Posts Tagged ‘Ed Reed’

Play Like a Raven – Week 7

Posted by darnold on Thursday, October 28th, 2010

PlayLikeaRayRice

Ray Rice had a solid, if unspectacular, day Sunday, rushing for 72 yards on 16 carries (4.5 ypc). Mike Preston wrote on Monday that Rice seems to be a bit slow hitting his holes, making too many cuts trying to find the “home run.”

Running back Ray Rice carried the ball 16 times for 72 yards against the Bills Sunday, but he is still slow hitting holes.

Rice had a similar problem the week before against the New England Patriots. The Ravens are opening holes, but Rice is hesitating, trying to bounce outside or cut back for the home run instead of just blasting through the hole.

Additionally, in the fourth quarter, when the Ravens could have really used some yards on the ground to put the game away, Rice was nowhere to be found, for the most part. His fourth quarter touches:

3-7-BAL 10 (9:09) (Shotgun) 5-J.Flacco pass short right to 27-R.Rice to BLT 11 for 1 yard (59-A.Coleman).
1-10-BUF 44 (4:54) 27-R.Rice right guard to BUF 43 for 1 yard (99-M.Stroud, 90-C.Kelsay).
2-9-BUF 43 (4:15) 27-R.Rice left guard to BUF 40 for 3 yards (95-K.Williams, 20-D.Whitner).

I still maintain that Rice is the most important piece to this offense, but his follow-up to his Pro Bowl 2009 season has been a bit disappointing. Let’s hope he picks things up in the second half of the season.

Played Like a Raven – Ed Reed

Mr. Reed made his triumphant return to the gridiron against the Bills, and had a huge say in the outcome of the game. Eddie picked off two Ryan Fitzpatrick passes and caused a Roscoe Parrish fumble. The Ravens had only two interceptions in six games without #20, and that total was already doubled after just 45 minutes of football with Reed on the field.

I’m imagining Tom Zbikowski standing on the sideline, muttering to himself “they never throw the ball to me like that, mehhhh…”

The goofy faction of Ravens fans that maintain the delusion that the secondary is better without Reed (due to his “wreckless” play) will point to the four long touchdown passes as evidence that their claim still holds water. To those people, I’d remind them of the big touchdown passes by Denver in Week 5, and the horrendous play by Ravens’ cornerbacks all day against Buffalo. The bottom line is, if Ed Reed doesn’t play Sunday, the Ravens are very likely 4-3 today.

Honorable Mentions: Ray Lewis, Todd Heap, Marshal Yanda

Did Not Play Like a Raven – Rest of Defense

Holy shitballs. Where to start?

Let’s go down the list, excluding the two players (#20 and #52, of course) named above.

Fabian Washington: “Toast” was burned again and again, to the point that, by Fabe’s own admission, Ryan Fitzpatrick was calling him out via audibles at the line of scrimmage.

“Once they start going after somebody, you’ve got to get them off you then,” said Washington, who wears No. 31. “[Sunday] was, ‘check, check 31.’ That’s what it was. This week, they got me, but please believe I will be back.”

After his great day against Denver, Washington has fallen off a cliff. In New England, he was simply ineffective, and, against the Bills, he had likely his worst game as a pro. Fabe looked completely shell-shocked by the end of his day, which came midway through the fourth quarter when he was benched in favor of Josh Wilson following Fitzpatrick’s final touchdown pass.

Haloti Ngata, Terrell Suggs: These two are counted on by the Ravens’ defense to be playmakers. Do you remember hearing either of their named called on Sunday? Suggs and Ngata can NOT be invisible, or this defense is in more trouble than any of us realize. Ngata’s play is somewhat excused by the rest of his body of work so far in 2010. Suggs needs to step up down the stretch, it’s just that simple.

Edit: Some guys that know a lot more about football than me say that Sunday was actually Suggs’ best day rushing the passer since the Washington game in 2008, despite his not recording a sack.

The seven total pressures (a hit, six pressures) Suggs recorded in this game was the most since he recorded eight (a sack, a hit, six pressures) in Week 14 of the 2008 season against the Washington Redskins.

Lardarius Webb: He was slowed by a groin wrap, but Webb was the one beaten on the 33-yard touchdown to Stevie Johnson.

Webb said he had his groin wrapped as a precaution, but took it off after Johnson beat him for a 33-yard score in the second quarter.

