Free Kicks- Thursday Ravens/Towson Catholic Edition

Windsor is working so hard on his Prospect Report (I know, I am excited too) that he just can’t get the post up until tonight. However, I am pushing back Free Kicks a day so that we can try to have daily content on this thing. Thank you for your wonderful comments about my Towson Catholic post, I appreciate all the work y’all are doing to try to save this institution from the people who were supposed to run it. Let’s line up for the kick…

Towson Catholic Update
Well, Monsignor Tinder is arguing that he fought hard to keep the school open, and I am actually sure he did. I am sure he tried to cut costs, find ways to get tuition money from those who hadn’t paid it on time, and even looked at ways to boost enrollment. But again, the issue isn’t what he did internally- it is what he didn’t do externally. He didn’t ask for help, he didn’t raise money, and he didn’t make his fight external. I am sure he loves Towson Catholic and wanted it to remain open with all his heart, but he didn’t realize at any point that there was a great resource available to him in the alumni. He even remarked that alumni “ultimately were one of the pillars on which the future of the school stood” but he never reached out to them for help.

The fact that it took Towson Catholic until just a couple years ago to hire anyone to coordinate alumni and raise money is really telling- every private school needs someone to build that endowment and (sorry parents) seek additional funding so that the school can survive times like this. The issue is not with how much Tinder loved the school or wanted it to stay open, just as it isn’t about whether someone wants to stop the guy who is mugging the pedestrian, or whether someone wishes that a project will get done on time, it is about what you do to make that happen. No matter what he did it was insufficient because he never used the most obvious resource available- asking for help. Whether by ignorance or hubris, Monsignor Tinder is still responsible.

Suggs Signs 6-year Deal, Will Remain a Raven
This is the first great development of the post-draft offseason for the Ravens, with their most dynamic pass-rushing threat locked into a new 6-year, $63 million deal. Baltimore is now likely right up against the cap, but it may have actually helped their cap condition versus taking on the franchise tag for another season. Moreover, it ensures that at least one Raven won’t be up for a new deal anytime soon. Let’s not automatically think, however, that Terrell Suggs is going to remain a Raven until he is 32. The way these deals are made in the NFL, the first 3 or 4 years are set but after that the deal can easily be reworked or even ended without much compensation to the player. Suggs was smart in getting the amount of guaranteed money that he did, but consider this a 3 year deal with a bit of angst after that point if the former Defensive Rookie of the Year is underperforming.

Suggs hasn’t always been explosive, having several less-than-stellar seasons, including the 2007 campaign. In fact, his best season might have been back in 2004, when he registered 60 total tackles to go with 10.5 sacks. He hasn’t had a double-digit sack year since. Hopefully his new contract will give him more motivation than in previous years to live up to his record setting deal. I am not sold that Terrell Suggs is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. But he is a very good one, and that alone makes him worth the money.

Not So Fast- Harbaugh to try to Keep Mason from Retiring
I thought that Ravens’ players and coaches would try to convince Derrick Mason to reconsider his decision to retire after 12 seasons, but I did not expect it to be as public as this. According to the Baltimore Sun, Coach Harbaugh has already exchanged text messages with Mason and is planning to meet with him soon to discuss his retirement. Honestly I don’t know what affect his is going to have on Mason. It is likely that Mason’s decision to leave the game was rooted in family and personal issues, not anything that can be solved by money or more football. If Harbaugh does manage to bring Mason back to the team, it will reveal his ability to relate to his players on a personal level and serve as a friend and mentor as a coach. I am not expecting anything, and I am not leaping to the conclusion that the wide receiver is going to change his mind suddenly. Derrick Mason was never a player who I thought needed the game so much that he couldn’t step away. If he feels he has done what he wants to do with football and is ready to do other things, I don’t know what will convince him to come back. Either way, this saga is just beginning.

Free Kicks

For those of you who missed it (sorry for not posting a reminder), Falco and Windsor had one hell of a show on Tuesday on our Around the Harbor radio show on WMUC (every Tuesday night at 10 PM). Be sure to check out next week’s program, they save some of their best stuff for the show- you simply can’t get the same effect reading Windsor rant as you can hearing it when he just goes off on something. Now let’s line up for the kick…

Tech-nically Unsound
By signing a contract extension for 5 years yesterday, Mike Leach scored a major victory over some highly questionable employment decisions by Texas Tech University. After fighting for months to negotiate a new contract for the successful Red Raiders coach, Leach announced that he was ready to sign a new deal. However, as soon as he made the announcement, Tech went back and changed some of the language of his contract- including guaranteeing only 12% of his contract (most schools have upwards of 40%), mandating that Leach must get permission from the athletic department before he speaks with any other schools, and that all of his money from speaking engagements can be taken by the university. Look, I actually have no problem with these restrictions. I don’t care what it in the contract- but I care how it was done.

