By Zach Wilt, on November 20th, 2011  Give the Ravens credit, they needed to beat the Bengals to get back to the top of the AFC North and they did just that. Their defense slowed down a dangerous red haired rookie quarterback and balance returned to their offensive game plan.
Here are my thoughts on the Ravens 31-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
- Slow start - Let’s not forget that the Ravens once again put themselves in a hole. Thankfully, it was just a one score hole that didn’t seem to hold them back after the first quarter. The Ravens were flagged early for a delay of game and the boo birds started chirping early. Not to be Debbie Downer, but I just wanted to point out another slow start.
- Torrey Smith emerging as a star - It was a record breaking day or Ravens rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith. Smith became the 6th rookie in league history to post two 150+ yard receiving games in a season, the first Ravens receiver to ever accomplish that feat, he passed Mark Clayton for the franchise’s most receiving yards in a single season by a rookie and was the first Ravens receiver to be tackled by his hair. Ouch. (Hat tip to Ravens PR guy Patrick Gleason for the stats)
- Ginger Power - Andy Dalton is for real. The Bengals rookie QB threw or 373 yards and a touchdown and drove his team down field in the game’s final minutes in an effort to tie the game at 31. Dalton did make a few rookie mistakes against the Ravens defense. He threw three picks, including his first ever to Ed Reed. If this kid has a future in the NL, it won’t be his last.
- Balance returns to Ravens offense - A new, improved and bearded Cam Cameron called 28 running plays and 27 passing plays against the Bengals. Joe Flacco threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns and Ray Rice rushed for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries.
It’s a short week or prepare or the Harbaugh Bowl. Thankfully no major injuries were reported on Sunday. I say 100% chance Ray Lewis suits up.
By Weston Bruner, on September 6th, 2010 In an expected move following the signing of T.J. Houshmanzadeh, the Ravens have traded former first round selection Mark Clayton to the Rams for a late-round draft choice. This leaves Baltimore without a possible solid slot receiver and with a trio of strong possession receivers with their top receiver spots while Donte Stallworth recovers and can possibly become the downfield threat the Ravens hope he can be. I understand why it was done, but I also can’t help but think that Clayton was never properly utilized in this offense, one that forced him to play as an outside receiver for his entire career while he was so clearly better suited to play in the slot. It also gives the Ravens with 4 top receivers either approaching or beyond 30 years of age, which raises questions about durability over the course of a season. READ MORE >>>
By Zach Wilt, on August 29th, 2010 Looking to revive his career in Baltimore, Donte Stallworth signed on with the Ravens this off season as a number three or four receiver. Unfortunately, he’s going to have to wait another eight weeks to get back on the playing field, as he suffered a broken foot in last night’s preseason victory over the New York Giants.
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By Jeff Pilson, on July 27th, 2010 Position: Wide Receiver
Height / Weight: 6’2″ 202 lbs.
Age: 27 / Experience: 5
College: Oregon
Analysis: 2009, like much of Demetrius Williams’ career with the Ravens, was a major disappointment. Possessing a great combo of size, speed and athleticism, the talented Williams has not been able to overcome injury and a perceived falling out with Ravens coaches to become the player many thought he could become. Considering the state of the Ravens wide receiver position over the last few years, there has been ample opportunity for Williams to step to the forefront of the Ravens wide out corps. READ MORE >>>
By Gregg Cobert, on July 25th, 2010 Position: Wide Receiver
Height / Weight: 5’10″ 190 lbs.
Age: 28 / Experience: 6
College: Oklahoma
Next time you want to win a bar bet, ask who has the most 100-yard receiving games for the Ravens in their history. The answer is Mark Clayton with 9 of them. Another interesting factoid is that he is the only non-quarterback to throw for a touchdown in Ravens history.
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By Tracy Smith, on May 18th, 2010 It is no secret that the NFL is a year-round business. After a one-week break, the Ravens take the next step in their preparations for training camp and the upcoming 2010 season. The next item on the team’s agenda is a four-day passing camp, which began on Monday and runs through Thursday. This Organized Team Activity (OTA) will be focused on improving the aerial attack; and everyone involved with the team and rooting for the team can hardly wait to see how Joe Flacco and his new receivers mesh together. One of the Ravens’ weaknesses last season was that no one besides Derrick Mason and Ray Rice were seen as a threat in the passing game. With Anquan Boldin, Donte Stallworth, Ed Dickson, Dennis Pitta and David Reed added to holdovers Mason, Rice, Heap, Clayton, and Williams, there are certainly enough targets for Flacco to seek out with his throws. This OTA will be used to get the QB and his receivers on the same page, and will be the first of many steps to get the passing game to become one to be feared in the season to come.
