Upon news of Drew Bennett retiring plus Joe Flacco saying he's unsure if Derrick Mason will return (credit both to the Baltimore Sun), the Ravens are back to the drawing board with a new wide receiver. So, looking at the possible options, what are the pros and cons of the next possible moves?
Option A: Sign a new wide receiver.
--Possibilities: Marvin Harrison, Plaxico Burress, D.J. Hackett, Joe Horn, Amani Toomer among others
--Pros: It will not cost much and allows the Ravens to sign who they want to the offense without another team's say.
--Cons: None of these players have been signed yet, making you wonder if they still have what it takes to be a big wide receiver. Plus, some of these players are having issues with the law, which could affect their ability as well.
Option B: Trade for a receiver.
--Possibilities: Brandon Marshall of the Broncos, Anquan Boldin of the Cardinals
--Pros: Both are proven receivers that could become #1-WR easily in their spot. Plus, they want out of their current location, and a place with a team that reached the AFC Championship last season as the clear #1 would likely get them to play hard.
--Cons: For both, money is a certain factor. They will cost high draft picks to bring here plus a very high contract to either one after a year. Plus, neither have good reputations; Marshall with the law, Boldin as a teammate. These factors could be problems for the Ravens.
Option C: Go with who you have.
--Pros: No extra money is spent plus you can grow your current WR corps. Expect a lot of two tight end sets with Todd Heap and L.J. Smith with this decision. Plus, you can only gain something if Derrick Mason returns.
--Cons: The current WR corps minus Mark Clayton is unproven, so there is a lot of risk. Plus, injuries would be issues with most of them.
Option D: Try to get Derrick Mason to return.
--Pros: If successful, you get back Mason, who is a solid leader on the field plus a reliable receiver.
--Cons: Even if you get Mason back, the WR corps is still a problem with injuries. Plus, it is very unlikely that Mason will return, and the Ravens would not have a backup plan if that happened.
Obviously this is not a good situation, and with the start of training camp today for the rookies, it might be a lot worse. But Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh will have decisions to make soon.
Personally, I believe going after Marshall or Boldin is not worth the overall price. Although talent wise they are the best, the Ravens will have issues with them short and long term. Although it won't solve a lot, bringing in a D.J. Hackett or someone probably is the best way to go; a low cost wide receiver that could compete with Clayton and Williams. The point is that no decision is a perfect one for the Ravens.
Showing posts with label Todd Heap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Todd Heap. Show all posts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Drew Bennett Signs With Ravens, Problem Solved?
The Ravens once again turn to a former Titan for a need, this one being wide receiver Drew Bennett, who signed a one-year deal with the Ravens on Friday, almost two weeks after Derrick Mason retired.Bennett was on the Titans for six years, then joined onto the Rams in 2007 and 2008. Before that, he had caught at least 700 yards in his last three years with Tennessee, including over 1200 in 2004. He got hurt with a foot injury in the opening game this past year and had his six-year contract terminated by St. Louis after the season. Now 30, he won the receiver tryouts and will join the Ravens for this season, meaning Baltimore believes his foot is fine and will have him on the field.
Bennett will likely get the #1 or #2 spot with the other going to Mark Clayton. Demetrius Williams and Marcus Smith will probably fight for the slot position. The Ravens may employ their tight ends a lot with Todd Heap and L.J. Smith to balance the air attack for Joe Flacco.
I'm not sure if this is who the Ravens need at wide receiver in place of Derrick Mason, but this might have been the best option. It is concerning that no one wanted Bennett beforehand, but that would have been a problem with anyone they picked up in free agency, including Marvin Harrison. It is also concerning the Ravens are depending on another receiver with injury issues. But, it will mean the Ravens will not do a high risk trade for players like Brandon Marshall or Anquan Boldin, whose respective teams would have likely raised the price for their talented but risky off the field receivers.
But this does bring up the question of Mason's retirement. The buzz had gone around that John Harbaugh was not sure if Mason had retired, that maybe he would want an extension or just didn't want to go to training camp. But signing Bennett may be an important move to this. Obviously the Ravens would love to have Mason back, but Ozzie Newsome can not bank on convincing Mason to change his mind. At the very least the Ravens need another receiver that can play to be ready. The door is not shut on the situation, but the Ravens are ready to move on if nothing changes.
