Rex Ryan Mouth-Farts; Sounds like “Ed Reed Will Play”

Posted by darnold on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

Rex Derp

Yeah, that’s right – I said “mouth-farts” not “burps.” Once one’s BMI passes the half-century mark, a whole new world of bodily functions opens up.

Rex’s latest triple-chili-corn-dog-burrito-induced expulsion of gas from his face sounded suspiciously to the human ear like he was saying that he expects Ravens’ safety Ed Reed to play in the season opener.

“Somebody asked me about Ed Reed saying, ‘You know Ed Reed hasn’t practiced,’” Ryan said.

“I said, guys, Ed Reed will play this game. Now he might not play the second game, third game or fourth game, whatever, but Ed Reed is going to play this game. I think part of that is a respect thing. He knows how disappointed I would be if he didn’t play. I want to win the game, but I want to play against Ed. I want them at their best and I know they will be.”

So, by Ryan’s logic, Reed will try to play in the season opener against his New York Jets not because he doesn’t want to let his current teammates or coaches down, but because he doesn’t want to disappoint ol’ Rexy poo.

Does this man’s bombast know no limits?

On top of the obvious ridiculousness of Rex’s assertion that Reed cares more about the respect of the head coach of another team than that of his own coaches/teammates, there is another layer of stupidity at play here. Just like a taco dip from Rex’s dreams, the layers just go deeper and deeper here.

Let’s look closer.

“[Reed] might not play the second game, third game or fourth game, whatever, but Ed Reed is going to play this game.”

By saying this, Rex is insinuating one of two things. Either:

A) Reed would gladly put his own motives (ostensibly, not letting down his former defensive coordinator) ahead of those of the team, by playing when he was not yet fully healthy enough to be effective; OR

B) Reed, while healthy enough to play, would indeed play against the Jets, but for purely selfish reasons. He would then likely sit out the next few games, having nobody on the other side to impress/not let down.

Blow it out your ass Rex, along with the next cloud of “Old Faithful”-like toxic fumes scheduled to be expelled.

In actuality, I’m probably reading too far into this. As we’ve seen since he became a head coach (and, to a lesser extent, as those of us in Baltimore have known for years), Rex rarely puts too much thought into what he says. His mental processes are far too focused on his next “Double Down.”

Double Down

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Ravens Trade for CB Wilson

Posted by darnold on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

The Ravens made a move Tuesday evening, getting the secondary depth they have been seeking by trading with the Seattle Seahawks for cornerback Josh Wilson.

Wilson, 25, is in his fourth season out of the University of Maryland. His hometown is listed as Upper Marlboro, so there is a decent chance he was a Redskins fan growing up – but we won’t hold that against him. It’s always cool to have another Terp on the team. If Dominique Foxworth hadn’t gotten injured, half the damn secondary might be former Terps. Of course, without the Foxworth injury, the team may not have needed to make the trade…

But I digress.

The move was a rather necessary one, even with the improved play of the secondary as the regular season approaches. Cary Williams is suspended for the first two games of the season, which puts him out against the WR-heavy Bengals, when Lardarius Webb will be back is still very much up in the air, and Fabian Washington is again living up to his reputation of being fragile. Fabe played quite well against the Giants Saturday night, but bruised his ribs (reportedly on the very first play making a routine tackle) and has missed both practices so far this week.

Wilson gives the team some much needed security at CB. The trade was reportedly for a fifth-round draft pick in 2011, which could be upgraded to a 4th-rounder if Wilson plays a predetermined number of snaps. Not bad for a guy who was starting for Seattle this preseason.

Wilson started all 12 games in which he appeared for the Seahawks in 2009, and 12 of his 16 in 2008, picking off 6 passes and returning 2 for touchdowns during those two seasons. He also forced 3 fumbles in 2008.

He can also return kicks and punts capably, as you can see in this poor-quality video I chased down on Youtube:

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While not the Willis McGahee-for-Champ Bailey blockbuster nonsense that many Ravens fans have been clamoring for, this looks like another solid pickup by Ozzie & Co.

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Ravens Look Formidable in Final “Dress Rehearsal”

Posted by darnold on Monday, August 30th, 2010

Bad Ass O

Baltimore Sun Photo

Someone tweeted last night something along the lines of “if this is the New York Giants’ dress rehearsal, they had better hope for a whole new wardrobe come Week 1.”

Well, if that was the case for Tom Coughlin’s team, then the exact opposite rings true for John Harbaugh’s squad. The Ravens came out firing on all cylinders in Week 3 of the preseason (save for the opening drive 3 and out), ultimately disposing of the Giants by a final of 24-10. While each team’s starters were in the game though (the entirety of the first half), the Ravens outscored Eli Manning and company 17-3. It probably should have been worse, as the dominant display put on by B’More would have seemed likely to result in greater than just the two touchdown advantage.

While Cam Cameron’s game plan in every contest this preseason has obviously been to hone the passing game of his starters, for the first time in three games that plan was finally executed to his, and Ravens’ fans’, satisfaction. Joe Flacco was 21-34 for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns. He spread the ball around very efficiently, using all parts of the field. Todd Heap was the Ravens’ leading receiver, looking like a half-decade younger version of himself while hauling in 6 passes for 69 yards and Flacco’s second score. Derrick Mason had five catches and Mark Clayton made just one, but for a 20-yard gain.

Flacco’s newest weapon, Anquan Boldin, also had his most impressive showing as a Raven to date. Boldin caught 4 passes for 52 yards and the team’s first touchdown, a brilliant catch in which he bailed Flacco out a bit. Joe made a beautifully executed read at the line of scrimmage, calling an audible to check out of the original play call on 4th-and-3 from the Giants’ 9. Flacco dropped back, looked the safety off nicely, and Boldin had two steps on his man headed to the end zone when Joe Cool’s gaze returned to that side of the field. Flacco, though, put the ball a bit behind Boldin, who adjusted his body to make the catch anyway.

