Baltimore Sports Report » Ray Lewis

A Pro Bowl Gripe With A Plan

Dave Gilmore — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:21:54 +0000

The only thing more obsolete than the NFL Pro Bowl is complaining about the NFL Pro Bowl. Fans have been tired of the former for years and have now just given up on the latter and simply stopped watching. Making the Pro Bowl the NFL’s black sheep event is warranted for all the usual reasons people list.

There may have been a time when the NFL needed the Pro Bowl. That time is not 2012. I’m not propsing that it be tweaked, moved or reinvent it. The NFL needs to cut bait and simply can the Pro Bowl as we know it. So what does the league do the week before or the week after the Super Bowl? Tap the one asset the NFL has where there is any headroom for growth: new talent. College football all-star games are already suffering from “bowl sprawl,” with five major games in January. The future NFL star is the lowest-hanging fruit the NFL could possibly ask for.

Imagine if the NFL (with the cooperation of the NFLPA, which already stages a college all-star game), put on a top-flight all star game in Hawaii or Florida featuring the best draft-eligible players. The NFL Draft and Combine grow larger every year and this would be a great opportunity for NFL fans not immersed in the college game become familiar with their future NFL stars. Who wouldn’t watch that? It’s a slam-dunk. Roger Goodell, earn your extension and make this happen.

The current set of college all-star games (the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, the East-West Shrine Game, the Battle of Florida, and the Senior Bowl), provide postseason exhibitions of more college talent than the NFL can handle. Over 500 players will be showcased in these games, with the top talent largely skewing toward the Senior Bowl. Only 254 players will be drafted in April, with another couple hundred undrafted free agents signed shortly thereafter, many of which will not participate in these all-star games. Rather than capitalizing on college football’s popularity, these bowl games dilute the talent out among separate events without any direct NFL connections to be made in the presentation or viewing experience.

The Senior Bowl, though, is currently broadcast on the NFL Network, making my dreams for a Pro Bowl replacement event somewhat closer to a reality. While the NFL is certainly a partner in the event, it doesn’t yet have the NFL “stamp.” Obviously the big hurdle would be combining the best draft-declared underclassmen and the seniors into a single game. People want to see first and second rounders play against first and second rounders. The current college all-star system doesn’t help college football, as those fans are already in frenzy about the coaching carousel and next year’s recruiting class. The hardcore NFL fans who don’t have a horse in the college race are immersed in the NFL playoffs and often miss the under-promoted college all-star events. The only segment they currently cater to are the draftniks and hybrid football fans like myself. If they decided to make a move on a true college all-star event/future NFL showcase, the league could fill in the one gap of the year-long pro football narrative the league currently orchestrates.

The biggest problems with staging a pro all-star game are competition, incentive to participate, and fan experience. If you look at the competition aspect, most all-star games face this conundrum. It’s hard to make something more competitive that has very little reward and very high risk for players. Football especially is a sport that does not lend itself to a relaxed, showy style of play. The perception of the NBA is that the players don’t try exceptionally hard to play defense in the first place in the regular season, so their all-star event is actually an improvement on the regular season product. The NHL and Major League Baseball have the problem of staging a mid-year event, meaning that no matter what the incentive (even if it’s home-field in the World Series), players are not going to sell out their bodies to make a play. With the likelihood of injury in even a casual NFL game, I doubt owners or players would ever consent to a mid-season event. The small sample size of eight or nine games would also make selecting all-stars even more pointless than it is after 41 or 81 games.

Major League Soccer probably has the most intriguing format in pulling together a league-wide all-star team and challenging an international power like Chelsea FC in a friendly. Sadly, a team of worldwide all-stars would be futile against a team of the NFL’s best. The bottom line is, no amount of money or stakes is going to make the NFL stars show up and play harder in a postseason exhibition game.

