I used to dog on Rex Ryan for scooping up the Ravens scraps and attempting to build a quality team around them. I guess Bart Scott really taught him a lesson.
This offseason it seems as though the San Diego (Super) Chargers have followed Ryan’s plan. They’ve signed three ex-Ravens just days into free agency.
Those three former Ravens will join former Baltimore linebacker Antwan Barnes. Sarah Ellison of BaltimoreRavens.com points out that Barnes was drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL draft.
The Ravens dealt Barnes to Philadelphia in 2010 after he was stuck on John Harbaugh’s doghouse (that part wasn’t on BR.com). He later signed with the Chargers after being released by the Eagles.
The graph above shows the weekly Rush DVOA for the 2011 and 2010 incarnations of the Baltimore Ravens. Rush DVOA is a percentage, so a team with a Rush DVOA of 10.0% is 10 percent better at running the ball than the average team. Its also important to note that Rush DVOA measures not just rushing yardage, but the importance of the rushing yardage. For example, five yards on third-and-4 are worth more than five yards on first-and-10 and much more than five yards on third-and-12. Rush DVOA is also adjusted for the quality of the opponent, so a run against the 49ers is worth more than a run against the Browns. The data for the graph and the statistics in this post are all courtesy of Football Outsiders. The photos in the body of the post are courtesy of the linked websites.
An indepth look at all the contributors to the Ravens running game in 2011 follows after the jump. READ MORE >>>
The Ravens had control of the AFC in their fingertips and on Sunday night against the Chargers they proved that they aren’t as strong as everyone had previously thought. Going into the game Baltimore was being touted as one of the best teams in the league and one that was destined for a home playoff game. Monday morning they are a team that has played well at home and will likely be playing their postseason games on the road.
Poor coaching, a failure to adjust whatever game plan they set up and an abysmal night by Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco killed the Ravens chances in San Diego. In front of a national audience, the Ravens lost their second worst game under John Harbaugh since falling by 28 to the Colts in 2008.
Here are my thoughts on the ugly 34-14 loss in San Diego.
Who is Joe Flacco? - I don’t know who Baltimore’s quarterback is? Is he the guy that threads the needle to Ed Dickson between two defenders in the end zone or the guy that overthrows Ray Rice on a two yard dump off pass? Is he the guy that breaks a sack and rushes for 12 yards to convert on third down or the guy that under threw Lee Evans in the first quarter on a pass that would have been a touchdown on the team’s opening drive. I’m not sure which Joe Flacco is the real Joe Flacco, but I know that on the road he hasn’t been good.
Suggs was a non-factor - For a guy that we’ve all been praising and hoping to see win the defensive player of the year award, Terrell Suggs fell flat against the Chargers. After a couple three sack performances, Suggs was limited to just two tackles. Former Raven Jared Gaither was pushing him around. Suggs most memorable moment was a personal foul head slap penalty that gave the Chargers three points.
John Harbaugh is an awesome liar. He has to be because no one in the Ravens organization can have anything good to say about offensive lineman Jared Gaither after his career in Baltimore.
The Chargers offensive tackle went through a roller coaster type career in purple. After playing a solid tackle for the Ravens between 2007-2009, Gaither showed up the training camp in 2010 thirty pounds underweight. With the arrival of Michael Oher, the Ravens decided to move him to right tackle and he missed the entire season with a “back injury.”
Baltimore parted ways with Gaither this season and he signed with the Chiefs for the first ten games of the season. He was released from Kansas City in late November and picked up by the Chargers.
When fans and analyst refer to the NFL’s “parity,” they are usually talking about a balance of competition among the league’s 32 teams. One of the things I appreciate about the NFL so much is actually its parity in the most basic sense. 32 divided by two, divided by four, divided by four – a perfect equation for a mathematically balanced grouping of teams. With this harmonious balance, you begin to see patterns develop. The divisions, while different in the details, fall into similar dynamics. Each one is kind of a bizarro version of the next, like on “Seinfeld” when Elaine found the other group of guys to hang out with. So, who are the Ravens’ “Feldman” in the other divisions? READ MORE >>>
Despite posting their best record since 2006, the Ravens did not experience across the board improvement in 2010. The defense declined slightly while the pass offense and special teams improved slightly. However, the usually formidable running game degraded drastically, falling from 4.7 yards per carry (fourth in the NFL in 2009) to 3.9 yards per carry (25th in the NFL in 2010). The ineffectiveness came to a head in the Ravens playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers where Ray Rice and Willis McGahee combined for just 36 yards on 16 carries. This week in By the Numbers we’ll discern who was to blame for this precipitous decline.
13 of the Ravens 16 carries went for 2 yds. or fewer in their playoff game against Pittsburgh last year.
Due to the lockout putting teams on a tight deadline to make signings, NFL free agency this year is pretty much impossible to follow. Here at BSR, we’ll try to help you out with our Free Agent Tracker. Here we track the comings and goings of Ravens free agents, meaning you can keep up with who leaves Baltimore, and who will be a new face in the purple and black.
