Ravens fall in Atlanta; The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Baltimore Ravens entered their game tonight at 6-2 overall, the leader of the AFC North Division, with an idea of who they are as a football team. After 60 minutes of action against the Atlanta Falcons, I think Dennis Green would say, "The Ravens are who we thought they were."

The Ravens are an organization that expects to win whenever they take the field. They believe they are capable of going anywhere and performing. They have a roster of talent that plays with pride. They also have some fairly self-evident flaws that could potentially eliminate their ability to reach their ultimate goals.


The Good:

1) Ray Rice ran hard and effectively, aided by strong run blocking from the offensive line. He made a number of important plays in the 4th Quarter based solely on second effort.

2) I liked seeing Boldin gather the offense and challenge them to perform after Flacco's interception early in the 2nd-half. It was fitting that on the next offensive series that Boldin was the player that got the Ravens on the board.

3) Stallworth was able to contribute to the offense with a couple of run reverses. Obviously he has better pure speed than any of the other receivers.

4) I'm happy that playing time for Cody has increased these last two games.

5) Overall the pass-rush was still very limited, but on his own Suggs changed the game in the 2nd-half. The 2 sacks and pressure from him was great to see.

6) The Ravens took over on offense with 11:34 left in the game, down 20 to 7. With 5:42 on the clock the Baltimore offense punched in their drive to close the gap. They maintained their 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning. They limited the Falcons to 1 first down and got the ball back with 3 minutes left. The Ravens quickly marched the field, and grabbed the lead. Down 13 points on the road to a quality team, Baltimore made the plays necessary to be in position to win.

6a) Flacco did not have the ability to step-up in the pocket like Ryan did tonight, and had a pretty miserable first 3 Quarters of this game. He forced throws, again had trouble over the middle, and missed wildly several times. You have to like that Flacco overcame his poor start, to make plays when it counted.

7) Ryan is talking in the post-game about how he believes the Ravens made good adjustments to the Falcons no-huddle offense at half-time.

8) The rush-defense was good, limiting Turner to 39 yards on 17 carries.

The Bad:

1) The 3rd down defense for the Ravens was abysmal and it starts with the lack of pass-rush. (Falcons 12 of 20 on 3rd) While Suggs picked-up his play in the 2nd-half, Ryan was able to step-up in the pocket way too often. When the Ravens blitzed, it got picked-up. When they dropped back into coverage, they got picked apart. The initial Atlanta scoring drive (14 plays for 91 yards and a TD) was excruciating to watch because the Ravens were unable to get the Falcons off the field.

2) I did not like hearing that Atlanta entered tonight with a game-plan they thought would tire out the Front 7 of the Ravens defense. I think the Ravens are going to have reevaluate whom is on their weekly inactive list, and make it more of a priority to rotate bodies on the defensive line.

3) Even before Webb fumbled, I did not like seeing him setting-up for the punt return. He is the Raven's best cover corner and I do not like increasing his risk for injury. Do the Ravens need to be reminded of the leg-injury Webb suffered just last year?

3a) If I disliked seeing Webb back to return a punts, I absolutely despised seeing Reed do the same.

4) The Ravens were facing a team tonight with a pass-rush as feeble as their own. So, it was pretty disappointing that Flacco regularly had the Falcons D-line in his face. Oher was beaten too often.

5) I was not expecting the Ravens to score with 20 seconds left, but David Reed's decision to come out of the endzone was poor.

6) These two teams entered the game both in the Top 5 league wide in time of possession. Atlanta dominated the ball, holding possession for over 35 minutes.

The Ugly:

1) It would have been somewhat livable if the Falcons had kicked a FG to win this game. Allowing Atlanta to march 80 yards in 45 seconds was hard to watch.

1a) Single coverage on White with the game on the line?

Up-Next:

The now 6-3 Baltimore Ravens are off until Sunday the 21st when they head to Carolina to face the Panthers.
With 10 days to prepare, you would expect a win over an over-matched Panthers team. Nothing will mean more than getting the W, but it will be important to see what adjustments the Coaching staff makes for the stretch-run.

Atlanta Falcons Q&A w/ D. Orlando Ledbetter

On a short-week the 6-2 AFC North leading Baltimore Ravens are heading south to meet the 6-2 NFC South leading Falcons in Atlanta.

D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. is the beat-writer for the Falcons for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

You can find his work at:
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-falcons-blog/feed/

and on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ajcfalcons

Baltimore Sports and Life thanks Mr. Ledbetter for answering a few questions on the Falcons.

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Michael Turner is having another good season, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. I note that he only has 9 receptions while his back-up Jason Snelling has 22. Based on that, I would expect that Snelling is on most 3rd downs? Is one back better than the other at blitz pick-up?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "Turner has never been noted for his pass catching ability. Both are very good at picking up the blitz. Actually, the nine catches for Turner project out to 18, which would be a career-high for Turner."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Leading the way for Turner, is former Ravens FB Ovie Mughelli. Not a lot of glory for pure-blocking FB's, but kind of a difference-maker in his own right?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "Ovie is hoping that his lead blocking gets notices and he makes it to the Pro Bowl. He is doing a very good job of lead blocking this season and spring Turner to the second level."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "After leaving the game due to injury Sunday, WR Roddy White was able to return. White has played in every game of his 6-year career, so I would expect to see him back on the field Thursday night. Coming into this season White had 3 consecutive seasons with at-least 83 catches, and 1,150+ yards. This year, his yards per game are up significantly. (99.5 yards per game vs. an average of 77.86 the past 3 seasons). Is he being used slightly different in the offense? How do you rate him among the elite wideouts in the game?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "He is running all of the routes and came move around from flanker to split end to slot receiver. This allows him to stretch the field vertically and horizonally on crossing routes."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Opposite of White is the 6'4, 217 lb former 1st round pick Michael Jenkins. Jenkins has had some solid years (3 consecutive seasons of 50 to 53 catches) but has never quite met his earlier expectations. What has held him back from fully emerging?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "He is productive and does what they ask him to do. He's doing a better job of fighting for yards after the catch."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "If White is option 1 in the passing-game, than I am guessing TE Tony Gonzalez remains option 1a. The future Hall of Famer has averaged 11.7 yards per reception for his career, but is down to 9.8 this year with the Falcons. Does Gonzalez remain capable of stretching the field?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "They have not asked him to stretch the field, but have gone to him underneath and in the redzone. He did get open deep for a 22 yard gain against the Bengals."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "The strength of the Atlanta offensive-line appears to be on the left side with LT Sam Baker, and LG Justin Blalock. Is that correct? What can you tell me about the other starters?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "Todd McClure is the anchor at center. Havey Dahl is the right guard and Tyson Clabo is the right tackle. They are tenacious run blockers. The unit has been together for three years and has been quite effective."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Like Ravens QB Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan is in his 3rd year in the league. Ryan came into the league with a reputation as being very polished. What progression have you seen from him? What does Ryan still need to improve?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "Ryan is very determined and calculating. He's doing what the coaches are asking him to do, which be a little bit more than a manager of the game. He has to improve on his deep throws."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "The Falcons run a 4-3 defense that is pretty solid against the run, but has struggled against the pass. Are the struggles with the pass defense primarily a result of the lack of pressure from the Atlanta front-7? Who is helping DE John Abraham (16.5 sacks in 2008, 6 in 2010) with the pass-rush?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "The issues with the pass defense revolve around the Falcons tendency to blitz in passing situation. They are going to win some and lose some. They have given up touchdown passes of 83, 64 and 58 yards in each of the last three games. Two of those plays came against blitzes."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Atlanta is 4-0 at the Georgia Dome, and appear to be built for the turf. As mentioned above, the Falcons appear pretty solid against the run - tell me about the LB's. ROLB Mike Peterson always had a lot of tackles during his time with the Colts, and Jaguars. I see the MLB Curtis Lofton had over 100 solo tackles last year."