Texas Tech waited until Leach committed himself to the contract, and then changed the deal. What is this, Cloud City (sorry, had to make the reference)? After Leach rejected this sudden about-face (understandably), the Board of Regents decided to call an emergency meeting to discuss whether to fire him for not signing the extension. Come again? Who fires someone for not agreeing to extend with you? You keep them for as long as you can and hope you can work something out. Luckily this idiocy was stopped and a new deal was worked out. Don’t these Regents have something better to do? I don’t know, maybe something that has to do with educating students? I wonder how many emergency meetings were called about skyrocketing tuition costs…

So Much for Hometown Discounts
Okay, so forget all the hopeful words I said about Terrell Suggs, Bart Scott, and Ray Lewis coming back to Baltimore on a discounted deal to stay together. Apparently, like so much else said in the offseason, they were just thrown out there to assuage the fan base and earn good-will while the negotiations dragged on. Yahoo Sports is reporting that Terrell Suggs’ agent, Gary Wichard, is looking for the Ravens to pony up a Dwight Freeney-level deal for the DE/OLB, which would demand roughly $12 million a year. It is no surprise then that the Ravens were forced to use the franchise tag. This of course coming on the heels of Ray Lewis’ announcement that he is available to the highest bidder (that bidder will likely be the Ravens, but you would hate to see them put in that situation).

Against this backdrop it feels silly to have ever thought that Baltimore’s stars would take a discount to be in the city. As much as we love our pro athletes in this town, especially the ones who stay for their entire careers, I suppose they just don’t take discounts to stay. Nick Markakis’ deal contained no hometown discount whatsoever, as his deal was entirely in line with comparable players. Likewise, Brian Roberts would have probably gotten even less than he did from the Orioles in this free agent market (if he would even be employed- see Orlando Hudson). Both Baltimore teams have had faces of the franchise on the brink of free agency. Is it possible that the Orioles may do a better job of holding onto their talent this year than the Ravens?

Call Me an Optimist
I may be the only one in the world, but I think the Orioles starting rotation will be better than last year’s. Maybe not by a lot, but it will be. Windsor and Falco are watching for the sky to fall, but I would cite some big differences between last year and this year. First of all, the Orioles have more pitchers who are closer to major league ready (another year in the farm system does that). Last year they did not have Rich Hill, Hayden Penn (injury), or Dave Pauley to cushion the blow between Guthrie and having to call up Radhames Liz. That won’t be as big of a problem. The O’s also return numerous relievers from injury, including former closer Chris Ray, Danys Baez, and Jamie Walker could also return to form after an injury-plagued and ineffective season.

Troy Patton should be available later in the year, and let’s also not forget the acquisition of Koji Uehara who, even if he is not as good as he used to be, should be a serviceable pitcher in the majors for a couple years. No, the Orioles rotation is not good, but it has far more depth than ever. Baltimore won’t be dipping into AA nearly as early or often has they were tempted to last season. Invariably, some of this borderline talent will take strides, and there will be plenty of opportunities (and arms) to do so.

Harbaugh Says Lewis Wants to be a Raven, Ravens Want Lewis Back

Head coach John Harbaugh has said that he is "convinced that Ray (Lewis) wants to finish his career as Raven. And there's no question the Baltimore Ravens definitely want Ray." All according to Ken Murray of the Baltimore Sun with the quotes being told to the USA Today.

One particular quote by Harbaugh probably won't ease anyone's worries about Ray leaving: "Ray Lewis is going to be a guy we're going to pay a lot of money to in order to keep." But it was assured that Steve Bisciotti would pay more than any other team. Still though, it is a little unsettling to talk about your defensive leader as a person you will "pay a lot of money to keep," as if you didn't want to but had to.

This situation has gotten increasingly difficult to maintain since the beginning. Some national football analysts believe Lewis is not coming back, but considering all that has been said, he should be in a Ravens uniform next season. Ray Lewis has every right to want top dollar for his performance, and John Harbaugh should want his defensive leader back. Bisciotti has not been the most fluent when it came to talking about the money matters, but he should be bringing him back. His own teammates, mainly Terrell Suggs, want him to return. Basically, anything less would be a tremendous disappointment. This situarion has not been handled well, but just because two big market teams want him does not mean they will.

Re-signing Ray Lewis is the #1 priority in the free agent period. Nothing else is as important. Harbaugh knows it.

