The Ravens held off a Texans rushing attack, led by RB Arian Foster . . . → Read More: Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 20-13 victory over Houston]]> 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.

Grading the Ravens 20-13 victory over Houston in the AFC Divisional Playoffs

Quarterback: C

Two things stood out in this game; having a healthy Anquan Boldin was a welcome sight for Joe Flacco, and the timing between quarterback and wide receivers looked crisp for the first time in a few months. If only Flacco’s receivers could help him out catching the ball at times, we may be onto something.

Flacco threw the ball efficiently, completing 14 of 27 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Both of those touchdown tosses were set-up by the Ravens forcing turnovers, as Flacco showed nice touch on throws most of the day. Two throws to Boldin were laid perfectly onto his back shoulder, one being his 10-yard touchdown catch. He also lofted a nice pass for WR Torrey Smith in the 1st quarter that Smith dropped.

Flacco’s pocket awareness was poor, however, as he had a ball swatted from his hand in the 1st quarter and luckily recovered by a Ravens lineman. When he gets bottled up, he still has trouble corralling the football and when its the playoffs, protecting the football is necessary.

Running Backs: C-

Ray Rice had a tough day running the football, only gaining 60 yards on 21 carries. The Texans did a nice job of limiting big runs from Rice as his longest carry all day was nine yards. The magic number was for Rice to get 25 touches in the game for the Ravens to have a good chance at winning, and he had exactly that.

Ricky Williams pitched in with six carries for 27 yards. I felt that it should have been Williams, not Rice, getting the call on the 4th and 1 from the Houston 1-yard line that the Ravens were stood up on late in the 3rd quarter. A touchdown there could have put the game out of reach for the Ravens.

For the first time all season, FB Vonta Leach was limited by the opposing team in his blocking abilities. The Texans had a nice game plan for Leach, getting the linebackers to target him early and often. Leach did throw a key block to allow Flacco a few precious seconds on the touchdown throw to Boldin.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: C

The Ravens got Anquan Boldin back from injury for this game and what a return indeed. He looked much faster running his routes and showed great hands. Boldin finished the afternoon with four catches, 73 yards and a touchdown. Flacco and Boldin picked on Texans 2nd-year CB Kareem Jackson all afternoon, he had no answer for Boldin.

Torrey Smith was quiet and held to just one catch for nine yards. Lee Evans may have had one of the biggest catches of his career, hauling in a one-handed, 30-yard reception, with a defender draped on him. Maybe that catch will be a confidence booster for Evans.

The Ravens are going to face New England, a team with an outstanding duo of TE’s that are involved in the passing game. The Ravens need to get their young duo of TE’s more involved in their game plan. Dennis Pitta finished with two catches for 29 yards and Ed Dickson had a catch for 14 yards. Dickson had another drop in the game as the ball, while slightly behind him, was right in his hands to catch.

Offensive Line: D-

Credit the Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips with bringing different looks of pressure in the game, because the Ravens offensive line got worked hard all afternoon. On one play, Texans DE J.J. Watt gave guard Marshal Yanda a swim move that Yanda is still trying to figure out. That usually doesn’t happen to Yanda.

On some blitzes and different stunts the Texans threw at the Ravens line, they looked confused at times. Joe Flacco was swarmed most of the 2nd half and was sacked five times. The good news is the Ravens won’t have to face the Texans front seven again, one of the best in the NFL. The even better news? Next week they’ll get New England’s front seven which isn’t quite that good.

Defensive Line: D

The Ravens didn’t generate much of a rush in getting to Texans QB T.J. Yates, and credit goes to Houston’s offensive line, which did a nice job. The Ravens finished the game with zero sacks, which is worrisome. DE Cory Redding finished with three tackles and DT Haloti Ngata finished with just one tackle.

Throughout the last 4-5 weeks, the Ravens have faced some talented offensive lines, but that’s really no excuse with the players that are in the interior. You feel like this group is just ready to break out at some point and hopefully it happens next week.

Linebackers: C+

Ray Lewis wanted to make sure his team stayed undefeated at home this season, while also answering critics, and had himself a good game. Lewis finished with eight tackles and almost had an interception. Terrell Suggs finished with six total tackles, while also defending a pass. Outside of Lewis, the other linebackers were quiet in this game.