Taking away the Pro Bowl might seem like a slight against recognizing players (and cheerleaders?) who have performed exceptionally this season. It also deprives them of a free trip to Miami or Hawai’i. Listen, if you are a Pro Bowl-level player and can’t spring for a week in Hawai’i, you need to fire your money manager. As far as recognition goes, nothing drives me more crazy when evaluating the career of a player than counting up the number of Pro Bowls or All-Star games they went to. In the case of All-Star games, you’re essentially compiling a list of the best first-half players and in Pro Bowl recognition, you’re including the bevy of replacement players who step in when the first selections are injured, bow out, or in recent years make it to the Super Bowl.

Removing the empty recognition that comes to Pro Bowlers would then allow the NFL to shine a light more appropriately on its true end-of-season awards. Most fans miss the boat on even noticing these, unless one of their hometown players is up for a major one or they get an email from the team. College football has shown that awards and events surrounding them can be a big deal in the dead space of the sporting year. Why would the NFL not shift the focus on to the award races, put on a proper awards show, and really make the guys who made the All-Pro teams (not the Pro Bowl teams) feel special for their achievements?

Mistakenly, in 2009, the NFL decided that people weren’t watching the Pro Bowl because after the Super Bowl they were just “done with football.” So, instead of watching apathetic players lope through a cupcake game the week after the Super Bowl, the league’s solution was to give us apathetic players loping through a cupcake game the week . . . wait for it . . . before the Super Bowl. Oh, and if that doesn’t get you hot and bothered, you’ll love this: the players from the two best teams won’t be there! Clearly, there are problems with this solution.

The NFL is rightfully lauded as the most tightly-run, streamlined sports organization on the planet. Everything the league does is on-message, unwavering, and calculated. Except for this fiasco. The NFL is as efficient a corporate monoculture as Apple. Now imagine if Apple released a portable CD player every January. It simply does not fit in the NFL’s current mission (ostensibly to promote the hell out of itself).

What would fit the mission is giving NFL fans a chance to see their future heroes play in an NFL event. The top players are already participating in college all-star games with sponsors, agents, scouts and media. Why not bring it under the NFL’s efficient marketing and money-making wing?

Dave Gilmore lives in Baltimore and writes “The Win Column” for Baltimore Sports Report and will begin writing a video game blog for b in February. Find him on Twitter @dave_gilmore.

Keep Or Dump: Our Calls On Every Ravens Free Agent

Dave Gilmore — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:00:24 +0000

Time to wipe the board clean. The wounds of the 2011 Ravens may still be fresh, but the seconds are already ticking away until the 2012 Ravens break training camp. While the number of free agent decisions the team needs to make might be minimal in quantity, the re-signing or lack thereof by some key pieces may affect the puzzle greatly. Matt Lund and I broke down every potential new deal and decision not to renew.

If you need to brush up on unrestricted vs. restricted free agenc y, please feel free to do so and then leave your calls in the comments. (Player ages are in parentheses.)

Skill Positions
———————–

RB Ray Rice (25)
D: If a long-term deal is inevitable for Rice, I’d be happy if the Ravens took care of it now rather than franchising him and waiting a year. I don’t love long-term deals for backs as it obviously exposes the team to much more risk than most positions. Whatever you gotta do, Keep.

M: Absolute no-brainer. It would be in the Ravens best interest to sign Rice to a long-term deal to avoid the hassle of franchising him and also having both he and Joe Flacco as impending free agents in 2013. The guy is your workhorse, and led the NFL in yards from scrimmage this season. He’s worth every penny. Keep.

RB Matt Lawrence (26) – RFA
D: Spent 2011 on the IR with a concussion. A crowded backfield means the Ravens probably wouldn’t match another team’s offer on Lawrence, which is fine with me. I’d like to see more of 2011 draft choice Anthony Allen. Dump.

M: Didn’t see the field at all in 2011, spending the season on IR. The Ravens should move on and give last year’s 7th round pick, Anthony Allen his shot. I think Allen has some big upside. Dump.