He won't take a hometown discount, and he won't return for the goodness of his heart. But he knows what it means to be here and that the Ravens want him back. And he will, we all hope.

(Photo credit: Flickr)

Ravens Offseason Juggling Act Begins

I just had to take this opportunity to outline some of the turnover going on with the Ravens in the postseason, so please excuse the Free Kicks-esque format, it was necessary for organizational purposes. It seems that with the free-fall of Maryland basketball (and the accompanying questions about how the game has passed Gary Williams by) and the annual attempt to piece together a starting rotation on the Orioles (with so many cheap free agents, why haven’t we brought them in?), it is easy to forget that the Ravens have a good deal going on themselves, in the front office, the coaching staff, and on the field.

The Front Office
I sure hope George Kokinis has the same impact on the Cleveland Browns that Phil Savage did. For that matter, I hope his departure from the Ravens has the same impact Savage’s did. That is, very little. The Ravens have a long history of reloading in the front office, like the USC of pro football front offices. There are a lot of great groups, but so long as the Pete Carroll/Ozzie Newsome is there, they will succeed. Since Kokinis is in the division, I won’t wish him the best of luck, but I hope he is happy there in his 4-6 win seasons. Kokinis, as many of you know, has served for the last 6 years and has just been hired as the new General Manager of the Mangini-led Cleveland Browns. I don’t know much about Kokinis except that I hate it when division rivals get our front office people because they have an in-depth knowledge of our personnel and Eric Mangini is a perfect coach to make full use of it. I for one love the Mangini hiring for Browns fans; but I hate it for the Ravens. With any luck I will be wrong, and Mangini/Kokinis will turn out as bad a match as the feared Crennel/Savage duo.

The Coaching Staff
Speaking of Mangini, his former post as Jets head coach has been filled by beloved Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. The man deserved that top spot eventually, and he will have his team fired up like no other. The good news for Ravens fans is that Ryan likely will not be calling the defenses, so the best defensive coordinator in the league won’t ever have the scheme or quality of defense he had here in Baltimore. His replacement, Greg Mattison, is a safe choice. You knew it had to be a Harbaugh hire, and would have to be someone in-house with the unique defense and personnel on that side of the ball. Moreover, in order to persuade Lewis/Suggs/Scott to return you had to have someone at the top they would like and respect, and they have that in Mattison. I doubt he will be a great defensive coordinator in the traditional sense, or he would have been offered an NFL coordinator job earlier. He has only been in the league for one season, either for lack of interest or lack of production, but I don’t anticipate that will be a huge problem- he will take input from the veterans and if the group stays intact there may be a slight dropoff in the defense, but it may not be noticeable if the offense is able to hold onto the ball longer.

There is word that he wants to blitz more, and while I am not sure that is possible, I wouldn’t buy much into it anyway. I have seen a lot of coordinators hired, and I have never once heard any of them say they want to blitz less. They all say they want to be more aggressive, attack the quarterback, etc. Once they are in the booth and are worried about those short crossing routes, we see how committed they really are to sending the house.


The Team
Nothing yet, but it is coming. The move not to franchise Lewis was a good move; he is just not worth that much on the free agent market to merit it. Remember how tough it was to move Jason Taylor? And he was a defensive end (perennial position of need on many clubs) and reigning defensive player of the year! Ray just would not get that kind of money. Hopefully he knows it. I can’t see a scenario where they let Lewis go, not after what he has meant to this franchise. There isn’t even an Aaron Rodgers situation here that would merit pushing out the face of the franchise. Terrell Suggs has suggested that he, Bart Scott, and Ray should take hometown discounts to stay together, and Scott made similar remarks earlier in the season, noting that when players leave this scheme they tend to have less success with other clubs. I certainly hope they are genuine sentiments, but they will not settle for pennies on the dollar, and I don’t blame them. The Ravens will be in a real crunch this season, with Jim Leonhard and others also looking at other clubs. I doubt Leonhard will want to stay if he has a shot at losing his job to a healthy Dawan Landry, so Baltimore may have to pony up a respectable contract offer or make him some promises in order to keep him. This will be a dicey free agent market for the Ravens, and they won’t even have to look past Owings Mills to keep it interesting.