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "In addition to the two linebackers you mention, third-year man Stephen Nicholas is starting at the strongside linebacker position. He's replacing rookie Sean Weatherspoon (knee injury) who opened the season as the starter. They are an attacking group that has great speed and striking ability."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Obviously neither the Falcons nor the Ravens are going to have a lot of time to prepare for this game. One thing that jumps out to me immediately is that both teams are in the Top 5 overall in the NFL in Time of Possession. In a short-week, I expect both teams to spend less time worrying about the opposition, and more time focusing on what they do best. What does Atlanta look like, when performing optimally?"

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "They will rely on their run. The coaching staff had the bye week, which preceded the Tampa Bay game, to get ready for the Ravens."

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Predictions on the game, and what you believe the 6-2 NFC South leading Falcons are capable of the remainder of this season?”

D. Orlando Ledbetter: "Falcons 24, Ravens 10. The Falcons will have to hold off the Saints for the NFC South title."

Ravens beat Miami; The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Returning from their bye, the Baltimore Ravens beat the Miami Dolphins 26-10 at M&T Bank Stadium.

With the victory, the Ravens moved to 6-2 overall, and 4-0 in the friendly confines of home. The Dolphins might not agree with the premise of Baltimore being friendly, as they entered this game 4-0 on the road.

Further improvement is going to be necessary for this team to get where they ultimately want to go, but if are complaining about a lopsided win over a decent team; than life is pretty good.

The Good:

1) Despite his bobble, seeing David Reed back to return the opening kickoff was the first thing I was excited to see.

1a) With Stallworth returning to action today, the chances of D. Reed impacting the receiving game are even further decreased. Due to that, Reed getting an extended opportunity in the return game is the best use of the roster.

2) Have to give some credit to Miami for their shoddy tackling, but the opening Touchdown to McGahee was fun to watch. He made some people miss, and provided the immediate reminder that he needs to be part of this offense.

3) The Ravens had 402 yards of total offense, and dominated the time of possession holding the ball for over 38 minutes.

4) McGahee's TD was set-up with by a 23 yard strike from Flacco to Houshmandzadeh. It

5) Nice pick and return from Webb. He might not be all the way back from his leg injury, but he is close. It is my belief (and the friends I was with today) that Webb's future will include multiple Pro Bowl appearances.

6) Suggs delivered a good sack on 3rd and 8 for Miami. The Dolphins knew the pass-rush was coming, but still could not block Suggs. I thought Suggs was particularly active today, and had one his better games of the year. This has to become a common occurrence down the stretch.

7) Obviously Flacco and Rice were in-sync today with their screens. Rice was gobbling up yards after the catch, and Flacco was doing a good job of allowing the plays to develop before getting the ball to Rice. Rice finished the day with 29 touches for 180 yards. Flacco was 20 for 27 and completed passes to 6 different receivers.

8) After Miami ran the ball down the Ravens throat on their opening drive, Baltimore's defense responded. The Dolphins did average 4.3 yards a carry, but they were held to just 73 yards rushing (most of which came early).

9) 2 Games played for Ed Reed and he has 3 picks. How many Ravens fans let out a collective sigh of relief when he did not lateral the ball on his interception return?

10) Cundiff had another strong game with his kickoffs.

11) Josh Wilson ended the game with a pick, that prevented the Dolphins from putting up further yardage or garbage time points.

The Bad:

1) The Ravens offense handed the Ravens defense a 7 point lead right-away, and the defense immediately was put on their heels by the Dolphins. There was no trickery here, no Wildcat offense. This was straight ahead, hat-on-hat rushing straight up the middle. Either credit the Ravens coaches for making adjustments, or credit the Dolphins coaches for giving up on their rushing offense too early - either way that opening Dolphins drive was not want you were looking to see coming off of the bye.

2) To start the 2nd Quarter, the Ravens offense faced 3rd and 1 at the Dolphins 7 yard line. I liked the call to get McClain the carry. I disliked the play that was called. The Ravens like to give the ball to McClain with inside hand-offs. He is a better runner in single-back, I formation runs where he gets a head of steam.

2a) I wish the Ravens would return to using their Jumbo package more often, with the additional tackle. Run the ball down the throat of the opposition, and take away their will.

3) Minutes after his interception, Webb was back returning a punt. Does our best starting CB really need to return punts, coming off of an ACL injury?

4) The Ravens gave up 4 sacks today. Not all of that is on the pass-blocking, as I thought Flacco held the ball a bit long a few times. Still, the Ravens (and Peter King's pick for All-Pro at RT Marshall Yanda) did have trouble with the speed of Cameron Wake off the edge.

5) Another game where Housmandzadeh got involved with the offense early, and went missing the rest of the day.

The Ugly:

1) After Webb's interception, the Ravens started on the Dolphins 4 yard-line. Flacco was sacked twice in that series, and the Ravens also had a 5 yard penalty. The Ravens than proceeded to blow their opportunity at a FG when Koch dropped the snap. This was a series of ugly play-calling and poor execution.

Up-Next:

The Ravens return to action quickly, facing the 6-2 Falcons in Atlanta this Thursday. The NFC South leading Falcons beat Tampa 27-21 today. With the win, Atlanta moved to 4-0 at the Georgia Dome.

Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez, and Michael Jenkins is plenty of offensive fire power to deal with. Preparing for them will be even more difficult due to the short-week.

Miami Dolphins Q&A with Armando Salguero

Armando Salguero covers the Miami Dolphins for the Miami Herald, and is also a presence on South Florida radio.

You can find his work at:
http://www.miamiherald.com/armando_salguero/
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/

His Twitter feed is:
www.twitter.com/armandosalguero

He hosts a Monday through Friday 6am to 10am radio-show on 640 WFTL, which can be found at: http://www.640wftl.com/

With Miami arriving in Baltimore this weekend, Mr. Salguero generously provided some information on the Dolphins.

Baltimore Sports and Life: "The Dolphins enter the game this weekend with the 13th highest ranked offense in-terms of yards per game, but more importantly are just 23rd overall in points per game (19). What needs to improve for Miami to put more points on the board?"

Armando Salguero: "The Dolphins offense is 31st in the NFL in total touchdowns because it has yet to find the proper chemistry that good offense requires. On some plays quarterback Chad Henne fails to make the proper throw, or the timing is off, or perhaps the wide receiver will drop the pass, or the blocking breaks down. Sometimes the momentum of the offense is broken with inexplicable calls from coaches. Sometimes the opposition simply makes a good play.

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Miami appears strong at the Tackle positions with Jake Long, and Vernon Carey. What can you tell me about the interior starters?"

Armando Salguero: "The Dolphins have been searching for consistency from their interior offensive line for three years. They've signed high-priced free agents (Jake Grove and Justin Smiley) and it didn't work out. They've invested some draft picks (Shawne Murphy) and it didn't work out. They've had some injuries. The bottom line is the interior line is a constant source of concern for Miami that will be addressed once again this offseason because Richie Incognito will be a free agent and an upgrade will be sought at center."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "In his first year with Miami, Brandon Marshall is on pace for his 4th consecutive 100 reception season. Opposite of Marshall, the other starting receiver is 2009 4th rounder Brian Hartline. The Dolphins had a chance to grab Moss, were you surprised they passed?"

Armando Salguero: "The Dolphins did have an opportunity to add Moss and didn't post a waiver claim for him. They have refused to explain their reasoning. Davone Bess took over the starting job from Hartline in last week's game against Cincinnati."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Is the TE Anthony Fasano currently Henne's second-best option as a pass receiver? Is he perceived as a good blocking TE?"

Armando Salguero: "Anthony Fasano is not the second-best receiver option. Davone Bess is Miami's next best option after Brandon Marshall. Fasano is inconsistent as a pass-catcher. He is slightly better as a blocker."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Ronnie Brown enters the game this weekend with just 92 carries in 7 games. He has not had more than 19 carries in any game. I know he is coming off the foot-injury in 2009, but do the Dolphins need to find additional touches for Brown?"

