Ravens Roost

Assessing the Ravens first half schedule

2010-06-21T22:50:38Z

Looking at the Ravens schedule I can see them making the playoffs for a third straight year. I would have to say that this years Ravens team is markedly better then either the 2008 or 2009 squads were, if for no other reason then the offensive line is coming into their prime and the team added numerous offensive weapons for Joe Flacco to target. Flacco should also make another huge stride this season if he continues to progress as he has thus far in his young career.

So, these are my picks on the Ravens first half of their schedule. If you happen to disagree please feel free to chime in.

]]> Game 1 will feature the Ravens going up against their former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and his Jets at the new football facility in New Jersey. I find it curious that the teams that play for New York couldn't find a suitable pace in their own state. Ryan has done a remarkable job in a short period of time with the Jets as they found their way into the playoffs last season. Ryan has instilled a new focus in this team and plans to build on what he accomplished last season. However, the Ravens know his tendencies and should be able to game plan for them. This game is going to kick off the Monday Night Football season and it should be a real barn burner.
The Jets will try to run the ball, which was their bread and butter last year but the Ravens defense, as good as it was against the run, is going to be even better this year with the addition of Terrence Cody, the 350 lb. monster in the middle. Look for the Jets to try and run the ball early and when they find they can't go to second year quarterback Mark Sanchez, who will be overwhelmed by the Ravens pass rush. This should be a close game but I see the Ravens coming out on top 28-24.

Game 2 once again finds the Ravens on the road this time against division rival Cincinnati. The Bengals had the Ravens number last season beating them both times they faced them. To be honest you could say the Ravens beat themselves in both of those contests. The Bengals depend upon Carson Palmer having time to choose his targets. If he gets rushed thing tend to break down, as you saw when the team fizzled against the Jets in last years first round of the playoffs. The Bengals are a good team, but I don't think they can match up with the Ravens if the boys from Baltimore are on their game. I'll call this one a squeaker with the Ravens coming out on top 31- 28.

Game 3 will be the Ravens home opener against another division rival the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are now being guided by new team president Mike Holmgren, who should be able to turn this team around. However it won't be turned around for at least 3 more years. Look for the Ravens to have their way with the Browns and totally dominate them in every phase of the game. This one will be a cake walk, Ravens 34-Browns 17.

Game 4 will once again find the Ravens on the road, and this time it will be to Heinz Field home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens- Steelers rivalry has become perhaps the most intense in the NFL. These two teams have a mutual dislike for each other and when they take the field you can hear the hits in your living room. The Steelers will be without their troubled quarterback Ben Roethilisberger due to his penchant for forcing himself on young women. Even his team mates are growing tired of his antics.

As I stated in an earlier column I believe the Ravens have surpassed the Steelers in pure talent, and this game will prove my point. I see the Ravens man handling the Yellow and Black to the tune of 31-17.

Game 5 will have the Ravens back at their nest to face the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are a team that seems to constantly be in a rebuilding mode. I really don't think they will give the Ravens too much of a problem as the Ravens fans will drown out their suspect quarterback Kyle Orton's signals leaving him unable to audible. The Broncos won't have any success running the ball either and once they become one dimensional it's all over for them. Notch up another Ravens victory. 28-10.

Week 6 will find the purple and black back in Foxborough to face the Patriots, a team they embarrassed in the playoffs last year. Patriots coach Bill Belichick will want revenge for that loss and will come up with a game plan the Ravens won't be expecting. Sadly this may be the first loss of the season for the Ravens as Tom Brady and company will do everything in their power not to be embarrassed again. Final score, Patriots 28, Ravens 21.

Week 7 will pit the Buffalo Bills against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Once again the Ravens faithful will drown out the Bills offense and the Ravens defense will pounce on them like wolves on a fresh carcass. The Bills have issues and somebody in their organization needs to address them. This one should be another easy victory for the Ravens as the Bills will be disheartened by the second quarter.
Final score, Ravens 38, Bills 13.

So there you have it, my take on the Ravens first half of the 2010 season. I have them coming on strong with a 6-1 record as they head into their bye week. I think this team knows that they are capable of winning it all, and I pity the other teams that try to stand in their way. This may well be another Super Bowl season for the purple birds of Baltimore. If so remember, you heard it here first.

The Ravens have a glut at linebacker

2010-06-06T20:09:00Z

At the present time the Ravens are carrying 14 linebackers on their roster, a number that won't work when the team finalizes their 53 man squad. Outside of Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Jarret Johnson and Brendon Ayanbadejo there are a number of linebackers who aren't going to make the cut. The competition in training camp is going to be fierce and fast paced, and in the end the cream will rise to the top.