No matter what, the Ravens will be readying their two tight end sets to have their best core of ball-catchers on the field to help Joe Flacco. This is not an easy situation to deal with and the problems are not over, but Bennett was a good pickup considering the situation in Baltimore.
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Postgame Report Card- Ravens 41, Texans 13
The word of the day is.....defense. Everything happened today because of the defense. Haloti Ngata's aggression pressured Texans backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels and got him a timely interception that prevented a score. Ray Lewis picked off two passes. Terrell Suggs's constant pressure forced many problems in the backfield. Not by any means a perfect day, but a very efficient one. It was a close game most of the time, but a dominating fourth quarter with 22 points put the game away for the Ravens over the Texans 41-13.The Ravens have improved to 6-3, winning their last four contests. In all four games, the Ravens scored at least 27 points, and in three of them, the defense only allowed 13 points or fewer.
Offense - Overall Grade: A-
Quarterbacks: A
Joe Flacco looks better every game, today throwing 15/23 for 185 yards and two scores. Cam Cameron was allowing him to throw deep, but also in the flat when necessary. A few times he threw into coverage, but all quarterbacks do that. Troy Smith also got a few plays, including throwing a touchdown to Todd Heap.
Running Backs: A-
Willis McGahee is back to form after his injury, rushing 25 times for 112 and two touchdowns. It took him a while to get going, but he put it together towards the second half, where he got both of his scores. Ray Rice and LeRon McClain didn't have big or important days, but we have seen this in the past. Often McGahee is the main back when healthy, but Rice and McClain step up more when needed. Neither was a factor, except McClain got some first downs on short yardage situations. 13 first downs were gained on the ground.
Wide Receivers: B+Despite a possible injury to Derrick Mason, the unit did a solid job at helping out Flacco's long throws. Yamon Figurs is showing solid speed and awareness at the slot, and Mark Clayton stepped up with great catches near the sideline. For the Ravens sake, let's hope Mason's injury is not serious. Although Flacco is continuing to improve, he still has not developed a strong connection with his other targets, not to mention Mason is the best overall receiving threat the Ravens have.
Tight Ends: A
Todd Heap stepped up just when Flacco needed him. Five catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns, plus no serious mistakes. With the injuries, Heap needs to return to form, and by the look of today's game, he may be back.
Offensive Line: B-
Early in the game, Flacco saw a lot of pressure and the running game was not getting going. Plus, a lot of penalties cost the Ravens key yardage. But after the first half, the Texans were not doing anything effective to the Ravens offense, and McGahee got going. Not a great game, but when the line needed to step up and play, they did.
Defense - Overall Grade: A-
Defensive Line: A
Ozzie Newsome used a number of high draft picks year after year on defensive tackles, and Ngata's play shows everyone why. Ngata intercepted a huge pass that prevented a score on a 1st and goal from the one plus pressured the quarterback all day. He is a bulldozer on the line, which is why the Ravens offense is using him on goal line situations. Trevor Pryce also got a sack by pulling down Rosenfels. The Houston running game wasn't bad or good, but overall it was not a factor.
Linebackers: A
Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs had very solid days. Lewis picked off two passes seemingly thrown right to him and Suggs's pressure forced a holding in the end zone and some bad passes. Jarret Johnson also had some key tackles. The corps continues to lead the defense on the field.
Secondary: B-
Not everyone had a great day. Though Rosenfels was not effective at all today, a few of his passes turned into big gains, including the 60-yard catch by Kevin Walter Though they are dealing with injuries to McAlister and Landry, the coverage needs to improve against stronger passing games.
Special Teams - Overall Grade: B+Kicker: A
Everyone welcome in the "intern" kicker Steven Hauschka (term coined by Solomon Wilcots), who pocketed a 54-yard field goal towards the end of the first half. A rookie from N.C. State may become the long kicker and kickoff man. Meanwhile, Matt Stover may have missed a 50-yarder, by no means a chip shot, but made his four extra points, and according to CBS, Stover has tied the NFL record for the highest streak of extra points with 317. Congrats Matt.
Punter: A+
(Que "Sam Koch Had a Great Day" tape) Sam Koch had four punts, three inside the 20. One was a 74-yarder for a touchback, even though it rolled on the ground for about 25 yards.