Boldin also showed the dimension he brings to the Ravens’ WR corps that had been completely absent: a physical, yards-after-catch element. On the first play of the Ravens’ second drive, Boldin caught the ball near the sticks with two Giants closing quickly. No disrespect to Derrick Mason or Mark Clayton, but those two are hit-or-miss to get the first down in that situation, likely to go down to the first defender to get a hand on them.

Not Boldin.

Q stiff-armed and dragged his way for an additional 3-4 yards, leaving no doubt that it was time to “move those chains.” A beautiful thing to watch.

To show just how focused the Ravens were on the passing game, look no further than the fact that Flacco also led the team in rushing yards against the Giants. Joe looked much more mobile than we remembered from the last half-dozen or so games of 2009, when he was dealing with the much talked-about hip/leg bruise. He avoided pressure nicely several times, and while he won’t be confused with a Drew Brees or Tom Brady yet when it comes to pocket presence, the third-year quarterback is far from the immobile water buffalo back there that injuries made him during times last year.

When Ray Rice finally was called upon to tote the rock, he looked a bit rusty at times, while also appearing to struggle a bit with the new playing surface at M&T Bank Stadium. He also dropped a pass down the seam that Flacco dropped in beautifully, which, had he caught it, would have set the Ravens up with a 1st-and-goal at about the 5 yard line. I’m not terribly concerned about #27, and it is pretty obvious from his lack of carries in game action that the coaching staff isn’t either. Rice also seemed to hear the coaching staff’s “ball security” message loud and clear this week, securing the ball nicely on each of his 9 touches. The same cannot be said for Le’Ron “Pain Train” McClain, who fumbled after a nice gain on one of his only three touches. Not exactly great ammo for his “MCCLAIN 4 RB” campaign moving forward.

On the whole, the Ravens offense was very impressive. They showed that opposing defenses will not be able to focus on just Ray Rice or Derrick Mason in 2010, as Flacco seems quite comfortable with all of his weapons entering the season. Once they actually start game-planning for teams, and putting together a more balanced attack (which they most certainly will), this offense just might have a chance to live up to the hype.

One area they will certainly need to improve though, is on 3rd down. They were just 4/15 on the night, although they were an impressive 3/3 on fourth downs.

As for the defense, they had an up-and-down first half despite holding the Giants to just the three points. New York running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 63 yards on just 13 carries in the first half, including a 29-yard scamper by Jacobs. The Ravens missed several plays on defense due to poor tackling, which everyone from Haloti Ngata to Jarret Johnson to Dawan Landry was guilty of at times.

One play that will have Ravens fans talking this week was Bradshaw’s seemingly innocent 12-yard scamper midway through the first quarter. On the play, he appeared to be bottled up in the backfield before eluding Johnson and then running away from Ray Lewis in a way that made the 35-year old linebacker’s age show like it rarely, if ever, has before. It was a play that Ray has made countless times in his career, and one that he may have even made last season. You hate to take too much from any one game, let alone one PLAY, but it was a painful reminder that #52′s best days are getting further and further behind him, and us.

Of course, knowing Ray, he’ll simply log that play in his mental playbook, adjust his angle appropriately next time, make the tackle, and all will be appear to be right in Ravenstown. You have to admire the way Lewis continues to use his knowledge of the game and film study expertise to prolong his career, but his football IQ won’t make up for his diminishing physical abilities forever. Just something to keep an eye on.

On a more positive note, the Ravens’ much-maligned secondary played very well. Fabian Washington whiffed on one wide receiver screen, but was all over two others. Chris Carr recorded a sack and was not really picked on at all by Eli Manning. Tom Zbikowski was beat badly over the top on the Giants’ second drive by Steve Smith, but Manning underthrew him; overall though, Zibby had another solid night. He had better watch out for Haruki Nakamura though. His fellow third-year safety was all over the field, picking off one Manning throw and nearly getting another. “Rooki” is making a strong case for more playing time, and looks to be completely healed from his nasty broken leg suffered against Cleveland last season.

Even those wide open men over the middle that were there for the Redskins a week ago seemed to disappear this week. I expected Giants’ tight end Kevin Boss to have a field day, but he had as many catches as you and I did. Boss was making his first preseason appearance of 2010 after offseason ankle surgery, and probably had some rust. Still, the gaping holes in the Ravens’ coverage that were there last week appeared to have been addressed, at least for one night. Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe dropped into coverage impressively and was able to tip the pass that was ultimately intercepted by Nakamura. Despite Jameel McClain again getting the starting nod at inside linebacker next to Ray Lewis, I still think more and more that Ellerbe will be the team’s best option moving forward.

One final note from last night comes from the injury front. Donte Stallworth suffered a broken foot late in the first half, and will need surgery. According to John Harbaugh, the team does not expect to have Stallworth back until at least the Bye week. It’s a shame, as Stallworth was having a strong camp in his attempt to return to the NFL after missing all of 2009, but it’s not a completely devastating blow to the Ravens’ offense. While Stallworth was the team’s purest “deep threat,” he was nowhere to be found when Flacco was doing all that above-mentioned passing all over the field. Stallworth did appear to be the team’s first option at punt returner, but Mark Clayton seems to have secured his spot as the #3 wideout. With Stallworth out, Demetrius Williams and Marcus Smith see their chances to make the roster and impact the team increase, and we have to hope they embrace the “next man up” philosophy and make the most of their chances. Smith admitted that he was energized in the second half last night after watching Stallworth go down earlier (I read that somewhere, but can’t find the quote right now).