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The same can probably be said for second year linebacker/defensive end Paul Kruger who has bulked up in weight this off season and is out to prove he belongs. Kruger admitted that the extra weight made him feel slower but he's slowly getting used to it and should be able to use that added bulk to make his way past offensive linemen.

Last years rookie free agent surprise Dannell Ellerbe should continue to make progress and could possibly move into a starting role this year. Ellerbe showed hustle and good football instincts in his rookie campaign and should only get better with time.

That leaves a bunch of players that will be watched closely to see which ones will once again play linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens stellar defense.

On the bubble

Antwan Barnes;
Barnes has been a Raven for four seasons now, each year surviving the cut and doing just enough to stay in the coaches good graces. He has showed decent pass rushing ability but his smaller size has often been a drawback when it comes to open field tackles. Barnes has the advantage of knowing the defense better then some of the younger players but that may not be enough to carry him this time.

Presscott Burgess;
Burgess is another 4th year linebacker who never sees the field on a regular basis. He's been used primarily as a back up who gives the starters a breather for a few snaps. Burgess has played well at times and is versatile enough to move from inside to outside linebacker. He knows he'll have to fight to keep his name on the final 53 man roster.

Tavaras Gooden;
The 3rd round pick out of Miami has been a bit of a disappointment his first two seasons. While being put on injured reserve his rookie season he didn't seem to show much improvement in his second year. Gooden has plenty of speed but doesn't have the size to wrap up bigger running backs. He often times looks lost out on the field and misreads far too many plays. Gooden really needs to have a spectacular camp if he's to make it onto the final roster.

Edgar Jones;
Jones hasn't played linebacker in a while. He's been busy lining up at tight end for much of the past two seasons. With the addition of Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson to the tight end position it's safe to assume that Jones will once again be able to go back to his natural spot at linebacker, but will the time away from that role hamper him in the beginning? At 6-3, 263 lbs. Jones has the size to play defensive end and that is where he will most likely see the majority of his playing time this Summer.

Jameel McClain;
After starting out strong in his rookie season McClain seemed to cool off a bit last season. He didn't get as much playing time in his second year and that's never a good sign for any player. McClain will need to show marked improvement this year if he's to have any hopes of sticking around.

William VanDeSteeg;
VanDeSteeg is another one of the linebacking corps that will most likely see time at defensive end. He had 75 tackles, 20 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles his senior year at Minnesota. If he can translate those numbers to the pro level he'll stick around for a long time. Van DeSteeg is another player that needs to show solid improvement going into his second season.

Jason Phillips;
Phillips spent his rookie season on the injured reserve list so the coahing staff never had a good chance to evaluate his talents. Phillips, at 6-0, 236 will most likely have to bulk up if he's going to compete at this level. There was something about Phillips that caught the eye of general manager Ozzie Newsome, which is why he choose to sign him as a rookie free agent. As it stands Phillips may have the hardest road to climb ijn the fight for the final linebacking squad.

Some of these players may make their way onto the practice squad, some could get traded, and others will simply be cut. It's going to be interesting to see how this battle plays out in training camp come July 31st, which isn't very far away.

The Ravens offense can go many different ways

2010-05-27T20:55:27Z

For years the Ravens were a run dominated team, throwing the ball only when necessary. After Vinnie Testeverde left the team never found an above average quarterback who could throw the ball with accuracy. Kyle Boller may have been the best of the lot but he never had the pass protection he needed and subsequently had his brains bashed in until you saw those deer in the headlight looks when the pocket started to collapse.

Now the team has it's franchise quarterback, though he's still learning, and the historically weak position of wide receiver has now been fortified with honest to goodness high caliber players. Why did it take so long? Perhaps we should be happy that it did finally happen and we're here to see it.

So now, just what will Cam Cameron do with all the parts the team has acquired. What style of offense will be associated with the purple birds of Baltimore? This is where it gets interesting. ]]>
No longer will teams be able to double team Mason, not when Boldin and Stallworth, or Heap, or Dickson are on the field. Most teams are going to want to double up on Boldin but won't be able to without leaving somebody wide open and undefended. Mason in the slot with one on one coverage from a linebacker is a mismatch for any defense and it will most likely be seen many times this year. Look for D-Mase to be seen smiling quite a bit this season.

With the decision to keep Willis McGahee the Ravens have two number 1 quality runningbacks. Add to that LeRon McLain's campaign to get more carries and the Ravens can play smash mouth with anybody. Cameron will most likely change the game plan from week to week based on the defensive strengths of the opponent going from heavy pass to heavy run to find the weaknesses in the defense. He may change up quarter to quarter, or from the first half to the second. The offense may play one style for several games then change up completely for the next several games. One thing is for certain, opposing defensive coordinators are going to be losing a lot of sleep when the Ravens are up on their schedule.