Returners: B-
Very average day for Yamon Figurs on the return game, nothing bad, nothing great. Three kickoff returns for average of 22 yards and only one short punt return.
Coverage: B-
Again, very average day. Houston did not do anything special on returns, nor make any mistakes. A good thing to see after Josh Cribbs ripped up the coverage team last week.
Coaching - Overall Grade: A-
Offense: B+
Cam Cameron's mentoring Joe Flacco continues, this time trying out some long passes across the middle. The running game also was effective with good play calling. The Suggs package had the botched the two quarterback throwing play, but it is still being worked on.
Defense: A
This was Rex Ryan's day. The Ravens kept trying to take advantage of the quarterback issues and made Houston pay for mistakes. The disguised coverages completely threw off Rosenfels, and though there were mishaps early, eventually everything got back into place.
MVP: Haloti Ngata
Put constant pressure on Rosenfels, intercepted a pass in the end zone, and caused all sorts of trouble for the Houston offensive line. Also assisted the offense on the goal line.
LVP: Ray Rice
Only because an LVP has to be chosen, Ray's carries and catches did not amount to much during the game. But again, a game like this, most players should be happy with their performance.
The Ravens have improved to 6-3. You think possibly the Steelers are looking over their shoulder?
(Photo credit: AP (Ravens photos), Pack Pride (Hauschka)
Sunday, October 19, 2008
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.
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))
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Postgame Report Card: Colts 31, Ravens 3
The word of the game is... ouch. Because it hurts. A lot. The Ravens were punched in the face from the start of this game and couldn’t get off the mat. The defense lost it’s intensity after the first long touchdown to Marvin Harrison, and one of the league’s top run offenses could get nothing done against the worst run defense in the league. The Ravens got embarrassed in the worst of ways.
Offense - Overall Grade: F
Quarterbacks: F
Joe Flacco looked like a lost rookie today. He consistently misread the coverage, had trouble finding the open receiver, and was careless with the football in the pocket. To be sure he had little help at all; an early deficit, receivers who couldn’t get open, a nonexistent running game, and horrific field position. This performance, which follows two lackluster starts against Pittsburgh and Tennessee, starts to make you wonder as to whether or not he really is capable of succeeding in his rookie year.
Running Backs: C
Simply based on the fact that they were against the Colts run defense it would be tempting to give this unit a worse grade, but in all fairness they had little to no room to run. Still, the ball security issues and indecisiveness in the backfield are on them. Rice showed nice burst in the second half, but the Colts were playing soft with a 31 point lead.
Wide Receivers: D
This unit found some success in the second half, but when they needed to show up was in the first half before the game was out of hand. In that first half the receivers got little separation and gave Flacco very few options. A quarterback can only get rid of the ball he has targets getting open, and this unit has to start making plays for their rookie signal caller.
Tight Ends: D
Todd Heap made a key reception on the Ravens’ only decent drive in the first half. Wilcox had a silly holding penalty that kept the Ravens backed up in field position. Neither of the tight ends had any success blocking in the run game or in pass protection.
Offensive Line: F
THE OFFENSIVE LINE SHOULD HAVE DOMINATED THE COLTS ON THE GROUND. These aren’t the Pittsburgh Steelers! These aren’t the Tennessee Titans! These are the Indianapolis Colts, far-and-away the worst run defense in the league! The Ravens lost this game when the line decided not to play.
Defense - Overall Grade: D-
Defensive Line: B-
At the start of this game, the line looked as if it would dominate. As far as the running game, the front four did dominate the ground game but was unable to get pressure on Peyton consistently. All that being said, Pryce and Ngata had excellent games (as usual) and should not be tagged for defense’s failure on the whole.
Linebackers: C
The linebacking corps could not build on early success rushing the quarterback and lost steam as the game got out of hand. This is a prideful group and I have no worries that they will bounce back. As with the defensive line this wasn’t a terrible game for them; the real culprit we are about to get to.
Defensive Backs: F
Frank Walker didn’t play terribly in place of Samari Rolle, but Corey Ivy was picked on all game by Peyton Manning. Chris McAlister had by far his worst game of the season and was consistently fooled by Marvin Harrison. He should be able to rebound, but I have significant questions as to whether or not the rest of this group (Ed Reed aside) will be able to. The rush put on by the Ravens’ front seven was nullified by the fact that Peyton didn’t need much time at all in the pocket to pick apart this group.