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Eleven Ravens on Scouts, Inc.’s “Top 200″

Posted by darnold on Thursday, August 26th, 2010

ESPN’s Scouts, Inc. has released their annual player rankings (subscription required) for the 2010 NFL season, and this year the Baltimore Ravens boast 11 players in the Top 200. Not bad considering that, statistically, each team could expect about 6 players on the list, all things equal. Of course, we know that all things (ahem, Detroit Lions) are not equal in the NFL.

Here are the 11 Ravens on the list, along with their ranking (on a scale of 1-100) and overall ranking listed in parenthesis.

  1. Ed Reed (91, 14T)
  2. Haloti Ngata (89, 22T)
  3. Terrell Suggs (85, 51T)
  4. Jared Gaither (84, 70T)
  5. Kelly Gregg (83, 84T)
  6. Ray Rice (83, 84T)
  7. Ben Grubbs (82, 99T)
  8. Derrick Mason (82, 99T)
  9. Anquan Boldin (81, 112T)
  10. Joe Flacco (81, 112T)
  11. Ray Lewis (81, 112T)

In the AFC North, the Steelers tie the Ravens with 11 players. Interestingly, last year’s division champions, the Cincinnati Bengals, have only 8 players on the list. The Cleveland Browns have just 4 players in the Top 200, but boast the highest ranked player in the AFC North – tackle Joe Thomas at 93.

The Scouts give a more detailed take on each player as well.

Ed Reed

Reed was banged up some in 2009 and missed four regular-season games. Reed has rare instincts that enable him to be around the ball often. He has elite range and is one of the few backend defenders whom quarterbacks truly fear. Reed is a game-changer from his deep center-field position and allows the Ravens to be very aggressive with their schemes. Not only is he a supreme ball hawk with rare anticipation and ball skills, he is an extremely dangerous weapon with the ball in his hands and is an immediate threat to score. He is also a superb kick- and punt-blocker when used in that capacity. Reed has been a mainstay in the Ravens’ secondary and there is a noticeable drop-off when he is not in the lineup.

Haloti Ngata

Ngata was banged up some in 2009, which hindered his progress. He is a massive, incredibly strong interior defender. Ngata also has rare athletic ability, quickness and closing burst for such a huge force in the middle of the defensive line. He is extremely versatile and can shoot gaps while holding the point and absorbing double teams. He can also effectively line up in many spots along the defensive line. Ngata isn’t a force in rushing the passer, and must expand his pass-rush package. Ngata can be an elite player with more consistent play.

Terrell Suggs

Suggs was banged up some in 2009 (Editors Note: Noticing a pattern here?! Wow.)and missed some time. He has been one of Baltimore’s more consistent defenders over his seven seasons in the league. Suggs has excellent quickness and speed off the edge with enough burst to close in on the quarterback. He understands leverage and how to get his opponent off-balance as a pass-rusher. He uses his hands well to disengage as a run defender and work the edge of blockers. He is a versatile player who can effectively drop into coverage and is best in underneath zone schemes. He isn’t extremely fast in pure man coverage and is rarely used in that way. Suggs is an instinctive player who reacts quickly as plays unfold, which enables him to be active to the pile. He is a tough, hard-nosed player who wins with effort, intelligence and athleticism.

Jared Gaither

Gaither was banged up during the 2009 season (Ed: Of course) but continued to progress on the left side of the line. He is a young left tackle who has tremendous size, particularly with his extreme height and overall length, to man the blind side. However, there are times when his high center of gravity works against him. Gaither remains a work in progress as a pass-blocker but is a punishing finisher in Baltimore’s power-running game. His hand placement and understanding of what it takes to be a successful left tackle has improved over the past two seasons. He is best when he engages defenders early in the play as quick counter moves still give him problems. His length and height makes it tough for him to maintain great pad level at times and more consistency in this area will improve his overall play. Gaither is a player who has a great upside and all the tools to continue to develop as a left tackle.

Kelly Gregg

With another productive season in 2009, Gregg continued to be a force in the middle of the Ravens’ defense. Gregg is an 11-year veteran who appears to have not lost quickness or power. He is built low to the ground and very powerful. He is an exceptional hands player who competes with excellent overall aggression. His motor never stops and his hustle can be infectious. Gregg consistently wins one-on-one matchups and can handle a double team while also making plays in the backfield. Although he offers little as a pass-rusher and rarely disrupts passing lanes or bats down passes, Gregg is the type of player who would make any defense better regardless of the scheme.

Ray Rice

Rice was the engine that made the Ravens’ offense run in 2009. He is a short, well-built back with deceptive strength and athleticism. Rice runs with a low center of gravity and has a powerful lower body. He has slightly above-average speed, but he can threaten the corner and is capable of breaking longer runs. Rice also shows very good balance and good hands as a receiver out of the backfield. He has excellent instincts with the ball in his hands and, despite not having elite speed, he can pick up yards in chunks. Rice has been a pleasant surprise for the Ravens’ staff and should continue to be productive in 2010.

Ben Grubbs

Grubbs has been a mainstay on the Ravens’ offensive line since he entered the league in 2007. He is one of the best young guards in the league and has shown marked improvement since his rookie season. He is powerful and athletic. He can move big-bodied defensive tackles off the ball in one-on-one situations and can pull or combo block to the second level. Grubbs can anchor versus powerful bull rushers, using good body positioning as well as effective hand use. He is not a liability in space and also can recover laterally when initially beaten off the snap. Grubbs has heavy hands and can stun his opponent. He has a good ability to finish plays.