A major difference in this game compared to the game in October was that both Suggs and OLB Jarret Johnson were able to set the edge and limit the areas where Texans RB Arian Foster could run. That did not happen in this game as Foster went over 100 yards rushing.

Secondary: B+

This group stepped up big time in this game. CB Lardarius Webb had a great game, intercepting two passes and recording four tackles. Both he and fellow CB Cary Williams wrapped up and tackled well. They really only had to worry about WR Andre Johnson beating them deep, which he didn’t.

Safety Ed Reed turned it on and turned in his best game of the season. His play was vintage Reed, finishing with six tackles, an interception (which sealed the game) and three passes defended.

Special Teams: B+

Finally, this group held its own on kickoff and punt returns. Outside of the opening kickoff that Texans CB Danieal Manning returned 60 yards, the group kept the Texans in check and didn’t allow them great field position.

Kicker Billy Cundiff was one of the many Ravens who benefited from the bye week. His leg looked strong, connecting on field goals from 48 and 44-yards respectively. Punter Sam Koch averaged nearly 50 yards on his punts, including the longest of 64 yards.

Lardarius Webb still scares everyone when he’s deciding to either return it or call a fair catch. He muffed a punt deep in Houston territory early in the game that luckily reserve LB Albert McClellan recovered.

Coaching: C

The offense looked to be on fire in the 1st quarter, but after that it was pretty much quiet time for the Ravens. The drives in the 3rd and 4th quarter lacked direction, as that allowed the Texans to hang in the game.

The defense made sure the Texans didn’t get any closer than it was. Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano tried to mix it up and get some semblance of pressure to QB T.J. Yates, but could not. Yates helped the Ravens by throwing three really bad interceptions. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed weren’t going to let the Texans come into Baltimore and beat them on their home turf. The field coaches stepped up big time today for the Ravens.

Final Take

It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but the Ravens got it done and head to New England for the AFC Championship. The biggest key to winning that game will be getting to Patriots QB Tom Brady and not allowing him to sit in the pocket and make throws. Just ask Chargers QB Philip Rivers how that worked out for him. Could be a long afternoon for the Ravens if they cannot generate a pass rush.

The Ravens won’t have to deal with the likes of Texans RB Arian Foster in New England, but the Texans RB had an outstanding day, rushing for 127 yards, the first time the Ravens have allowed an opponent to rush for over 100 yards in postseason play.

Ray Lewis and Ed Reed both showed that you never count out the great ones, and they proved that in this game. Hopefully the team is feeding off that energy, to get these two guys a Super Bowl ring, because this could be the final chance the Ravens get this far. Standing in the way is a Patriots defense ranking nearly dead last in most defensive categories.

The Ravens will need to have a strong running game and manage the clock efficiently and if they can do those two things, and manage to get the Patriots into some trouble by forcing turnovers, then the Ravens should stamp their ticket for a trip to Indianapolis and Super Bowl XLVI.

Follow me on Twitter: MattCLund

Want to comment or have questions about the Ravens? E-mail us at podcast@baltimoresportsreport.com or call the phone line: 443-379-4BSR (4277).

This felt . . . → Read More: Was This The Best Regular Season In Ravens History?]]> 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.

The obvious benchmark to point to is winning the division title.  This has been accomplished two other times in the team’s history, but this is the first time that Baltimore has gone undefeated within the division. Throw in the fact that two out of the Ravens’ three AFC North opponents made the postseason, and it becomes even more impressive.

With the unprecedented success in the division came unblemished success at home. The team was a perfect 8-0 at M&T Bank Stadium for the first time in club history. Paired with supremacy in the division, what more could a fan ask of a team? The two things pundits and fans harp on are winning division games and “taking care of business” at home. In the best football league in the world, contenders win their home games and split their road games. The Ravens did exactly that.