“That’s not an excuse,” Webb said. “I’m still supposed to make that play. I took it off then, and didn’t have any problems. I’m thinking I never should have put it on in the first place. It’s the NFL. Everybody makes plays.

Webbie also whiffed on several tackle attempts.

Dawan Landry: Sure, he had 9 tackles, but how many did he miss? Unfortunately, they don’t keep that stat on NFL.com (well, fortunately for Dawan). Landry has been sub-par in pass support, run support, and general tackling all season. Maybe during his week off, he can go work out with, and get some pointers from, his brother LaRon, who is having a stellar season down in Landover for the Redskins.

Jarret Johnson, Paul Kruger, Brandon McKinney, Terrence Cody, Cory Redding: Buffalo averaged 3.8 yards per rushing play for the day, and had 132 total yards on the ground. Fitzpatrick was sacked only once, and it was hardly a true sack (he rolled out on a 4th-and-1 bootleg, and was stopped behind the line by Lewis). Nobody on the defense escapes blame for the Bills’ 64% 3rd-down conversion rate on the day.

Just an ugly, ugly performance all around.

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Ravens 37 Bills 34 OT (The SHOULD HAVE SUITED UP THE 2000 DEFENSE Game)

Posted by darnold on Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

On Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens honored the 2000 Super Bowl team with a “homecoming” of sorts.

Maybe they should have let those guys play a bit. Even though most of them haven’t stepped foot on a field in nearly a decade, they certainly couldn’t have been any worse than the current Ravens were yesterday.

I’m pretty sure Tony Siragusa could have plugged up the middle and slowed down Buffalo’s rushing game more aptly than Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg, and co. were able to.

I’m fairly certain that Duane Starks would have held his own against the Bills’ wide receivers better than Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb did.

Fabian “Toast” Washington was burned repeatedly

And I’m damn positive that Kim Herring could have stepped in and given Dawan Landry an absolute clinic on how to make a tackle.

On a day when members of the greatest defense of all time were in the house, the Ravens did little to make the former Super Bowl champs proud.

The Buffalo Bills came into Baltimore and ran roughshod over the Ravens’ defense, doing pretty much anything they wanted to all afternoon. They entered the game averaging just 251 yards of total offense per game, and had more than doubled that output (506 total yards of offense) by the time Billy Cundiff’s 38-yard field goal gave the Ravens the 37-34 victory. In overtime. Against, of all teams, the freaking Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo also sported the worst 3rd-down conversion percentage in the NFL entering the game. At the end of the day, one of the two teams was just 2/11 on 3rd downs, while the other was a stout 11/17 on their way to holding the ball for more than 38 minutes. The latter, of course, however inexplicably, was the Bills.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick put an end to the Bills league-worst 58 consecutive games without a 300-yard passer, and did so emphatically; he threw for 374 yards and FOUR touchdowns. Not to be outdone, receivers Lee Evans and Stevie Johnson ended Bills streaks of their own, as each surpassed 100 yards receiving, something no Buffalo Bill had managed in 11 games.

Not that it was a complete aerial assualt – Buffalo also put up 132 yards on the ground for the day.

And yet…as bleak a picture as all of those numbers paint – not only on the day, but moving forward as well – the Ravens still eked out the win.

It was up to the offense to bail the defense out yesterday, and Joe Flacco, Anquan Boldin, Todd Heap, and company were up to the challenge. Finding themselves in a 24-10 hole after Evans’ second touchdown with 5 minutes remaining in the first half, the Ravens’ offense – with an assist from the great Ed Reed (more on him later) – ripped off 17 points in just 71 seconds of game clock to take a 27-24 lead.

The final 7 of that 17 came on a beautiful flea flicker, a play that I would bet the Ravens haven’t hit on in at least five years. From the Buffalo 34, Joe Flacco handed to Willis McGahee, who lateraled back to Flacco, and Joe launched a gorgeous touchdown rainbow to Anquan Boldin.

While Joe didn’t have his best day, he made enough plays to win the game. He connected on just 16 of his 31 throws, but the ones he did hit, he made count: 250 yards through the air was the final result, with three touchdown strikes of 26, 14, and 34 yards.