Currently, you’ll see a few “2011 Team” spaces left blank. As players agree to contracts and sign those contracts, we’ll update that space.
***Additionally, you’ll see Casey Rabach’s name crossed out. This is because he failed his physical after agreeing to a contract, and therefore will not be playing with the Ravens this season.***
Gaither visited with the Oakland Raiders last week, but signed a deal with the Chiefs today. The former University of Maryland star struggled with injuries during his time with the Ravens as he missed all of last season with a thoracic disc injury in his back.
Yesterday afternoon free agency fever was dead in Baltimore. The news that the Ravens had cut four fan favorite players (Todd Heap, Derrick Mason, Kelly Gregg, and Willis McGahee) along with Baltimore’s possession of four unrestricted free agent offensive linemen (Marshal Yanda, Jared Gaither, Chris Chester, and Tony Moll) cast a Poe-like gloom over the Charm City. However, according to the Ravens web site and Baltimore Sun, the Ravens have agreed to terms with their 2007 third round pick — 6’3 315 lbs. guard/tackle — Marshal Yanda. With the re-signing of Yanda, one of the top free agents in this year’s class, the Ravens have spent some of the money they saved by cutting Heap, Mason, Gregg and McGahee.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed but a press conference is scheduled for some time today (Wednesday). Last season Yanda started all 16 games at right tackle after Jared Gaither missed the entire year with a back injury. However, the Ravens would like to move Yanda back to right guard, which many NFL talent scouts consider his natural position.
With the 85th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft the Ravens selected Jah Reid, an offensive tackle from The University of Central Florida (UCF). At UCF Reid was a three year starter, team captain and did not miss a game due to injury. So, if you’re into intangibles he has them in spades. If you’re into physical measurables Reid has several as well. His size is regarded as ideal for an offensive tackle. He is 6’7, weights 330 lbs and has the frame to put on additional weight. The consensus amongst talent evaluators is that Reid has elite size and athleticism, is not capable of playing left tackle in the NFL and with some technique development will be capable of playing right tackle in 2011. The most interesting aspect of this pick has nothing to do with Reid himself, but the position he may be capable of playing – right tackle. By trading a sixth round draft pick for the opportunity to draft a future right tackle, Ozzie Newsome and the rest of the front office appear to be telling the world, “Michael Oher is our starting left tackle and we have no interest in re-signing Jared Gaither when free agency begins.” Only time will tell if this is actually what the front office believes but it certainly appears Gaither will not be wearing purple and black in 2011.
Watching the Steelers and Jets reminded me of what a team looks like when they play up to their talent. The Steelers are not the most talented team in the AFC, but when it counts they don’t waste an inch of their ability. It isn’t that they don’t make mistakes, every team does and will. They aren’t fazed by the moment, whether they are down by 14 *ahem* or ahead by 20. Talent will get you to 12 wins in the regular season, but it won’t get you to the Super Bowl. Pittsburgh is the team that Baltimore could be if Baltimore had that same attitude. Right now the Ravens are a lot like Mike Tyson in the early 1990’s. Incredibly fearsome and a great hitter- but the moment someone refuses to be intimidating and hits back, it is an entirely different fight. Ravens fans can’t stand the Steelers, and for good reason (I will let Zach and the others take that one on the next time it’s Steelers Week). The Ravens could learn a lot from their AFC rivals- maybe that’s what gets under their skin most of all.
But before the Ravens can turn their luck around, they will need to take care of what is sure to be a contentious offseason. Not only do they have to negotiate around an uncertain labor future, but they have a host of unrestricted free agents to sign. They won’t be able to sign all of them, so how should they prioritize them? Assuming there is a season next year, here is one perspective: READ MORE >>>
ESPN’s Adam Shefter is reporting that Jared Gaither is done for season as the Ravens are planning on putting him on the Injured Reserve List. In honor of the RT that we oh so love, here is the man doing what he does in the kitchen
Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Jared Gaither announced that he still has not been cleared to play due to his upper back injury suffered prior to the season’s start. Gaither has yet to suit up for the Ravens, but practiced last Wednesday for the first time in eight weeks before leaving early due to pain in his back.
“I can’t block at 100 percent yet, so they won’t be clearing me,” Gaither said after seeing Dr. Robert Watkins – the back specialist Gaither and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, handpicked – for a second time. Gaither also saw Dr. Watkins during training camp.
“I still have pain and I still can’t have all the movements, so I guess they won’t clear me until I do all that.”
Analysis: Chris Chester has steadily improved since the Ravens drafted him in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft. Initially, Chester, who is another tight end turned o-lineman, did not have the size or bulk to keep up on the interior of the Ravens offensive line. READ MORE >>>
I used to dog on Rex Ryan for scooping up the Ravens scraps and attempting to build a quality team around them. I guess Bart Scott really taught him a lesson.
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