This looks to be the strongest offense the Ravens may have ever fielded, that is if the injury bug doesn't hit. But with all weapons they have the offense can lose a player or two and still be highly productive. Teams like to refer to that as having "deep depth" and the Ravens have much more then most.

As much as I love the Summer this year I can't wait for Fall to get here. I really believe this team can be something special and their chance of going all the way is as good as anyone's. The Ravens have never had this much balance between offense and defense and it should pay huge dividends.

Have the Ravens moved past the Steelers?

2010-05-20T14:25:44Z

In the NFL there are many rivalries though none may be as intense as when the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers go to war. These two teams have a common hatred of each other and it shows every time they meet. While the Ravens haven't been in the league for a long period of time by NFL standards they have become the team the Steelers hate to see line up against them. The two teams current record against each other has Pittsburgh with an edge, 19 wins to the Ravens 11, with two of those Raven losses coming in the playoffs in 2002 and 2009. During much of that span the Ravens were a defensive team first and foremost but that has now changed, and changed in a big way just this off season. Have the Ravens now moved past their hated rival?

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On the other hand the Ravens have bolstered their offense with the addition of wide outs Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth, and drafted two promising tight ends in Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. Suddenly the Ravens have an offense that can hurt you in many ways, deep down field, across the middle, and receivers who can make serious yards after the catch. Add in Ray Rice, Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McLain and the Ravens now have weapons that can attack any team anywhere on the field.

The black and yellow didn't seem to address many of their problem areas in the draft with the exception of C/G Maurkice Pouncey. And yes, their uniforms are black and yellow not black and gold as they proclaim. If you grew up with only the 5 pack of crayons as a child, which I'm sure many Pittsburgh natives did, then you colored the kings crown yellow and said it was gold. Well, it wasn't. The stripes on the Steelers uniforms are yellow with a slight bit of orange added in. It's the same color as the double lines they paint down the center of the roadway, and they don't call them the double "golden" lines now do they? If you want to see gold on an NFL uniform I suggest you watch a 49er's or Saints game and you'll see the difference. I rest my case.

The Ravens general manager, Ozzie Newsome has said for the past few years that the teams goal was to overcome the Pittsburgh Steelers and as far as I can see he may have finally reached that goal.
The Steelers offensive line is bad as witnessed by the number of sacks they given up in recent years, though some of that can be attributed to Big Boob holding onto the ball far too long. The Ravens on the other hand have built a solid young athletic offensive line that is just now poised to reach their prime. Advantage Ravens.

Joe Flacco is the antithesis of Roethlisberger from a moral stand point and he too is just coming into his own. Flacco's numbers in his first two seasons were better then the numbers Joe Montana and John Elway produced in their first two seasons. Flacco has said he sees no problem throwing for over 4,000 yards this season with the new weapons the team has given him, and I have no reason to doubt him. I'll call this one even for now.

The Steelers have said they want to get back to being a smash mouth running team once again, the problem is they don't have quality running backs to carry out that mission. And when they face the Ravens they'll have to run through not only Haloti Ngata and Kelley Gregg but also newly added defensive tackle Terrence "Mount" Cody. Advantage Ravens.

The Steelers are also known as a defensive team but last season they finished behind the Ravens in total defense. The Steelers defense is certainly opportunistic but the Ravens vaunted D just keeps beating the life out of teams until they finally give up. While the Ravens defese started out slow under newly appointed defensive coordinator Gregg Mattison they bounced back with a fury to wind up as the number 3 defense in all of the NFL last season. This year they have Mattison's defense down pat, and will be adding to their pass rush formations. Advantage Ravens.

All I can say is when these two teams line up against each other this coming season I wouldn't bet against the Ravens. That would be foolish.

What's going on with Jared Gaither?

2010-05-12T21:21:12Z

Coming out of the University of Maryland Jared Gaither had a reputation, and it wasn't very flattering. It seems Gaither had problems getting motivated at times and certainly didn't enjoy practicing. His former coach at Maryland Ralph Friedgen told the Ravens front office that Gaither had motivation problems but thought he could overcome them with the right guidance. So, the Ravens looking at his size and the way he played (when motivated) decided to take a gamble on him and choose him in the 5th round of the NFL supplemental draft. From that point on it's been a roller coaster ride.