TE Kris Wilson (30)
D: While it seems Dennis Pitta has shed the “A” from his “1A-1B” depth chart position over Ed Dickson, Wilson was the clear no. 3 and only made an impact in limited spots. It’s a very strong free agent class at tight end, and if the Ravens feel they need another “name” on the roster, I’d like to see them go for a reliable veteran blocker. Dump.

M: Wilson is a veteran who saw action in 14 games this season, but didn’t catch a pass in the regular season. His lone catch in the playoffs was a touchdown against the Houston Texans, but his job was mainly to block. Dennis Pitta is now the Ravens go-to-guy at tight end and Ed Dickson is worked in the mix too. The Ravens can find another veteran blocker because there’s a ton of free agents at that position. Dump.

SS Tom Zbikowski (26)
D: This is Jim Leonhard all over again. Fan-favorite, scrappy defensive back who contributes on special teams. My gut is, like Leonhard, it will be too pricey to keep Zbikowski around for what he contributes. Which is fine with me. The team needs to start developing long-term every down talent at safety. Dump.

M: Tom Zbikowski is a professional boxer. He’s also a hard-nosed defensive back who fits right into the Ravens style of play. He does a nice job on special teams and doesn’t hurt the Ravens defensively when he’s in there. If the Ravens can come to terms on some figures that make sense for both sides, they should definitely bring back “Zibby”. The Ravens should look to solidify the safety position in the draft however. Keep.

FS Haruki Nakamura (25)
D: Less involved in 2011 than he was in 2010, but the team needs some continuation in the deep secondary. With Ed Reed’s status ever questionable, I believe the team needs to re-sign Nakamura. Keep.

M: Ed Reed isn’t ready to retire just yet and Haruki isn’t banging down the door ready to take his starting spot. He’s been healthy the last two seasons, and has been a contributor to special teams, but not enough to warrant the Ravens re-signing him. There’s some names in the free agent market to look at as backup for Reed. Dump.

CB Chris Carr (28)
D: Missed seven games due to injury. Beat more times than he should’ve been in coverage. Special teams play no better than Lardarius Webb? I think the team will agree that’s a Dump.

M: Only played in seven games this season. Was a non-factor when out on the field, and didn’t contribute to special teams. The Ravens can find better depth in the free agent market. Dump.

CB Lardarius Webb (26) – RFA
D: No-brainer. Webb will draw other offers but the Ravens should match almost any tender for Webb. Keep.

M: Lardarius is completely back from his knee injury suffered late in the 2009 season, and showed his ability being a pro-bowl level corner back this season. He led the team with five interceptions and played well against bigger and physical receivers. There’s no way the Ravens are going to let this guy go to another team, therefore its a major Keep.

CB Cary Williams (27) – RFA
D: The “other” small school wonder that ended up starting in the playoffs for Baltimore. If Dominique Foxworth isn’t healthy enough to make a legitimate comeback from his ACL injury, the team will be extremely thin on the outside without Williams. To me he’s a Keep.

M: The Washburn college grad surprised everyone by making the team out of camp again, and played well enough throughout the season starting all 16 games. To me the Ravens need Williams in the starting lineup, he matches well with some of the better wide receivers the Ravens face each week. You keep it consistent, so you Keep Cary.

Linemen
—————-

LG Ben Grubbs (27)
D: Versatile and stout, the o-line was much worse without Grubbs as a part of it. With Matt Birk’s retirement in question, the team needs Grubbs’ stability. It’ll be a pricey Keep.

M: If the Ravens have money left over, assuming they sign Ray Rice to a long-term deal, this guy is next in line for a deal. As Dave mentioned, the line is better with him and continuity is the name of the game right now. Without his price tag becoming exorbitant, hopefully the Ravens match other teams knocking at the door of Mr. Grubbs. Keep.

C Matt Birk (35)
D: A consummate pro who definitely has played injured for long stretches of 2010 and 2011. Best for both parties if he retires now. Dump.

M: Birk was a solid signing for the Ravens in 2009 but battled through the last two seasons with nagging injuries. Up the middle, the line needs to get younger and unfortunately Birk isn’t getting any younger. Finding the long-term replacement could be found in this year’s draft. Dump.