Ed Reed. The man just makes plays. Even though Reed looked a half-step slow at times during the day, his uncanny nose for the football just will not be suppressed. On the Bills’ first series, when it looked like they were about to pick up a 3rd-and-8 from the Ravens’ 32, Reed came up and put his helmet right on the ball, jarring it free from wideout Roscoe Parrish. The Ravens didn’t recover, but Buffalo lost 12 yards on the play, and the ensuing punt set the Ravens’ up to take their short-lived 3-0 lead. On Buffalo’s very first snap of the second half, Reed, off a tipped pass from Ray Lewis, intercepted Fitzpatrick to set up the aforementioned flea flicker score. And, at the end of the third, with the Ravens holding a 34-24 lead, just a single play after he came up a little lame and CBS analyst Steve Beuerlein noted that Reed looked a little slow, #20 AGAIN intercepted Fitzpatrick, this time returning the pick 40 yards to the Buffalo nine.

That play should have effectively won the game for the Ravens. Unfortunately, Willis McGahee and Joe Flacco botched the handoff on the ensuing snap, and gave the ball right back to the Bills. Instead of a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter, the defense was faced for the second straight week with a 10 point lead at the same juncture in the ball game. And, just like in New England last week, they would cave.

Buffalo put together a 63-yard touchdown drive and a 59-yard field goal drive – the latter starting at their own 9 yard line with just 3:26 to go in the game – in the fourth quarter, while the Ravens managed just a single first down in the final period. It’s distressing that just a week after blowing a fourth quarter lead, both units – offense and defense – again choked when given the chance to put the game away.

Facing the worst run defense in the league, and having gained nearly 5 yards per carry all day, the Ravens’ fourth quarter play selection was the following:

1st drive: Run (fumble)
2nd drive: Pass (incomplete), Run (6 yards), Pass (1 yard), Punt
3rd drive: Pass (incomplete), Pass (36 yards), Run (1 yard), Run (3 yards), Pass (incomplete), Punt

And in overtime (the drive that didn’t START in field goal range): Run (5 yards), Pass (incomplete), Pass (sack), Punt

Five runs, seven passes.

Now, some will argue that Cam Cameron was just doing exactly what Ravens fans were blasting him for NOT doing after last week’s New England loss – that is, being aggressive and not “going conservative.” To those people, I’d offer this rebuttal: the difference is, in both instances, Cam went AWAY from what was working. Last week in New England, it was the intermediate passing game that was having success – and in the fourth quarter the Ravens decided they were going to play it safe. Against Buffalo – again, the WORST run defense in the league – Ray Rice was having a fairly good day and Willis McGahee was outstanding (besides the fumble), averaging nearly six yards per carry. Add in that Flacco, as mentioned earlier, was erratic on the day (he should have been intercepted at least once, if not twice), and the decision to skew the playcalling towards the pass in the fourth quarter and overtime becomes even more perplexing.

I suppose I just don’t understand NFL playcalling. I’ll leave it at that for now, so I don’t drive myself insane.

Two additional points I’d be remiss not to address: First up, Ray Lewis. With his former teammates watching, is it any surprise that #52 would say, “enough of this bullshit, we’re not losing,” and just straight up maul the football from Bills tight end Shawn Nelson? Make no mistake about it, Ray won the game with that play, as the Ravens had very little hope of stopping the offensive juggernaut that stole the Buffalo Bills’ jerseys and wore them in Baltimore.

The second point, which piggybacks right off of that one – the officials. I’ve complained about the refereeing enough on this blog over the years that I’d be quite hypocritical to not acknowledge that the Ravens were aided monumentally at least once yesterday by the guys’ in stripes. So, referee Pete Morelli and crew: thank you for not blowing the whistle on that play.

In fairness, former NFL VP of Officiating Mike Pereira says the refs made the right call.

The other curious ruling came two plays before Flacco found Heap to pull the Ravens to within 24-20 at the half. Flacco had appeared to have found Bills cornerback Reggie Corner (great career choice BTW Reggie!) for an interception that would have kep the deficit at 11 points at the break. However, luckily, Corner was ruled out of bounds even after review – and Boldin was not flagged for offensive pass interference (though either player could have been called for P.I.)

The Ravens have problems on both sides of the ball, and on special teams, and we’ll get into those problems deeper here during the bye week. But for now, let’s just thank our lucky (after yesterday, that word bears repeating) stars that the Ravens go into the off date at 5-2 and right where they need to be…record-wise, anyway.