Flacco himself isn’t lacking for confidence; he believes that he should throw for over 4,000 yards in the upcoming season. After three games last season, the sky seemed to be the limit for Joe, however he faded down the stretch as the offense started to sputter as the season wore on. The team hopes to avoid that kind of performance; even as Flacco improved in just about every category over his rookie season, there were still areas where he could stand to imprNow that he has the weapons around him, it’s up to the coaches and players to make it happen.
Passing camp implies that only the quarterback and receivers are present. In fact, there will be members of the offensive line present, as well as members of the defense. Practicing passing without the offensive line and defense would seem to be counter-productive. When the games start to count, the line will have to protect Flacco and their will be a defense lined up on the other side of the ball attempting to prevent the Ravens from making plays with the pass. Even though Flacco has already spent time working with Boldin and Stallworth, and has a familiarity with Mason, Heap, Clayton and the other veterans, every little bit of work serves to sharpen each player’s skills and fine-tune their communication. The Ravens are expecting Flacco to take the next steps in becoming an elite NFL quarterback; the journey to that destination begins anew this week.
By Weston Bruner, on February 2nd, 2010 I understand that Ray Rice is an incredibly dynamic player, but when your running back leads your team in receptions and isn’t Marshall Faulk circa 1999, your wide receiving corps has issues. In sum, this unit failed to provide a single consistent deep threat for Joe Flacco, but more than that lacked a playmaker capable of getting separation even on short to intermediate routes. In this look back I will try to wince and identify what went wrong, what went right, and who could be back when the gates open back up at M&T Bank Stadium.
Derrick Mason: Mr. Reliable, the lone star receiver on this cast of misfits, left to make up for the mistakes of an entire unit and save Joe Flacco before he is eaten alive. That may have been true in 2008, but not quite so much in 2009. I am not sure whether you can call it taking a step back, but while his numbers were largely the same this was not the same Derrick Mason as we saw last year. One handed grabs at the goal line were replaced by uncharacteristic drops and flare ups of a temper we were not accustomed to seeing from the even-keeled veteran. Perhaps it was the almost-retirement that did it to him- the desire to win a Superbowl above all else that created a sense of desperation in him for this season. However, he was still far and away the best receiver the Ravens had, and it wasn’t because he was faster, bigger, or more agile than any corner who was on him. He was still smarter, ran his routes properly, and wasn’t afraid to go after the ball. Despite what he would say to the contrary, Joe Flacco’s first (and sometimes only) read was Derrick Mason, and for good reason.
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By Tracy Smith, on January 22nd, 2010 Three games into the season, and the Ravens were getting some national respect. ESPN.com put the Ravens at the top of the weekly power rankings. National analysts were talking the Ravens up as a Super Bowl contender. And with three regular season wins following an undefeated preseason, fans were beginning to believe the season could have that Super Bowl feeling. However, reality was about to kick in in the next three games. The schedule was about to get tougher, as the formidable New England Patriots, a resurgent Cincinnati Bengals squad and the undefeated Minnesota Vikings were next up. Also, unknown at the time, the flaws that would ultimately doom the season to a less successful finish than the one before it were about to rear their ugly heads.
The Ravens rolled into Foxborough to take on Tom Brady and the Patriots. Most fans looking at the schedule had this game pegged as a loss, even with the great start to the season. But what made it so painful is the way the Ravens lost. READ MORE >>>
By Tracy Smith, on January 14th, 2010 Back on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts staged a tight contest at M&T Bank Stadium that went down to the wire, with the Ravens coming up on the losing end by a 17-15 score. In that game the Ravens offense had plenty of success moving the ball between the 20 yard-lines against the Colts defense, with several time consuming drives that kept the Peyton Manning and the offense off the field. However, they could not finish those drives with touchdowns; they were forced to settle for field goals. I think it’s safe to say that in this upcoming matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Ravens will have to do a better job of putting points on the board or they risk another defeat. READ MORE >>>
By Matt Sadler, on January 13th, 2010 We spoke with Demond and Deshawn from the blog 18 to 88 back in October before the earlier meeting between these two teams. They are back again and they are not optimistic for the Ravens!
Here are my answers for them.
Are you disappointed to see the Pats out of the playoffs? what concerns do you have after watching the Ravens wild card game?