C Andre Gurode (32)
D: The price tag on Birk and Gurode was identical in ’11 but three years younger and with the ability to play guard, Gurode may command more. Baltimore needs to keep the veteran on the line and develop a long-term plan at center via the draft. Keep.

M: After being cut by the Dallas Cowboys, Gurode was signed and provided adequate backup at both center and guard. At this point the 32-year old provides solid depth on the line and a fallback plan should the Ravens not find a center either via FA or in this year’s draft. Keep.

DE Cory Redding (31)
D: It’s hard to argue against a player coming off such a quietly productive season (4.5 sacks, 2 tipped passes and 43 tackles in 15 games). Again it will come down to finding a reasonable price tag for the veteran Redding, who is being pushed, but not shoved, by Pernell McPhee. Keep.

M: Redding had perhaps his best season since playing with the Detroit Lions in 2006 when he recorded eight sacks. He was great as a run stuffer in the middle with Haloti Ngata and has become a leader on the defensive side of the ball. There’s some young talent behind him, but I think the Ravens try hard to make sure he doesn’t walk. Keep.

NT Brandon McKinney (28)
D: Used sparingly due to Terrence Cody’s improvement, McKinney was too costly for what he contributed. At the same cap hit (the $1.5-$2M range), there are a plethora of behemoths on the FA market to back up Cody. Dump.

M: McKinney played in 11 games this season for the Ravens as Terrence Cody surpassed him on the depth chart. I think he’s adequate depth, but the Ravens can find better. Dump.

Linebackers
——————-

OLB Jarret Johnson (30)
D: Johnson is probably in for a bigger payday than many fans expect. Consistent, perpetually healthy, an under-appreciated staple of the defense. Keep.

M: Jarret has been one of the more steady, underrated contributors of the Ravens defense the last seven seasons, and has played every game since the 2007 season. But his production has slipped the last two seasons and with him being 31 on Opening Day, the youth behind him are ready for their shots. Plus, the type of production in relation to the money he’ll probably get on the market may be too much for the Ravens with other areas needing attention. Dump.

ILB Jameel McClain (26)
D: Is he the next Ray Lewis? Of course not. Is he sorely needed up the middle? Absolutely. Keep.

M: In his second full season as a starter, McClain played in all 16 games and finished the season with 84 tackles and an interception. He showed at times he could be the heir apparent to Ray Lewis at middle linebacker. His tackling improved and he was a leader on the field in the absence of Lewis. Keep.

OLB Edgar Jones (27)
D: Special teamer and a steady enough player who has been on and off the team since 2007, I would only be comfortable in the team signing him if they were sure he’d make the rotation in September. Dump.

M: Edgar Jones has come a long way from the days of being a tight end. He’s been a solid contributor to special teams, where he primarily sees action. The guy loves to hit opposing players and with a special teams unit that was shaky, I think he sticks around. I’d bring back Jones for a much lower deal though. Up to the Ravens on how much he’s worth. I’d Keep.

ILB Brendon Ayanbadejo (35)
D: If you’re worried about an over-35 All-World linebacker losing a step, how do you feel about an over-35 journeyman linebacker? He’s a tough, well-liked player, but being any higher number four on the ILB depth chart of a 3-4 scheme makes me nervous. If he gives the hometown discount (no more than $900k), why not let him retire as a Raven? Keep.

M: Brendon Ayanbadejo is the heart and soul of the Ravens special teams unit and this season actually saw more time on the field in passing situations. As long as he isn’t being counted on to start at linebacker for the Ravens, then he is a guy that definitely should be re-signed and play out his final years in Baltimore. Keep.

ILB Dannell Ellerbe (26) – RFA
D: There seems to a phenomenon where everyone who steps in for an injured middle linebacker on the Ravens gets praise simply for not looking exceptionally bad compared to Lewis. Ellerbe was good when he got a chance but did not blow me away. I’d make him an offer, but not match if anyone else had their heart set on him. Dump.