Derrick Mason

Mason had arguable his best season as a pro in 2009. He is the consummate pro and remains one of the most reliable wide receivers in the game today. Mason catches just about everything thrown to him and has superb natural hands. His route-running skills are even better with very fluid movement skills and a good burst out of his breaks. However, Mason is not a big-play guy and doesn’t stretch the field. He is more agile and quick than fast, but also is a top-notch student of the game who takes his craft very seriously. His size is a bit of a problem and he isn’t a physical presence with the ball in his hands. Mason is more crafty than athletic but still has enough talent to be productive as a No. 2 receiver in the Ravens’ offense.

Anquan Boldin

Boldin was an excellent offseason acquisition for the Ravens. He is a great combination of size, hands and toughness. Boldin is a very strong receiver who is able to use his body to get separation coming out of his stems. He does an outstanding job of making plays in the short-to-intermediate passing game because of his good acceleration into routes, toughness in traffic and ability to excel after the catch. He is a very good route-runner who can line up in multiple positions and cause matchup problems for defenses. Boldin should give the Ravens another dimension in the passing game but he isn’t an explosive deep threat to stretch the field.

Joe Flacco

Flacco made marked improvements in his second year in the league. He has elite arm strength and can threaten the entire field. He has excellent size and the ability to clearly scan the entire field. Flacco could add more bulk to better handle the rigors of playing the position at this level. He is a surprising athlete who can make plays with his feet and throw well on the move. His vision and ability to read coverages have improved, which makes him a more efficient passer. Flacco has a ton of upside and should continue to improve in 2010 with the coaching staff giving him an expanded playbook. Flacco has the benefit of a stingy defense and an effective ground game. Both will only aid his progress.

Ray Lewis

Lewis, entering his 15th year, is coming off another extremely productive season. He has diminishing skills, but his experience, toughness and instincts enable him to be a force in the middle of the Ravens’ defense. He is a powerfully built player with outstanding tackling power between the tackles. His ability to wrap up and tackle with jolting force is still evident. He has excellent instincts and vision to react quickly to the run and pass. He has outstanding football intelligence and is able to make all the checks and adjustments needed in the complex Ravens scheme. He uses his hands to work through trash and has natural power to run through blockers. Lewis is a crafty veteran who takes great angles in pursuit and maintains leverage on the ball carrier. He is a solid pass defender primarily because of excellent anticipation and route recognition. Lewis has been remarkably durable over his career, but he clearly is on the backside of his career.

Scouts, Inc. rounds out the Ravens’ roster as follows:

  1. Matt Birk 76
  2. Le’Ron McClain 74
  3. Michael Oher 74
  4. Willis McGahee 72
  5. Todd Heap 71
  6. Fabian Washington 69
  7. Marc Bulger 69
  8. Lardarius Webb 69
  9. Jarrett Johnson 69
  10. Dominique Foxworth 67
  11. Mark Clayton 67
  12. Trevor Pryce 67
  13. Marshal Yanda 66
  14. Shayne Graham 65
  15. Troy Smith 65


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The Double-Edged Sword of High Expectations

Posted by darnold on Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

YouTube Preview Image

“If you don’t expect too much from me, you might not be let down”

One simple lyric from a nearly 20-year old rock song can sum up the way many Ravens fans are feeling these days. We Baltimoreans relish the role of the underdog, and we feel most comfortable when our teams do the same. For nearly the entirety of their existence, the Ravens have been all too happy to oblige us in the “us against the world” mentality. Sure, WE always expect our team to do well, but we’ll be damned if we’re going to let on that fact to “them.” We prefer to carry any optimism we may have very close to the vest.

And so, when we find the Ravens garnering the amount of positive national attention that they have been since their 2009 season unceremoniously crashed to the ground in Indianapolis, we become a bit…uneasy. There are a few reasons for this. On top of the aforementioned underdog fetish (or what some may call an inferiority complex), there is the fact that, under the previous regime anyway, the Ravens have always been much more likely to do prove prognosticators wrong than to inspire a chorus of “I told you so’s.”

On the way to the franchise’s only Super Bowl, Brian Billick’s team won two road playoff games, including victories in Oakland’s “Black Hole,” and Nashville’s Adelphia Coliseum, the latter in which they were, to that point, the only road team to ever win a game.

Long live the Baltimore Underdogs.

When they were expected to be dominant though, Billick’s teams were seemingly delighted to disappoint. Following their AFC North Titles in 2003 and 2006, they were quickly dismissed from the Playoffs, both times at M&T Bank Stadium and both times without recording a single postseason victory. In the seasons that followed each of those playoff losses, seasons in which they were expected to be in contention for defenses of their Division Crowns, they proceeded to post disappointing records of 9-7 and 5-11, respectively.

Enough of the quick history refresher course though. Let’s talk about how this relates to our 2010 Ravens.

  • Joe Flacco has led the team to the postseason in each of his first two years under center. He has done so with a less-than-stellar receiving corps. Traditional wisdom says that an NFL QB’s 3rd season is the one in which he really starts to grasp the speed and complexities of the game.
  • We acquired a true #1 wide receiver in Anquan Boldin. While Boldin is not the “deep threat” that has been missing from this offense for years, another guy that the Ravens picked up, Donte Stallworth, could be just that.
  • Ray Rice is, by all accounts, on the verge of absolute superstardom. Along with Willis McGahee and Le’Ron McClain, the Ravens have one of the most potent ground attacks in the league.
  • Defensive Coordinator Greg Mattison seemed to finally figure things out during the second half of 2009, and the Ravens’ defense, despite perceived struggles throughout the year, finished #3 overall.

Add all these things together, and you get what may be the highest pre-season expectations…well, EVER for a Ravens team. And not just locally. National publications are all over the Ravens in 2010, and we fans have, of course, been quick to take note. We are proud to see our team getting some high-profile respect. We love Ray Rice being ranked in the Top 5 of “Fantasy” running backs. We beam when John Madden talks about how impressed he is with Joe Flacco.