Armando Salguero: "The Dolphins need to add additional touches for both Brown and Williams. The team is passing around 60 percent of the time and wants to strike more of a balance. The plan every week is to find that balance but so far, the running game has suffered from lack of production to the point that the Wildcat package -- Miami's downhill running set -- has been shelved in three of the past four games. Miami hopes to get more out of the running game and Ronnie Brown has to deliver more for that to happen. Some better blocking would help, too, by the way."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "As you mentioned, hand-in-hand with Brown is Ricky Williams. Williams is coming off of his own 1,000 yard rushing season (his first since the '03-'04 year). Has Williams appeared comfortable going back to sharing carries?"

Armando Salguero: "Ricky Williams has been more than willing to share carries with Brown. It isn't really his call anyway."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Henne has been picked off in 5 straight games, but overall seems to have taken a step forward in his 3rd-year in the league, and 2nd-year as a starter. I am surprised to see how many passing attempts he is getting a game (Averaging 39 attempts per game over the last 5 games) though. Are Dolphins fans pleased with his progress? Do you believe he is the long-term answer?"

Armando Salguero: "Chad Henne has the work ethic, the skills, and the desire to become a good NFL quarterback. Is he there yet? Not yet. He is still something of a game-manager and that's how the Dolphins often handle him. That, of course, goes out the window when they fall behind. It's impossible to say what Dolphins fans think of him because just as Henne is sometimes on and sometimes off, they are sometimes pleased and sometimes displeased with his play."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Miami runs a 3-4 defense, with former University of Maryland Terrapin Randy Starks at RDE. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the D-line?"

Armando Salguero: "Last season, Starks was the best player on Miami's defensive line. This season he was expected to be the starting nose tackle and that plan changed when starting right end Jared Odrick got injured in Game 1 versus Buffalo. After working at nose tackle the entire preseason, Starks was moved back to end and has been good, but not as good as he was last year. Miami's greatest defensive line strength has been its depth."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "I really like the Dolphins Linebackers. I know the Rookie Koa Misi is having an impact at the LOLB, and former CFL star (and Maryland native) Cameron Wake is having a similar impact on the right-side. Inside of course there is the mainstay Channing Crowder, and Free Agent addition Karlos Dansby who signed the large contract to join Miami. The Dolphins have played some other teams with good LB's (NYJ, Pitt), does Miami believe they have the best group of starting LB's in the league?"

Armando Salguero: "The Dolphins have a very good, very young linebacker corps. Everyone knows it. It is hard to argue and in the case of Wake and Misi, they both have their best games ahead of them because both are young and gaining experience."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "There are a couple of former 1st rounders (Vontae Davis, and Jason Allen) starting at CB for the Dolphins. Who typically lines-up against the best opposing receiver? Thoughts on the Secondary as a whole? Nolan Carroll is another former Terp on the Miami roster who was selected by Miami in the 5th round of the 2010 draft. Do the Dolphins like what they have seen out of him?"

Armando Salguero: "Vontae Davis is the pride of the Miami personnel department because he is everything they expected him to be and, in his second year, is showing signs of being an elite cornerback. Jason Allen has lost much of his playing time recently after starting earlier in the year. He has not surprisingly struggled in coverage, which was the story of his career prior to his brief moment of clarity earlier this season. Nolan Carroll has done most of his work on special teams and specifically as a kick return specialist. This was a good week for Carroll. His mother was elected Lieutenant governor of the state of Florida."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "The Dolphins are 4-3 entering this game, having won all four games on the road and losing all three games at home. Which Miami team are Ravens fans going to see this Sunday here in Baltimore? Predictions on the game?"

Armando Salguero: "As we established earlier, the Dolphins are often inconsistent to so predict what team will show up is begging to be wrong. This is certain: The Dolphins are physical, they typically play hard until the final play of the game, and their wish is to get the opponent in a game that is decided in the final minutes. They may not be the most talented team in the game, but believe they are the most mentally disciplined team every time they play. It sounds trite, but it works for them. Ask the more talented Green Bay Packers about that."

Defensive Adjustments

The Baltimore Ravens are 9th in the league in Total Defense, including 8th against the Pass even after yesterday.

Since the year prior to the Super Bowl, the Ravens have made their reputation as a defense by stopping the run. Currently the Ravens are 18th in the league in this category.
Baltimore is also tied for 18th in the league in sacks with 12 (San Diego leads with 25, Tampa has the least with 5).

What that illustrates is what we see with our own eyes. This is a good defense, that has some flaws.

We all understand that a new waive of external talent is not going to be walking through the doors. So the questions are, does there need to be a philosophy adjustment at the Castle? Should the existing personnel be used differently?

Coach Harbaugh is fond of saying the Ravens will adjust their personnel accordingly week to week to give them the best opportunity to win that particular match-up. An example of that would be the Ravens using a 4-3 scheme at-times yesterday, even though their typical base defense is a 3-4.

Right now the base defense looks like:

Option 1)
Base 3-4 now
Redding, Gregg, Ngata
Johnson, Lewis, Ellerbe, Suggs
Washington, Reed, Landry, Webb

If the Ravens are going to stick with the 3-4, I would like to see the following adjustments to their 'starting/base' personnel:

Option 2)
Base 3-4 what I would like to see
Cody, Ngata, Suggs
Johnson, Lewis, Ellerbe, McClain
Wilson, Reed, Landry, Webb

or

Option 3)
Cody, Ngata, Kruger
Johnson, Lewis, Ellerbe, Suggs
Wilson, Reed, Landry, Webb

Ultimately though what I would like to see is the Ravens going back to primarily utilizing a 4-3 defense.

What I envision would look like:

Option 4)
4-3 base
Kruger, Cody, Ngata, Suggs (Redding, Gregg, McKinney, Jones)
Johnson, Lewis, Ellerbe (Kruger, McClain, Gooden)
Wilson, Reed, Landry, Webb (Washington, Carr)

or

Option 5)
Redding, Cody, Ngata, Kruger (Gregg, McKinney, Jones)
Johnson, Lewis, Suggs (McClain, Gooden)
Wilson, Reed, Landry, Webb (Washington, Carr)

In either the 3-4, or the 4-3 it should be pretty clear of what I would like to see. Basically I want the following:

1) Cody inserted as a starter getting the majority of the defensive snaps, with Gregg giving you 20 or so plays a game as a reserve.
2) Suggs and Kruger together on the outside, simply being asked to attack the QB.
3) Wilson inserted as a starting CB opposite of Webb.

There is plenty of talent here on the defensive side of the ball. I think by tinkering with their lineups and using more of their players the production can improve.

Ravens beat Buffalo in OT; The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

After beating Buffalo 37-34 in Overtime at M&T Bank Stadium, the Baltimore Ravens will head to their bye with a 5-2 record.

There is plenty else to talk about, but that is the most-important take away from today. This is the National Football League, and a win is always something to be enjoyed. That is still true even when things do not go according to plan.

The Good:

1) The Ravens celebration of the 10th anniversary of their Super Bowl championship was first-class. The organization should be commended for this. Seeing the players return to Baltimore and allowing everyone (fans and plays alike) to reminisce to that season was fun. Seeing Ray run out of the tunnel meeting up with his former teammates, and hearing the ovation Brigance received at half-time were the highlights for me.

2) As we said above, a win is a win. There is plenty we will critique about today, but the Ravens ended today with the win. When they were down 24-10, they could have folded. When the Bills forced OT, the Ravens could have folded. Give credit to the Ravens for finding a way to win when they obviously did not play their best.

3) There were negative aspects of Flacco's game we will discuss below, but overall it was another home-game with good results for the 3rd year QB. Anyone overly critical about Flacco today (after he passed for 250 yards, 3 TD's, and zero picks) is missing all the positives that he brings to the table.

