Week 11 NFL Preview (part two) | Indianapolis Colts (9-0) at Baltimore Ravens (5-4)

Indianapolis Colts TE Dallas Clark (Tom Strattman/AP Photo)

Week 11 NFL Preview | AFC | Indianapolis Colts versus Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. . . .

THIS WEEK'S LIST . . .

The memorables . . .

The Colts and Ravens have played six times since 2002, and while the game doesn't get mentioned as a rivaly on the scale of New England Patriots-Colts, it has provided some memorable moments  -- and some of the best performances for QB Peyton Manning. A game-by game look:

COLTS 24, RAVENS 22 | October 13, 2002 | This one came early in the Tony Dungy era, and helped Indianapolis make the first of seven consecutive playoff runs. So much has changed that it's hard to draw much from the game, but it was significant in one respect: the season before, the Colts had gone to Baltimore and couldn't compete with the Ravens' team speed and strength. In less than a year, that had changed.

COLTS 20, RAVENS 10 | December 2, 2004 | Memorable primarily for being a key late-season victory -- and for being the game when Manning inched within one touchdown pass of Dan Marino's then record of 48 single-season touchdown passes. It also was one of the first times of the Dungy era that Indianapolis won a knock-down, hard-hitting defensive struggle against a team comfortable playing that sort of game. Part of an eight-game late-season winning streak that secured a second consecutive AFC South title.

COLTS 24, RAVENS 7 | September 11, 2005 | This was the start of the Colts' 13-game winning streak to start the 2005 regular season. It also defined the Colts-Ravens series during the middle part of the decade. Known in many circles as a passing, finesse teams, the Colts showed otherwise in the '05 regular-season opener, shutting the Ravens out until the final two minutes. Manning didn't put up huge numbers, but against a Ravens defense in its prime, he didn't throw an interception and he wasn't sacked. Dungy said later because of the way he managed the game against a tricky, attacking defense, it may have been the best game he'd seen Manning play to that point.

COLTS 15, RAVENS 6 | January 13, 2007 | One of the biggest games of the Indianapolis era. The Colts were the No. 3 seed in the AFC postseason and the Ravens were the No. 2 seed after a 13-3 regular season. In one of the most dominant defensive performances of the Dungy era, the Colts won, 15-6, with K Adam Vinatieri kicking five field goals. Less than a month later, they won Super Bowl XLI.

COLTS 44, RAVENS 20 | December 9, 2007 | There was a feeling beforehand the Ravens could be in trouble, mainly because they had lost a heartbreaking game to unbeaten New England six days before. That feeling was right. The Colts led big from the start, dominated the first three quarters and Manning left the game after the first series of the third quarter.

COLTS 31, RAVENS 3 | October 12, 2008 | The Colts still hadn't hit anything close to a stride early last October when Baltimore traveled to Indianapolis. No matter. The Colts scored early and often, and despite Manning still recovering from offseason knee surgery, won easily at Lucas Oil Stadium. WR Marvin Harrison had one of the last big plays of his Colts career, getting behing the Ravens defense for a harken-back-to-years-past 67-yard touchdown.

A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS . . .

. . . on the above list . . .

1) If any series has proven wrong the idea the Colts couldn't win defensive struggles, this one has been it. The Ravens games of the middle part of the decade were typically tight, nervewracking defensive struggles marked by the Colts' defense keeping the game managable until the Colts' offense could figure out a confusing Ravens defense and make a play. Lately, the Colts have dominated the series. Despite the winning streak, it wasn't always that way.

2) It will be interesting to see how the Ravens' defense approaches the Colts now that defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is the head coach of the Jets. The Ravens' aggressive blitzes gave Indianapolis problems early in the decade, but the Colts seemed to have figured it out the last two seasons. You would think they would try something different.

WHY THE COLTS CAN WIN . . .

Because Suggs isn't playing for Baltimore. There are other reasons, of course, but that's a glaring absence for a team with a struggling secondary that needed to pressure Manning. Suggs is the best pass rusher on the Ravens and hadn't missed a game all season. Another edge in the Colts' favor is they don't particularly feel as if they have played well in the last few weeks, particularly on offense in the red zone, and they don't typically struggle for too long offensively.

WHY THE RAVENS CAN WIN . . .

Because they need to. The Ravens started 3-0 and after making the AFC Championship Game a year ago, were one of the vogue teams of the early season. They have lost four of six games, but a close look at the schedule reveals they may be closer to the 3-0 team than the 2-4 team. The Ravens' four losses have come to Cincinnati (two), New England and Minnesota. Few would be surprised if any of those three teams played in their respective conference title games.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH . . .

1) Colts DE Robert Mathis versus Ravens RT Michael Oher. There's a movie out about Oher's life and career. It's based on a book about Oher in which the rookie jokes about wanting a chance to play Indianapolis DE Dwight Freeney. It was a line clearly written as a complement from a young player dreaming of playing against the NFL's best, but it won't be Freeney that Oher faces as a right tackle this week as much as Mathis. That's not exactly a great deal for Oher. Mathis has 8.5 sacks last season, and had three against Baltimore in the teams' meeting last season. Mathis also had two sacks against the Patriots last week, a game in which he played as he always does -- with effot so relentless that he's as dangerous at game's end as at the beginning.

2) Colts TE Dallas Clark versus  Ravens S Ed Reed. Perhaps not a true on one on matchup, but Clark and Reed are each critical players. Reed, in his eighth season is still one of the NFL's premier defensive playmakers with a knack for the big play. He has an interception return for a touchdown and he's always a threat to force a momentum-changing turnover. Clark needs one reception to pass Hall of Famer John Mackey for first place on the franchise's all-time receptions list among tight ends. Mackey and Clark each have 320 career receptions, but the matchup this week isn't about history. Clark's ability to get open and make yards after the catch has been critical to the Colts' offense this season. The Patriots focused on Clark last week and he still managed four receptions for 65 yards. That has become an average day for him, and those are solid numbers for a receiver, much less a tight end.

3) Colts CB Jerraud Powers versus Ravens WR Derrick Mason. Powers has faced some of the NFL's best receivers this season, including Andre Johnson (Houston) and Randy Moss (New England) the past few weeks. Those receivers have made some plays on the rookie from Auburn, but what's as significant is that Powers has made plays, getting an interception against the Texans two weeks ago and nearly coming up with a game-turning interception against New England. From a very good draft, Powers has emerged as perhaps the best find, but he will have a tough test against Mason. He may be a bit past his prime, and he doesn't have as big a name a Johnson or Moss, but he's an experienced veteran capable of being productive enough to keep the Ravens in the game.

QUOTABLE . . .

We think against these guys you have to be aggressive and patient, which you say are kind of two opposites, but I believe in that. You know there can be some negative plays. You hope your negative plays, though, are throwaways not turnovers, not game-changing plays where you put your team in a tough situation. They’re an aggressive bunch, so you have to always be on your toes, at all time.”

--- Colts QB Peyton Manning

THE LAST WORD . . .

The Colts, after four consecutive one-sided victories, have won their last three games by a total of eight points, and the Ravens have all the signs of being better than their 5-4 record. They have lost four games to three of the league's best teams, but during a 16-0 victory over Cleveland last Monday,  Suggs sustained a knee injury and is out this week. That won't help playing the Colts and Manning, and if the Ravens can't put pressure on Manning it's hard to see a different outcome than the past few seasons, when Colts have controlled this series no matter the site.

Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser breaks down the Week 11 NFL matchup between the Colts (9-0) and Baltimore Ravens (5-4) . . .

PART TWO OF TWO.  PART ONE HERE . . .