Ravens-Steelers Preview, Part 1

Well this has certainly been the more hyped matchup (as expected), and Steelers-Ravens is always a game to watch. First there were bragging rights on the line. Then there was the AFC North Division Title on the line. And now there is a Super Bowl berth on the line. If the first two games are any indication, this will be one hell of a game- if anything, we will see our share of injury time outs. I cannot believe that the Ravens are in the AFC Championship game, it is absolutely incredible as a Ravens fan that they have gotten this far. As last week, we are going to have a much more involved preview session for playoff season. Here is our schedule for the next few days:

Today: What I’m Wondering
Friday: Steelers Offense vs. Ravens Defense
Saturday: Ravens Offense vs. Steelers Defense
Sunday: An Extended Rundown with Predictions

What I’m Wondering:

Will Flacco stay unflappable? Will he stay upright?
Joe Flacco was sacked 5 times in the Ravens first matchup against the Steelers. He was only sacked twice the second time around. However, he also happened to throw 2 interceptions and only complete 11 passes en route to throwing for only 115 yards- his 22.2 passer rating was worst for his rookie season, including the playoffs. I am not certain what the Steelers saw in the tape, but it is likely that without those interceptions the Ravens might manage a touchdown or at least hold onto the ball longer than the first time around. Joe Flacco will not only need to be competent this weekend and not make mistakes, he will have to make plays for the Ravens to win. And not just the occasional bomb to Derrick Mason, either. With the Steelers stuffing the box with defenders against the run, Cam Cameron will have to open up the playbook on those 3rd and longs to enable Flacco to have a variety of 1st down options- and it will be up to the rookie to complete them. Is Joe Flacco ready to win versus “not lose” a ballgame?

Which stellar defense will step up this week?
Well, while much of it was in garbage time, the Steelers did allow 24 points to the Chargers despite them being completely one-dimensional on offense. The Ravens allowed the Titans to rack up 391 yards and pierce the red zone 3 times, but forced 3 turnovers in their own territory and took advantage of a missed field goal to hold Tennessee to 10 points. It is hard to say which is better, and it is hard to say which one will perform better this week. The Ravens are banged up, worn out, and gassed after playing for 17 straight weeks. Also, they happen to be playing Ben Roethlisberger, who always seems to pull a rabbit out of his hat in the 4th quarter this season- and the Ravens, if the last couple weeks are any indication, will be out of bodies and out of energy by late in the game. Add in injuries to Samari Rolle, Terrell Suggs, and the mere presence of Corey Ivy on the field, and I can’t say the Ravens will outplay the Steelers. Even if the Ravens can throw on Pittsburgh, the Steelers are too well rested to get gassed in the 4th. Will the Ravens be able to overcome injury, aches, and pains to play in midseason form?

Which injury will hurt the Ravens the most against the Steelers?
This one is tough. You could make the case for Suggs, but I believe that the Ravens have linebackers in waiting who, while not as good as the Pro Bowl pass rusher, can still do a decent job- there is not as huge a dropoff in talent as there are at other positions. Samari Rolle will be a tremendous loss if he cannot play, but only because it would wind up with Corey Ivy as the nickel back. I don’t want Corey Ivy on anyone, much less an underrated receiver like Nate Washington. Believe it or not, I am going with Le’Ron McClain. Against the Steelers, the biggest need on offense is for a running back who can punish the Pittsburgh defense as much as they punish the running back. Last weekend McClain was running like a big back, but not a powerful back. He wasn’t getting a push at the point of attack, and whatever was wrong with his ankle really showed. I am sure he will play this week, but if he cannot drag defenders or hit the lane with determination, the Steelers will drop him right at the line. I am more comfortable with our depth on defense than on offense- I don’t trust Willis McGahee to carry the load this week and be successful.

The "Suggs Package" to be Employed More Often

John Harbaugh said today in the Baltimore Sun that the "Suggs Package" will be used more often in the Ravens offense.

This is referring back to when Terrell Suggs said that Troy Smith should be used once in a while at quarterback. Such comments got a lot of negative attention, as they were likely misconstrued to make people think he wanted Smith to start over Joe Flacco, but that he never thought that. And of course, the Ravens coaching staff are really good at playing up comments like that. To think, many Ravens fans were angry at such comments, including myself, but now the Ravens are calling in that for fun.

The "Suggs Package" mainly consists of putting Troy Smith at quarterback and using Joe Flacco as a receiver. On Sunday against the Raiders, Cam Cameron used this package to have Smith run the option as well as Smith throwing a ball to Flacco as a wide receiver. Ray Rice is often the running back of choice on the formation due to his speed and knowledge of the option.

The reason this works so well? All the important players are familiar with the option from recently leaving the college level. All the starting offensive linemen were drafted in 2005 or later. The two quarterbacks, Smith and Flacco, were drafted in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Rice is a rookie. Because of the familarity of the option plus the youth of the offense, it is effective to go against a defense, as long as it isn't used often.

