Tom Matte on this Sunday's Ravens-Colts game
Right before joining Amber Theoharis and Roch Kubatko on MASN's Playmakers show, Tom Matte called in to discuss this Sunday's Ravens-Colts game.
Matte answered questions on the difficulty of facing Peyton Manning, what the Ravens will attempt to do on the offensive side of the football, and what the key factor will be in this weekend's matchup.
Dan Kolko: Tom, obviously Peyton Manning is the guy the Ravens' defense is going to have to focus on this weekend. We've all seen him play and we know that he's one of the best quarterbacks of his generation, but what specifically makes him so good?
Tom Matte: I think that because Peyton Manning came up in a football family, with Archie Manning being his dad, he understands the game. He was educated on how to read defenses, how to be able to control the line of scrimmage, how to call plays. This is one of the most complete quarterbacks we have in the NFL.
Brady is up there with him, but I still think Peyton -- he has the ability to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage, he controls that offensive line, his receivers are a corps of receivers you would dream of having. [Marvin] Harrison is one of the best I've ever seen at being able to get open and make plays.
Peyton's got the experience, the knowledge and the poise.
DK: As an ex-player, what can you tell us about all the gyrations and movement that Peyton does when he gets to the line of scrimmage? How much of that movement is legitimate and how much of it is an act?
TM: [Laughing] I think a lot of it is theatrics up there. Although some of the time, and [Johnny] Unitas was the same way, he'd get up there and he'd use colors as the code. And he'd be saying this and that and defenses would be listening to what he's trying to say. So you get these guys on defense to try and figure out what he's trying to do.
But you really can't because it's coded. Peyton Manning controls their line and all the gyrations he goes through -- pointing the fingers and this and that -- I think most of it is an act.
DK: The Ravens have based a large part of their offense on running the ball and controlling the time of possession with the power running game. The Colts have statistically the worst run defense in the NFL. How do you see that matchup playing out this week?
TM: The power running game is something where I think Harbaugh has gone back to the basics of football. If you can establish that first, it opens up all other fazes of your offense, especially if you can use some play action. What the Ravens are going to try and do is establish that running game. If we can do that, it's going to eat up the clock and keep Peyton Manning off the field.
That's why our defense is going to be saying, "Come on guys, keep doing what you're doing." Because when Peyton's on that field, he can score touchdowns at any time. You've got to establish that running game, and make them put eight guys in the box. Then you can go up over the top.
DK: What is one area, player or facet of the game that you think is going to be the deciding factor on Sunday?
TM: I think the deciding factor is going to be whether or not we can adjust our defense to be able to cope with Peyton Manning. Especially because Samari Rolle is out, and if Fabian Washington is out, he's going to be attacking that left side. So they're going to have to do some zone, double-zone coverage on that size and have linebackers dropping back in there taking away that side of the field.
The key is, if we can shut Peyton Manning down just a little bit and be able to control the ball, we have the football game.
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