M: Ellerbe saw the field mostly while Ray Lewis was out with his turf toe injury, starting in three straight games. He has talent, but missed too many tackles, especially for an inside linebacker. I do think the Ravens will look to upgrade at linebacker in the draft, but I find it hard to believe they’ll let Ellerbe go. His tackling must improve this season, especially in the open field. Keep.

Leave your own Keep/Dump calls for us in the comments!

Find us on Twitter: dave_gilmore and MattCLund

The NFL Won’t Change The Horrible Pro Bowl Because For Some Reason People Watch It

Zach Wilt — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:05:33 +0000

I didn’t watch a second of the Pro Bowl last night. Why should I? It’s a joke.

I would rather watch a three hour rain delay than the Pro Bowl.

I went on to ESPN.com at 11:30 last night just to see the final score and get a few stats for this post and had to did deep just to find it. Buried underneath Winter X Games coverage, a story on the Mavericks win in over time, Djokovic beating Nadal, the NHL All-Star game and a column about the Giants defense was a headline about that Pro Bowl.

Apparently Ray Lewis had five tackles and Vonta Leach scored a touchdown — that news comes via Aaron Wilson, who I assume was forced to watch the game for his job. Poor guy.

Last year 13.4 million football starved morons watched the Pro Bowl on Fox. I’m sure the numbers will be similar this season. There’s no sense in telling the NFL to kill it, move it, add a skills competition or any of the other crazy ideas people have for the game.

The bottom line is that this horrible game gets ratings and ratings equal dollars. I just don’t know who in their right mind is watching it.

VIDEO: Ray Lewis’ Emotional Postgame Locker Room Speech

Zach Wilt — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:55:08 +0000

What does a future Hall of Famer tell his team after a devastating loss in the AFC Championship?

This.

Following the Ravens 23-20 loss to the Patriots, Ray Lewis encouraged his team to hold their heads high and told them to work to get even further next year.

I’m not sure if Ray’s speech fires me up or makes me depressed.

Skip Bayless Actually Feels Bad For Terrell Suggs And The Ravens

Zach Wilt — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:14:31 +0000

Despite what Ravens fans think of Skip Bayless for his week long battles with Terrell Suggs, he actually gave Baltimore some love after they lost 23-20 to the Patriots in the AFC Championship.

“Flacco outplayed Brady,” Bayless tweeted. ”Honestly I feel sorry for Suggs/Ray/EReed” he added.

Unfortunately, Suggs does have to wear a Skip Bayless t-shirt on ESPN first take after losing a bet on the AFC Championship.

That should be appointment television as Suggs disappeared this postseason with zero sacks against the Texans and Patriots.

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 23-20 loss to the Patriots

Matt Lund — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:57:24 +0000

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.

Grading the Ravens 23-20 loss to the Patriots

Quarterback: A

Joe Flacco has heard the criticism all season. Ripped by the media and by Ed Reed this past week, he showed today that he can win and beat the best of the best at any given time.

The rushing attack sets up everything in this offense, but coming into this game, Flacco needed to make some throws to give the Ravens a chance to beat the Patriots. He did just that, getting out of the pocket to extend some plays, like the touchdown throw to TE Dennis Pitta when the Patriots had everyone else covered in the red zone.

Flacco made some throws in tight spaces that were right on the money on that same drive, connecting with WR’s Lee Evans and Anquan Boldin for gains of 20 and 37 yards respectively. He felt pressure, moved around and bought time, looking almost like his QB counterpart Tom Brady, stepping up or to his left and right to make throws.

He also had his head-scratching moment of the day when he threw a crucial 4th quarter interception on a drive that the Ravens ran the football effectively and moved down field. Flacco inexplicably threw into double coverage, and at least two other Patriot defenders were also in the area, ending the drive where the Ravens desperately needed points.

Still, this was a game that quieted the critics of Flacco because as the running game faltered, he drove the Ravens down field. This game is something to build on for next season.