I’m only disappointed the Pats are done because I thought they would push the Chargers. READ MORE >>>
By Zach Wilt, on November 30th, 2009 Phew! The Ravens squeaked out a 20-17 victory over Ben Roethlisberger Dennis Dixon and the Steelers. Here are my thoughts on the game.
- Foxworth IS a bust – Despite what the media tells you, Domonique Foxworth is a huge bust for the Ravens. $28 million gets you a guy that is so scared of allowing the big play that he gives wide receivers a five yard cushion. He tackles guys around the the shoulders and continuously allows 10-15 yard catches. He’s a bust.
- Well balanced attack – Division games are tough. The teams know each other so well. I liked Baltimore’s attack against the Steelers. They knew that Pittsburgh knew that it was the Derrick Mason/Ray Rice show in Baltimore. But, on Sunday night they changed things up. It started on the opening drive with catches from Mark Clayton and Kelley Washington and rushes from Willis McGahee.
- The monkey is off their back – In the John Harbaugh/Joe Flacco/Ray Rice Ravens era the Ravens were 0-3 against their biggest rival. Even though the Steelers had Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu were out it was nice to get that win and move on. With that being said, December 27th is going to be a game for the ages.
- Billy the kid – Though Billy Cundiff missed the 56 yard game winner at the end of regulation, I think he’s got what it takes. Cundiff said his range was 53 and under and he kicked it dead on, but was short by about three yards on an extremely rushed attempt. Glad to see it.
- Big plays – If John Harbaugh and the Ravens didn’t convert on 4th and 5 they would never hear the end of it from myself and the rest of Ravens nation. They did, hats off to them. Also, it was great to see Paul Kruger get the pick to set up the game winning field goal. I know Dixon was due, it was good to see the kid get the job done.
- Where do we go from here? – It took me a while to write my quick hits because I’m torn. This was an awful game, but the Ravens got the “W”. I feel like this team could definitely go 10-6, but at the same time it wouldn’t shock me to see them drop the game in Lambeau against the Packers or on the west coast against the Raiders. I’m in a state of indecision.
By Zach Wilt, on November 1st, 2009 After dropping three straight, Baltimore is back in the win column and starting their November off right.
Here are my quick thoughts about the Ravens 30-7 victory over the Broncos.
- Total Domination - Offense, defense, and special teams; the Ravens controlled all aspects of this game against a good, 6-0, Denver team. Our defense held the Broncos to just 7 points, while Baltimore reached the end zone three times.
- Webb is a playmaker - As predicted, Lardarius Webb is exactly the guy the Ravens want returning kicks. He took one for a 95-yard TD to start the second half and in my eyes he should always be back there.
- Well balanced offense – Even though they were held to just six points in the first half, the offense put together a good plan in my opinion. Ray Rice had 23 touches while Joe Flacco spread the ball to Kelley Washington four times, Derrick Mason four times, Mark Clayton three times, and Todd Heap three times.
- Pass Rush = Better Secondary – Don’t think for a second that Domonique Foxworth and company figured things out. The Ravens rattled Kyle Orton, an over rated QB in my book, up front all day long. Particularly, Jarrett Johnson had a huge game by constantly hurrying Orton and sacking him once.
- I’m still not sold on Steve - I’m glad to see Steve Hauschka drain three field goals today, but he was never put in a pressure situation. I think the kid has what it takes, but is still far too unproven for me to feel comfortable.
- BS Calls – I’m in no way buying into the conspiracy theory, but a few calls/missed calls stuck out in my memory. Derrick Mason was clearly held on a critical third down, Michael Oher was called for a bogus unsportsmanlike conduct, and flags were being tossed in five seconds after plays. It in no way costed the Ravens or the Broncos the game, but it was frustrating the watch. This crew should go work baseball.
By Zach Wilt, on October 18th, 2009 The Ravens have an extra week to reflect upon their third heartbreaking loss in a row. Baltimore should have won this game, but don’t be fooled there was nothing good about the way they went down in this 33-31 loss.
- Kick the ball in the end zone - I figured I would start with Steve Hauschka, just in a different way than everyone else. Hauschka was not only brought in to make that 44-yard game winning field goal, but to kick the ball into the end zone. His kick offs in a dome were lackluster and the Vikings had way better field position than they should.
- Our secondary can’t tackle – What does $28 million get you? About 15 missed tackles around the neck by Domonique Foxworth. It’s bad enough that these guys can’t cover anyone, but at least after you get burned make a tackle. None of them did it today, the linebackers had to come down field to clean up after their junk.