Special Teams - Overall Grade: C
Kicker: B+
Stover did his job; converted his only field goal attempt.
Punter: A+
Sam Koch is quickly becoming one of the best players on this team. Is that really a good thing?
Returners: F
Figurs has to get it together; he has shown none of the burst that we are accustomed to seeing and he’s been making very poor decisions on kickoffs.
Coverage: C
A mixed bag; Ratliffe was held in check on punt returns, but no holes were opened up for Figurs on the Ravens’ returns.
Coaching - Overall Grade: B-
Offensive: B-
Cam had a good gameplan and, in all fairness, called pretty solid plays. In weighing importance, execution trumps playcalling any day of the week. In this case, otherwise decent play calling was ruined by a complete lack of execution. I still knocked down the grade because the buck does stop with the coaches, after all.
Defensive: B
Umm… similar to my evaluation of the offensive coaching, to be honest. Rex Ryan didn’t ask for Frank Walker and Corey Ivy to be his 2-3 cornerbacks against Peyton Manning. Nor did he ask for the offense to never hold onto the ball for more than a few plays in the first half.
And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) – Sam Koch – Great, great game from Sam Koch. No, you don’t want him out there and yes, if he is the story then most likely something went very wrong for your team. But boy, he did do his job well; averaged 49 yards on five punts, including a monster 57-yarder. Bravo.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Corey Ivy – I’ll spare Joe Flacco, and I gave it to one offensive lineman I would have to give it to all of them (and I just can’t do that; LVP is singular after all, and I’m a little obsessive about stuff like that). SO! I give it to Corey Ivy, because he was by far the weakest link on this secondary. The coaches picked up Walker and Washington to bulk up the depth, putting Ivy as the fourth or fifth cornerback. But Rolle, Washington, and to some extent Walker have been all banged up. Enter Corey Ivy, and exit dominant pass defense.
Bonus grade:
Windsor’s Report Cards: F-
That’s right, I said it. As far as Report Cards go, I give my games an F-. And you know why? Because the last four games I've covered have netted an 0-4 record in increasingly embarrassing fashion. 23-20 Pittsburgh (Ravens), 13-10 Tennessee (Ravens), 31-0 Virginia (Maryland Terrapins), and 31-3 Indianapolis (Ravens). I think we’re all sick of this losing, so let’s all petition Falco to write these Report Cards!
Unless our Maryland teams keep losing, in which case we can move on to blaming him instead of me.
(Photo Credits: AP)
Offense - Overall Grade: F
Quarterbacks: F
Joe Flacco looked like a lost rookie today. He consistently misread the coverage, had trouble finding the open receiver, and was careless with the football in the pocket. To be sure he had little help at all; an early deficit, receivers who couldn’t get open, a nonexistent running game, and horrific field position. This performance, which follows two lackluster starts against Pittsburgh and Tennessee, starts to make you wonder as to whether or not he really is capable of succeeding in his rookie year.
Running Backs: C
Simply based on the fact that they were against the Colts run defense it would be tempting to give this unit a worse grade, but in all fairness they had little to no room to run. Still, the ball security issues and indecisiveness in the backfield are on them. Rice showed nice burst in the second half, but the Colts were playing soft with a 31 point lead.
Wide Receivers: D
This unit found some success in the second half, but when they needed to show up was in the first half before the game was out of hand. In that first half the receivers got little separation and gave Flacco very few options. A quarterback can only get rid of the ball he has targets getting open, and this unit has to start making plays for their rookie signal caller.
Tight Ends: D
Todd Heap made a key reception on the Ravens’ only decent drive in the first half. Wilcox had a silly holding penalty that kept the Ravens backed up in field position. Neither of the tight ends had any success blocking in the run game or in pass protection.
Offensive Line: F
THE OFFENSIVE LINE SHOULD HAVE DOMINATED THE COLTS ON THE GROUND. These aren’t the Pittsburgh Steelers! These aren’t the Tennessee Titans! These are the Indianapolis Colts, far-and-away the worst run defense in the league! The Ravens lost this game when the line decided not to play.