Detractors of the 2011 Ravens will point to the team’s four losses as reasons why the 13-3 2006 season may be considered superior to this campaign. However, in ’06 the team’s three losses did not come at the hands of juggernauts, but middling teams who missed the playoffs (sound familiar?). If there’s room to groan about ’11 it certainly falls in the road contests at Tennessee, Seattle, Jacksonville, and San Diego.  While on paper the Ravens are certainly a “better” team than those four, perception may outweigh reality. San Diego finished 9-7 and was coming off a horrible stretch when they played Baltimore. They are a talented team that had under-performed. Tennessee, especially early in the season, was as uneven a club as the 20111 NFL had to offer. In Week 2 when they hosted the Ravens, a fresh Matt Hasselbeck and a healthy Kenny Britt caught fire against Baltimore’s eventually stout pass defense. Let’s not forget that Seattle, as bad as they seemed heading into the Ravens game, is an incredibly hard place for teams to play and the Seahawks won five of their final 8 games, losing in overtime in week 17. Jacksonville was a horrorshow.

I don’t run down these four losses to make excuses for the 2011 Ravens, but to show how easy it is for any team to lose to a seemingly inferior opponent. It’s a maxim as old as football itself: “…any given Sunday.” Conversely, the Ravens beat a Pittsburgh squad twice that they could’ve easily split with. The Arizona Cardinals almost found themselves in the previous paragraph, and if their pass defense weren’t so shoddy, they’d probably have marred the Ravens perfect home record. A lot went the Ravens’ way on Thanksgiving night against San Francisco, who were firing on all cylinders coming into Baltimore. My point being, you lose some you aren’t supposed to, but you probably win some you shouldn’t either.

Statistically, this season could’ve been better on a team basis. This was the fifth-best Ravens team on point differential, and in most team categories that matter, again it was the team’s fourth or fifth best performance. On an individual basis, Ray Rice and Terrell Suggs shined extremely bright in terms of franchise history. In terms of health, there were no injuries that cost the Ravens any games, but Ray Lewis, Ben Grubbs, and Anquan Boldin were certainly missed for their brief stretches of inactivity.

Was it a perfect season? Far from it. There isn’t a thing close to perfection in a complex game like football. There are always routes that could’ve been run crisper, blocks that could’ve been held longer, better angles taken to the ball and and smarter play-calls made on third downs.

As always, these imperfections are either amplified or muted depending upon the postseason outcome. Successful regular seasons are forgotten when the playoffs are considered failures. Everyone involved with the 2011 Ravens can hang their hat on the 16 games they just played. To keep these accomplishments from fading, the postseason will need to do the regular season grind justice.

Dave Gilmore lives in Baltimore and writes “The Win Column” for Baltimore Sports Report. He is currently working on a novel about college football. Find him on Twitter @dave_gilmore or visit his web site at davegilmorejr.com

This week in San Diego, Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano will face off against his brother John, the Chargers linebackers coach, for the ninth time . . . → Read More: You’ve heard of the ‘Harbowl,’ but this week is the ‘Pagano Bowl’]]> Sure you heard all about the Harbowl, John Harbaugh’s Thanksgiving matchup between his Ravens and his brother Jim’s 49ers, but have you heard of the Pagano Bowl? Probably not.

This week in San Diego, Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano will face off against his brother John, the Chargers linebackers coach, for the ninth time in NFL history.  Unfortunately for the Ravens, Chuck has only won two of the previous eight meetings with his younger brother.

“We’ve got to improve that record,” Jarrett Johnson said according to CBSSports.com. Indeed they do.

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 . . . → Read More: Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 24-10 victory over Cleveland]]>

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

Quarterback: C-

This performance can be viewed many different ways; I view it as an incomplete performance by Joe Flacco. Despite the weather, he showed a strong arm at times, but could have had a much better game had his receivers done a better job of holding onto the football. Call it bad weather, lack of focus, not enough stick-em on the gloves, but I counted at least five drops (two by Lee Evans) on balls that needed to be caught, bad weather or not. Joe only had to throw the football 23 times, but that’s fine because Cleveland couldn’t stop anything in the running game.

Flacco’s lack of awareness reared its ugly head on the lost fumble in the 3rd quarter. Luckily, the Ravens were playing a team that has a hard time capitalizing on turnovers, as it only led to a Browns field goal. On the bright side, Flacco didn’t throw an interception, the 2nd straight game that has happened. Flacco managed the game well, throwing for 158 yards, and was only sacked once but overall, a pedestrian day for #5.

Running backs: A-

Going into this game, the Cleveland Browns gave up a whopping 139 rushing yards per game, so from the get-go, the Ravens put it to them with a solid running attack. Ray Rice had a career day, rushing for 204 yards. He ran extremely hard, and showed some great acceleration, while making some really nifty cuts when the Browns were close to tackling him.