But, in the back of our minds, many of us are still uncomfortable with all the love. Which is a big reason why, when our first-team offense comes out and struggles a bit, as they have so far during the first two preseason games, many of us find ourselves being magnetically pulled to that figurative “cliff.”

Usually, I tend to be the one trying to talk Ravens fans back from that cliff. This time, though, one of the reasons I’ve yet to weigh in on Saturday’s Redskins game is that I am unfortunately feeling that same gravitational pull to the edge that, judging by the callers to local sports-talk stations, many Ravens fans are.

In a “normal” year, things like the offense going 0-for-5 on 3rd downs, or the starting linebackers getting absolutely torched in coverage, in preseason games, would be cause for concern, but by no means a reason to hit the panic button.

This year, though, the curse of high expectations makes those weaknesses appear to be all the more glaring.

“We’ll never win a Super Bowl with these bums around Ray! Heath Miller and Jermaine Gresham will kill us!”

“Why does Flacco STILL keep checking down so much?”

“What in the world happened to Michael Oher? Isn’t this guy supposed to be good?!”

Those are the kinds of things Ravens fans were screaming at their televisions Saturday night.

In the days since, I’ve found myself torn between agreeing with this kind of knee-jerk, reactionary (and sometimes alcohol-induced) hyperbole and with trying to remind myself that we really can take nothing from preseason football games. Hell, the Bills torched the Colts last week (with both teams’ starters on the field).

Again, I think it’s the expectations getting the better of me. In our stubborn (and usually unrequited) love of the underdog role, we take the defensive mechanism of talking ourselves into the notion that our team probably isn’t as good as everybody says.

If we don’t expect too much, we might not be let down.

Hopefully, the day is coming when these kinds of expectations are par for the course in Baltimore. As much as we despise the Pittsburghs, Indianapolises, and New Englands of the world, their fans have learned to deal with being preseason favorites long ago. That is the kind of culture that Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh are trying to build around here, and it would be great if it became common enough that we all just got used to it. That day obviously isn’t here yet. And in the end, all the predictions and prognostications go straight out the window once the opening kick of the season is in the air.

My suggestions, then, for my fellow Ravens fans and myself, are these:

  • Don’t buy into the hype. Make the team prove something before you label them as contenders or busts.
  • Recognize the weaknesses in the team, but also remember that this really is still the preseason. Until the games count, many of these guys just aren’t wired mentally to do anything more than go through the motions. Remember that the coaches are using these games to evaluate, and they too are careful of how much they are revealing.
  • Get excited about the strengths too. That 21-yard completion from Flacco to Boldin on Saturday was a pretty play, and there are plenty more like it where that came from.
  • Find something productive to do between now and September 13. Get your mind off the purple and black. The time for pulling out your hair isn’t until the games start to count.

I’ll try my best to abide by these. I hope you will too.

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Is Ravens’ Kicking “Competition” a Farce?

Posted by darnold on Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Graham

As the Baltimore Ravens continue their ongoing quest to replace the legendary-around-these-parts Matt Stover at placekicker, an interesting dynamic has evolved in this year’s fight for the position. Eleventh-year veteran Shayne Graham was signed this spring, and was expected to win the position from seventh-year player Billy Cundiff, who kicked for the Ravens for the final 7 games of the 2009 campaign. Graham enters 2010 as the 4th most accurate kicker in NFL history at 85.2% (since I know you’ll ask, Stover currently sits at 83.7%). He has a reputation for failing in the clutch though, and never was this more evident than during the 2009 playoffs, when he missed two FGs during a 24-14 loss to the New York Jets.

Cundiff was a mediocre 12-for-17 for the Ravens in 2009, including misses from 37 and 51 in the season finale against Oakland, a game the team needed to win to make the postseason, and a miss from 30 in week 11 against the Colts, a game the Ravens lost 17-15.

Cundiff

So, again, Graham seemed to be the obvious of the two less-than-stellar choices for the Ravens going into the 2010 season.

/Channels Lee Corso/

Corso

Not so fast, my friend.

I haven’t been up to Westminster for training camp this year. Like many of you I’m sure, however, I listen to plenty of local sports talk radio to keep up with the goings on from McDaniel College. Some interesting reports have been emerging lately, regarding the Cundiff vs. Graham “saga.”

Fox 1370′s Rob Long stated last week, prior to the Carolina game, that Billy Cundiff had far outshone Shayne Graham in camp to that point. He went so far as to say that, should Graham miss a field goal in the first preseason game, then Cundiff would have effectively “lapped” him in the kicking competition.

Graham, of course, DID miss on Thursday night, wide right from 50 yards. Cundiff kicked only extra points.

Both kickers were impressive on kickoffs, notching touchbacks.

If Long is correct then, and Thursday only served to widen the gap between the two kickers, then statements made earlier this week by Glenn Clark of WNST are more than a little confusing.

Billy Cundiff is MUCH closer in the kicking competition than he might appear; but the team has made it clear that Shayne Graham will be their guy.

I think with Katula gone it will be interesting to see how the competition goes. It’s all on Graham to make kicks moving forward as the team has decided that Katula was part of the problem. Multiple folks in the organization have privately handed Graham the job, but they’re maintaining publicly that they’re still competing.

Privately, the job is Graham’s. Publicly, there’s a competition. With Katula now gone, there will be no excuses if Graham misses more kicks. But the organization has been privately working under the assumption that Graham will be the kicker.

Interesting, and more than a tad confusing. It sounds as though, from Glenn’s perspective, that there really is no kicking “competition,” per se, as the Ravens have already privately handed Graham the job.

