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Ray Rice has only posted one 100-yard rushing game this season, but he could be in for a big afternoon today against Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers have the NFL's fourth-worst rushing defense, allowing an average of 136 yards on the ground per game.
Perhaps an even uglier statistic for the Bucs is this one: They've seen an opposing running back burn them for at least 100 rushing yards in six of their last eight games.
Rashard Mendenhall, Cedric Benson, Chris Ivory, Steven Jackson, Michael Turner and Mike Goodson have all reached triple digits against Tampa Bay.
I bet Rice, Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain are licking their chops going into this one.
Tampa Bay's front-seven is coming off a strong performance last week against the 49ers, however, as they held the explosive Frank Gore to just 23 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Asked about his team's struggles with their run defense during a conference call with Baltimore reporters this week, Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris gave an interesting response.
"Stats are for losers," Morris said. "You know, we go out and we play our game, and whatever it takes to win football games is the only stat that matters. You know, all those things will be critiqued at the end of the year. You've got to go out and do whatever it takes to win that football game, every single year, every single week."
One other trend to be aware of this afternoon is the Bucs' propensity for comeback victories.
Tampa Bay has outscored their opponents 63-29 in the fourth quarter this season, and four of their seven wins have been of the fourth quarter comeback variety.
The Ravens have had issues closing teams out in the fourth quarter this season, and head coach John Harbaugh knows that his team will have to have more of a killer instinct today against the comeback-Bucs.
"There have been a lot of close games," Harbaugh said. "They've had some comeback victories. I think it speaks well to [quarterback] Josh Freeman and the job he's done just rallying them. In this league, no lead is safe, and they've proven that. So, we're going to have to play really well in the fourth quarter to win the game."