Defense - Overall Grade: D-
Defensive Line: B-
At the start of this game, the line looked as if it would dominate. As far as the running game, the front four did dominate the ground game but was unable to get pressure on Peyton consistently. All that being said, Pryce and Ngata had excellent games (as usual) and should not be tagged for defense’s failure on the whole.
Linebackers: C
The linebacking corps could not build on early success rushing the quarterback and lost steam as the game got out of hand. This is a prideful group and I have no worries that they will bounce back. As with the defensive line this wasn’t a terrible game for them; the real culprit we are about to get to.
Defensive Backs: F
Frank Walker didn’t play terribly in place of Samari Rolle, but Corey Ivy was picked on all game by Peyton Manning. Chris McAlister had by far his worst game of the season and was consistently fooled by Marvin Harrison. He should be able to rebound, but I have significant questions as to whether or not the rest of this group (Ed Reed aside) will be able to. The rush put on by the Ravens’ front seven was nullified by the fact that Peyton didn’t need much time at all in the pocket to pick apart this group.
Special Teams - Overall Grade: C
Kicker: B+
Stover did his job; converted his only field goal attempt.
Punter: A+
Sam Koch is quickly becoming one of the best players on this team. Is that really a good thing?
Returners: F
Figurs has to get it together; he has shown none of the burst that we are accustomed to seeing and he’s been making very poor decisions on kickoffs.
Coverage: C
A mixed bag; Ratliffe was held in check on punt returns, but no holes were opened up for Figurs on the Ravens’ returns.
Coaching - Overall Grade: B-
Offensive: B-
Cam had a good gameplan and, in all fairness, called pretty solid plays. In weighing importance, execution trumps playcalling any day of the week. In this case, otherwise decent play calling was ruined by a complete lack of execution. I still knocked down the grade because the buck does stop with the coaches, after all.
Defensive: B
Umm… similar to my evaluation of the offensive coaching, to be honest. Rex Ryan didn’t ask for Frank Walker and Corey Ivy to be his 2-3 cornerbacks against Peyton Manning. Nor did he ask for the offense to never hold onto the ball for more than a few plays in the first half.
And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) – Sam Koch – Great, great game from Sam Koch. No, you don’t want him out there and yes, if he is the story then most likely something went very wrong for your team. But boy, he did do his job well; averaged 49 yards on five punts, including a monster 57-yarder. Bravo.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Corey Ivy – I’ll spare Joe Flacco, and I gave it to one offensive lineman I would have to give it to all of them (and I just can’t do that; LVP is singular after all, and I’m a little obsessive about stuff like that). SO! I give it to Corey Ivy, because he was by far the weakest link on this secondary. The coaches picked up Walker and Washington to bulk up the depth, putting Ivy as the fourth or fifth cornerback. But Rolle, Washington, and to some extent Walker have been all banged up. Enter Corey Ivy, and exit dominant pass defense.
Bonus grade:
Windsor’s Report Cards: F-
That’s right, I said it. As far as Report Cards go, I give my games an F-. And you know why? Because the last four games I've covered have netted an 0-4 record in increasingly embarrassing fashion. 23-20 Pittsburgh (Ravens), 13-10 Tennessee (Ravens), 31-0 Virginia (Maryland Terrapins), and 31-3 Indianapolis (Ravens). I think we’re all sick of this losing, so let’s all petition Falco to write these Report Cards!
Unless our Maryland teams keep losing, in which case we can move on to blaming him instead of me.
(Photo Credits: AP)
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Pregame Thoughts: Ravens vs. Titans
OKAY, so in the wake of last night's tragedy we at Around the Harbor have somewhat neglected today's game for the Baltimore Ravens against the Tennessee Titans. In the spirit of trying to write up this pregame before the game actually kicks off, I'll present a few thoughts that I have regarding this matchup.
-Make no mistake, the Ravens' run defense will be seriously tested today against the Titans. Often in Baltimore we take our stout run stuffers for granted, but Tennessee has an elite 1-2 tandem in Chris Johnson and LenDale White. You might question my use of elite, but all you have to do is look at the production of these two backs and how well they complement each other to see that they fit this bill. Chris Johnson was the fastest rookie at the combine and the ability of the Ravens' 'backers to contain the perimeter will be the key to holding him down.