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Gaither saw limited action in 2007 but the following year he was named the starting left tackle because the coaches thought he had earned the shot. He played well that season and the next, even playing hurt for a stretch during the end of the 2008 season showing remarkable fortitude. Things were looking up for Jared Gaither and the Ravens.

Last season Gaither missed five games due to neck and foot problems, and didn't seem to play with the same enthusiasm he had displayed the previous two years. It could have been attributable to his injuries, or maybe Gaither was slowly reverting back to his old ways. During this off season the team let it be known they were accepting offers for Gaither and only gave him a 1st round tender which many believe was meant to attract potential suitors. If any teams made a bid for Gaither it must have been far too low as Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said that there wasn't any real interest for Gaither out there in the market.

Being a restricted free agent, and having Drew Rosenhaus as his agent, Gaither decided to skip the work outs at the Ravens training facility as a way of letting the team know he wanted to be signed to a new lucrative deal. Well that didn't sit well with Ravens head coach John Harbaugh who let it be known that Gaither wasn't helping his cause but rather hurting it instead. Gaither decided to attend the work outs but it may have changed Harbaugh's opinion of him. Face it, Harbaugh is known to have a doghouse just ask former Raven Chris McAlister or Willis McGahee.

When the first OTA (organized team activity) began last week Gaither found himself suddenly switched to right tackle, a move I'm sure he didn't see coming. After the first practice Gaither took himself out and said he was having foot problems once again. He would miss the final two days of practice as a result.

Now this is where you have to ask yourself just what is going on. Did the Ravens decide to move Gaither to right tackle as a way of trying to re- motivate him? Did they make the move because they don't want to sign him to a big money deal that left tackles usually get, or do they think Michael Oher will be a better left tackle than Gaither?

Is Gaither really having problems with his foot or is he using it as a way to let the team know he doesn't appreciate the demotion, and the lost chance at a big money deal? Knowing how Rosenhaus operates it wouldn't surprise me if he told Gaither to fake the injury, but the team is making him have an MRI done on his foot, which could determine if he is being truthful about his injury. Well, even if the MRI comes back negative it doesn't mean that he doesn't really have pain in his foot as these tests can only divulge certain ailments.

Looking from the outside in I see this years Ravens as having a legitimate shot at going to the Super Bowl, and I think their odds are better if they have Jared Gaither on the team, as back up Oniel Cousins doesn't seem to be ready to be an every down player. I'm not sure what's going on here but I'd bet there is more to this scenario then meets the eye.

Ravens hold their first OTA

2010-05-07T21:40:14Z

Friday marked the beginning of the Baltimore Ravens first organized team meeting and the pace was hard and fast. Coach John Harbaugh let it be known that he was going to get as much work in as he possibly could and on that front he was successful. Linebacker supreme Ray Lewis said the coaches must have installed one hundred different defenses which had his head spinning, so imagine what the rookies were going through. I'm sure that most of them were more nervous then they've ever been in their lives.

]]> The very first offensive play was a post pattern to newly signed Raven Anquan Boldin, which he wasn't able to reach as Joe Flacco led him a little too much. Donte Stallworth looked fast and fluid running crisp patterns and even making a one handed catch.

Newly drafted linebacker Sergio Kindle was a little overwhelmed with the speed and pace of the first workout. "The tempo out here is about 10 times faster than in college," Kindle said. "Especially with everybody throwing plays at you like bullets. First of all, you've got to try to slow down when your head's spinning and then you've got to try to make your legs run as fast as your head's going. It was just crashing together."

One interesting development was seeing Michael Oher play at left tackle and Jared Gaither moved over to the right side of the line. This leads to speculation the the team is seriously looking to make a deal for Gaither as has been reported for weeks now. To me that makes no sense as the one thing you need for Joe Flacco and his new weapons to succeed is a stout offensive line and the team doesn't have a back up with any where near the talent of Gaither. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out.

The team also signed nine rookie free agents to compete with their drafted rookie players. This is an area the Ravens seem to excel at, finding starting players from the undrafted rookie pool. This years signings are Rodelin Anthony, WR, UNLV, Morgan Cox, LS, Tennessee, John Fletcher, DL, Wyoming, Ashton Hall, DB, Marshall, Albert McClellan, DE, Marshall, Mike McLaughlin, FB, Boston College, Prince Miller, CB, Georgia, Courtney Smith, CB/KR, Central Washington, and Curtis Steele, RB, Memphis.

Ravens look to harass opposing QBs this year

2010-04-28T20:49:17Z

If there was one glaring weakness of the Ravens defense last season it was their failure to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Their season total of 32 sacks was tied for the lowest amount by any Raven team. It often exposed the Ravens mediocre secondary and cost the team a number of games, such as the high scoring affair against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings.