4) Ed Reed returned and provided 2 picks. The interceptions did not surprise me, but I was surprised by him being able to play as many snaps as he did.

5) One week after getting zero carries, McGahee had 11 carries for 64 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and a TD.

6) I did not expect Kruger to play this week, so I was pleased to see him on the field. The Ravens pass-rush was again not existent, but Kruger was helping some by the end of the game.

7) Josh Wilson fumbled a Kickoff Return, which lead to a Buffalo TD. Many players have the tendency to mentally shrink-away after something like that, but Wilson came back and recovered CJ Spiller's kickoff fumble, and also made a couple of plays in pass-defense late in the game. This was a good example of staying focused after adversity.

8) Heap not only took the field this week, he made plays catching 2 TD's.

9) I called out Kelly Gregg the other day stating he had yet to make a play this season. I thought Gregg was active today, and made several positive plays against the run.

10) The fumble that Ray Lewis forced was fairly remarkable. Bills fans are probably wondering where the whistle was, but give Lewis credit for making yet another play.

The Bad:

1) Ryan Fitzpatrick has been playing well since replacing Trent Edwards as the Buffalo starter. The Bills established their run offense early, and then opened-up the offense with numerous 4 and 5 WR sets. Fitzpatrick got rid of the ball quickly, and made plays. I have no problem with tipping the cap to him, and giving him some credit. While giving Fitzpatrick and the Bills credit, it was embarrassing that group of offensive players carved-up the Ravens for 506 yards.

1a) Buffalo dominated the time of possession 38:36 minutes to 25:30 minutes. The main reason for this is that the Bills were 11 for 17 on 3rd down. The Ravens are having trouble getting teams off of the field because they are not able to bring pressure.

1b) The Ravens held the Bills to 3.8 yards a carry, but Buffalo was successful enough running the ball that it helped open up their passing game.

2) One of the reasons the 2000 Defense was so exceptional was that they were a great fundamental tackling team. They did not miss tackles in the open-field. The Ravens of 2010 are better than most, but have to improve their tackling to become truly elite.

3) With the Ravens unable to get any pass-rush (against a pretty limited Buffalo offensive-line), Fitzpatrick was able to attack the Baltimore Secondary. Tomorrow Fabian Washington will be public enemy number 1 on the Baltimore sports talk air-waives. Some of that will be deserved, as Washington had a very rough day in coverage and was constantly beat by Lee Evans, and Steve Johnson. When people criticize Washington, I hope there is at-least some acknowledgment of how hard it is to be a DB when the opposing QB is allowed to step-up in the pocket repeatedly.

3a) Washington overall is a decent Corner, with good speed and solid cover skills. He does not help much against the run, and there will be some days like today when he can be exposed. There is no reason to get overly worked-up about him.

4) Like I said above, overall it was another good home game for Flacco. There were again instances of him missing (not even looking at) open receivers, and seemingly being uncomfortable at attacking the middle of the field. In the 2nd Quarter, Flacco was sacked on 3rd and 8 for a 18 yard-loss. Cundiff converted the FG, but Flacco not throwing the ball away could have cost the Ravens points.

5) If you look back in the archives, I was not overly enthusiastic when Houshmandzadeh was signed. Six games into his tenure as a Raven, I now feel compelled to argue on his behalf. It seemed like every-time he was on the field today, he was used as a decoy during a Ray Rice run. The man had 92 catches with the Bengals in 2008, and 79 with Seattle last year. He has 9 receptions in 7 games with Baltimore. The Ravens did not bring him to the organization to be a decoy, they need to figure out how to get him the ball during the bye.

6) Ray Rice has had one 100 yard rushing game this season, and is having similar issues as a receiver out of the backfield. Every-team that faces Baltimore commits to stopping him first. If teams are overly concerned with stopping Rice, it seems like it would open up other opportunities for the receivers.

7) With the Ravens up 10 points in the 4th Quarter, Baltimore obtained a Buffalo fumble and started their possession at the Bills 9 yard-line. The mishandle by Flacco and McGahee cost the Ravens points, and allowed the Bills to again gain some momentum.

The Ugly:

1) Earlier this week I wrote a blog asking why Ray Lewis was playing today. I stated that if Lewis (and other vets like Heap, Gregg, Mason, Birk) needed to be on the field today to beat Buffalo, than the Ravens were not a legit contender.

I am stubborn (and some might correctly say dumb) enough to believe I may have been partly correct. If those players were all needed to beat the Bills, you can rightfully question how much of a contender this Ravens team is.

I think overall though, the results today showed my premise was flawed. As much rest as possible for the veterans on this team is important. It is not as important as making sure you beat teams you are supposed to beat. Even bad NFL teams are still professionals. Today's game (and the Cleveland at New Orleans game) were good reminders of 'On Any Given Sunday.'

2) Giving up 10 point leads in the 4th Quarter on back to back weeks was hard to watch.

Up-Next:

The Ravens will be off next week, as their bye comes at a good time. There is enough talent on this Baltimore roster for the Ravens to achieve their ultimate goals. Right now though you have to say this is a very capable team, not exactly an elite team. How the Ravens use their bye to improve will be important.

2000 Ravens vs. 2010 Ravens Pt. 3

We finish up our 3 part comparison of the 2000 Ravens vs. the Ravens of today by taking a look at the Coaching staffs and declaring which team we think is better overall.

Links to the previous two posts can be found here:

http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com/2010/10/2000-ravens-vs-2010-ravens-pt-2.html
http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com/2010/10/2000-ravens-vs-2010-ravens-pt-1.html

2000 Coaches:
Head Coach: Brian Billick
DC: Marvin Lewis
OC/ QB Coach: Matt Cavanaugh
Assist HC/ DB Coach: Steve Shafer
Def Assist Coach: Mike Smith
Defensive Line Coach: Rex Ryan
LB Coach: Jack Del Rio
Secondary Coach: Donnie Henderson
ST Assistant: Bennie Thompson
TE Coach: Wade Harman
WR Coach: Milt Jackson
RB Coach: Matt Simon
OL Coach: Jim Colletto
ST Coach: Russ Parnell

2010 Coaches:
Head Coach: John Harbaugh
DC: Greg Mattison
OC: Cam Cameron
Asst. HC / Special Teams Coordinator: Jerry Rosburg
Def. Asst / Secondary: Roy Anderson
DL Coach: Clarence Brooks
TE Coach: Wade Harman
WR Coach: Jim Hostler
RB Coach: Wilbert Montgomery
OL Coach: John Matsko
QB Coach: Jim Zorn
Sr. Offensive Asst: Al Saunders

I am not qualified to give any real break-down of the assistant position coaches. Any analysis from me on that topic would be a pure guesstimate. What I do note is that Marvin Lewis, Rex Ryan, Jack Del Rio, and Mike Smith would all become Head Coaches in the NFL. Donnie Henderson became a Defensive Coordinator. Even when accounting for the experience of Cameron, Zorn, and Saunders I think that gives the 2000 staff a pretty strong edge.

I think even Mattison's family would acknowledge that Lewis gets the edge at Defensive Coordinator.

Plenty of people are down on Cameron (myself, I think his offensive can be a bit 'cute'), but I do think he is superior to Cavanaugh. One thing I'll credit Cavanaugh for though is that his teams always had a good rushing offense.

To even call this even, you would have to give Harbaugh a considerable edge over Billick. I am not sure how one could make that claim. Billick was 80-64 in the regular-season, 5-3 in the post-season. Harbaugh inherited a team that was injury-riddled and underachieved the year prior. To his credit he took them to the AFC Championship game the following year. He runs a disciplined Training Camp, and the Ravens have typically played disciplined during his tenure. 3 Playoff victories (all on the road) in two-seasons is obviously the definition of successful. Harbaugh is currently 24-14 in the regular-season, and 3-2 in the post-season.