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Patriots 23 Ravens 20 OT (The GOTTA PLAY/COACH ALL FOUR QUARTERS Game)

Posted by darnold on Monday, October 18th, 2010

On Sunday, the Ravens lost.

They lost to a very good football team.

They lost to a very good football team with a Hall-of-Fame head coach.

They lost to a very good football team with a Hall-of-Fame head coach and a Hall-of-Fame quarterback.

They lost to a very good football team with a Hall-of-Fame head coach and a Hall-of-Fame quarterback, who had two weeks to rest and prepare.

They lost to a very good football team with a Hall-of-Fame head coach and a Hall-of-Fame quarterback, who had two weeks to rest and prepare, on the road.

All of that, I can deal with.

What makes this loss so difficult to stomach is what I neglected to mention above…

On Sunday, the Ravens lost to a very good football team with a Hall-of-Fame head coach and quarterback, who had two weeks to rest and prepare, on the road…in a game in which they held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.

Yeah. That last point is the inexcusable part. For the first 45 minutes of the game, the Ravens beat the Patriots up and down the field, building a 20-10 lead with 14:57 remaining. What was unfortunate, and what ultimately proved to be the difference in the game, was that in the four plays prior to Billy Cundiff’s 25-yard field goal gave the Ravens what would be their final points for the day, Ravens’ receivers dropped two potential touchdown passes. On the first, Anquan Boldin was separated from the ball by a New England safety after a perfect strike from Joe Flacco from 20 yards out. On the second, Derrick Mason heard footsteps and couldn’t haul in what should have been a seven-yard score.

Sure, both plays would have required impressive, if not spectacular, catches. But both Boldin and Mason got two hands on the ball, and in the NFL, those passes should have been caught – especially by veterans like those two. If they are, this recap likely has a much different tone.

Compounding the problem was that, after that series, the Ravens offense (both playcalling and execution) seemed to climb aboard the plane back to Baltimore. With the exception of an 18-yard pass from Flacco to Boldin on the opening play of their next drive, the Ravens offense went 3-and-out, 3-and-out, 3-and-out on their next three possessions of regulation and overtime. The aforementioned Boldin completion came with 10:24 left in the fourth. The Ravens would not pick up another first down until the 10:17 mark of overtime – over a full quarter of play.

Three plays after that 10:24 first down, a sequence that could likely be pointed to as the pivotal one of the game unfolded.

On 3rd-and-1 from their own 47, leading 20-17, Cam Cameron called for a quarterback sneak. A play which, for anyone watching, was obviously doomed from the start. Flacco attempted to go through Pats’ defensive linemen Vince Wilfork and Greg Warren, and didn’t have a prayer.

The talk radio lines will no doubt be lighting up this week with people blaming Cameron for the odd call, and Flacco for not recognizing the defense and audibling out of the play. What is likely to be an even greater point of contention this week in B’More, though, is what happened next.

Facing 4th-and-the length of the football, Coach John “you have to put teams away when you have the chance” Harbaugh elected to punt. To punt the ball back to Tom Brady and the Patriots offense, who were fresh off an 8-play, 60-yard drive where they faced only a single third down, in that situation…puzzling, to say that least. To say a bit more, it was the kind of decision that we just aren’t used to seeing from Harbaugh, who has proven during his 2+ years as the head coach, that he has plenty of “balls” in those type of situations. This time, though, he went timid, and the Ravens paid dearly.

It wasn’t just Harbaugh that went into a shell in the fourth quarter and overtime though. He took the entire Baltimore coaching staff with him.

Cam Cameron stopped picking on the Patriots’ secondary.

Greg Mattison gave Brady the short underneath stuff in the passing game, and Brady took it eagerly.

Now, give New England credit. As mentioned, they have a great coaching staff of their own, and those guys made the necessary adjustments. They took away Flacco’s passing lanes. They threw quick screen after quick screen on offense. They did what was necessary to win the game. What the Ravens’ coaches were up to is anybody’s guess.

Flacco played very well all day, going 27/35 for 285 yards and two touchdowns. I don’t know if the Ravens’ coaches’ tentative mentality was preached to Joe on the sideline during the fourth quarter or what, but he wasn’t the same after those two dropped touchdown passes. He seemed much more willing to check down to Ray Rice, even though Rice was routinely swarmed by New England linebackers.

