As Indianapolis Colts'head coach Shane Steichen detailed on Wednesday, the Baltimore Ravens can present significant challenges on both sides of the football.
"Got a lot of respect for what they do," Steichen said, via Locked on Colts. "Starts with their quarterback, Lamar, he's a guy that can kind of do everything. He can beat you with your legs, his arm. So we got to jsut do a great job of containing him. The running back Henry is going into Year 11. We need all hands on deck. He's a hell of a runner. We got to rally on the football. Zay Flowers is a good player on the outside; we need to know where he's at. Mark Andrews is a good player. So we're looking forward to that challenge."
There is a potential balance that the Colts' pass rush will
have to strike when it comes to rushing Jackson. Being overly aggressive can create running lanes for him to escape through, while attempting to keep him in the pocket could provide Jackson with time to survey the field and make plays with his arm.
The Colts' linebacker unit will be tested right away in having to help contain Henry, while also attempting to limit Andrews' impact in the passing game.
Steichen then continued, "And offensively, looking at it from a defensive perspective, Trey Hendrickson's one of the best in the business rushing the passer. So just containing him as much as we can. Linebacker Smith is a hell of a player. He's been doing it for a long time. Hamilton, safety, nickel, kind of do it all for them. Great player. Humphrey, Wiggins, Starks, all those guys on the back end, but just a lot of respect for their team going into this first matchup."
Hendrickson has often lined up on the right side of the defensive line in his career, but we will see if he takes more snaps on the left side to match up with Jalen Travis, who has just four career starts under his belt.
The Colts have plenty of playmaking potential at the skill positions, but as Steichen lays out, this is a talented Ravens' defense at the second and third levels.
The play of the Colts' offensive line and their ability to create running lanes and keep Daniel Jones clean can be a neutralizer.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Steichen details challenges Colts face in Week 1 game v. Ravens