But more to the fact, Cam Cameron is the first offensive coordinator to really put some variety and spark to this offense. We never saw this with Matt Cavanaugh, or Jim Fassel, or Rick Neuheisel. It is good to see someone finally putting all of the Ravens weapons to use.

But, one thing remains to be seen. This was first employed against Oakland; let's see how it works against stronger defenses. But for now, it is great to see.

(Photo credit: AP)

Postgame Report Card: Ravens 29, Raiders 10

The word of the game is......cool. Overwhelming defense and some surprising offense combined for a solid all-around game for the Ravens. Ray Rice impressed his family in a big way, Rex Ryan shows his brother about defense, and Troy Smith shows some flare. This was a game the Ravens needed to win if only because they are a superior team to the Raiders, and that is exactly what they did.

The Ravens have gotten back a winning record, going to 4-3 as they go on the road for their next three games.

Offense - Overall Grade: B-
Quarterbacks: B-
Overall a decent day for Joe Flacco. Though he had potential for big mistakes with his passes, including a few nearly intercepted, as well as only completed half of his passes, he showed his strong arm with a 70-yard pass to Demetrius Williams and a 40-yarder to Derrick Mason (taken back by penalty). And welcome back Troy Smith. Smith got in on a few plays to run the option plus had a very cool pass to Flacco, who made an amazing catch for 43 yards.
Running Backs: B+
This was Ray Rice's day, getting eight rushes for 64 yards and showing tremendous speed, including converting a 3rd and 20 on a short pass from Flacco. LeRon McClain didn't have a bad day with 32 yards on seven rushes. Willis McGahee was not in his element, only getting 58 yards on 23 carries plus losing a fumble in the 4th quarter that gave the Raiders a big opportunity. He did have a touchdown though. But Ray Rice was the star today, and would have had a touchdown if not for a holding call.
Wide Receivers: B-
The WR corps had only two catches. The 70-yarder to Williams and a short catch to Mason. The gameplan mainly focused on running, and Flacco often found running backs in the flat or tight ends across the middle.
Tight Ends: B
Todd Heap had two catches and Daniel Wilcox did too. Nothing special, but they helped Flacco a great deal with passing up the middle.
Offensive Line: C-
The line was tested a number time with the constant running of the ball, plus Flacco wasn't sacked. But Chris Chester and Jared Gaither each received two holding calls, which nullified a 40-yard catch by Mason and a touchdown run by Rice. Plus a false start inside the five. The line has to be more disciplined than that.

Defense - Overall Grade: B+
Defensive Line: A
Without Darren McFadden, Oakland's running game was non-existent. Justin Fargas only got 24 yards on 12 catches plus Haloti Ngata got a sack. Solid game for the line, only outshined by the.........
Linebackers: A+
Terrell Suggs had two big tackles including a sack, but was leading the way on defense, clearing the way for other players like JaMeel McClain and Jarret Johnson. The corps sacked Jamarcus Russell three times including one for a safety, and had a big hand in stopping the running game. Ray Lewis had four tackles on the day and nearly an interception.
Secondary: C
They were fine for the first 30 minutes. In the second half, Russell was torching the secondary with long passes, and Fabian Washington was not covering well, including having bad coverage on a long pass to Zach Miller. Corey Ivy lead the Ravens with six tackles, which I and Windsor agree is not a good thing. They gave Oakland a chance when they seemed down and out.

Special Teams - Overall Game: A-
Kicker: A+
Matt Stover converted to sub-40 yard field goals and three extra points, nothing more needed.
Punter: A
Sam Koch had three punts inside the 20 plus a touchback.
Returners: B
Yamon Figurs may be out of a job, since Rice had 54 yards returned on kickoffs and had decent speed. Jim Leonhard had a decent return day on punts as well with a 46-yard return, though not much on the other three.
Coverage: B+
Johnnie Higgins wasn't anything special on kickoffs and got nowhere on punt returns.

Coaching - Overall Grade: B+
Offense: B
Cam Cameron got to pull out a few new toys today, including the Troy Smith option, running Flacco as a wide receiver, and running the ball with Ray Rice many times. Also, Flacco was throwing many more long passes than normal. However, the passing and running more becoming predictable towards the end of the game, but the solid offense in the first half did the job in the end.
Defense: A-
The Oakland running game was shut down and the blitzes were well called to make Russell real uncomfortable. The second half could have been better, but only 10 points scored by Oakland was real solid today. Rex Ryan outdueled his brother, but as Chris McAlister has said, Rob Ryan is allowed in the Ravens office anytime, except when they are playing the Raiders.