-Don't sleep on the Titans' receivers. No, they're not very good, and no, they don't have an elite quarterback throwing to them; but that's what makes them dangerous. If the secondary for the Ravens slouch in this game, the Titans will take advantage because Collins is a smart enough veteran with a big enough arm to make them pay. With excellence often comes cockiness, and the Ravens have to make sure that they don't fall prey to fatal hubris.
-Joe Flacco is, and as long as he is the starting quarterback will be, the biggest storyline to watch on this offense. He had an admirable performance at Heinz field, but he still made a couple of key mistakes and failed to spread the ball around effectively. Now that Flacco is back at home, everyone in Baltimore will be looking to him to reassure the fan base that he'll continue to build on experience. Flacco-mania has encompassed Baltimore, and all Ravens fans are hoping to avoid a letdown. The biggest point of improvement that I will be looking for in this game will be the ability for Flacco to connect on the deep ball, because they have been consistently open this season but he has missed.
-While Joe Flacco is the story, the offensive line is the key on the field. This unit will face a tougher front than the Pittsburgh Steelers provided (and that is saying alot) in the Titans' front four. Considering that the Steelers accumulated five sacks against Flacco and held down the running game for the most part, the offensive line will have to make a quantum leap to set the tempo against arguably the best front four in the NFL.
-Let's see if the 'hydra' running game can get going and keep McGahee fresh and healthy for the stretch run. McGahee has been hurting, but he will play and is determined to make it through a full game. Ray Rice has seen few snaps since his early fumble problems, and how much playing time he receives will be an interesting storyline to watch. As for McClain, just look for him to continue what he's been doing, which is establishing himself (in my opinion) as the best up-and-coming pure power back in the league.
-I'm looking for a revival of certain players on offense and special teams. In particular Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, and Todd Heap on the offense and Yamon Figurs on defense. Mark Clayton has fantastic hands and runs some of the crispest routes on the team, and Demetrius Williams by all accounts is fully healthy and has been geting open down the field. Todd Heap has been a nonfactor this year despite traditionally being the finest receiving threat on this team by far. Flacco has to find these guys and get them involved not only for this game but for the long-term outlook for this offense. Yamon Figurs on special teams had an uncharacteristically lackluster game against Pittsburgh; he can ben an electric return man when he's on his game.
So! I'll cut it at that to get this out in time. The Baltimore defense will look to take control of this game, but the result will hinge on the offensive line. My guess? Ravens exploit Kerry Collins a la 2000 Super Bowl, and take a big win. Ravens, 16-10
-Make no mistake, the Ravens' run defense will be seriously tested today against the Titans. Often in Baltimore we take our stout run stuffers for granted, but Tennessee has an elite 1-2 tandem in Chris Johnson and LenDale White. You might question my use of elite, but all you have to do is look at the production of these two backs and how well they complement each other to see that they fit this bill. Chris Johnson was the fastest rookie at the combine and the ability of the Ravens' 'backers to contain the perimeter will be the key to holding him down.
-Don't sleep on the Titans' receivers. No, they're not very good, and no, they don't have an elite quarterback throwing to them; but that's what makes them dangerous. If the secondary for the Ravens slouch in this game, the Titans will take advantage because Collins is a smart enough veteran with a big enough arm to make them pay. With excellence often comes cockiness, and the Ravens have to make sure that they don't fall prey to fatal hubris.
-Joe Flacco is, and as long as he is the starting quarterback will be, the biggest storyline to watch on this offense. He had an admirable performance at Heinz field, but he still made a couple of key mistakes and failed to spread the ball around effectively. Now that Flacco is back at home, everyone in Baltimore will be looking to him to reassure the fan base that he'll continue to build on experience. Flacco-mania has encompassed Baltimore, and all Ravens fans are hoping to avoid a letdown. The biggest point of improvement that I will be looking for in this game will be the ability for Flacco to connect on the deep ball, because they have been consistently open this season but he has missed.
-While Joe Flacco is the story, the offensive line is the key on the field. This unit will face a tougher front than the Pittsburgh Steelers provided (and that is saying alot) in the Titans' front four. Considering that the Steelers accumulated five sacks against Flacco and held down the running game for the most part, the offensive line will have to make a quantum leap to set the tempo against arguably the best front four in the NFL.