The team knew they had to address the situation and so far they've added a few more pieces to the puzzle. You could say the Ravens are planning on doing a little head hunting this season.
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On the other side of the defensive line you had Trevor Pryce, who lead the team with 6 1/2 sacks. But Pryce is getting up there in age and by the end of the season he was only seeing the field on 3rd downs for the most part. Jarret Johnson was second on the list with 6 sacks and had a stellar season overall, but after those two there wasn't much pressure coming from the rest of the defensive players.

With the departure of Justin Bannan and Dwan Edwards the team, or more succinctly Ozzie Newsome knew he had to bring in players who could be more effective putting heat on the competitions quarterbacks, hence the addition of Terrence Cody and Sergio Kindle in this years draft. While many wouldn't look at Cody and think of him being a big sack guy his importance comes in a different form, the ability to collapse the pocket. If you remember back in 2000 the Ravens had Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams up front and they took up two offensive linemen apiece. That left Peter Boulware and Michael McCrary free to reek havoc on the quarterback. That's the thinking behind the addition of Cody, who teamed with Haloti Ngata should be able to dominate the point of attack.

Sergio Kindle has the attitude that the Ravens love, he's bold, brash, and a bit cocky, all of which should translate into a hard nosed player giving 110% on each and every play. His goal is to become the rookie of the year this season so I would think he's out to make a name for himself. Kindle will line up opposite Suggs and his speed should provide a nice compliment to Suggs raw power. Kindle will only see limited playing time to start the season but if he plays the way the coaches think he can you'll see his playing time increase dramatically.

Also the Ravens have seen to it that last years 2nd round pick, Paul Kruger, has added more muscle and beefed himself up to 270 pounds. Kruger is known to have the type of motor that Michael McCrary had, one that is non stop and only knows how to move forward. It wouldn't surprise me that the team gave him McCrary's old number because they saw the similarities. A rotation of Johnson, Suggs, Kindle, Pryce and Kruger should provide much better pressure on the quarterback then was the case a season ago with the addition of Kindle and the bulking up of Kruger being the biggest changes. Also a rotation of Ngata, Kelley Gregg, Cody, Brandon McKinney and the newly acquired Cory Redding in the middle should be an upgrade from last season.

I'm sure that the coaches have been working on plans to increase the sack total since the end of last season and Ravens defensive coordinator Greg Mattison will have an easier time with most of the defensive players already immersed in his defensive philosophy. If I were a quarterback that has to go up against the Ravens this season I'd be a little nervous, and I just might want to take out an extra insurance policy just for good measure.

Ravens draft finds mixed emotions

2010-04-25T13:32:14Z

If you talk to people around Baltimore you'll find they are either ecstatic about the players the Ravens chose or they are shaking their heads in disbelief. It seems the Ravens can't please everyone but overall I believe they are a better team today then they were at the end of last season.

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After sitting out the first night of the draft Ozzie Newsome and company were chomping at the bit on Day 2. They wasted no time selecting Sergio Kindle, OLB Texas, who many teams shied away from due to numerous knee problems. The Ravens felt confident in Kindle's health after they sent a team of doctors to thoroughly examine his medical records. Kindle looks to be able to contribute right away and become a bookend to OLB/DE Terrell Suggs rushing the passer, an area the team struggled with much of last season.

Later in the 2nd Round the team looked to bolster their defensive line after the departure of Justin Bannan and Dwan Edwards to free agency. They choose perhaps the biggest defensive lineman in the draft, one Terrence (Mount) Cody. Many teams saw him as a player who would have trouble keepeing his weight down but the ravens looked at how he slimmed down from nearly 400 lbs. to keep his weight at around 350 for the past four months. Teaming him with Haloti Ngata will present an unmovable mass of human flesh that teams will find nearly impossible to penetrate.

With their newly acquired 3rd Round pick the Ravens chose to draft Ed Dickson, TE Oregon. Many draft analysts looked at Dickson as being the 3rd best tight end in the Draft. After enduring the non participation of tight end T.J. Smith last year the Ravens added a sure handed tight end who isn't afraid to go over the middle and can break tackles. He looks more like a big wide out with his acrobatic catches and solid route running. A definite "A" pick.

But the Ravens weren't finished bolstering their supply of tight ends as they added Dennis Pitta, TE Brigham Young with their very next pick. This was one that left many Raven fans shaking their heads. Why go after another tight end instead of a much needed cornerback? The answer is that Newsome didn't think any of those available were worth the pick, and he wasn't about to make a stretch for a player he thought was a hit or miss proposition. Pitta is nearly a clone of Dickson and the two of them will be a battle to watch in training camp this coming Summer. This also doesn't bode well for LB/TE Edgar Jones. The team would be stretching it by carrying 3three tight ends and certainly won't carry four. And, with the glut the team has at linebacker Jones looks to be the odd man out.