To compare Billick and Harbaugh equally, you have to see Harbaugh handle further adversity. Billick's best coaching job was two years after the Super Bowl victory, when he took a gutted roster and made that team competitive. Harbaugh has the attention of his locker-room now, but his message is still relatively new. How does it play in Year 5, Year 6? Even despite the success of the team these past two-years, you hear plenty of rumbles of unhappy players. It will be interesting to see what happens if/when Harbaugh has a team that does not meet expectations.

I personally would lean towards Billick being better, but I understand those that feel that way about Harbaugh. They both have their strengths. What you can not say is that either one is vastly superior to the other. If you can not say that Harbaugh wins in a landslide, the 2000 staff has to get the win here.

EDGE: 2000

In conclusion we ranked the units as following:

QB: 2010
RB: 2000
FB: 2010
WR: 2010
TE: Even
OL: 2010
DL: 2000
LB: 2000
Secondary: 2010
ST: 2000
Coaches: 2000

Breaking it down that is 5 wins for each side with a tie. Pretty much as even as you can get. I think you can make a reasonable case for either side, but I lean towards the 2000 roster. The 2010 team would have zero chance of running against the 2000 team. That is not disrespecting Rice, it is just an opinion born from watching what that Ravens team did to opposing RB's. (Check out the AFC Central RB's from that year, plenty of talent).

Knowing that, Cameron would utilize his 3 WR sets, and go after the 2000 Ravens through the air. Boldin and McAlister would be a battle. Mason and Housmandzadeh would have success against Starks, and Bailey/Poindexter/Trapp. More passing from the 2010 Ravens, would mean more pass-blocking, and I think the current line would have trouble dealing with McCrary and Boulware.

If Peyton Hillis can run up the middle on this Ravens team, they would likely have trouble stopping Jamal Lewis in Lewis' rookie year. It would not be enough for Ngata to beat the 2000 Ravens interior starters, he would need to dominate that match-up. It is fair to ask where the 2000 Ravens would go, if Sharpe was taken away as a weapon.

You are probably looking at a close game well into the 4th Quarter. Those type of games often come down to Special Teams. Again, with Lewis and Stover the 2000 team gets the edge.

I'm partial to the 2000 roster, but the 2010 team has all the talent necessary to write their own chapter of history. Perhaps 10 years from now, we will be comparing the 2010 Super Bowl Ravens to an up-start 2020 Ravens team?

Why is Ray Lewis playing this weekend?

If you need Ray Lewis on the field Sunday to be able to beat the Buffalo Bills at home, you are not a legitimate contender.

What is the upside in him playing? The upside in him not playing is that in-conjunction with the bye, the 15 year veteran could be as rested as possible for the stretch run.

The above argument for resting Lewis applies to other veterans as well.

After getting crushed by Brandon Meriweather last Sunday, Todd Heap has been dealing with pain this week. Why not give him that extra-week of rest and allow Dickson and Pitta to receive some additional playing time?

The next-time Kelly Gregg makes a play, it will be his first of the season. The Ravens spent a 2nd round pick on Terrence Cody. The Ravens should want to see what Cody can do anyway, but they should be excited by the opportunity to give Gregg some additional rest.

Derrick Mason will be 37 years-old in January. You do not need him to win this weekend. Take a seat, rest-up and we will see you against Miami. This would also allow the Ravens to find a few additional balls for Houshmandzadeh before the bye, which would probably help him mentally.

How about an extra-week off for Matt Birk? You could slide Chester over to Center, and get Cousins some time at Guard.

Someone somewhere is reading this and believes I am crazy. What I believe is that by the Ravens own admission the only way this season can end positively is by winning it all. If the Ravens are going to advance to Dallas, and win their 2nd Lombardi Trophy the above veterans will each be needed to contribute. A little additional rest now might allow them to contribute more later. At a minimum, it will help have those backups better prepared to help if called upon later this season.

2000 Ravens vs. 2010 Ravens Pt. 2

We continue our comparison of the 2000 Ravens vs. the Ravens of today, by taking a looking at the Defenses and Special Teams.

The initial post which compared the respective offenses can be found here:
http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com/2010/10/2000-ravens-vs-2010-ravens-pt-1.html

2000 Defensive Line: Burnett, Adams, Siragusa, McCrary (Webster, Washington, Dalton)
2010 Defensive Line: Redding, Gregg, Ngata (McKinney, Cody, Kruger, Jones, Divens)

It does have to be noted that the 2000 defense was using a 4-3 scheme, while in 2010 the Ravens use a 3-4 base so a head-to-head comparison does have some limitations. Still, I'm taking Burnett over Redding at LE. Gregg has been a shell of the player he was since he returned from his micro-fracture surgery, while Sam Adams would be selected to the Pro Bowl 3 times after the 2000 season.

Ngata is the best lineman overall here, and is obviously better than Siragusa. I loved what McCrary brought to the Ravens. A Pro Bowler in the '98, and '99 seasons he had that constant motor, and helped define that defense as much as anyone outside of Ray. His pass-rush off the edge was huge for that team, and is something the 2010 Ravens lack.

I think Cody will be better player than any reserve on the 2000 team, but Webster, and Dalton had solid careers while Cody has yet to make a play in the league.

EDGE: 2000

2000 LB's: Boulware, Lewis, Sharper (A. Thomas, C.Brown, Brigance, Jackson)
2010 LB's: Johnson, Lewis, Ellerbe, Suggs (Gooden, McClain, Phillips)

As we discussed with the D-line, you do have to consider that the 2000 team was using a 4-3 base, while the 2010 team uses the 3-4. Any discussion / comparison of these Line-backing units starts with Lewis. While Lewis remains feared and among the best LB's in the game today, Lewis was unquestionably the best LB in the game in 2000. You simply have to take the Lewis of 2000 over the Lewis of 2010.

Boulware and Suggs is an interesting match-up. Boulware was 25 years-old in 2000, and had already been to two Pro Bowls. (He would go to two more). He has 7 sacks during that Super Bowl season, and was a year away from the best year of his career (15 sacks). Suggs has just recently turned 28 and has been to three Pro Bowls of his own. In 126 career games Boulware had 70 sacks, and 1 pick. In 115 career games, Suggs has had 61.5 sacks, with 5 picks. I am a little partial to Boulware, but this is basically even.

Sharper was a very solid player, who was always overlooked playing with Lewis and Boulware. During 2003-04 with the Texans, Sharper led the league in tackles. Similar to Sharper, Johnson is often underrated today. I lean towards Sharper, as he had 4 full seasons in the league after 2000, and I do not believe Johnson has that amount of time left.

So with the starters, I think the 2000 Ravens are ahead. Where the 2010 Ravens pick-up some ground is with the backups. Thomas had a great NFL career, but his rookie season was spent mostly on the bench. Also, for most of his first two seasons he was on the D-line. Brigance was a strong Special Teams player, but never got the chance to play much LB at the NFL level. Ellerbe, Gooden, and McClain are each young with their careers still ahead of them. When you look at a team like Buffalo, it is easy to believe they could each be starting somewhere.

Even though I think the 2010 backups are better, I can not give 2010 the overall edge. The 2000 starters ran sideline to sideline, and totally eliminated any semblance of a running game from the opposition. The 2010 LB's are one of the best units in the game today. The 2000 LB's are one of the best groups in the game ever.

EDGE: 2000

2000 Secondary: Starks, McAlister, Herring, Woodson (Trapp, Bailey, Mitchell, Harris, Poindexter)
2010 Secondary: Washington, Webb, Landry, Reed (Zbikowski, Carr, Nakamura, Wilson, Williams, Landry)

Starks and Washington are somewhat similar. 1st round talents with games built on speed, solid cover-skills, and limited help in run-defense. Starks seemed to make more 'big' plays. I think Webb has Pro Bowl caliber skills, but he will never have McAlister's size. McAlister was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, that was one of the best CB's of the decade.

