By Matt Lund, on January 22nd, 2012  In a match-up of two teams with very contrasting styles of play, the AFC’s #2 seeded Baltimore Ravens traveled north to take on the #1 seed New England Patriots for the AFC Championship.
The Ravens played the role of spoiler before, handing the Patriots a 33-14 loss at Gillette Stadium in the 2009 wild card playoffs, but that particular match-up was different than this one.
The Patriots didn’t have a young duo of TE’s in Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. They also didn’t have Wes Welker, who was injured during the Patriots playoff run that year.
Still that did not faze the Ravens as they confused and frustrated Patriots QB Tom Brady in the game, much like they did in 2009. The Ravens defense picked off Brady twice and sacked him once.
The Ravens had an offensive and defensive game plan that on most afternoons contributes to a Ravens victory. Despite that however, it came down to the right foot of kicker Billy Cundiff to tie the game and send it to overtime when Cundiff missed a 32-yard field goal wide left giving the Patriots the 23-20 victory and an AFC Championship in front of the home crowd. READ MORE >>>
By Matt Lund, on January 16th, 2012 The Baltimore Ravens returned to the friendly confines of M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon, fresh off a much-needed bye week, taking on a hungry and determined Houston Texans squad primed to make it to their first ever AFC Championship Game.
The Ravens held off a Texans rushing attack, led by RB Arian Foster who carried the ball 27 times for 132 yards and a touchdown. The name of the game however was turnovers and the Ravens had four takeaways total – two in the final eight minutes of regulation- to secure the 20-13 victory over Houston in front of a loud crowd of 71,547 at “The Bank” (the largest crowd in Ravens history) and advancing to their second trip to the AFC Championship game in four years under head coach John Harbaugh.
Winning the turnover battle and time of possession were keys to victory in the game, but important because the first two turnovers, all in the 1st quarter, led to both of the Ravens touchdowns on the day. Using the bye week to prepare, the Ravens appeared focused, not committing a single penalty in the game – a first in Baltimore Ravens history – and not turning the ball over once themselves.
The Ravens will travel to Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots for the AFC Championship on Sunday, January 22nd at 3:00 pm. The last time the Ravens traveled to Gillette Stadium, they trounced the Patriots 33-14 in the 2009 AFC Wildcard Playoffs. READ MORE >>>
By Dave Gilmore, on January 3rd, 2012  The Baltimore Ravens wrapped up their 16th regular season NFL campaign yesterday. On paper and on the turf, this season was a complete success. Perhaps it’s an indication that we’re a little spoiled, given that such a campaign might not even be in the top three seasons in the team’s brief history.
This felt like an amazing season, but of course it’s easy to say that when it’s fresh in our hearts and minds. Still, I think it stacks up nicely among the best ever played by the franchise. READ MORE >>>
By Matt Lund, on January 2nd, 2012 Looking to secure their first AFC North Division Championship since 2006 with a victory, the Baltimore Ravens traveled to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in front of a mostly-Bengal crowd that had trouble selling out the game earlier in the week. Not to mention, a loyal legion of Ravens fans making the trip to the Queen City for the New Year’s Day tilt, but also by Pittsburgh Steelers fans who made the trip to Cincinnati - buying up a number of tickets the Bengals could not sell to their own fans – hell bent on seeing the possibility of the Ravens choking away their grasp of the division lead.
But it was never to be.
The Ravens went to their strength, running the football effectively and the defense made stops when called upon, leading to a 24-16 victory at  Paul Brown Stadium in front of 63,439 fans. The game felt like a playoff game and the Ravens treated it as such, clinching their third AFC North title in team history. The Ravens secured the much-needed first-round bye and a home playoff game - a first in the John Harbaugh era - something that both he and Ravens players stated before the season was important to them. READ MORE >>>
By Matt Lund, on December 25th, 2011 The Baltimore Ravens entered their final home game of the 2011 season looking to make franchise history against their divisional opponent, the Cleveland Browns. The chance to wrap up the home schedule with an 8-0 record hung in the balance, giving them the distinction of becoming the first team in the 16-year history of the franchise to finish with a perfect home record. The Ravens wanted to deliver not only an early Christmas present to the fans on Christmas Eve, but also to send a message to not be counted out after the loss to the San Diego Chargers.