- Joe was getting clocked - Flacco had a big hit laid on him just about every drive. His ankles were stepped on twice by Minnesota’s big men up front and he rarely made a throw without getting knocked down. I was impressed with Michael Oher’s performance, despite two false start calls.
- Ray Lewis/Ed Reed were every where - Ed spent the whole day cleaning up after Foxworth and Washington. Ray made some crucial tackles including a nasty sack on Brett Favre deep in Vikings’ territory late in the fourth quarter.
- Ladarius Webb should be returning – Webb returns punts and kicks north to south, he hits seams hard, and I feel like he’s got a chance to break here soon. I never felt that with Chris Carr, so let’s give Webb the job and keep some consistency.
- Clayton/Rice for MVP – Obviously Ray Rice had a hell of game. 2 TD’s, a few nasty stiff arms, you can’t bring that guy down. But, Mark Clayton stepped up this week with three crucial catches and a great leaping snag for a TD.
- Make the kick Steve - Baltimore gave up on the 3rd most accurate kicker in the NFL, Matt Stover, who made a huge field goal in the playoffs just last season, to bring in a kicker who could do exactly what Steve didn’t do today. Granted, you shouldn’t back yourself into that situation, but it will happen. 44 yards is unacceptable to miss, especially given the circumstances.
By Steve Giles, on October 7th, 2009 The Ravens seemed to do almost everything right against the Patriots this past Sunday, but they just couldn’t finish the deal. They had the ball in their hands in the closing seconds with a chance to beat one of the top teams in the league on the road, and were a dropped pass away from doing just that. It seemed like the perfect scenario, and was, until Mark Clayton dropped a pass on fourth down that would’ve given the Ravens four more chances to tie the game and take the Pats to overtime. Instead, the team is now wondering what might have been if they came out of Foxsborough with a win and a 4-0 record. But there’s no sense in dwelling on the past. Anyway, here are this week’s winners.
The POG
Ray Rice gets the nod this week after rushing for 103 yards on only 11 attempts and catching five passes for 49 yards. It seemed like whenever the Ravens needed a big play, Rice was the man they called on. He had a huge 50-yard run at the end of the third quarter that set up a touchdown pass to Willis McGahee and brought the Ravens within three points. Due to his effort, Rice saw much more time than McGahee this week, which is something I think Ravens fans have been waiting to see. From a durability standpoint, I think Rice is one of those guys who will be better as a secondary back than a feature back. Sure, he’s got the skills and the awareness to be an explosive runner, but let’s see how he does when he’s carrying the ball 20-25 times a game. He got the job done this week, though, and is very much deserving of this award.
The “We Could Actually Win This Game” Moment
When Terrell Suggs blew by Matt Light and whacked Brady’s arm causing a fumble that was recovered by Dwan Edwards in the end zone for a Ravens touchdown. At that point in the game, the Ravens were down 17-7 with just over six minutes to go in the third quarter and were badly in need of a big play and Suggs delivered. What was even bigger than the play itself was that it kept Brady from turning in one of his long, time-consuming drives that he is so famous for and keeping the Ravens offense off the field. Instead, the Ravens answered every Patriots score with one of their own and were in line to do so again at the end of regulation until…
The “There Just Went Our Chance to Win the Game” Moment
It was a perfect play call and a perfect pass, but unfortunately for the Ravens it had an imperfect result. The tight spiral released from Flacco’s hand was placed right where it was supposed to be, it just ended up where it wasn’t supposed to be, on the turf. The seemingly easy pitch and catch was anything but that and the ball bounced off Mark Clayton’s chest, ending any hopes of tying the game and heading into overtime. I think that more than anything else, it was just a mental mistake on Clayton’s part. He had three big catches on the final drive, but simply took his eyes off the ball on the last pass. There was plenty the Ravens could’ve done up to that point to win the game, but all anyone ever remembers is the last play.
The most frustrating thing about last Sunday’s game was that the Ravens seemed to do everything right, but couldn’t come away with the victory. Maybe it was the horrible officiating, maybe it was the inability to keep pressure off Flacco, maybe it was the mental mistakes at crucial junctures in the game, or maybe it was the fact that the Patriots are just that good. If nothing else, the Ravens should be happy with the fact that they took one of the best teams in the league down to the wire, a team they could very well see again in January.
Submitted by Steve Giles
By Zach Wilt, on October 4th, 2009
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