Key ingredient for Ravens’ success is a lot of Rice – The Boston Globe

Great breakdown of the Ravens, and what the Patriots did last year against them.

“You control Ray Rice, and you don’t let them throw it over your head,’’ Coyle said. “It goes back to the old Marv Levy saying: ‘What it takes to win is simple, but it’s not easy.’ “To me, when you look at this team, it’s very simple. You stop 27, and you don’t let Torrey Smith or Lee Evans or [Anquan] Boldin run deep down the field and catch it over your head. Keep the ball in front of you and don’t allow them to establish their run game. “But that’s easier said than done. Because what happens inevitably is you start to overload to defend the run and they get their one-on-one situations out on the perimeter or they get you into short-yardage situations and then they come off a real good play-action shot down the field and they can generate a big play.’’