Running Backs: C

The running game never really got into a good groove, even as the coaching staff mixed in backup RB Ricky Williams. The amount of running though did help to set-up the play action passing which was key in this game.

Ray Rice ran the ball 21 times for just 67 yards, while also catching a pass for 11 yards. Williams ran for 22 yards on six carries.

FB Vonta Leach was his usual bulldozing self, getting into the Patriots LB’s on numerous occasions with some good blocks.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: B+

This group played very well and was in complete rhythm all day with Joe Flacco. Even when passes from Flacco were under thrown, they were being caught. Anquan Boldin had a monster game catching six passes for 101 yards, including a key 29-yard catch on a 3rd and 1 that put the Ravens in position to tie or win the game in the 4th.

Torrey Smith tied the game at 16 in the 3rd quarter with his 29-yard touchdown catch and run and finished with 82 yards receiving. Smith had a very nice game and showcased his outstanding speed. He had to come back to a ball under thrown by Flacco that turned into a 42-yard catch, the longest of the day for the Ravens.

Lee Evans emerged in this game for the Ravens, catching three passes for 39 yards, but had a ball stripped from him in the end zone that would have given the Ravens the lead late in the 4th quarter.

TE Dennis Pitta stepped up in this one, hauling in a six-yard touchdown catch and finishing the day with 41 yards receiving. He’s got very good hands and is a strong, strong kid. TE Ed Dickson caught two passes for 23 yards, but drops plagued him again in this one.

Offensive Line: C

The offensive line struggled early in this game, getting beat on a three-man rush by the Patriots on Mark Anderson’s sack in the 1st quarter. Flacco will help this grade though, because he made plays with his feet getting out of the ever-collapsing pocket. Tackle Michael Oher briefly left the game with an ankle injury, but Patriots DT Vince Wilfork had his number all game.

Defensive Line: D-

I said last week that this group needed to step up in order for the Ravens to win this game. They helped to limit Tom Brady, but struggled to contain the Patriots rushing attack which ran for 96 yards. Haloti Ngata and Terrence Cody weren’t factors in this game. A healthy Ngata might have helped, but he was nursing an injury most of the season.

Linebackers: C

This group was quite disappointing in such a big game for the team. Terrell Suggs’s much-hyped match-up with Tom Brady was a non-factor, as he collected just five tackles and zero sacks. Suggs had zero sacks in both postseason games for the Ravens.

Ray Lewis finished with 12 tackles, but a lot of those were in coverage tackling Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Just a really quiet effort by these guys, as they got close to Brady but not enough to totally disrupt his game. Paul Kruger had the only sack for the Ravens.

Secondary: B+

The group gave up 239 yards through the air, but CB Lardarius Webb played very well, finishing with six tackles and an acrobatic interception in the 1st half. Safety Bernard Pollard had a solid game with 12 tackles total and deflecting a pass in the end zone that CB Jimmy Smith picked off.

They stayed close to the Patriots receivers, not allowing anything on the back end and tackled pretty well. The pressure they put on the receivers threw off the timing with Brady and his group.

Special Teams: C

Punter Sam Koch averaged nearly 44 yards on his four punts, but the kickoff return yardage given up was far too great in this game. Kicker Billy Cundiff hit field goals from 20 and 39-yards respectively, but the biggest one of them all, the 32-yard field goal to tie the game with 11 seconds left, went wide left.

Coaching: B+

A complete job by the coaching staff for this game. John Harbaugh had his men ready to play in this game. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron went to some roll-outs and play action passes for Flacco that worked well, that kept the Patriots defense off-balance. The defense as a whole unit had Tom Brady out of rhythm in the game, never quite getting that head full of steam and that kept the Ravens in the game.

Final Take

This one’s going to hurt for a while. The Ravens were the better overall team on this day but the Patriots are three-time Super Bowl champions, and they again found their way to the Super Bowl.

