Offense   

1)    Use Asomugha as a decoy: Coming into this game, the Raiders big focus will be to slow down the Baltimore rushing attack. Given that cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is able to shut down his side without safety help, Oakland will drop strong safety Tyvone Branch into the box on early downs.

If Branch plays close to the line, there will be one-on-one opportunities for the receivers to exploit on the outside. For quarterback Joe Flacco, he must find a way to move the single safety away from cornerback Chris Johnson’s side, so he can attack Johnson as opposed to Asomugha.

Flacco will need to use his eyes to move free safety Hiram Eugene to Asomugha’s side. If Eugene moves from his landmark to provide help to Asomugha, Flacco should have an opening off of the backside.  

2)    Grab the early lead: The mentality on offense should be to attack and establish a quick two possession advantage. That means that the offense will have to come out firing on all cylinders. If they lag on their first two offensive possessions, the Oakland defense is capable of gaining momentum and turning the game into a slug match.

 
On the other hand, if the offense grabs a 10-0 or 14-0 lead, the Raiders may mentally check out by the second quarter. Although the Raiders have pulled off some late game heroics earlier in the season, it is unlikely that they’ll have that type of resolve at the end of a game that has next to no meaning for them.

The Ravens have already established themselves as a good second half team. Playing with a lead will enable them to finish off the Raiders after halftime.

3)   Pound the rock: The Raiders are a tough team to throw against. The front four is live and able to collapse the pocket. On the back end, the Raiders have a lot of speed in their linebacking corps and in the secondary.

While the Ravens need to test the Oakland pass defense, especially on first down, they will ultimately need to run the ball well to win the game.

The offensive line and the backs have to push the pile and get to the second level. Oakland ranks 29^th against the run. Although they boast a fast front seven, they can be worn down.

This could be another 30 carry performance for Ray Rice, and overall, 40 carries for the three-headed monster.  

Defense

1)    Defend the deep ball: Although the Raiders have been anemic on offense, they do have the ability to air it out downfield. With the return of giant wideout Chaz Schillins to the lineup, along with tight end Zack Miller and receiver Louis Murphy, Oakland has a group of receivers capable of snagging the long ball.

With Charlie Frye likely to man the quarterback position, the Raiders will test the Baltimore secondary. Last Sunday, Frye attempted 43 passes against the Cleveland secondary.

The Baltimore secondary will need to play disciplined and keep the ball in front of them. The safeties should stay true to their deep support responsibilities. The Raiders will try to establish their vertical game through play-action, and if the safeties suck up the field, big plays will occur downfield.

2)    Checking Miller: Miller remains the go-to target for the Oakland passing attack. He is an athletic player with good leaping ability and the speed to separate from defenders.

The key to defending Miller is to play physical. The linebackers need to be locked in on where Miller is and hit him before he makes his move. If he’s allowed to run free, he has the speed to stretch the field.

3)    Stuff the run on early downs: While the Raiders will take their shots downfield, they will also incorporate their running game to keep the offense in manageable down-and-distance. It is an attack led by the duo of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush.

Oakland will need a productive rush offense to take pressure off of their offensive line, which remains one of the worst pass blocking units in the league.

The Ravens have to win the down-and-distance battle. Specifically, they have to play well against the run on first and second down, forcing the Raiders to pass on third down. If that happens, the pass rush may come alive.