Offense

1)     Rev up the three-headed monster: The three-headed monster made its return of sorts against Indianapolis two weeks ago. In that ballgame, the trio of Ray Rice, Le’Ron McClain and Willis McGahee gained 98 yards. The key though was the distribution of carries, as McGahee and McClain logged a total of nine carries.

Against the stingy Steelers, the three backs carried the ball 29 times for 132 yards. The formula was similar; Rice carried the ball 19 times, while McGahee and McClain again received nine handoffs.

As the weather gets colder, this plan has to be integral for offensive success. With Rice being a big part of the passing game, McClain and McGahee should receive around 10 carries a game, and McClain should be the closer to batter defenses into submission in the fourth quarter.

The Packers boast a tough run defense, led by their three-man line. If the Ravens are able to run the ball effectively, the offensive line must control that trio.

Moreover, the running game must be executed through various portals, whether through single back sets, power formations, or misdirection plays. The offense has to be balanced and test Green Bay inside and outside.

2)     Pump-and-go: The Green Bay secondary is playing as well as any unit in the league. Led by cornerback Charles Woodson, the group covers a lot of ground and causes turnovers.

However, they are also aggressive, and can be baited out of position. In both games against quarterback Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, the entire secondary consistently bit hard on Favre’s pump fakes.

While Favre is a master of the pump fake, quarterback Joe Flacco is developing the move as well. Against Pittsburgh, Flacco was able to pull the free safety away from helping the cornerback by pumping to Todd Heap on an inside route. Once the safety focused enough on Heap, receiver Mark Clayton had enough space to snag Flacco’s deep pass.

Flacco has to manipulate the Green Bay secondary in a similar way on Monday night.

3)     Screen passes: For all of the screen pass plays that the offense drew up in the offseason, few have been executed in the regular season. This is the game in which those plays should come to the forefront.

The Packers will blitz from different sides and angles. In particular, the overload blitz is a staple of defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ defense.

To slow down the blitz, the Ravens will need to run an assortment of screen passes involving their backs and receivers off-tackle. In addition, when Flacco reads a heavy blitz before the snap, he should check to the screen.

Defense

1)     Limiting the big play: The reason that the Baltimore defense has played better since the bye week, and over a five-game stretch, is they have curbed the big play barrage they dealt with before. The secondary has played more disciplined, and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison has adeptly implemented a zone scheme in which the safeties have stayed deep.

The Packers will present a stiff challenge. They are a big-strike offense that can spread the field using a combination of four receivers and two prolific pass-catching tight ends. All of the receivers have the speed to gain separation downfield.

The safeties must continue their true play on the back end. If they do not stay in their landmarks, receivers will run free through the secondary.

2)     Press the receivers: One of the more crucial elements of this game centers on the Ravens ability to force quarterback Aaron Rodgers to hold the ball. Rodgers is not exactly a rhythm passer or a check down quarterback. He will wait as long as possible for a route to develop downfield. There have been times when he waited too long and was unable to get rid of the ball.

Overall, the defense has to find a way to produce a few coverage sacks. To throw off the timing of Rodgers’ progression, the corners should play on the line and maul the receivers before they release into their deep patterns.

3)     Shore up the run defense: Although the defense as a whole has performed well, the run defense has been shaky in the past two games.

The interior linemen have had a tough time disengaging blocks, and the linebackers have been caught in the wash. Moreover, even when defenders have been in position to make a tackle, they have failed miserably. The tackling technique has left a lot to be desired.

The Packers are a deceptively good rushing attack. Tailback Ryan Grant is a complete runner and works well from the Packers’ single back formations.  To prevent Grant from breaking loose, the defensive play against the run must improve on the frozen tundra.