Bailey had a nice career, but 2001 would be his last year. I like Carr, Wilson, and Williams better than the 2000 reserve corners. Landry and Herring is fairly equal.

Woodson vs. Reed is another interesting match-up. Both are among the top 100 NFL players of all-time. Both changed a lot of games with their ball-hawking skills, hitting, and ability to return the ball. Woodson's career was winding down by the time of the 2000 season, but he would go to two more Pro Bowls in '01, and '02. I think Reed still has more left in his tank. While he has not played yet this year, I think the extra 6 weeks of rest/rehab is going to allow him to finish strong this year. I want to call this in favor of Reed, but due to his injury and Woodson's leadership I will call it even.

The 2000 starting CB's are better, while the 2010 reserve CB's are deeper. The starting Safeties are also pretty even, while again the 2010 reserve Safeties are better.

As an entire group, I give a slight edge to 2010.

EDGE: 2010

2000 Special Teams: Richardson, Stover, Jermaine Lewis
2010 Special Teams: Koch, Cundiff, Parmele

Koch is really good at angling his punts, and Cundiff is doing a commendable job on his kickoffs. Stover is one of the most accurate kickers ever, and everyone would feel more comfortable with him kicking a meaningful kick over Cundiff. Parmele is not costing the Ravens field-position, but Lewis was a game-changer that made the Pro Bowl twice as a returner. Overall this is another rout in-favor of 2000.

EDGE: 2000

Part 3 will compare the Coaching staffs and discuss which team we think is better overall.

Bills Q&A with Bob DiCesare

Bob DiCesare covers the Buffalo Bills for the Buffalo News.

You can find his work at:
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/

Baltimore Sports and Life appreciates Mr. DiCesare for answering a few Bills questions in preparation for this Sunday's Ravens/Bills game.

Baltimore Sports and Life: "At half-time of the Maryland/Clemson game this past weekend, Clemson University honored the Bills rookie RB C.J. Spiller by retiring his number. Spiller honored the university by donated $100,000 to the University. Certainly was a class-act. Spiller comes into this game with just 19 carries (though 13 receptions). I imagine after the bye, and with the trade of Lynch it will be priority for Buffalo to get him the ball the remainder of this season?"

Bob DiCesare: "Three was a crowd and Lynch had worn out his welcome here with his off-field antics. Certainly his departure creates a need for more carries from Spiller and Fred Jackson. I would imagine we'll see a 70-30 split favoring Jackson at this stage. He's the most underrated player on a team full of overrated players."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Lee Evans has seen his yards per reception drop from 16.1 in 2008-09, to just 12.1 this year. Is he still capable of stretching the field with better QB play?"

Bob DiCesare: "Absolutely. Evans has been a victim of circumstance, and it's sad. If he had been drafted by Indy he'd be a household name. He's paid well, but the absence of a QB (and offensive line) to maximize his talents has to be frustrating."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "I see that the 2009 1st round (Eric Wood) and 2nd round picks (Adam Levitre) are starting at RG and LG respectively. What can you tell me about these two?"

Bob DiCesare: "They provide a solid foundation for the future. I like Wood in particular. Now if they could just latch on to a couple of tackles."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Ryan Fitzpatrick has played pretty well (7 TD's vs. 2 picks) since replacing Trent Edwards as Quarterback. Do you expect the Bills to target a QB with their 1st round 2011 selection, or is an Offensive Tackle an even more pressing priority?"

Bob DiCesare: "Alas, the franchise has to go the QB route. Fitz isn't the answer long term. They need to find a QB who is, although their dismal draft history doesn't bode well. That said, they need a tackle just as badly."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Baltimore fans are familiar with starting DE Dwan Edwards. Not much of pass-rusher, but was solid against the run last year. The Bills added some youth to the line in the 2010 draft with 2nd round pick Torrell Troup, and 3rd rounder Alex Carrington. Are Troup, and Carrington pushing the starters Stroud and Williams?"

Bob DiCesare: "No."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Baltimore (Ellicott City) native Aaron Maybin is in his 2nd-year in the league, after being selected with the 11th overall pick in 2009. The OLB/DE has yet to record his first NFL sack. Why is he struggling to see the field? If he is failing to grasp pass-defense, why not just send him after the QB?"

Bob DiCesare: "He's undersized and the quickness that seemed so alluring at Penn State hasn't translated to the NFL. It was yet another example of the Bills drafting a specialty-type player when they need every-down players."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "MLB Paul Posluszy recorded 110 tackles in both 2008, and 2009 and leads the Bills in tackles here in 2010. What are his strengths and weaknesses?"

Bob DiCesare: "Great motor. Loves the game. Pretty good instincts. But he's not quick and is average at best in coverage. A solid piece to the puzzle but not the kind of LB you build a defense around."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "I note that CB Leodis McKelvin sits behind Terrence McGee, and Drayton Florence on the depth-chart. Are McGee and Florence really better cover corners?

Bob DiCesare: "McGee, without question. Florence has benefited from McKelvin's youth and inexperience which equals inconsistency."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "The Safety combination of Whitner and Byrd seems promising, and obviously would be better with an improved pass-rush. Do you like what you see out of that duo?"

Bob DiCesare: "Byrd obviously had a great rookie season but it struck my as quite a bit of serendipity -- just being in the right place at the right time. Whitner is functional, nothing more or less. He hasn't been the kind of safety who influences a game. His first-round draft sttatus indicates the Bills expected more."

Baltimore Sports and Life: "Prior to Chan Gailey being hired by the Bills, we had heard in Baltimore that former Ravens Head Coach Brian Billick might receive an interview. Was that legitimate? Was he ever considered as an option for Buffalo?"

Bob DiCesare: "Cowher wanted no part of the job. Ditto Shanahan. And the Bills were willing to put some hefty money on the table for either. What does that tell us? It's just not a very desireable job with Ralph Wilson at 91 and the organization suffering from undefined leadership. I don't see where Billick would have wanted any part of it. Any coach with high credentials would be better off waiting for a more stable situation."

2000 Ravens vs. 2010 Ravens Pt. 1

10 years ago, the Baltimore Ravens won the Lombardi Trophy behind one of the best defensive units of all-time. The Ravens of today have been built with the sole goal of obtaining the organizations second World Championship.

In mid-October there is no way of definitively knowing if the 2010 Ravens will win that second title. With that in-mind, I understand a comparison of the teams is premature. Still a comparison of the talent is interesting.

My opinion is the 2000 Ravens have been sold-short a bit over the years. When you hear National talking-heads discussing that team, you are left with the feeling they think that team was a fluke. That point of view comes across solely because of the lack of respect for Dilfer, and because the offense went through that remarkable 5 game streak of zero touchdowns. That team had 4 Hall-of-Fame caliber players (Lewis, Ogden, Sharpe, and Woodson), a superb running-tandem of Jamal Lewis and Holmes, excellent Special Teams with Jermaine Lewis and Stover and of course that oppressive defense.It seems to be forgotten that they won their last 7 regular-season games, followed by the 3 playoff wins, and the Super Bowl victory. NFL teams do not win 11 consecutive games by luck.

2000 QB's: Dilfer, Banks, Redman

2010 QB's: Flacco, Bulger

I was there in Week 2 of the 2000 season when Tony Banks threw for 5 TD's as the Ravens beat Jacksonville. It is forgotten now, but at that point of time the Jaguars were the Ravens biggest rival. Winning that game gave the team a tremendous shot of confidence, and I've always remembered that Banks did have a big-time arm. I had spent the previous year living in Tampa, and was plenty familiar with Trent Dilfer when Baltimore signed him prior to the season. When the Ravens signed him, my immediate thought was that the team thought they had a real chance for post-season success; and that the veteran would have a chance to replace Banks sometime during that season. Everyone remembers that Dilfer was asked to 'manage the game' in a Ravens uniform, but this was a guy that was drafted 6th overall with Tampa, and had been to a Pro Bowl after the '97 season. It is not like this guy had no business being in an NFL uniform.

