Friday open thread: Which Ravens player is the biggest threat to a Lions victory?

The Detroit Lions have too easy of a schedule for excuses. If they’re a true playoff team, there’s absolutely no reason they can’t get into the postseason, even as they currently reside as the eighth best team in the NFC.

Their path to a postseason begins this Sunday against an equally inconsistent Ravens team. Baltimore has yet to pick up a signature win this season, mostly beating up on the bottom-feeders of the NFL, but that doesn’t mean they’re a pushover. Per usual, the Ravens possess one of the best defenses in the league, led by familiar names like Terrell Suggs and C.J. Mosley.

So today’s Question of the Day is:

Which Ravens player is the biggest threat to a Detroit Lions victory this week?

My answer: Alex Collins.

Forget the Ravens defense for a second. The Lions offense has been able to get theirs, even against the better defenses in the league (Steelers, Vikings, etc.). I truly believe if the Lions manage to take care of the ball (no turnovers), they’ll be okay against Baltimore’s defense.

However, I do not trust the Lions’ ability to stop the run right now. They made progress last week, but their lackluster performance against the Browns (201 rushing yards allowed) and Bears (222 yards) continue to hang over this team like a raincloud.

Collins is a guy that can make Detroit pay if they even give him a small opening. He’s got enough speed to beat a linebacker to a gap, and the strength to break through arm tackles:

If Detroit can manage to shut down Collins, they’re golden. Baltimore cannot find even a little efficiency passing the ball. So if Detroit neutralizes Collins, the Ravens have no other offensive threats.

But until the Lions can start shutting down opposing running backs on a consistent basis again, they will continue to scare me. Prove me wrong, Lions.

Your turn.