Its always tough when all game competitors fight tooth and nail with their opponent only to have one play do them in. In this game, there were two plays that fans will take from this game. A big turning point in the game being the fumble by kick returner Danny Woodhead that the Ravens recovered but only ended up getting a field goal instead of a TD. A touchdown there drastically changes the outlook of the game.

What’s frustrating is the Ravens outplayed the Patriots in almost every facet. Joe Flacco outplayed Tom Brady in this ballgame. Brady did not throw a touchdown, the first time in 36 games he failed to do so. Flacco threw for 2 TD’s and finished with a 95.4 passer rating.

The Ravens outgained the Patriots 398 to 330 and won the time of possession by nearly seven minutes. They outgained the Patriots in rushing yards and won the turnover battle, turning the ball over just once.

All those crucial stats and the ebb and flow of the game all come down to one play, one kick, millions of emotions running through the minds of fans and that indelibly will be the play that everyone remembers from this game.

The AFC Championship loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers took a good while to flush from the minds of fans, but I have to feel that this loss will sting just a little more.

You start to look back at all the variables of the season. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed in the homestretch of their careers, a perfect regular season home-record and a first-round playoff bye. Beating the hated Pittsburgh Steelers twice and then seeing them lose in their playoff game. The stars seemed to be aligning.

But it wasn’t to be.

It’s something Ravens fans should cherish and use to look forward to next season. You don’t know if or when they’ll have another opportunity to get back. One thing is for certain, Ravens players and coaches will be motivated to get back out on the field and show why they are one of the upper-echelon teams in the NFL.

Exclusive: The Joe Flacco-Ed Reed “Fight”

Dave Gilmore — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:58 +0000

Everyone heard about Joe Flacco and Ed Reed “fight” that took place after practice yesterday. Sadly, it seems nobody else but us was willing to provide a detailed visual depiction of the altercation. We debated making a Taiwanese news-style CGI reenactment, but unfortunately we lack that technology. So, here’s a comic book I made. I hope this puts the issue to rest. Click through to see the action unfold!

Ravens Won’t Let Reed’s Comments On Flacco Become Distraction

Zach Wilt — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:30:17 +0000

By now you’ve already heard Ed Reed’s comments about Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense against the Texans. He wasn’t impressed with the Ravens QB or the guys up front that allowed Flacco to get tossed to the turf five times.

Obviously, Reed’s comments were the topic of conversation at the Ravens facility on Wednesday. Ray Lewis, John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco all weighed in and had similar thoughts on the topic as they collectively downplayed their severity.

“I talked to Ed about it,” Flacco said according to Aaron Wilson of the Carroll Country Times. ”It’s not really that big a deal. I don’t take things that bad. It’s Ed.”

“It’s not an issue,” Lewis said. ”I understand where Ed’s heart is at,” Harbaugh added.

A locker room issue is the last thing that the Ravens need heading to New England for the AFC Championship, so they took a nice politically correct approach and did a great job of ending the story right there.

Reed could have said anything about Flacco and the Ravens would have downplayed it this week.

In my opinion, Ed Reed knows that this is it and he isn’t worried about pissing a few people off. With the injuries he’s suffered, this could be his last season or at least his last chance of winning a ring and if he’s critical of the quarterback, so be it.

Zach Wilt if 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.

Quantifying The Houston Texans Stupidity

Ross Gore — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:30:38 +0000

The annotated Winning Percentage Graph for Ravens Divisional Round playoff win against the Houston Texans is shown above. The graph is taken from NFL Advanced Stats, while the annotations are ours. The graph shows each team’s chance of winning the game given historical data calculated from previous NFL games. For more details on Winning Percentage graphs please see our Reader’s Guide.

The biggest play in terms of Winning Percentage for the game came after the Ravens went 3 and out on their opening drive and punted to Jacoby Jones. Jones attempted to field the bouncing punt at his 13-yard line. As shown in the picture below provided by the Associated Press, Cary Williams launched into Jones, Jones lost the ball and it was recovered by Ravens first round pick Jimmy Smith at the Texans’ 2. Ravens and Texans fans alike appear to be baffled by Jones’ decision. Here, we’ll explore that decision and try to determine if it was reasonable, or not.