-Let's see if the 'hydra' running game can get going and keep McGahee fresh and healthy for the stretch run. McGahee has been hurting, but he will play and is determined to make it through a full game. Ray Rice has seen few snaps since his early fumble problems, and how much playing time he receives will be an interesting storyline to watch. As for McClain, just look for him to continue what he's been doing, which is establishing himself (in my opinion) as the best up-and-coming pure power back in the league.
-I'm looking for a revival of certain players on offense and special teams. In particular Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, and Todd Heap on the offense and Yamon Figurs on defense. Mark Clayton has fantastic hands and runs some of the crispest routes on the team, and Demetrius Williams by all accounts is fully healthy and has been geting open down the field. Todd Heap has been a nonfactor this year despite traditionally being the finest receiving threat on this team by far. Flacco has to find these guys and get them involved not only for this game but for the long-term outlook for this offense. Yamon Figurs on special teams had an uncharacteristically lackluster game against Pittsburgh; he can ben an electric return man when he's on his game.
So! I'll cut it at that to get this out in time. The Baltimore defense will look to take control of this game, but the result will hinge on the offensive line. My guess? Ravens exploit Kerry Collins a la 2000 Super Bowl, and take a big win. Ravens, 16-10
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Postgame Report Card: Steelers 23, Ravens 20 (OT)
The word of the game is... disappointing. In a game where the Ravens could have taken control of the AFC North, they could simply not keep their composure and let a lead slip away. Kudos to this team for coming back and forcing overtime, particularly behind a rookie quarterback, but this was a game that should have been sewn up and wasn’t. A terribly disappointing game for a Ravens fan.
And just a note: why does this have to be our blog's 100th post?
Offense - Overall Grade: B
Quarterbacks: C
Flacco played well enough to win, and for a rookie quarterback under those conditions his grade easily could have been higher. However, he still waited too long in the pocket, failed to protect the football on a few key occasions and got away with several throws that could have been intercepted.
Running Backs: C+
This unit did make some key plays, and had some stretches in which it was able to control the game. The difficulty was that the running game was not consistently solid, and that was one of many factors that led to Pittsburgh getting back into the game. Traditionally this unit has taken over when the Ravens obtained a second half lead, but they failed to do so on Monday n
ight.
Wide Receivers: B-
Derrick Mason played a monster of a game, catching everything possible and taking immense hits in the meantime. However, he was the only receiver to be significantly involved in the offense, and that’s going to need to change.
Tight Ends: C-
Todd Heap has to start showing up. Zero catches for the Ravens’ all-pro tight end, not to mention very poor blocking. Wilcox caught an easy touchdown pass, but aside from that this group was a nonfactor yet again.
Offensive Line: B
The offensive line was not great by any means, but considering the opponent and the environment I would say they did an admirable job overall. They generally gave Flacco good time and they occasionally opened up good holes in the running game. The consistency is not there yet, though, and that’s another easy factor that can be pointed to as to why the Ravens failed to win this game.
Defense - Overall Grade: A
Defensive Line: A
Superb job, as always. This unit controlled the line of scrimmage from the opening kickoff to the bitter end. Regardless of the running back injuries, none of Pittsburgh’s backs were going to find room against that defensive front.
Linebackers: B+
The linebackers did play exceptionally well, as they harried Ben Roethlisberger all game and stuffed the parade of Steelers’ running backs. The grade is marked down because of Jarrett Johnson’s personal foul penalty in the third quarter that, in my opinion, led to the Ravens losing this football game.
Defensive Backs: B+
All in all a very solid job by the Ravens’ defensive backfield, but a few key lapses keeps this grade from being an A. There were still times when they lost receivers (Hines Ward) running free, and tackling as always is a concern.
Special Teams - Overall Grade: B
Kicker: B
Stover took care of business on field goals (2-2), and did a fairly good job of kicking deep. Only a few kickoffs had a chance at being returnable.
Punter: A+
Arguably the best performance of the night, Sam Koch kept the Ravens in this football game. On eight punts he averaged 47.4 yards and pinned the Steelers twice within the 20. Fantastic performance.
Returners: C-
Yamon Figurs had one of his worst games as a Raven. He was hesitant and made consistently poor decisions with the football. For this game, I’ll chalk it up to rust because of his week off.