That’s another area where New England must be commended – they were not going to let Rice destroy them like he did in the two 2009 meetings. Although there seemed to be some nice holes on the Ravens’ opening drive, ultimately Rice ran the ball 28 times for just 88 yards, and his long of the day was just eight. He added eight receptions for 38 yards, but really wasn’t a major factor in the game.

Which brings us to the next puzzling thing about the gameplan of the Ravens’ staff…

Where the hell was Willis McGahee???

McGahee did not see a single touch in Foxborough, and I’m not even positive he was at the stadium. Sure, I was calling for Rice to take over goalline duties from Willis, but to just leave #23 on the sideline all afternoon? Especially considering the relative lack of success that Rice was having? It just makes absolutely no sense to me that McGahee was never even inserted as a sort of change-of-pace, and I’ll be anticipating how Cameron and Harbaugh explain that fact this week.

Before we wrap up, we can’t excuse the Ravens’ defense or special teams here either. While it’s commendable to hold New England to just 23 points, after they had put up 38 in each of their prior two home games, there were some disturbing signs from the “D.”

First off, what the hell is it with the Ravens’ inability to stop white running backs? We all remember Peyton Hillis running roughshod over them in week 2, and in Foxborough, Danny Freakin’ Woodhead had 63 yards and 5.7 per carry. They also had a hell of a time tackling Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez, and Deion Branch, allowing the Pats to rack up an incredible amount of YAC, after doing such a great job against the Denver Broncos last week.

Next, Mattison’s insistence to only rush three men so often is starting to cost the team. By now we know not to expect the kind of blitzes that we saw when Rex Ryan was in town, but giving Tom Brady 5 or 6 seconds to find a receiver down near the end zone isn’t a recipe for success in any universe. I don’t care if the Ravens emptied the bench and put 12 guys in the end zone covering Pats’ receivers, if Brady can basically take his helmet off back there and stand flat footed, he’s going to find someone. And that’s exactly what he did to get New England to within 20-17. With the exception of Haloti Ngata, the Ravens’ pass rush was disturbingly non-existent, especially considering the past success they have had against the Patriots.

Finally, we come to special teams. While they never came up with the huge game-breaker that we feared, and that they used to beat Miami in week 4, New England was clearly the superior unit on Sunday.

Jalen Parmele needs to be out of a job. His indecision/terrible decisions cost the Ravens a good bit of field position on at least two occasions.

Neither Chris Carr nor Tom Zbikowski can generate anything on punt returns. And when it seems like they just MIGHT, it’s always because someone else is illegally blocking or holding. On top of that, their refusal to come up and field punts that aren’t hit directly to them cost the team additional field position several times. It’s a sad state of affairs for the Ravens’ return games.

Even Billy Cundiff, despite his three touchbacks, had a costly gaffe. After going up 20-10, Cundiff’s ensuing kickoff squirted out of bounds at about the two yard line…two yards too soon, which resulted in the Patriots starting at their own 40-yard line.

The Ravens outplayed the Patriots for three quarters Sunday. Despite the Pats having two weeks to prepare, the Ravens appeared ready to take their best shot and bring a 5-1 record back to B’More.

Unfortunately, they were outplayed and (thoroughly) outcoached during the final quarter and the overtime period, and 4-2 is the result.

Still not a terrible place to be, after four tough road games, and with only a home game against Buffalo standing between us and the bye week.

Oh, and a certain guy who wears #20 is rumored to be coming back this week.

Things could be worse.

Let’s not melt down like a bunch of complete morons, please (these comments make me embarrassed to be a Ravens fan).

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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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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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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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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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Let’s Meet our New Ravens, Shall We?

Posted by darnold on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

After a bit of a blogging vacation (blogcation?), I’m back and finally ready to look at how the Ravens’ 2010 draft went.

Round 2 (43 overall) – Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas

After trading out of the first round (for the record, as I predicted they would do if Jermaine Gresham was not available, which he was not), the Ravens used their first pick at #43 to take Kindle, the LB from Texas. In their final Mock Drafts, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay of ESPN had kindle going at #22 and #13 overall, respectively. This was just days before the draft, and Kindle was considered by the “experts” to be a first round talent.