Clearly Jones’ considered the decision to field the punt to be a calculated risk: he could field the punt so that the Texans could start their drive at the 13 yard-line or let it bounce and potentially start at the 3 yard-line. So, did Jones’ make a rational decision? Is the risk of bobbling the catch worth the reward of starting at the 13 yard line? We answer this question and look into another bizarre decision by the Texans after the jump.

Several different expectations, in terms of points, for the Houston Texans drive following Jones’ punt return are shown in the table below. Each of these statistics assume that the team fielding the punt is up 3 – 0 with 11:30 remaining in the first quarter. These statistics are provided by NFL Advanced Stats.

Drive Starting Position	Own 3	Own 13
Win Probability	Texans win 60% of time	Texans win 60% of time
Expected Points	-0.47 points expected for Texans	-0.04 points expected for Texans
First Down Probability	Texans get a 1st down 67% of time	Texans get a 1st down 67% of time
Probability of TD	Texans drive ends in TD 11% of time	Texans drive ends in TD 14% of time
Probability of FG	Texans drive ends in FG 5% of time	Texans drive ends in FG 8% of time

The only thing that one can say in Jones’ defense is that he was attempting to ensure that Texans upcoming drive would not end in negative points. If he had successfully fielded the punt he would have essentially erased this possibility since drives starting at 13 end on -0.04 points on average and drives starting at the 3 end in -0.47 points on average. However, winning percentage is the most important statistic here and it clearly shows that Jones’ made an awful decision. As the table shows there was no difference in the Texans overall chances of winning the game if Jones had not fielded the punt. However, by deciding to field it and bobbling the ball, Jones took the Texans from a 60% chance of winning the game to a 41% chance. Everyone in Baltimore should send Jacoby Jones a thank-you card. His inability to operate as a rational football player was one of the biggest factors in the Ravens’ chances of winning the game (19 percentage points added to the Ravens probability of winning the game added)!

The Ravens were also significantly aided by the Texans’ decision to attempt a 50-yard field goal on 4th and 6 with 5:59 to play in the 3rd quarter. Field goal kicks are affected by the same factors as anything else flying through the air: wind, temperature and altitude. Here, we’ll specifically consider temperature. At kickoff it was a balmy 31 degrees at M & T Bank. The chances of making a 50-yd field goal plummets once the temperature reaches the low 30s. Essentially, 50-yd field goal attempts in 30-degree weather become 57-yd attempts at room temperature. Ultimately, the decision took the Texans from a 37% chance of winning to a 28% chance, as it gave the Ravens great field position and the opportunity to make the game a two-score game. It is also worth noting the Cundiff’s field goals and kickoffs should be viewed as significantly more impressive given the air temperature at game time. Welcome back, Billy!

The Ravens success wasn’t entirely due to the Texans gaffes. Ladarius Webb’s two INTs also greatly affected the Ravens odds of winning the game. Webb’s first and forth quarter INTs bookended a great game by Baltimore’s corner that saw him add 23 percentage points throughout the game to the Ravens chances of winning. He was only eclipsed by the immortal Ed Reed, whose defense on deep pass plays and game-ending INT added 30 percentage points to the Ravens chances of winning. Note: The above picture of Ed Reed is provided by the Associated Press.

However, the Ravens, especially on offense, did not play particularly well in this game. In particular, Owen Daniels and Kevin Walter ran open several times underneath the Ravens secondary but TJ Yates was incapable of getting them ball. Obviously, the Ravens won’t have the luxury of relying on poor coaching decisions and QB play in the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. Later this week, we’ll brainstorm a number of different strategies to enable the Ravens to slow down the Patriots offense, while putting up some offense of their own.

Ravens Report Card: Breaking down the Ravens 20-13 victory over Houston

Matt Lund — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:17:08 +0000

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

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