MVP: Terrell Suggs
The leader on defense as he cleared the way on many big defensive plays. He ended with two tackles and a sack, but the stats don't tell the story of his leadership. I guess he had a "bounty" on Jamarcus Russell......
LVP: Willis McGahee
Not very effective on offense and had a key turnover that almost let Oakland back into the game.

After the game, the Gatorade bath went to Rex Ryan. I love how well the Ravens players like the coaches, all of them. The Ravens (4-3) hit the road for their second game against Cleveland. Time to remember the Art Modell days.........

(Photo credits: AP (Team photo, Ryan brothers, Flacco catch))

Free Kicks- Ravens Edition!

Well there has been just way too much Ravens news lately that it has required its very own Free Kicks segment. While rooting hard for the Phillies to start hitting (against one of the deepest rotations in the majors that could be wishful thinking), I couldn’t help to reflect on all the big issues making national news for our home football team (no, the Redskins don’t count over here). Let’s line up for the kick…

Money for Nothing

For anyone who bothered to listen to the audio of Suggs’ now infamous radio comments it should be apparent that not only was he goaded into the statement, it may not have even been accurate. He did not dwell on who made the “bounty” or who benefited, it is more likely that the defense simply built each other up and emphasized the importance of stopping these individuals from beating them. Just as Mendenhall gloated about how he would slice through the Ravens D, Suggs and others likely gloated equally about how they would shut him down. Likewise, they would get back at Hines Ward for his cheap shots by hitting him hard himself.

Something particularly illuminating was an interview of Brian Billick about the issue. He told Dan Patrick that even if this was a bounty, every team does this and every coach knows about it; but it rarely has an impact on the game itself. The Ravens have been painted as a particularly dirty team and now Suggs’ comments have simply added fuel to that myth. Hines Ward, as he sat with his plastic smile on Pardon the Interruption advertising the NFL’s regulation against “bounties” knew full well that the Steelers were legendary for this, and could attest to the two times he has been fined for cheap shots on the field. No, Suggs wasn’t smart. But he wasn’t a villain and he was not dirty.

Say Anything

Chris McAlister has been benched due to injury. Chris McAlister has been benched for poor play. Chris McAlister has been benched for violating a team rule. No, apparently it isn’t a disciplinary benching. When Coach Harbaugh took over he emphasized discipline and commanded that the Ravens run a tighter ship. However, he has horribly mismanaged the Chris McAlister situation. Why was McAlister benched? We have no idea. The media and fans don’t necessarily have to know. But Chris should. Instead, the coach has not informed the 3 time Pro Bowler as to why he was benched, but left him guessing based on Harbaugh’s statements to the media, which have changed as often as the Ravens playoff hopes.

The Head Coach has an obligation to ensure that a player knows why he is on the bench, particularly if it is for disciplinary reasons. “You know what you did” is not sufficient in the NFL. Whether his stubbornness is out of principle or simple mismanagement is unclear, but has left the locker room scratching their heads and left the media wondering when or if Harbaugh will tell the truth about the issue. Say nothing if you have to, but don’t lie to us, Coach. At least the player deserves the truth.

High Fidelity

Okay, so I understand why Suggs shouldn’t say it, but why is it so wrong for us to start talking about Troy Smith again? The biggest bonus for Flacco was supposedly his “big arm” to take shots down the field. However, this has not worked out for the Ravens. Flacco ranks 25th out of 34 eligible passers with a paltry 6.4 yards per completion, and more importantly ranks 27th in passes of more than 20 yards. Where is that big arm? Defenses have been able to take away the deep ball and kept everything close to the line of scrimmage, neutralizing the ability to throw down the field. So what is the bonus of having Flacco? Keep him in there as the Ravens are still at .500, but it might be something to consider down the road if he continues to struggle down the stretch.

I have always felt that Troy Smith was the better quarterback for a struggling team- a better than expected line protecting Flacco has been the only thing giving him even moderate success. Should the offensive line start to waver, Flacco will be a deer in headlights and fans will be calling for a quarterback who can improvise and keep drives alive any way possible.

P.S. Bonus points for anyone who can tell me the theme of the titles here…

Terrell Suggs: Fun With Radio!

Terrell Suggs recently made the news, nationally and locally, with some of his 'ill-advised' comments made on the radio regarding Hines Ward and Joe Flacco/Troy Smith. I will start with the former, because his statements on Hines Ward were the big national story to come out of it.