I’d be disappointed if the truth really is that this “competition” was decided before training camp even started, and that Cundiff was kept around only to keep the pressure on Graham. In the end though, it could be a moot point. If Graham finishes out the preseason perfect on his kicks, then I have no problem with the team taking him to Meadowlands Stadium on September 13. Hopefully this is the case.

If Graham continues to miss kicks, while Cundiff at least matches him in practices and preseason games, and yet Graham STILL suits up in purple to start the 2010, Ravens fans could be left not only scratching their heads, but once again pining for the return of #3.

Ugh. Once again, way too much “ink” being used in Baltimore with regards to freakin’ kickers.

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Preseason Preview: Panthers @ Ravens

Posted by darnold on Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Ravens Cats

For the second consecutive year, we Ravens fans enter the preseason eager to wipe the bitter taste of a postseason loss to a hated rival out of our mouths. Last year, it was the 2008 AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh we were looking to push out of our memories. This year, the 2009 AFC Divisional game in Indianapolis is, unfortunately, our most recent football memory. Thus, it is with wide open arms we welcome in the 2010 NFL season, even if it is just in preseason mode at the moment.

So, besides the elation that comes with watching our purple and black take the field for the first time in nearly seven months, what should we be watching for on Thursday night? Here’s my far-from-exhaustive list:

Wide Receiver

Is there really any question that watching #81 catch passes at M&T Bank Stadium is what has most Ravens fans salivating most at the moment? Anquan Boldin gives the Ravens’ passing attack the kind of legitimacy it hasn’t had since Vinny Testaverde was heaving pigskins to Michael Jackson and Derrick Alexander in the team’s infancy.

Boldin has already been putting on a show at training camp, so expectations certainly haven’t fallen since his arrival in B’More. The naysayers will point out that Boldin’s strong camp has “only been against the Ravens’ weak secondary.” Boldin has had little trouble regardless of his opponents throughout his career, but Thursday will be his first chance to show us Ravens fans what he can do as a member of our squad.

Is he in sync with Joe Flacco yet?

Does his presence open up space for Derrick Mason and Todd Heap?

These questions obviously won’t be answered this week, as Boldin and the rest of the starters are likely to play no more than a quarter, but it’s something to watch as the march to the regular season continues.

Boldin, of course, isn’t the only wide receiver on the roster. Along with old faithful (emphasis on old) Derrick Mason, the Ravens will trot out Mark Clayton and Dante Stallworth, who are fighting for the #3 spot. By all accounts, Stallworth is putting on a show at camp, but Clayton is also thriving from the slot position, which is the more natural for a player of his particular skill set. While they are both likely to make the roster, the competition has them both trying to push their games to the next level, which only benefits the team as a whole.

Kicker

For the second straight year, the Ravens kicking game is in flux as the preseason opens. However, the two men in the competition this year are much more established NFL performers than their 2009 counterparts were. Nobody is confusing Billy Cundiff and Shayne Graham with Graham Gano and Steven Haushka. Graham is expected to win the job by most, but Cundiff is conceding nothing.

Originally, the coaching staff had said that each kicker would get a half in the preseason games, but that has changed. John Harbaugh now plans to rotate the two on each field goal attempt, to try to ensure them equal opportunities as the final decision approaches.

Remember to keep an eye on their kickoffs as well – not just how far they fly, but on how the opponents return games fair against each. The hang-time and directional placement of kickoffs has a lot more to do with kick coverage success than many fans realize.

Offensive Line

The Jared Gaither saga has made the O-line into a drama that was not supposed to be. I’ll be very interested to see who the team starts at right tackle opposite Michael Oher. The staff knows that, if needed, Marshal Yanda can more than adequately fill that role, with Chris Chester moving inside to Yanda’s guard spot. However, I think they may want to give third-year man Oniel Cousins the chance to win the job in Gaither’s absence. Cousins’ mistakes in the second Pittsburgh game last year were detrimental to the team, but reports have been positive on the 315-pounder so far this summer.

None of us really have any idea how the Gaither thing will wind up playing out. Luckily, the team has a ton of quality depth at both the guard and tackle positions. It’s definitely worth watching to see how this group plays in the preseason, both in opening up lanes for Ray Rice and in keeping Joe Flacco on his feet.

Inside Linebacker

In another mirror image of 2009, the battle for the right to line up next to Ray Lewis on Sundays is one to watch. Last year, rookie Dannell Ellerbe came out of nowhere to win the starting job by the end of the season. He was expected to start again in 2010, but it has actually been Jameel McClain getting the majority of the snaps with the first team in Westminster. McClain, in his 3rd season out of Syracuse, had 2.5 sacks as a rookie in 2008, but didn’t do much in 2009. He had a great offseason though, and now finds himself with the edge over Ellerbe and Tavares Gooden. Practice is one thing though – McClain will have to show that he can perform in game situations to keep his name atop the list.

McClain may also have an edge, as he is considered the best of the three at getting to the quarterback. Which brings us to our next item…

Pass Defense

I say “pass defense” here and not just “secondary” for a reason (and I thank Rob Long of Fox1370 for driving home this point today). Ravens fans are extremely worried about the team’s secondary, with Domonique Foxworth out for the season already, Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington both coming off ACL injuries of their own in 2009, and the continually up-in-the-air status of Ed Reed. The team’s starting corners on Thursday are likely to be Cary Williams and Travis Fisher – not two names that exactly inspire confidence.

However, the success (or lack thereof) of the Ravens’ secondary this year will hinge heavily on the other aspect of pass defense, the pass rush.

Quick, name the four starting cornerbacks on last year’s two Super Bowl teams, the Colts and Saints.