FB Vonta Leach played well, getting his helmet into defenders, clearing the way for Rice to scamper all over the field. RB Ricky Williams did a nice job running inside and finished with 76 yards on 16 carries.

Wide receivers/Tight ends: C-

Just a flat day from this group. They didn’t need to do much in this game, but when chances presented themselves, they didn’t make the most of it. There was some confusion in the red zone, as there was never enough space for the receivers to get open. Timing between the receivers and Flacco was off most of the day and both Evans and WR Anquan Boldin dropped multiple passes.

TE Ed Dickson led the team with three catches for 47 yards. WR Torrey Smith made one of the few catches over the middle of the field, his only catch of the day for 32 yards. This group’s help in run blocking was stellar though, about the only thing they did right in the game.

Offensive line: A

The Ravens offensive line imposed their will against a sorry Browns run defense. At times, the line opened holes big enough for tanker trucks to drive through. Where were the Browns linebackers in this game? They were busy being blocked up or laying flat on their backs, a tremendous effort upfront by the line, dominating the line of scrimmage. Pass blocking was very good as well, the only mistake coming via a sack, the blame placed squarely on Joe Flacco for that.

Defensive line: A

The Browns had nothing for this group all day. DE Pernell McPhee continued his outstanding play, sacking Browns QB Colt McCoy twice. DT Haloti Ngata was involved all game, deflecting two passes and bottling up the middle when Cleveland tried to run the football. Browns RB Peyton Hillis had himself a quiet day, rushing for only 45 yards on 12 carries. They were continuously near the football and hit McCoy pretty hard a few times during the game, something I’m sure was in the back of his mind every snap.

Linebackers: B+

Both Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain had solid afternoons, each recording seven tackles. Ellerby, who again filled in for the injured Ray Lewis, had a better day playing in pass situations as well. He’s been a great asset for the Ravens while Lewis continues to rehab his turf toe injury. LB Terrell Suggs had a sack and was close to a few more on the day. He created problems and had McCoy getting out of the pocket on numerous occasions. LB Jarrett Johnson also had three tackles.

Secondary: B-

Collectively as a unit, the secondary played well. They missed a couple of passes thrown that on a nicer day would probably have been intercepted. The key was knowing McCoy likes throwing short to intermediate passes, and I noticed the Ravens were jumping routes most of the day. CB Jimmy Smith had an interception just before halftime that led to a Ravens field goal. Backup CB Danny Gorrer nearly had a pick-six late in the game. CB Cary Williams chipped in with four tackles and CB Lardarius Webb had himself two tackles.

Special Teams: C-

K Billy Cundiff missed two field goals, and nearly missed an extra point as well. Bad weather or not, those points cannot be left to waste, especially against better teams the Ravens will play. Otherwise, this unit did fairly well. Lardarius Webb ran a punt back 68 yards for a touchdown that put the game out of reach in the 4th quarter. The Ravens managed to keep Browns specialist Joshua Cribbs quiet, though he did manage almost 24 yards on four kickoffs in this game.

Coaching: B

When you face a team that gives up the 4th-most rushing yards this season, you better damn sure stay with the game plan. Run the football. The Ravens rushed for 290 net yards and dominated the time of possession by nearly 16 minutes. The defense has always played with the motto, ‘Next Man Up’ and they believe it when they go on the field. Players have filled in and gotten the job done without their leader, Ray Lewis on the field. Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano and head coach John Harbaugh deserve credit for that. And hey, the Ravens beat a team on the road, a team that had no reason to be in this game whatsoever. Best of all, they find themselves again sitting atop the standings in the AFC North.

Follow me on Twitter: MattCLund

Check us out on the BSR Podcast! Email to podcast@baltimoresportsreport.com or call the voicemail 443-379-4BSR (4277). 

Baltimore travels to Cleveland for what some are calling a trap game for the red hot Ravens.  After beating the 49ers on Thanksgiving, some think that Baltimore will be looking past the Browns and could be . . . → Read More: Why the Ravens won’t fall flat against Browns this week]]> It’s nice that the Ravens biggest obstacle is beating bad teams.  That sets up perfectly for the postseason.

