributed.  They're not all here, though, as there are still many seats open. 

A note on Marvin Harrison's touchdown catch:  it was the 125th of his career, tying him with Walter Payton for 10th in NFL history.  Not too shabby.

------

1:39 p.m.: Le'Ron McClain fumbles trying to get some extra yards on a screen pass.  I like the call, because Indy is putting tremendous pressure on Flacco, but McClain has to take care of the football.  To add insult to injury, the flub plops straight into the waiting hands of a Colts defender, which leads to an Adam Vinatieri field goal.

------

1:34 p.m.: The Ravens are so concerned with the underneath routes that they're dropping one linebacker in coverage each play and keeping an extra defensive back in the game, typically Corey Ivy.

That is setting up the deep ball, as cornerbacks are biting on Maning's pump fake, allowing Indy receivers to get free. 

The Colts should have scored when Reggie Wayne had a sure score slip through his hands, but rebounded when Wayne hauled in a 22-yarder past Ivy.

------

1:25 p.m.: Indy's speedy defense is getting the job done, running all over the field to tackle Ravens rushers before they can pick up any yards.  And, Flacco is being harassed at length, getting sacked by Raheem Brock, who lunged around Todd Heap, and losing a fumble on a botched handoff to Ray Rice. 

It's not looking good up front, and the Ravens are going to have to win the battle in the trenches if they want to win.

Injury Update: Colts running back Joe Addai is quextionable to return with a hammy injury.

-------

1:19 p.m.: It was bound to happen, but who knew it would be this early.  The Colts strike with a 67-yard TD pass to Marvin Harrison.  Harrison got free when Chris McAlister stopped short, seemingly expecting help on the back end.  There was no safety helping. 

It capped a four-play drive in 1:36.  7-0 Colts.

-------


1:11 p.m.: Big sort-of-sack for Ray Lewis, who comes untouched up the middle and touches a falling Peyton Manning on third down.  It pushed the Colts out of field goal range.

Ravens ball again.

-------

1:04 p.m.: The Ravens' first play is a handoff to Willis McGahee for 3 yards.  I think we're going to see a lot of that today behind an unbalanced line with Willie Anderson moving over to the left side next to Jared Gaither. 

On the second play, Joe Flacco looks deep to Mark Clayton while rolling out to his right but throws it out of bounds.  Last week, that was an interception, as Flacco threw two rolling to his right against the Titans.

Unfortunately, the next play was a pick.  Flacco is flushed out of the pocket and a pass gets tipped, allowing cornerback Tim Jennings to get the theft.

--------

12:59 p.m.: Both team's captains head out to midfield for the coin toss.  The Ravens win and elect to take the kickoff.  Captains were Ed Reed, Nick Greisen and Marshal Yanda.

Oddly enough, the stands are not near being filled.  But those fans are realy getting pumped up by the "Braveheart" clip playing on the big screen right now. 

Yamon's back for the kickoff, so here we go.

--------

12:39 p.m.: The Ravens are rocking their white jerseys and black pants again.  They've only deviated from that outfit one time this year, in the second game of the season. 

--------

11:50 a.m.: It's a beautiful day here in Indy, where the Ravens are ready to take on the Colts at brand-spanking-new Lucas Oil Stadium.  It's unbelievable how big this place is, as the behemoth rises out of the horizon once you pass downtown Indy.  The press box is up like on the top level, so it feels as if you're sitting on a mountain.  The "Luke" only holds around 62,000 fans, which is also suprising, but I'm told by a Colts employee that's because of wider seats and aisles.  It also seems bigger because it's built straight up, so fans are right on top of the action.  It doesn't have a big footprint, if that makes sense. 

So, right now I'm sitting in the press box looking out of the stadium from the open end of a garage door-esque opening. The roof is currently closed, bubt I expect it to be opened at some point.  Fans are basically milling around the large concourses and waiting to get in their seats.

And, I just saw Matt Stover hit a 52-yard field goal.  Hope he's got that accuracy in the game, because the Ravens are going to need every point today.

Here's a list of inactives:

Baltimore

QB Troy Smith
CB Samari Rolle
CB Fabian Washington
S Dawan Landry
OL David hale
OT Adam Terry
WR Marcus Smith
DT Lamar Divens

Indianapolis

S Bob Sanders
DB Nick Graham
DB Kelvin Hayden
LB Buster Davis
OT Dan Federkeil
DT Daniel Muir
DE Marcus Howard
WR Roy Hall