In Suggs’ interview with an Atlanta radio station, he made reference to there being a ‘bounty’ on Hines Ward and referred to him as a dirty, cheap-shot player. Now, I will say this: I don’t doubt that everything he said about Hines Ward and the ‘bounty’ is true. Hines Ward has long been known as a ‘dirty’ player, and that reputation is growing. The NFL is looking into his other comments, and the public response to the ‘bounty’ has been one of shock and disgust. I’m sorry, but give me a break. No, it isn’t right, and no, he sure as heck shouldn’t say it to the media, but the practice of putting a bounty on someone in football is not new. If someone like Hines Ward lays out one of your players unnecessarily, it is and has been the natural response to seek him out and knock him to the turf. In football there are plenty of collisions, and plenty of ways to clock someone without breaking the rules. Hines Ward lives by that and other teams can, right or wrong, use those same tactics against him.

As for his other comments, in which he proposed Troy Smith be the starter over Joe Flacco, this is where I really get burned up. Why, Suggs. Why. Why do you come out and knock your team’s starting quarterback like that? I understand that you like Troy Smith, and that’s completely legit. But if you’re going to propose a quarterback change, don’t say it to the media! Go behind closed doors; speak your peace to the coaching staff. Tell me, what do you think your statements will accomplish? Please, tell me, because I’m begging to know. By making this statement you: (a) rattle the confidence of your starting quarterback, (b) get yourself in hot water with the coaching staff, (c) put Troy Smith in an awkward position, and (d) magnify any and all mistakes that Joe Flacco makes from here on out. Tearing down your starter just so someone else can play is a fool’s game.

Now don’t get me wrong, Terrell Suggs is a great player and, by and large, has been an excellent guy to have in the locker room. This is an instance, however, when he would be better off keeping his mouth shut. He’s absolutely right about Hines Ward, but he should not have said it to the media. He’s absolutely wrong about Joe Flacco, and he definitely should never have said it to the media.

Terrell, I don’t want to tell you to shut up but… Please, shut up.

Postgame Report Card: Ravens 27, Dolphins 13

The word of the game is... vindication. On several levels, that is. The Ravens got off the mat after three straight losses, Joe Flacco regained his early-season poise, Willis McGahee finally broke out in a big game, and Cam Cameron helped dissect the team which so harshly dismissed him after last season (by the way, I would like to personally thank Dolphins management for firing Cam Cameron such that he could become the Baltimore’s offensive coordinator). While the defense had some issues containing Chad Pennington (particularly in the second half), and the offense did not quite light it up, the Ravens put together an effectively balanced game. This game was a rare occasion in which both the offense and defense contributed in equal parts. When that happens in Baltimore, it’s not hard to guess the outcome.

Offense - Overall Grade: B+
Quarterbacks: A-
Joe Flacco returned to the form all Ravens fans were hoping for: steady. Flacco certainly did not light it up down the field (75 of his 232 yards were on a pair of screen passes), but he made sound decisions and moved the ball steadily. Flacco completed 74.9 percent of his passes, and while he missed a key touchdown opportunity to Todd Heap, he was by and large very accurate, particularly on timing routes with Derrick Mason. One of the most apparent flaws in Flacco’s game continues to be his inability to get more of his receivers involved, but it is hoped that that will improve with time.
Running Backs: A
Willis McGahee had a party on his birthday. *badam-ching!* Thank you I’ll be here all week! But seriously. Willis McGahee had by far his best game of the season, his fourth-quarter fumble not withstanding. Willis showed the burst that seemed to be lacking all season, but the enormous holes opened up by the offensive line in the second half certainly didn’t hurt. Ray Rice got a surprising amount of playing time, and had an excellent 40-yard screen pass despite doing little in the ground game.
Wide Receivers: B
Derrick Mason had another outstanding game, hauling in six catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. Mason clearly has outstanding chemistry with Joe Flacco and still has superb run-after-the-catch ability. As mentioned previously, the lack of production outside of Mason is somewhat disconcerting.
Tight Ends: A
Todd Heap had a great game! How good does that sound to say? It feels like it has been far too long, but Todd seems to finally have some rhythm in this offense. Todd was missed wide open in the end-zone on the first possession of the third quarter; it seemed at first to be an error by Flacco, but Cam Cameron quickly went over to talk to Todd after the play on the sidelines, so there’s a chance that Todd ran the wrong route. Problems such as that should be relieved when Flacco and Heap have more time to refine their chemistry.
Offensive Line: A-
Although this unit gave up three sacks, generally Flacco was kept clean and Joey Porter was the only Dolphin who was able to attain any modicum of success rushing the quarterback. The greatest contribution from the line was in the running game, particularly early in the second half. The Ravens’ line pushed around that of the Dolphins and thus helped the Ravens take hold of the game in the second half. Chris Chester and Willie Anderson stepped up in a very big way for the injured Marshal Yanda and Adam Terry. Their admirable performance is certainly an encouraging sign for any future success for the Ravens’ offense this season.