Baltimore travels to Cleveland for what some are calling a trap game for the red hot Ravens.  After beating the 49ers on Thanksgiving, some think that Baltimore will be looking past the Browns and could be due for an upset against their AFC North foe.  I’m not buying it.

There’s too much at stake for the Ravens as they maintain a tight lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers and even the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North.  The Ravens know how important it is to stay on top as the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be a threat.

The Ravens are well aware of the Browns strengths and won’t underestimate them like they did the Jaguars and Seahawks earlier this season.  ”The thing that stood out was their defense, big physical guys running around,” linebacker Jarrett Johnson said this week. “They run the ball downhill offensively.”

Historically the Ravens have played well against Cleveland.  As Aaron Wilson points out, Joe Flacco is a perfect 6-0 against them with eight touchdowns and three interceptions.

After already falling flat twice this season, the Ravens are looking to buck the trend.  ”We have to show up and play,” Johnson said. “We can’t afford to have a letdown.”

Baltimore has had a long time to plan for the Browns as they have ten days to prepare having last played on Thursday.  Surely they have been focusing on avoiding the letdown and instilling the importance of this win into everyone on the roster.  With an extra three days of preparation, look for a beatdown in Cleveland.

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 . . . → Read More: Playing In Ray’s Shadow]]>

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.

Inside linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens will go down in the league’s history as a “legacy position.” Everyone who is put atop the depth chart is going to come under immense scrutiny and pressure to fill Lewis’ shoes. Hell, everyone who puts on a Ravens jersey in some way is under pressure to deliver on Lewis’ legacy.

Playing the “mike” linebacker for Baltimore is going to be akin to playing quarterback for the Cowboys, running back for the Steelers, or linebacker for the Bears. The franchise just isn’t right when its legacy position is out of sorts. Think of how demoralized you would be if the Ravens trotted out a dude in Ray’s old spot. The reason they retired great players’ numbers isn’t just to honor them, but to spare anyone else the burden of donning those expectations literally on their back. It’s tricky business following a great act.

Part of keeping the legacy position in tact is succession planning. The Packers weren’t taking a flyer on Aaron Rodgers. They knew what they were doing. The guy who succeeded Brett Favre had to succeed. You can’t wait until the legends are ready to retire before figuring out who will step up to the throne. The Ravens have had some outstanding talent playing alongside Lewis at points in his career when he was far from retirement. Jamie Sharper, Peter Boulware, Edgerton Hartwell, Adalius Thomas, Bart Scott, Jarrett Johnson and Terrell Suggs have all lined up next to Lewis. Hartwell and Scott in particular were extremely formidable inside linebackers in their primes. Unfortunately, their primes were too close to Lewis’, and keeping so much money tied up in the middle of the defense just isn’t possible in today’s NFL.

The next Ray Lewis may not be out there, but his successor is. However, Lewis’ successor almost certainly isn’t wearing purple at the moment. If Lewis sits on Sunday, Ravens fans will be in for a healthy dose of Dannell Ellerbe and Brendon Ayanbadejo, two sparkplug players who are (Ayanbadejo) and will likely be (Ellerbe) NFL journeymen. Whereas Lewis was picked in the first round, both his backups came to the league as undrafted free agents. Jameel McClain, another undrafted free agent who plays alongside Lewis in the middle and has been above average if not unspectacular as a complement to 52. Now in his fourth year, if McClain is hiding Lewis-like impact on the defense, he hasn’t shown many signs growing into Ray’s massive shoes.

The odds of nabbing another Lewis from another NFL team in free agency are slim. Certainly, there are talents that slip through the cracks, but legacy positions are almost always filled through the draft. Part of the legacy is that the fans and the franchise have belief that the pupil will step in and is capable of becoming the master. While this April’s NFL Draft was exceptionally weak at inside linebacker and lousy with excellent outside backers, the 2012 draft is shaping up to be the inverse scenario. Baltimore could find its successor in the middle to late first or second round. It’s impossible not to fantasize over which player this might be. Recently, I’ve been thinking about some of the possibilities.