The 5th Round saw the Ravens add yet another weapon for up and coming quarterback Joe Flacco in the form of WR David Reed of Utah. Reed set single-season school records in 2009 with 81 catches for 1,188 yards his senior year. In Utah's spread offense, Reed ranked 15th in the nation in receiving yards per game which shows an enormous amount of upside.

Later in the 5th Round the team added more depth to their defensive line with the addition of Art Jones, DT out of Syracuse. Jones suffered a torn meniscus last year and a torn pectoral muscle that shortened his season, but Raven officials seem to think that he is nearly back to full health and should be able to participate fully in the upcoming team workouts.

The Ravens finished out the 2010 Draft by adding OT Ramon Harewood, a 360 lb. behemoth that will be a project in the coming years. He has athletic ability but his technique needs a lot of improvement. It will be interesting to see how he develops.

So, there you have it, the newest additions to the Ravens flock of players. Many people will moan that the team didn't address cornerback, much as they moaned about not drafting a wide receiver last year, but Ozzie stood by his best player available philosophy and added solid depth to the Ravens organization. The team is almost certain to address the corner position sometime later this year but overall the team looks to have become a much stronger unit then they were a season ago.

Time will tell just how wise these picks were, but at the moment I wouldn't count any of them out. Rave on brothers and sisters!

The Ravens can't afford to miss

2010-04-22T22:09:36Z

With only 5 picks in this years draft the Ravens will need to make the right decision with each of them.While there is a chance that the team could trade a player or two, such as Mark Clayton or Willis McGahee for additional picks but that may not happen.

So, the Ravens will need to come away with 5 football players who will make the roster in order to call this draft a success. Ozzie Newsome has a great history of nailing his number one choices but has been hit or miss in the second round, something the team can't afford this year because they have no 3rd round pick.

With the draft only hours away we'll see right away whether the team is comfortable standing pat or if they'll make a deal for more picks. Stay tuned....

Have the Ravens moved past the Steelers?

2010-04-18T01:33:30Z

Those who watch the NFL faithfully know that the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have what may be the most fierce in all of football. These two teams have a mutual hatred for each other that goes back years, and it just seems to get more intense as time goes on. The Steelers lead the all time series 19-11 which includes two play off loses in 2002 and 2009 but those numbers may be about to change.

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The Steelers have not only lost wide receiver Santonio Holmes but their starting quarterback and woman abuser Ben Roethlisberger will be sidelined for up to six weeks for his latest adventure. If either Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon gets off to a good start it wouldn't surprise me to see the Rooney family trade Big Boob away. From what I hear he isn't well liked by his team mates anyway. Who could blame them?

The Steelers drafted Maurkice Pouncey who looks like he may turn out to become a good offensive lineman, and trust me they need him. The Steelers offensive line has been a weak spot for the past few years and the addition of Pouncey won't be enough to make them a viable unit. The Ravens on the other hand have a core group of young talented offensive linemen who are just coming into their own. Even if Roethlisberger does regain his starting job he may not make it through the season without getting knocked senseless as witnessed by him being sacked 50 times last season.

The Ravens on the other hand have added receivers Anquan Boldin, a perrenial all pro, Donte Stallworth, who is looking to rejuvenate his career, and drafted two solid tight ends in Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta to give quarterback Joe Flacco some new and valuable weapons. The team also retained Derrick Mason who will one day make it to the Hall of Fame in this writers opinion.

The Steelers say they want to return to their roots and revitalize their running attack but when they face the Ravens they'll have to deal with one of the best run stopping defenses in all of football which added even more heft with the drafting of defensive tackle Terrence "Mt." Cody, who can clog up the middle of the field all by himself using his massive 360 lb. frame. Add Haloti Ngata and Kelley Gregg to the mix and the Steelers will have a hard time sticking to their run game or even keeping runners on the field for that matter.

Joe Flacco, who is the antithesis of Ben Roethlesberger from a moral standpoint should be able to improve over his second year stats with little problem. In his first two seasons he has put up better numbers then either Joe Montana or John Elway did in their respective beginning seasons. Flacco seems to think that he'll be able to exceed 4,000 yards this season with no problem. Here is what he had to say about his chances, "I think I should have thrown for 4,000 last year," Flacco said. "In the beginning of the year I was on pace for 5,000. ... That's why I feel like 4,000 yards should be no big deal." You gotta admit, the kid has plenty of confidence.