 The Ravens breezed through the first half leading 17-0 as the Cleveland Browns showcased some of the worst coaching and mis-managing of the game clock in NFL history. The Ravens were aided by the Browns having exactly zero timeouts when they received the ball back for the final time of the 1st half. Driving the distance of the field, Browns RB Peyton Hillis was stopped for no gain at the 3-yard line and without a timeout, the Browns and their head coach Pat Shurmur could only watch in disbelief as time expired in the half.
With the way the Browns had played in the 1st half, one would think the airplane taking the team back to Cleveland would be fired up and on stand-by at BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport, but they actually made a game out of it and the Ravens at times, seemed to almost want the Browns to get back into the game.
Very questionable play-calling and lack of execution by the Ravens in the 2nd half and a couple of long drives by Cleveland brought the Browns to within six points after TE Evan Moore caught a six-yard TD from QB Seneca Wallace to cut the Ravens lead to 20-14. The Ravens bent all game, but didn’t break as they looked at a 4th and 2 at the Cleveland 37-yard line. True to form, the Browns promptly shot themselves in the foot that held open the door of opportunity in this game.
After Joe Flacco barked out a few hard counts, somehow he lured Browns’ defensive tackle Phil Taylor off-sides on a play the Ravens were never actually going to get off. The penalty gave the Ravens a first down and after running out the clock on the next three plays, gave them a 20-14 victory, their eighth straight win against Cleveland in front of 71,083 fans at M&T Bank Stadium.
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By Matt Lund, on December 19th, 2011 The Baltimore Ravens packed up their playoff hopes and dreams and headed west to a not-so-warm San Diego to face the Chargers on Sunday night. Before the start of the game, because of losses by the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders, the Ravens locked in their 4th-straight appearance in the NFL playoffs; a franchise record. But after that news, little went right for a team with so much on the line and destiny laying in the palm of their collective hands.
A win over San Diego would have kept the Ravens one step ahead of divisional rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North division as well as the potential of having the top seed in the AFC Playoffs with home field advantage. But those dreams, at least after Week 15, came crashing down in the Ravens 34-14 loss to the Chargers at Snapdragon Stadium.
The Ravens were thoroughly out-worked by the Chargers in all facets of this game: Offensively, defensively and coaching. San Diego didn’t roll over and play dead just because their opponent had stamped a ticket to the playoffs before this game even started. In fact, that may have given the Chargers some extra pep in their step because they themselves were not out of the AFC Playoff picture with a 6-7 record.
Road games in December are extremely important to a team aspiring to be champions and now may be the only way this team gets to the Super Bowl. There’s enough talent on both sides of the ball to still get there, but simply put, the Ravens must take care of business the rest of the way and hope for a slip-up by the Steelers on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers.
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By Matt Lund, on December 12th, 2011 
When the National Football League released its 2011-12 schedule in early April, the 13th game of the season was marked on the calendar for both the Ravens and the fans in a number of ways.
The game gave Ravens fans another opportunity to voice their disapproval of that team from Indianapolis who left Baltimore for good on a snowy night in March of 1984. Another reason being the potential magnitude of the game itself and also the star power each team boasts. The Ravens heart and soul at LB Ray Lewis and Colts QB Peyton Manning on the opposite side. A late season, cold-weather, road-test in a noisy M&T Bank Stadium had both teams dreaming of playoff implications.
But going into this game, those things did not come to fruition. Both Lewis and Manning sat out the game because of their respective injuries. It was safe to say network TV execs weren’t exactly salivating about a Jameel McClain vs. Dan Orlovsky match-up. READ MORE >>>
By Matt Lund, on December 5th, 2011 
The Baltimore Ravens have had their share of head-scratching defeats on the road this season, but leading up to the match-up in Cleveland, all week the theme was not letting those prior losses creep into the collective psyche of the team. The thought of another trap game weighed heavily on the minds of fans as well, but the Ravens were determined to distance themselves from those ugly losses and prove their worth as one of the top teams in the AFC.