That said, I can not imagine there is anyone anywhere that believes Dilfer or Banks are superior to Flacco. When the Ravens obtained Bulger this Summer, I thought back to Dilfer. Not because I anticipated Bulger ever replacing Flacco; but because it seemed to be history repeating a bit. An accomplished veteran QB being added to the roster of a team the Ravens Front-office believes can contend for a title.

EDGE: 2010

2000 RB's: Jamal Lewis, Holmes

2010 RB's: Rice, McGahee, Parmele

Ray Rice is coming off of a 2,000 all-purpose yard season, and his first Pro Bowl. McGahee was a Pro Bowler in 2007.

In 2000 Lewis was in his rookie season, becoming the starter in Week 4. Rice really is one of the better backs in the game today, but Lewis in his prime just beat-up the opposition. He delivered the blows as the offensive player, and the defense simply lacked the will to tackle him late in games. His mixture of power and speed was electric. Also, in his rookie season Lewis also had 27 catches for 296 yards. Obviously most of Holmes' career success would come later in Kansas City, but he had already rushed for over 1,000 yards in a Ravens uniform and had a 200 yard day. In 2000, Holmes had 588 yards on the ground, and another 221 as a receiver.

In the following 3 years (2001-2003) Holmes would be an All-Pro each season, and be named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2002. Even if you call Rice and Lewis a wash, I do not see McGahee going anywhere and having the production in the 2011-13 seasons that Holmes did for KC a decade earlier.

EDGE: 2000

2000 FB's: Ayanbadejo, Gash
2010 FB's: McClain

Ayanbadejo was a decent receiving FB, and Gash was a 2x Pro Bowler ('98, and '99) that was a great lead-blocker. This is close, but I give the edge to McClain. The mental error from Sunday has many people down on McClain, but he has also been a Pro Bowler these last two seasons. He is a decent blocker, and a better receiver than you would think. He is a punishing runner when he gets the ball.

EDGE: 2010



2000 WR's: Ismail, Stokley, Johnson, Je. Lewis, Taylor
2010 WR's: Boldin, Mason, Houshmandzadeh, Stallworth, Reed

2010 Obviously wins this category. There have never been 3 receivers on a NFL roster that have more career catches than Boldin, Mason, and Housmandzadeh.

I would only make the point that the 2000 group might be better than you remember. Ismail had 5,000+ receiving yards for his career. Stokley has 4,400 receiving yards, and has caught 40+ balls four times. We will get to Jermaine Lewis again when we discuss Special Teams, but as a receiver he twice had over 40 receptions, and averaged 14.9 yards a reception for his career, with over 2,000 plus receiving yards.

Taylor is seen as a bust because he did not live up to the hype of going 10th overall, but he also had 4,000+ receiving yards for his career including 5 seasons with at-least 39 receptions.

The 2010 group is better than that 2000 group in every possible measure, but the 2000 receivers had better careers than typically portrayed.

EDGE: 2010

2000 TE's: Sharpe, Coates
2010: TE's: Heap, Dickson, Pitta

This is an interesting match-up. In the 2000 season, Sharpe was the Ravens best receiving option. He would finish with 67 receptions for 810 yards and 5 TD's. He followed that up with 3 more seasons with over 60 grabs to end his career. He was an 8x Pro Bowl Player that retired with the most receiving yards ever by a TE. I think he will eventually be named to the Hall of Fame. He certainly helped give the 2000 Ravens a swagger and identity.

Coates was playing his last year in the NFL during that 2000 season, after being a Pro Bowler 5x in the '90s. He was really only asked to block during his season with the Ravens, finishing with just 9 receptions.

If you read this blog, you know I am a big fan of Heap. I acknowledge that Sharpe's numbers are slightly better, but I do believe if Heap had been in that 2000 offense he would match Sharpe's production. (Also, if Heap had spent the prime of his career receiving passes from Elway the total Pro Bowls for each player would be closer.) For what Sharpe meant to that 2000 locker-room, I tend to lean towards the 2000 team. However, as Dickson and Pitta have their entire careers ahead of them and Coates was completely done by the end of that year I call this even.

EDGE: Even

2000 Offensive Line: Ogden, Mulitalo, Mitchell, Flynn, Swayne (Folau, Vickers)
2010 Offensive Line: Oher, Grubbs, Birk, Chester, Yanda (Cousins, Moll)

If Gaither was healthy and playing, I think the 2010 line would be the obvious pick. Since it is looking more likely that he will be placed on Injured Reserve, this deserves a closer look.

Ogden is obviously the best player on either line, and he was in the prime of his career. As one of the All-Time greats at his position, that immediately sways things to 2000. I would go with Grubbs over Mulitalo, though Mulitalo had a very good career as a run-blocker. Mitchell would leave the Ravens for a large contract in Carolina, but I do not believe he was ever thought of as good as Birk. You could argue that Mitchell was heading towards the prime of his career, while Birk was at the end of his; but I would argue that Birk still has enough left in 2010 that he gets the edge. Chester is probably more talented than Flynn, but I would still take Flynn. My rationale on that is while Flynn played Guard for the Ravens in 2000, he would shift to Center and have a very good career there. Chester has looked uncomfortable when asked to play Center previously. Swayne was the old vet who had been in the league since 1987 at that point and had little left, ending his career the following year. Yanda gets the nod here.

That is 3-2 in favor of 2010, so the only discussion here is was Ogden so dominant that you give that group the nod? For that answer, I think you have to look at Oher. While Oher is having some problems in his second-year and first as a LT; he still figures to be a multiple time Pro Bowl player. He will never be Ogden, but he is good enough that I do not think you can say the 2000 group was better.

EDGE: 2010

Part 2 will compare the Defenses and Special Teams.

Ravens lose in OT to New England; The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Ahead 20-10 in the 4th Quarter, the Baltimore Ravens coughed-up their lead and lost in overtime to the New England Patriots.

Visiting Foxboro for the third time in a calendar year, the Ravens held the ball for 40 of the game's 73 total minutes and manged to lose. Instead of moving to 5-1, and grabbing the head-to-head win against the Pats; the Ravens fall to 4-2 and will potentially have to come back to New England a fourth time in a year plus this January.

As I write this Damon Yaffe of 105.7 FM is screaming in the background of the Ravens offense being a Ferrari, with a driver (Cam Cameron) who is not comfortable behind the wheel. There is plenty to critique about the offense down the stretch and in OT, but for me that discussion only occurs after discussing the non-existent pass rush. The Ravens had 3 sacks today, but far too often Brady was allowed to step-up in the pocket with nobody in his face.

The Good:

1) Flacco threw for 285 yards, 2 TD's, zero picks, and found 7 different receivers. The post-game shows are receiving calls and emails from people that want to see more emotion from Flacco. The comments are just a result of the game ending as a loss. There was no difference between the Flacco we saw today, and the Flacco that led the Ravens to the winning drive at Pittsburgh. The result was different, so the perception also changes for many.

2) Another favorite whipping boy locally has been Todd Heap. Even though he has played in every game of 6 of his 9 previous seasons (including every game of the past two years), Heap is often referred to as Mr. Glass. Not only did Heap have a tough TD grab today, he came back into the game after receiving a crushing personal-foul. Dickson and Pitta were lucky to have joined the Ravens, and have Heap as a mentor.

3) Cundiff had good kickoffs again today, and eliminated Tate as a return weapon for New England.

4) Mason had a good day with 8 grabs, for 100 yards.

5) Ngata had two sacks, Carr had an INT, Landry had good-pressure on a blitz, and Ellerbe showed some athleticism.