Some of you may have done it, but I’m guessing many of you couldn’t. And even if you could, there are no “big name” CBs like Champ Bailey, Darrelle Revis, or Nnamdi Asomugha on those rosters. What the Colts and Saints have in spades that helps their respective secondaries is a consistently strong pass rush, especially from their front four.

The Ravens’ pass rush will be the key in 2010. If they hang those backup-quality DBs out to dry for 5-6 seconds at a time, we are in trouble. As we are if it takes 6- and 7-man blitzes to get pressure.

Haloti Ngata says he has been focusing on getting to the passer this offseason. He will need to greatly improve that part of his game to take the next step as an elite DL in the NFL.

Newly acquired DT Cory Redding posted back-to-back 10-sack seasons in 2006 and 2007, while playing in the football wasteland of Detroit. If having a Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs lining up around him can rekindle performances like that, the Ravens may be in decent shape.

Speaking of Suggs, keep an eye on #55 as well. All reports out of training camp indicate that you’ll like what you see from the lean-and-mean Sizzle. He won’t suddenly be asked to put his hand in the dirt and rush the QB every play like he was at the start of his career, but when he does rush, take note of whether or not the Panthers try to double-team him, and how he does against any one-on-one blocking he faces.

Again, this list is far from exhaustive, but hey, it’s only the preseason. Most of you will check out after the first quarter or so, along with the starters. If you stick around though, the Ravens’ depth will be on full display. Guys like Demetrius Williams and Marcus Smith at the WR position, who haven’t had to fight for roster spots in the past, will be doing just that to try to keep their jobs. Players who would likely be starting on other teams, like a Brandon McKinney or Marc Bulger, will have the chance to beat up on the Panthers’ reserves.

I don’t bother predicting scores of preseason games (not that I could do much worse than I do for regular season and playoff games though), but I do expect the Ravens to win on Thursday. They are an extremely deep team, as Tony Lombardi tells us, everywhere except cornerback.

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Rookie Report: Narcoleptic Cheeseburgers

Posted by darnold on Thursday, July 29th, 2010

codyburger

Now there’s a headline I bet you never thought you’d read.

I know it’s one I never expected to write, but here we are.

The Ravens’ top 2 draft picks, “Mount” Terrence Cody and Sergio Kindle, are making quite an impression during this, the first week of training camp.

Cody, as we’ve all heard way too many times already (seriously, it was a headline on Huffington Post the other day – Really?!), failed his conditioning test twice on Tuesday. He then passed it on Wednesday. For some reason, the latter story wasn’t plastered all over Yahoo, MSN, Drudge Report, and FatGuysthatCantRun.com. Peculiar.

For his trouble, Cody was bestowed a much less flattering nickname than he had been used to.

Cody has also taken some ribbing from his teammates after he was unable to practice. Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata has nicknamed him “cheeseburger.”

As for Kindle, it’s been well publicized that he fell down two flights of stairs, fractured his skull, and nobody has any idea of when he’ll be able to suit up and play football again. People have speculated that Kindle’s story about taking a wrong turn in an unfamiliar house is BS, and that there were more nefarious factors at play. This is based on Kindle’s spotty past, which includes a DUI and a car wreck caused by driving while texting.

However, Kindle’s former coach offered up this take: Kindle has narcolepsy.

University of Texas coach Mack Brown said Sergio Kindle’s recent fall down two flights of stairs might have been the result of narcolepsy, according to Orangebloods.com’s Chip Brown.

Before the Ravens drafted Kindle, there was a report that said he takes medication for narcolepsy (there are reports that he fell asleep during team meetings) and Attention Deficit Disorder.

After they drafted Kindle, the Ravens were asked about the report that Kindle takes medication for narcolepsy and ADD. At that point, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome and director of player personnel Eric DeCosta looked at each other before laughing. “If it was a concern, we probably wouldn’t have picked him,” DeCosta said at the time.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness. Some researchers believe there might be a link between narcolepsy and sleepwalking.

This circus just keeps getting wilder. Hell, the only person I have ever known of with narcolepsy was that chick in “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo.”

Kindle Narco

Let’s cross our fingers that both these rookies get their acts together – Cody with his conditioning and Kindle with his head (literally and figuratively) – ASAP. And that the next few weeks bring a lot more football news and familiar-sounding headlines that those which we’ve endured so far this week.

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Please, Ed Reed, Just be Quiet and Get Healthy

Posted by darnold on Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Reed STFU

Baltimore Sun Photo (Edited, Obviously)

So once again I have to begin a post/discussion with the disclaimer that I am a huge Ed Reed fan. Number 20 has been causing some waves this offseason – first he came out and said that he had some offseason hip surgery, from which he was only about 30-35% recovered. Then in the next breath he talked about wanting a new contract from the Ravens. That latter part of that interview was jumped all over by the local media and blogs, while I thought of it more as a non-story. Tony Lombardi at Ravens24x7 went so far as to say that it was a case of greedy journalists “selling out” Reed (I tend to agree).

However, the latest word vomit (a tip of the hat to the newly incarcerated Lindsay Lohan for that one – what, you didn’t see “Mean Girls?” Psh…you’re missing out…pre-coke LiLo, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Seyfried, Tina Fey…but I digress) out of Reed’s mouth is a bit more substantial, to my ears.

During an interview on 105.7 the fan yesterday, Reed said that Troy Smith would be better equipped than Marc Bulger to be Joe Flacco’s backup. Now, unless Reed is referring to the kind of “better equipped” that he would be privy to only by sharing a locker room with these guys, than that statement is absolutely ludicrous.

Bulger is “just another guy that’s been in the league and been around,” Reed said, adding that recently acquired defensive back Ken Hamlin “adds depth to the secondary.”

Marc Bulger has started 95 games in his career.
Troy Smith has started TWO.