Manti Te’o, a junior at Notre Dame, is to the Irish defense what Lewis is for the Ravens. At 6’2″, 255, his build resembles the future Hall of Famer who was told by many he was too small to play up the middle. Te’o's polynesian ancestry could also be a factor in forming a kinship with the Ravens’ other defensive star, Haloti Ngata (Ngata’s parents are Tongan and Te’o went to President Obama’s high school in Hawai’i). Te’o's physical tools are impressive, but like Lewis he plays the game between his ears better than almost anyone else at his position.

General Manager Ozzie Newsome loves to bring in fellow players from the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Bama native has found some gems from the Tide in Jarrett Johnson and Le’Ron McClain and there is a potentially bright one playing for Nick Saban as we speak. Dont’a Hightower, another junior, checks in a bit more upright than Teo at 6’4″ 260. However, the leader of the SEC’s toughest defense hits like a Raven already. While his lateral speed may force his NFL career to the outside of the tackles, he’s a force to be reckoned with in college football’s most NFL-ready division at the mike. Hightower is a great talent, but he may not even be the most complete linebacker on his own squad. Senior Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw has been a staple of those nasty Kirby Smart defenses and will come into the NFL and start. Just check out this pop from the Capital One Bowl. Who does that remind you of? You know Ozzie has seen every frame on these two and may be searching for signs of Lewis in these players.

Can you picture any of these three players donning the black helmet and suiting up on say, opening day 2013? Perhaps the next Ray Lewis isn’t coming from South Bend or Tuscaloosa. Maybe he’s lurking down in Chapel Hill in senior Zach Brown. Maybe he’s alone in some weight room in Chestnut Hill, in the form of Boston College junior Luke Kuechly. Perhaps he’ll come from the good fortune of a draft pick trade like Lewis did. Perhaps he’s a high school senior somewhere in Florida, as Lewis once was.

Wherever he is, he doesn’t have long. So much is asked of those who walk in the shadows of giants. Ray lewis is a legend, but he’s not immortal.

At least, as far as we know.

Dave Gilmore lives in Baltimore and writes “The Win Column” for Baltimore Sports Report.  He is currently working on a novel about college football.  Find him on Twitter @dave_gilmore or visit his web site at davegilmorejr.com

Jarrett Johnson put a nasty block on the Steelers wide receiver in Baltimore’s 35-7 win over Pittsburgh.  It was a hit that threw Ward’s feet out from under him and into the air.  There’s a . . . → Read More: Here’s the video of Hines Ward getting destroyed by Jarrett Johnson]]> I’ll give Hines Ward credit.  Usually he’s the guy with the nasty blocks in the YouTube videos.  Not today.

Jarrett Johnson put a nasty block on the Steelers wide receiver in Baltimore’s 35-7 win over Pittsburgh.  It was a hit that threw Ward’s feet out from under him and into the air.  There’s a Dancing with the Stars joke there, I’ll let you make it.

The Baltimore Ravens have a strong linebacker corps, but perhaps the biggest surprise in the 2009 season was Jarret Johnson. Johnson was a fourth-round pick in the 2003 draft out of Alabama, who continues to add versatility to . . . → Read More: Baltimore Ravens Roster Countdown: #95- Jarret Johnson]]> Position: Outside Linebacker
Height / Weight: 6’3″ 265 lbs.
Age: 28 / Experience: 8
College: Alabama

The Baltimore Ravens have a strong linebacker corps, but perhaps the biggest surprise in the 2009 season was Jarret Johnson. Johnson was a fourth-round pick in the 2003 draft out of Alabama, who continues to add versatility to his improving game.  Despite being limited by shoulder problems in 2009, Johnson did not miss a game, and was a force in both defending the run and rushing the passer.   He ended 2009 with 50 tackles, including six sacks. However, he also had two interceptions, one forced fumble and four passes defensed.

2010 Outlook:  The hope is that Johnson will be fully recovered from off-season labrum surgery and further excel in his role as a do-it-all linebacker.  At 6’3″ and 270 lbs, Johnson’s size is ideal in aiding a stout run defense and what he lacks in speed he more than makes up for with toughness and smarts. While Johnson’s roles is not likely to change in 2010, it will be interesting to see how the Ravens coaching staff mixes in other young linebackers like Dannell Ellerbe, Tavares Gooden and Sergio Kindle.  It is possible that Kindle or Ellerbe could take some of Johnson’s snaps on 3rd down.