You may not have realized with all the coverage of Tim Tebow, but the Denver Broncos running game has been pretty spectacular this season.
The Broncos have rushed for a league leading 2,632 yards, averaging 164.5 per game in 546 attempts. The only other team to run more than 500 times is the Baltimore Ravens opponent this week, the Houston Texans.
A critical part of Denver’s success on the ground has been former Ravens running back Willis McGahee, who rushed for 1,199 yards this season. McGahee was cut by the Ravens before the season began and he told the NFL Network’s Michael Irvin that his release left a bad taste in his mouth about the Baltimore organization.
“I got a letter from Baltimore, you know when they release you,” McGahee told Irvin. “It said, ‘unable to perform to the abilities of other running backs.'” Irvin responded saying that he had never seen anything like that during his playing days. “I’ve never seen nothing like that either so I was like ‘what.'”
In four years in Baltimore, McGahee rushed for over 1,000 yards in just one of those years, 2007. The Ravens leaned heavily on the former Bill that season, handing him the ball 294 times. But in 2008, Ray Rice’s arrival put McGahee on the back burner before his eventual release after the NFL lockout.
“It feels good because you know a lot of people counted me out coming into this year.”
Baltimore added Ricky Williams as Rice’s backup this season and the 11 year veteran has been a great fill-in. Williams has averaged 4.1 yards per attempt and carried the ball 108 times this season.
When the Ravens acquired McGahee from Buffalo, he signed a seven-year contract with the last two seasons being option years. At the time he was one of the NFL’s five highest-paid backs and was due to make $6 million in 2011.
In comparison, Williams signed a two year deal worth $2.6 million in Baltimore. He’s due to make $1.5 million for the Ravens next season.
If McGahee and the Broncos can go into Denver and do what the Ravens did to the Patriots in 2009 (rush for 234 yards and 4 touchdowns) you have to wonder if the Baltimore organization gave up on McGahee too soon.
Zach Wilt is the Founding Editor of BaltimoreSportsReport.com and Host of the BSR Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @zamwi or send him an email: zach@baltimoresportsreport.com.
Just one of many mistakes made by ozzie.
love it…. ozzie bashing after creating a killer team.
Willis isn’t any better than Ricky Williams.
can you say fumble-rooskie! count’em, 6 fumbles this year. he let the steelers back in the game last week with them scoring off one of his fumbles and he was lucky to lose only one of the two he had in the game. although he’s shown to be a good back in the past, the guy is fragile. he can’t take a hard hit without coughing it up. aaannd, how many times did he take off a play because he was winded or nicked up. good move by the oz.
Why on earth would Ozzie pay 6 mil to a backup RB on the decline of.his career. Smart move by Ozzie. Bring in a more mature, cheaper and non ball demanding vet like Ricky to back up one of the league’s best backs-Ray Rice. In Ozzie we trust. RAVENS SUPERBOWL BABY
This is not even an issue, the ravens needed lots of cap space, and McGahee is a china doll who was going to make more than 6 times the salary Ray Rice was due to make. They wanted Ray Rice to be the focal point of the offense, and not have a 30 year old fragile running back in his ear all season begging for reps. They used that cap space to bring in the best fullback in the NFL and a huge LT that has played surprisingly well this year, both very dependable guys. This was an amazing business move that only lifted Ray Rice to be the NFL leader in total yards. Yeah… Ozzie has no idea what hes doing, what a joke!
All that being said, congrats to Willis and his great year in Denver, I’m sure I speak for all Ravens fans in saying we appreciate his work in Baltimore and we wish him nothing but the best in the future, but all I can say is RAY RICE.
I’ll take the Ravens to task for dumb moves but cutting McGahee would have happened prior to the 2010 season had their been a cap.
The move was purely based on the cap.
There is nothing more to it.
Agree w other posters… They didn’t give up on him. Ray Rice is the feature back, and they couldn’t pay McGahee his due-salary to be a backup. Just like Priest Holmes and Jamal Lewis… Could only keep 1, so you keep the better/younger of the 2.
Pingback: willis mcgahee - Tenvipo
They sure needed Willis today in short yardage situations,,,,,,the best team lost today,………..
It’s comments like the one below from Kevin Cowherd of the Baltimore Sun that shows how the Baltimore Sports Report should be the “Go To” Sports read in the state of Maryland.
The Baltimore Sun’s credibility takes some hits with Mr. Cowherd’s comment which was about Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense in today’s game against the Texans.
Kevin Cowherd wrote after todays win (This is just a portion of what he wrote): Credit the defense with the win that sends the Ravens on to New England. Corner Lardarius Webb had a great game and safety Ed Reed finally made a big play on the Texans’ final drive to seal the win. The offense looked sluggish and unfocused at times, despite a few terrific throws by Joe Flacco.
“despite a few terrific throws by Joe Flacco”
What??? Flacco stunk up the place big time and what throws that were caught that Flacco threw past 10 yards were because of the athletic ability of the receivers!
I’m tired of hearing about how Flacco is a great quarterback. He’s in the bottom half of QB’s in the NFL. You better play better than what you did today Flacco for the Ravens to have a shot to win next week.
Let’s face it, if it wasn’t for the Ravens, The Sun would probably fold up their tent. Outside of Mike Preston, you rarely read anything critical of the team. The Sun NEEDS the Ravens and the Ravens do not necessarily need the Sun. The local paper has become more like “Baghdad Bob” reporting whatever propaganda the Ravens instruct them to.
That’s why it’s refreshing to read unbiased articles on the “Baltimore Sports Report” (BSR).
On the “BSR” you won’t get garbage comments saying that Flacco threw terrific passes when we all know he stunk up M&T Bank Stadium and that someone like “Chow Shumyungie” could have done better than Flacco.
BTW, great time at your place for the Ravens game today Chow. Your place is unbelievable. Next time just give MGW the keys to your Corvette to drive so he can stop drooling over it.
Hey Chow , I have a corvette also , a 1974 sting ray, 350/350, turbo 400 tranny , red on black and showroom fine ………..
What are you driving ?