Overall it looks like the Ravens are a team on the rise and the Steelers are in somewhat of a decline. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome was quoted as saying a few years back that he won't rest until his team has surpassed the Pittsburgh Steelers. Well that time may finally be here.

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Ravens may lean defensively in the draft

2010-04-08T02:08:49Z

One of the most glaring deficiencies the Ravens faced coming into the 2010 season was the wide receiver position, but Ozzie Newsome has seemed to address that shortcoming to a large degree with the additions of Donte' Stallworth and Anquan Boldin and the re-signing of Derrick Mason. So, unless a coveted wide receiver falls to the 25th spot in the draft I doubt the Ravens are inclined to look for offensive help. The lone exception for a 1st round pick might be tight end but other than that I see the team looking for the most part to the defensive side of the ball throughout the draft. Even in this age of pass happy offenses, and rules that favor them, defense wins championships. Always has and always will.

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Should someone like Everson Griffen DE, USC fall down the list the Ravens may jump at him. Most draft prognosticators have Griffen gone by the 16th pick but every year players that were thought to be top picks slide down to much lower levels. Another possibility is Brandon Graham, DE Michigan. Though he's only 6'1" he has the talent to be an excellent pass rusher and run stopper in the NFL. Most drafts have Graham going by the 20th pick but as I said the draft never plays out the way it's predicted to.

I would expect the Ravens to choose a cornerback somewhere in the draft as both Fabian Washington and Ladarius Webb are both rehabbing from ACL injuries and may not be ready at the start of the season. Another position the team may be looking at is middle linebacker. While they are counting on Dannell Ellerbe to be the possible replacement for Ray Lewis that hasn't shown itself to be a lock after Ellerbe only playing one season.

While the Ravens may pick a tight end or a wide receiver, or both in this draft I think the team will will be looking more towards beefing up the defense, and that I think is their greater area of need at this point. Which would you prefer, trying to outscore Peyton Manning or keep him off the field? My guess is the latter.

Will Joe Flacco shine in his third season?

2010-04-01T22:22:59Z

You can look back at the careers of numerous NFL quarterbacks and see a pattern. Many of the really great ones came into their own in their third season. For example, Joe Montana came into the league in 1979 and put up pretty dismal numbers. His second season he started to shine passing for 1,795 yards and 15 touchdowns. In his third season he nearly doubled that throwing for 3,565 yards.

John Elway is another NFL QB that didn't really put it all together until his third season. In his first season he threw for only 1,663 yards, but by his third season he had reached his lifetime average by passing for 3,891 yards. It seems that even the best quarterbacks need a little time to adjust to the pro game, but once they do there are few who can do the job as well. So, that leaves us to ponder just how much Joe Flacco will improve in his third season, or wonder if he'll improve significantly at all.
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The Ravens knew what they were getting when they moved up to draft Flacco in the first round of the 2008 draft. Their scouts had watched him play in several games his senior year at Delaware and told Ozzie Newsome that they thought they had found the Ravens quarterback of the future. It looks more and more that those scouts were right. Flacco has shown poise and confidence rarely seen in a young player thus far in his career, and one can only surmise that his confidence and skill level will reach much higher levels in the years to come.

The Ravens, knowing that if Flacco is to develop his talents to their fullest, made three key moves this off season to help him along. First they signed Donte' Stallworth who should give Flacco a better option on deep routes, the team also resigned Derrick Mason, who has been Flacco's comfort blanket and go to guy his first two seasons, and thirdly the team brought in All Pro receiver Anquan Boldin who should give Flacco a huge option in the middle of the field, something he really hasn't had since only tight end Todd Heap covers that area of the field. Plus the Ravens may add to Flacco's new arsenal in this years draft by adding another receiver or tight end. So now Flacco will have the weapons he needs to take his game to that next level, the one where the great ones ascend to.

Some people would think that the pressure this puts on young Joe might be too much to bare, but that's not Joe Flacco's mindset. This young man is as grounded an individual as you'll ever see. From day one his demeanor never changed if he threw a touchdown or an interception. It isn't by accident his team mates nicknamed him "Joe Cool". This is a guy who is already worth millions of dollars in his young life but spends most of his off season living back home with his parents. Night clubs and hangers on aren't his style as he spends most of his free time looking at ways to make himself a better player.

That being said how can this guy not go on to become one of the best of all time? You would be hard pressed to find someone with his natural talents, his determination, and his total dedication to his craft that didn't succeed in becoming one of the best at what he does. I think this is the season we will see Joe Flacco shine. I believe we are about to witness greatness, the kind this town hasn't seen since the day when that scrawny kid from Pennsylvania came to town and was given the number 19 to wear on his jersey.