Bulger has thrown for over 22,000 yards.
Smith has thrown for 558.

Also, Ed, Bulger has not “been around,” in the sense that he is a journeyman veteran. He has played for one team his entire career, and behind one of the worst offensive lines in football the past several seasons. The Bulger signing was widely regarded around football as beneficial to the team, and as a move that a true Super Bowl contender makes – getting some solid insurance for their young starting signal-caller.

Troy Smith was a fifth round draft pick. He was assigned a fifth-round tender this offseason, meaning that ANY team in this quarterback-deprived league could have had him for the bargain bin price of a 5th round draft pick. Hell, even his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns, whom he has practically begged to sign him for a year now, decided to go instead with the washed up Jake Delhomme AND Seneca Wallace over Smith (maybe the Browns were trying to save their fans another LeBron situation with Smith? :snicker:) NFL talent evaluators obviously have absolutely no regard for Troy Smith, so why he, and to a greater extent, his teammates, hold him in such high regard is truly a mystery.

Fortunately, it’s one that isn’t likely to bother us for much longer. Bulger WILL be the team’s backup this year, and Smith would piss and moan so much at the prospect of being #3 that the Ravens aren’t likely to hold onto him, especially considering that John Beck (another better option than Smith, IMHO) would be happy to just be on a roster in 2010. Smith could learn a thing or two from that mentality.

In the meantime, Ed Reed needs to just…stop…talking…and focus on getting better. The news today is that he expects to start the season on the “Physically Unable to Perform” list, which means he’ll miss at least the team’s first six games. The battle to replace him between Tom Zbikowski and Ken Hamlin will be one to watch this summer, much moreso than the already-decided affair that is to be Bulger vs. Smith for the backup QB job.

Updated:

Well, I had hardly finished editing and posting this piece and it’s already become apparent that Ed has no plans at all to take my advice.

Talking to The Sun’s Jamison Hensley, who tracked down Reed at a kids’ football camp today, Ed has plenty more input to give:

Reed said “I haven’t had the support from the other side as you think has been there.”

Reed indicated he hadn’t asked the Ravens for a new contract this year, but that he did last year. He’s unhappy with his current deal, which has three years remaining.

“The word I got was: ‘We’re comfortable with where we’re at,’” Reed said. “Yes, you would be comfortable with the plays that I’m making on the field and paying me what you’re paying me.”

“There are six, seven players in front of me [financially] at my position that I honestly wouldn’t let hold my jock, and I don’t even wear one,” Reed said.

In not wearing a jock, Reed revealed that he has something in common with Carl Crawford.

That was my input at this point, a lame joke. Because right now, my favorite Raven is quickly approaching the necessity of a “former” in front of that title.

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How Much Will Ravens Suffer without Ed Reed?

Posted by darnold on Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Reed
AP Photo

There has been a lot of hub-bub recently regarding the status of Ravens’ All-World Safety Ed Reed going into the start of the 2010 NFL season.

Reed is recovering from offseason hip surgery, and in his own words, is about about “35 percent” at this point in time. There is zero chance Reed will be ready for the start of training camp, and plenty of doubt about whether he will be ready for the Ravens’ season opener against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football September 13.

I’ve read it several times now, and I’ve also heard it from the talking heads on the radio and tv: the Ravens’ defense without Ed Reed will suffer the same way that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense did last year without Troy Polamalu.

Comparing Reed and Polamalu has been the fun and popular thing to do now for about the last half-decade. Polamalu, of course, missed most of the 2009 season, and the Squealers’ defense suffered, especially in the secondary and especially late in ballgames – very uncharacteristic of them. With Reed potentially missing time this year, the easy corollary to make, then, is that the Ravens will be in the same boat in 2010 that the Steelers were in in 2009.

It’s a valid talking point, no doubt. But let’s take a step back and look at some numbers, shall we?

Ed Reed started 14 of the Ravens 18 games in 2009 (12 regular season games and 2 postseason). He missed weeks 13-16 with pain in that same hip, and Tom Zbikowski started in his stead. How did the defense play in those two scenarios?

In the 14 games WITH Reed, the Ravens were 8-6, and allowed 16.8 points, and 217.5 yards passing, per game.

In the 4 games WITHOUT Reed (with Zibby playing Free Safety) – 2-2; 15 points, 187.8 yards passing, per game.

Also, Zibby had 2 interceptions in 4 games, compared to Reed’s 5 in 14.

Some caveats, of course:

  • Zibby has a much smaller sample size
  • Two of Zibby’s games were against the Lions and Bears

Without Ed Reed, the Ravens’ defense certainly becomes one that is less exciting to watch, and one that is far less likely to produce a touchdown on any given play. On the other hand, it may also become a more fundamentally sound defense, as Reed has often been accused of too much “gambling” on the field, and by extension, one that allows fewer big plays.

Another point to bring up is that the Ravens hope to continue their recent trend of not NEEDING points from the defense to win ballgames. As much hub-bub as there has been about Reed this offseason, there has been even more about how explosive the Ravens’ offense has the potential to be. If the offense can indeed put points on the board more consistently than they’ve been able to in recent memory, Reed’s 100-yard interception returns may not be nearly as missed on the scoreboard as they may be on the highlight reels.

Look, any reader of my stuff knows that I couldn’t be a bigger Ed Reed homer. I’m not trying to downplay the effect that his absence may have on this year’s squad. I’m just trying to keep my fellow Ravens fans, as many of you are wont to do, from starting your annual march off the cliff while we’re still sweltering through another humid B’More summer.

Should Mr. Reed be unfit to start the 2010 season, Tom Zbikowski, and the Ravens new offense, may very well be more than properly equipped to prop the purple and black up as we wait for the return of #20.

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