The issue that caused Sergio (I’ve heard some call him “Serge”) to fall down the board are questions about his knees. Some anticipate that he may need the kind of microfracture surgery that caused Kelly Gregg to miss the entire 2008 season, and need it sooner rather than later. However, Eric DeCosta, in his post-draft interviews around town, swore up and down that the Ravens’ doctors have no concerns about Kindle. According to Eric, team doctors failed about 15 players in this year’s class due to health concerns, but Kindle was not one of them.

Kindle represents HUGE value for the Ravens at #43, and one has to believe that they were ecstatic to pick him up on Friday. In the interest of getting ourselves a little ecstatic as well, let’s look at some Kindle highlights.

I’m excited about Kindle, but I have to think that the choice hints that the Ravens aren’t too confident in guys like Antwan Barnes and Paul Kruger (unless they’re totally convinced he can make the switch to DE) moving forward.

Round 2 (57 overall) – Terrence Cody, NT, Alabama

Hey, look – another pick, another semi-accurate prediction by yours truly (I said that there was as much chance of the Ravens taking Cody in the 2nd round as there was in the first, where Jamison Hensley had them taking him).

Also, another pick, another guy with some red flags. Unlike Kindle, whose health concerns stem from injuries, Cody’s stem from a perceived lack of motivation and inability to stay in shape. 2009′s Man-Boobs award winner Andre Smith passed the torch to Cody this year.

Smith Cody

I don’t really subscribe to the “Ray Lewis will just yell at him” mentality that some Ravens fans seem to buy into, but Ozzie & Co. must have liked what they heard from Cody in interviews and believe they can keep him motivated and in shape.

I just hope he works out better than the last guy named Cody they drafted in the second round.

Round 3 (70 overall) – Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon

The first of two consecutive “potential heir to Todd Heap” selections, was Dickson, the former Duck. Much like Heap, Dickson’s strength coming out of college is stretching the field, and he will have to work on his blocking skills considerably at the next level. Along with the next selection, though, Dickson should help the team be much improved at the position compared to a year ago, when the worthless L.J. Smith was running around M&T Bank Stadium.

Round 4 (114 overall) – Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU

I’ll admit, that video above was the first I had seen of Pitta. I don’t know about you, but I like what I see. It should be exciting to watch these two rookies battle it out in the preseason; they may both end up on the active game day rosters, especially if they can contribute on special teams, as their respective size and (apparent) athleticism suggests they’ll be able to.

Round 5 (156 overall) – David Reed, WR, Utah

Something tells me Reed and Cody may not be begging to be roommates at McDaniel College this summer.

Reed could have a hard time cracking the roster unless he can shine on special teams, with at least Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason, Dante Stallworth, and Mark Clayton already entrenched on the depth chart. He might be able to unseat Demetrius Williams, however, as that guy has to be hanging on by a thread in B’More.

If Reed does make the roster, is Ed Reed’s jersey now going to read “E. Reed?” That might be annoying. Is there really room for another Mr. REEEEEEEED in purple and black?

Round 5 (157 overall) – Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse

Jones may be Ozzie’s next late round gem, a la Adalius Thomas. He was graded as a 2nd-3rd round talent by many scouts. With the losses of Dwan Edwards and Justin Bannan, many had the Ravens’ defensive front as a sudden weakness just a few weeks into free agency. However, they have since signed Cory Redding, and with the drafts of Cody and Jones, combined with Kelly Gregg continuing to get stronger from his 2008 knee surgery, the Ravens may be even stronger at DT in 2010 than they were in 2009.

Round 6 (194 overall) – Ramon Harewood, OT/OG, Morehouse

Harewood is another giant, at 6’7″ 360 lbs. You can never have too many offensive lineman, but Harewood will have his work cut out for him to make the team. We wish him luck.

The Ravens have been getting high grades from around the sports-yap world for their draft. Of course, nobody can REALLY grade a draft for at least three years. The talent that they came away with is undeniable, but so are the question marks, especially on the top guys. If Kindle’s knees prove healthy and strong, and Cody’s work ethic is sound, the second round here could help solidify the defensive front for years to come. If one of Dickson or Pitta can step up and become a nice big downfield target for Joe Flacco, it could really help his development as a quarterback.

With the draft finally wrapped up, the rampant ridiculous speculation can come to a close for this year. Now we await reports from the spring minicamps, from which we hope to hear glaring reviews of this latest class of purple rookies.

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