On a rainy and cold afternoon in Cleveland, the Ravens needed to take care of business against a team they had defeated six straight times, including three straight on the road. They did exactly that with a tough, ground and pound style that Cleveland had absolutely no answer for. The 24-10 victory for Baltimore is their third straight victory and also their third road victory of the season, critical wins to have at this point of the season.
Grading the Ravens 24-10 victory over Cleveland
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By Dave Gilmore, on November 25th, 2011  Terrell Suggs does not do anything quietly. Quiet people do not found “Ball So Hard” universities. Quiet people don’t have offensive formations named after them when they don’t play a down of offense. And yet, looking at the last decade of Baltimore Ravens football, it’s been easy for Suggs to get a little lost in the shuffle at times. As a self-admitted third-in-command behind Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, Suggs has not been synonymous with the Baltimore Ravens in the way those two players have.
With his three-sack performance and tremendous leadership in Baltimore’s crucial 16-6 victory over San Francisco, Terrell Suggs has etched himself firmly in at least third position not just on this current team, but in all-time Ravens defensive history. READ MORE >>>
By Dave Gilmore, on November 18th, 2011 
I think of the future quite a bit. Especially when it comes to sports. If you play Madden long enough or daydream far enough, you see the Baltimore Ravens existing without Ray Lewis.
It’s odd to watch the Ravens play without number 52. It’s not glaring if you miss the pre-game introductions, and sometimes you don’t notice it immediately. In late 2005, you could flip on a game and conveniently forget Ray was out for the season for a couple plays. Then something feels off. The rhythm of the defense changes. The run-stopping happens deeper and deeper in the secondary. The intensity drops a few degrees. Tight ends get a little more brazen coming across the middle and quarterbacks start to relax their eyes downfield. For the first time in 57 games, it’s doubtful we’ll see Lewis on the field for Baltimore’s pivotal division game against Cincinnati. It’s going to happen eventually. Let’s use Sunday to mentally prepare, and think about who could possibly dream of stepping into Ray’s shoes one day. READ MORE >>>
By Zach Wilt, on November 4th, 2011  All week long Baltimore has read the reports of the Steelers injuries heading into week nine against the Ravens. James Harrison tweeted that he will be sidelined and all indications are that LaMarr Woodley and Hines Ward will also likely be out for the Steelers.
But the health of Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is beginning to become a growing concern for Baltimore.
Ngata missed Wednesday and Thursday’s practices with a thigh injury. A league source did tell Aaron Wilson that Ngata expects to play Sunday.
With Ngata’s help in week one, the Ravens forced Ben Roethlisberger to throw three interceptions and fumble four times. He’s one of the center pieces of the Ravens defense. Hopefully the team is just being cautious with him, the Ravens need him to suit up.
By Zach Wilt, on October 25th, 2011  I don’t even know what to write about this game. The Ravens are a better team than what they showed in Jacksonville. Should I get mad and do the “this team has proven they aren’t a Super Bowl contender” schtick? Or stay level headed and and go with the “this team will bounce back” routine? I’m disappointed that I even have to ask.
The Ravens took a “butt wooping,” as John Harbaugh said in his post game press conference, in Jacksonville. Here are my thoughts on their 12-7 loss to the Jaguars.
- Why did you watch this game? - You do realize that while the Ravens were embarrassing themselves in front of a national audience that the Rangers were busy taking a 3-2 lead over the Cardinals in an awesome game five of the World Series, right? I sure hope you turned this Ravens game off by the first half at the latest. There was nothing good to watch. My favorite part of the whole broadcast was when Sal Paolantonio said Ed Reed’s return was questionable while Reed was running back on to the field.
- Bad Joe - Last week, ESPN’s Skip Bayless told viewers that the Ravens won’t win a Super Bowl with Joe Flacco under center. Bayless is looking a tad bit smarter after watching the Ravens offense’s performance on Monday night. Flacco finished the game with 137 yards passing, a touchdown and an interception, but the Ravens didn’t convert on third down until over halfway through the third quarter. The Ravens receivers were covered, Flacco was pressured and no one stepped up.