Defense - Overall Grade: B+
Defensive Line: B+
This group did an admirable job controlling the line of scrimmage and shutting down the running game of the Dolphins. The ‘wildcat’ offense which has been so talked about was shut down, more than anything else, by the consistent penetration by the defensive line. While the unit got some pressure on Pennington, on several drives he had far too much time in the pocket. The line did a very good job this game, but not dominating in both the run and pass.
Linebackers: A-
The linebackers had another superb game, coming up with key pressures on Pennington and stifling any attempt at a running game. Suggs returned to his old form, not only sacking Pennington but picking him off for a touchdown to boot. It should be noted, however, that it was the excellent play of the line that facilitated the linebackers’ success in the running game. Ray Lewis had another strong game – apparently there just might be such a thing as the Fountain of Youth.
Defensive Backs: C+
The defensive backs did what they could, but at the end of the day they’re accountable for allowing as many passing yards as they did. It is important to note that Walker and Washington did not have terrible games. Both played decent coverage, however Pennington put the ball in spots where it would be impossible to make a play on as a defensive back. This was not the finest game for this group, but the corners and safeties certainly did not embarrass themselves. Jim Leonhard, again, played big and his blitz on Pennington was a key to Suggs’ interception.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: A
Kicker: A
Stover connected on both of his field goals, including a 47-yarder. There is a sigh of relief in Baltimore that maybe, just maybe, their franchise kicker is back to form.
Punter: A+
Koch had three punts, with a net average of 48.3 yards. Oh, and did I mention that each punt pinned the Dolphins within the 20-yard line?
Returners: B
Ray Rice averaged a little over 25 yards on kick returns, and showed good aggressiveness in his style. There was little hesitation and went primarily north-south, which is what you want to see from a solid kick returner. Jim Leonhard, again, showed he is surprisingly adept in the punt return game.
Coverage: C+
Ted Ginn was allowed far too much room for most of the game, and by and large the return men for the Ravens had little room to work with.

Coaching - Overall Grade: A
Offensive: A+
Cam Cameron put together a superb game plan. Flacco was not asked to do too much this game, and it seemed as if each button pushed was the right one. Certainly this was by no means a dominating offensive performance, but by Ravens standards it was pretty close. The running game, particularly in the second half, settled down the game and kept the pressure off of Flacco. Todd Heap was made a part of the offense for the first time, and hopefully more of that will be seen going forward. A very good job of not over-stretching Flacco after he tasted some success. There was no reason to shift to an overly aggressive gameplan, even if Miami has an awful pass defense. He let Flacco have his success and put together a winning offense; that’s how you win games and build a franchise quarterback.
Defensive: B+
Rex Ryan was clearly not phased by the ‘wildcat’ offense. Ryan knows better than anyone that if you get penetration into the backfield, no offense will work. Ryan put on the heat and got the desired results. A few questions do remain from this game, including why McAlister was not in the starting lineup while he was suited up to play and why he took the heat off of Pennington in key situations.

And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) –Terrell Suggs– Suggs put together one of the most complete games possible for an NFL linebacker. Suggs accounted for six solo tackles along with one sack, and an interception for a touchdown. Even when he did not get the sack, Suggs did get consistent pressure on Pennington. Baltimore fans can only hope that this represents the return of Terrell Suggs to his pre-2007 form.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) –Antwan Barnes– Barnes did not have a terrible game, however he failed to make a significant contribution, only recording a single tackle for the game. The infraction that gives him this distinction is the 15-yard personal foul penalty at the end of the first half. His unsportsmanlike conduct put the Dolphins in a position to potentially score. They didn’t, but it did open up the opportunity. Take this as something of a statement to the fact that there really isn’t a single LVP in this game.

Bonus grade:
Cam Cameron: A+ - Cam, you deserve this. You handled yourself with class and dignity amongst all of the negativity around your firing. You have done a superb job handing this offense during the year, effectively managing a rookie quarterback and the youngest starting offensive line in the league. You did not take any shots at your former team leading up to this game, but in the end you had the last laugh. After the final whistle sounded, I don’t know whether or not you were feeling this, but I can say what we as Ravens fans felt on your behalf. Vindication.

Not to mention vindication for a certain person's Report Cards.


(Photo Credit: Derrick Mason(Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun), Terrell Suggs(Elizabeth Malby/Baltimore Sun), Matt Stover(Elizabeth Malby/Baltimore Sun))