The Bad:

1) Rice had 28 carries for just 88 yards. I like that the Ravens committed to running the ball. I do not know why McGahee received zero attemps, after averaging 12 carries the previous two weeks.

2) Danny Woodhead is generously listed as 5'9, 200 lbs. He showed good quicks, and elusiveness, and I am sure he is difficult to locate due to his height. There is no way the Ravens should have allowed Woodhead to run for 63 yards (11 carries), and get another 52 yards as a receiver.

3) Zbikowski and Parmele are not turning the ball over as return men, but neither one is giving the Ravens additional yards and positive field-position. Josh Wilson was unable to play today with his hamstring. After the bye I expect he is going to be given the opportunity to help in the return game.

4) Lamar Divens and Arthur Jones were inactive today. Kruger was obviously inactive and physically unable to play. Terrence Cody either did not touch the field, or made zero-impact today. Did Brandon McKinney play today? (EDIT, I see McKinney actually got the start - my error) Cory Redding is 31 next month. Kelly Gregg is 35 next month. That seems like incentive to me to want to rotate bodies in on the line, and limit some of their snaps. While Ngata had another strong-game, he came into the game having been limited all week. You would think based on that, the Ravens would have wanted some additional depth ready to play this week.

5) Flacco had a 3rd down and 6 yards to go in OT, and forced a pass to Heap against double-coverage. The pass went incomplete, and replays showed he had other options. If you run plays with Boldin, Housmandzadeh, Mason, and Heap on the field together; you should never be in a position to have to throw against double-coverage, as there should always be a receiving option working against a single defender.

6) You come out on the first-drive, and hit back-to-back passes to Housmandzadeh. The second reception came with 12:52 left on the clock in the 1st Quarter. That was Housmandzadeh's last reception of the day. How does that happen?

7) After the Patriots scored a touchdown in the 4th Quarter to close the gap to 20-17, the Ravens took over on offense. 18 yard pass completion to Boldin. 7 yard run for Rice. McClain for 2 yards, setting-up 3rd and 1 on the Ravens 47. Baltimore needed to convert that 1st down. Flacco was stopped on a QB sneak, and Baltimore punted. I think that one of the RB's needed to run that ball, with McClain as my choice.

8) Baltimore takes over with 1:51 left on the clock in the 4th Quarter, and eventually has to punt on 4th down with 45 seconds left. Welker is allowed to return the ball 22 yards, allowing the Patriots to start their drive on their 47 yard line. New England did not score there, but the Special Teams miscue was inexcusable.

9) Michael Oher continues to have difficulties with penalties on the road.

10) I personally like Suggs, and find myself defending him a lot. Today, I found his sack-dance annoying. Perhaps that annoyance was after seeing him blown-up several times at the line, and also out of position when New England ran a reverse.

The Ugly:

1) McClain's penalty can not happen in a battle of field position.

2) Between 1:51 left in the 4th Quarter, and OT; the Ravens had four different offensive possessions. They managed two first-downs.

Up-Next:

Buffalo, already 0-5 and on a bye this week, will be the sacrificial victim next Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens will be motivated to get the taste of this game out of their mouths, and enter the bye with a win. It is hard to imagine any scenario where the Bills (currently minus 74 in point differential) will actually be able to challenge Baltimore.

Will the Ravens pursue Merriman?

The San Diego Chargers have announced that OLB/DE Shawne Merriman was placed on the Reserved-Injured list and, per NFL rules, will be released when he is healthy.

With that release scheduled to occur, you can bet the Ravens leadership within the Castle is debating the positives and negatives of trying to add Merriman to the Baltimore roster. I believe the Ravens will make the offer. If that happens, the chances are good that he signs here. First, every defensive player in the league would love to play in Baltimore. Secondly, the former Maryland Terrapin would be close to his native Washington D.C.

The biggest negatives in adding Merriman lay on the field, and the injury concerns which make you question what production you would receive from him.

After being an All-Pro during the his first three seasons in the league (2005-07), Merriman had reconstructive knee surgery early in the 2008 season, which ended that year. In 2009, he played in 14 games, but registered just 4 sacks as he dealt with continued knee pain, and a poor foot. Here in 2010 he has played in 3 of the 5 games for the Chargers, but not registered a sack as he had hamstring issues.

It is obviously fair to question what Merriman has left, but I think the Ravens should bring him in and find out. Baltimore is 3rd in Total Defense, but just 22nd in the league in sacks. (Tennessee leads the league with 22, Baltimore has 8). Even if the pass-rush never improves this year, the Ravens are going to have a chance to hoist their 2nd Lombardi Trophy. If the pass-rush can be improved, you are just increasing the odds of obtaining a title. Merriman has to be released by the Chargers when he is deemed healthy. So when the Ravens could sign him, he will already be on the mend. The Ravens would be obtaining him with an eye mostly towards the playoffs. My goal would be to have him providing a situational pass-rush in December.

The steroids Merriman took his first-year in the league? Does not really matter, as he was an All-Pro the two-following years without them. The sack-dance? Maybe poor taste to some, but let us see some sacks first, and we can debate the dance later. The incident with Tila Tequlia? Strange, but the charges were dismissed a week later.

Frankly, none of that matters. What matters is there are not going to be any other 26 year-old, 3x All-Pro's dropped from the sky at a position of weakness. Maybe he will not be able to help, but as an organization you have to find that out for yourselves. The only way the Ravens meet their own expectations for this season is by winning the Super Bowl. With those expectations, the potential for Merriman to help far outweighs any risk.

Better in the living room or at M&T?

Before yesterday, the last-time I had been to a Ravens game was the last game of the 2004 season against Miami. Yesterday brought my all-time Ravens game attendance to five.

I think it is safe to say that I prefer watching from the comforts of my living room, vs.spending the day at M&T Bank Stadium. I wonder if I am in the minority here?

Even with a relatively dull-game, the crowd was in good form yesterday. It is always enjoyable being part of that type of atmosphere. I think the Ravens do a great job as an organization of making their fans as comfortable as possible. There are seats that are better than others, but there are no horrible seats in that stadium.

My preference to watch at-home has little to do with anything the Ravens do or do not provide on Game-day. If you want to say I am 'selfish', for not supporting the team with attendance; there is some validity to that point-of-view. I do appreciate that our fans (and their dollars) combined with the agreement to build M&T Bank Stadium, are the reasons the organization moved here from Cleveland in the first-place.

If the Ravens actually had problems attracting crowds, I might be more prone to want to go to games. Simply because I respect how important the Ravens are to this City, and I would want to my part to keep them here.

Since the Ravens have zero-problems with selling-out the stadium, I selfishly get to enjoy the games being aired on T.V. for free. I get to replay plays as many times I would like. The trip to the fridge is not a 20 minute adventure. When I am on my couch, I do not have people getting up and walking past me repeatedly. I can keep my lap-top open and watch my fantasy team again perform to middling results.

On the other-hand, I usually spend an inordinate amount of time watching the typically poor studio shows on ESPN, CBS, FOX, and NBC; and that is probably a good argument for going to the game itself. (Or just spending more time watching the consistently good NFL Network) While I am half-kidding about disliking the network studio-shows, I do appreciate the game-telecasts. It is usually interesting to hear what the Ravens Coaching Staff, and the players are saying to the National reporters. It is also interesting to hear the perspective of those National reporters.

I can accept being called 'selfish' for rather watching from home, but I would not be able to agree with anyone who thinks I am not a passionate fan. The only time I can remember missing a game was in 2003 when Jamal Lewis went for 295 yards against Cleveland. That game was missed as I was traveling to the United Kingdom, so I think the excuse is legitimate enough.

I had fun yesterday taking my Wife Laura to her first-game ever. I will have fun in two-weeks when I go to the game with my Dad. I think after that though, it will be another several years before I again return.

So, does anyone else have similar thoughts? If you would always rather be at the stadium, how come?