- Cam never adjusted - The thing that worries me the most about the Ravens is their inability to bounce back after a difficult first half. After going down 6-0 to a horrible Jacksonville team at the half, the Ravens should have gone into the locker room, thrown some stuff around, yelled and came back with a different game plan. Maybe they did the first three, but they certainly never adjusted. Sometimes Cam Cameron’s game plan makes the Ravens offense look as dangerous as the New England Patriots and sometimes they look as flat as the Raiders with Kyle Boller (yeah I said it). Unfortunately, Cam’s game plans are set in stone and on Monday, he thought using Ray Rice eight times was a good idea. It wasn’t.
- Onside kick? - John Harbaugh has to be questioned on the onside kick. I’m sure that his poor game management will likely be overshadowed by how horrible Joe Flacco and the offense looked or where Haloti Ngata disappeared off to, but kicking an onside kick with over two minutes to play was stupid. It allowed the Jags to score three more points and forced the Ravens to score a touchdown to win the game. Dumb call.
- Ayanbadejo shouldn’t be on defense - I’ve mentioned here on BSR that I’m dumbfounded by Brendon Ayanbadejo’s amount of playing time on the Ravens defense. He’s a lifelong special teams player and guy who seems to be in the middle of too many dumb penalties. Monday was no different as Ayanbadejo was ejected for throwing a punch in the first half. A fitting ugly play for a ugly game.
Alright, I’ve had enough. It’s going to be a long week.
By Zach Wilt, on October 7th, 2011  Haloti Ngata just made a lot of people happy in Baltimore. No, it’s not because he signed a five year contract that will keep him in Charm City until 2016. It’s because he told Dan Patrick that he likes beating up on pretty boy Tom Brady because “he thinks he should never be touched.”
“I love hitting Tom Brady because he always complains,” Ngata said. He added that his hits are “usually clean.”
You’ve got to love Ngata’s candid answers as he called out Brady for thinking he’s in a league by himself. The NFL has softened the rules for him and guys like Ngata take pride in bringing them back to reality.
Ngata’s interview in SI wasn’t just about crushing QB’s, he also told Patrick that he could bench press him 40 or 45 times and that Ray Lewis doesn’t intimidate him he gets him “more pumped.”
By Ross Gore, on October 5th, 2011 
As an act of prostest against the very sloppy Ravens vs. Jets game on Sunday night, By the Numbers has decided to ‘Suit Up‘ for a formal Week Four Review. This week we’ll discuss the game in the context of the advanced metric Win Probability Added (WPA). An explanation of WPA starts with the definition on Win Probability (WP). WP is the probability that a team wins the game given the current score, field position, down and distance. For example, at the start of the 2nd quarter, a team down by 3 points with 1st and 10 at midfield will win 46% of the time, a 0.46 WP. WPA is the difference in win probability (WP) between the start of the play and the end of the play. That difference is then credited/debited to the two teams. Because the chance of one team winning the game is directly related to the opponent’s chance of winning, the WP of the two teams always adds to 1.0. Thus, at the end of the game the winning team has a WP of 1.0 and the losing team has a WP of 0.0. The graph below shows WPA plotted as a function of time for the Ravens game against the Jets. The graph is taken from the excellent website, Advanced NFL Stats. The annotations are my own and are explained in the table below the graph. A fully interactive version of the graph is available here.
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By Dave Gilmore, on October 4th, 2011  A quarter of the way in, Ray Rice’s 2011 season may not look like much at first glance. The 24 year-old Raven running back is averaging 74.3 yards per game on the ground. In his three seasons as a full-time starter, this is actually his worst rushing average on a per-game basis. Forget what the numbers show at first glance, 2011 is, and is going to be Rice’s best season as a pro. Oh by the way, his contract is up.
When you look at Rice’s rushing yards per game, or even his respectable yards per carry (4.5), you find him in the upper-middle echelon of runners this season. Darren McFadden, Maurice Jones-Drew, Adrian Peterson, and even Fred Jackson have thrown up more impressive mileage in the ground game thus far. If you go beyond the basic metrics, neither of Football Outsiders‘ advanced running back metrics (DVOA and DYAR) have Rice in their top five.
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In a match-up of two teams with very contrasting styles of play, the AFC’s #2 seeded Baltimore Ravens traveled north to take on the #1 seed New England Patriots for the AFC Championship.
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