Cory Redding may prove to be a huge bargin

2010-03-25T22:46:22Z

The recent departure of Dwan Edwards forced the Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome to scour the free agent market for a suitable replacement. The result was the Ravens signing former Seahawk Cory Redding to a two year $6 million deal. To you and I that is 4 lifetimes worth of money but for a good NFL player that's medium income level. This is a move that could pay off well for the Ravens this year.

]]> Redding, who started his career in 2003 with the Detroit Lions who drafted him in the 3rd round . By 2006 he was looked at as one of the best defensive linemen in the entire NFL and in 2007 he was signed to a $49 million deal that made him the highest paid defensive lineman at that time. The following season would see him placed on injured reserve in December with injuries to his knee and groin. Last year he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks for linebacker Julian Peterson but didn't seem to fit in well with their system. In Baltimore he will have a chance to reclaim his past success in the Ravens 3-4 defensive scheme. I believe any defensive player that comes to the Ravens becomes better just by being a part of the teams glorified defense. Look at how much better defensive tackle Sam Adams became after those same Seahawks let him go. In Seattle he was known to take plays off and didn't practice with much enthusiasm, but in Baltimore he played like a monster. When you play defense for the Ravens you know there is a standard you have to live up to and Redding may relish the chance to prove he can meet that standard.

Most likely the team will platoon him with Trevor Pryce, should he remain on the team, and second year DE Paul Kruger who is undergoing a strength and conditioning regimen to add more weight and muscle. All of them, and also OL Terrell Suggs will be tutored this upcoming training camp by former Raven, and onetime Seahawk Michael McCrary in the art of sacking the quarterback. This is something I've wanted to see happen for years now as I've always considered McCrary to be pound for pound the toughest Raven of all time. Hopefully he can instill some of the all out passion for the game that he had to each of these players. If he can they will all benefit greatly and we may see the Ravens harassing quite a few quarterbacks this coming season.
Amen to that!

Terrell Suggs appears ready to commit

2010-03-16T22:36:24Z

The Ravens have announced that Terrell Suggs has reported to the off season workout program held at the teams training complex affectionately known as "The Castle." The workouts are voluntary and Suggs had decided to skip them the last two seasons after the team put the franchise tag on him. For that matter he decided to skip most of training camp the past two seasons as well, a move that turned an all star player into a lackluster one who seemed to be going through the motions for the most part.

After the team signed him to a $63 million contract last season Suggs rewarded them by coming into the season over weight and out of shape. His 4 1/2 sacks were a career low and far too many times he was being beat on simple running plays, the kind he had excelled on up until last season. You could say that basically he let the team down by not being the best player he could be.

Well, this didn't sit too well with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, general manager Ozzie Newsome or head coach John Harbaugh. They let Suggs know, in no uncertain terms, that he had better get himself into shape for this season and start earning those millions the team had invested in him. They weren't going to allow him to simply coast through the season as he did a year ago, so therefore we now see Suggs at the complex doing the things he should have been doing the past two seasons.

I believe Terrell Suggs knows that he didn't do a very good job of preparing himself to play last year, and I also think that he has enough pride to make amends to the team and his fellow team mates. He understands the team has invested a lot in him and expects to get a lot more in return this season, so Suggs has began hitting the weights, doing the cardio-vascular workouts, and seems intent on making up for past neglect.

If Terrell Suggs can get himself back to the player he was two years ago, but smarter because of age, then the Ravens chances at a title increase significantly. One of the biggest problems the Ravens defense had last year was not getting pressure on the quarterback, and much of that was due to the play of Suggs. If he gets himself back in shape, and revives his passion level, then this could make for a big return on that $63 million investment. Let's hope so.

The Ravens sign Mason to a two year deal

2010-03-11T01:22:14Z

It seems Derrick Mason didn't generate a lot of attention from other NFL teams during this current free agent market. Perhaps many teams weren't high on signing a 36 year old receiver, but that would be their mistake.

Derrick Mason knows the Ravens offense, he knows Joe Flacco, he knows how to get the job done. plain and simple. Now imagine him with one on one coverage, with recently signed Anquan Boldin receiving most of the double coverage. This is icing on the cake with having signed Boldin and Donte' Stallworth. Suddenly the Ravens have a legitimate receiving corps, and when you add in Ray Rice, Todd heap, and Willis McGahee the Ravens have one of the most potent offenses in the entire league to go along with their perennial strong defense .

This signing was huge, and it shows that the team knows what needs to be done and are on their way to making that a reality. Rave on brother and sisters!