Coverage: B
Figurs didn’t get very much help at all from his blocking, but the coverage unit was able to hold down Santonio Holmes and Mewelde Moore to under 20 yards a kick return and under 5 yards a punt return.
Coaching - Overall Grade: B+
Offensive: B
Cam did an excellent job with the offense, although not in a winning effort. Certainly things could have gone better but to be able to get that much production out of a rookie starter is impressive under these conditions. It did seem, however, that the Ravens’ offense was far more vanilla than in past weeks and didn’t have many of the same wrinkles. Where was the hurry-up we saw in the first two games?
Defensive: A
Even though the defense let them back in the game, it’s hard to fault them—they controlled the Steelers nearly all game, and one of the touchdowns against Baltimore was on defense. They had one slip by them in the overtime period, but there’s not much that can be done about it.
And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) – Joe Flacco – I know I gave him a C, and I know that he made some crucial mistakes; however, Flacco did rally the team back to score the tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. For a rookie to show that in his third start, on MNF at Heinz Field, is MVP-worthy.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Jarrett Johnson – I know I gave the linebackers a B+, and I know that he played a good game; however, he made the single most boneheaded play of this game. His 15-yard personal foul penalty was wholly inexcusable and gave the Steelers momentum when they had none and were down by ten. And if you think I’m going to let this go…
Bonus grade:
Discipline: D- - I won’t let this go. There was hope that with Harbaugh (and this might still be the case later in his tenure) we had seen the last of the Ravens gagging on national television and looking like immature fools. Unfortunately this hope was misplaced, because the Ravens committed the same silly penalties in prime time that they have been for years. When will they stop embarrassing themselves?
Offense - Overall Grade: B
Quarterbacks: C
Flacco played well enough to win, and for a rookie quarterback under those conditions his grade easily could have been higher. However, he still waited too long in the pocket, failed to protect the football on a few key occasions and got away with several throws that could have been intercepted.
Running Backs: C+
This unit did make some key plays, and had some stretches in which it was able to control the game. The difficulty was that the running game was not consistently solid, and that was one of many factors that led to Pittsburgh getting back into the game. Traditionally this unit has taken over when the Ravens obtained a second half lead, but they failed to do so on Monday n
ight.Wide Receivers: B-
Derrick Mason played a monster of a game, catching everything possible and taking immense hits in the meantime. However, he was the only receiver to be significantly involved in the offense, and that’s going to need to change.
Tight Ends: C-
Todd Heap has to start showing up. Zero catches for the Ravens’ all-pro tight end, not to mention very poor blocking. Wilcox caught an easy touchdown pass, but aside from that this group was a nonfactor yet again.
Offensive Line: B
The offensive line was not great by any means, but considering the opponent and the environment I would say they did an admirable job overall. They generally gave Flacco good time and they occasionally opened up good holes in the running game. The consistency is not there yet, though, and that’s another easy factor that can be pointed to as to why the Ravens failed to win this game.
Defense - Overall Grade: A
Defensive Line: A
Superb job, as always. This unit controlled the line of scrimmage from the opening kickoff to the bitter end. Regardless of the running back injuries, none of Pittsburgh’s backs were going to find room against that defensive front.
Linebackers: B+
The linebackers did play exceptionally well, as they harried Ben Roethlisberger all game and stuffed the parade of Steelers’ running backs. The grade is marked down because of Jarrett Johnson’s personal foul penalty in the third quarter that, in my opinion, led to the Ravens losing this football game.
Defensive Backs: B+
All in all a very solid job by the Ravens’ defensive backfield, but a few key lapses keeps this grade from being an A. There were still times when they lost receivers (Hines Ward) running free, and tackling as always is a concern.
Special Teams - Overall Grade: B
Kicker: B
Stover took care of business on field goals (2-2), and did a fairly good job of kicking deep. Only a few kickoffs had a chance at being returnable.
Punter: A+
Arguably the best performance of the night, Sam Koch kept the Ravens in this football game. On eight punts he averaged 47.4 yards and pinned the Steelers twice within the 20. Fantastic performance.
Returners: C-
Yamon Figurs had one of his worst games as a Raven. He was hesitant and made consistently poor decisions with the football. For this game, I’ll chalk it up to rust because of his week off.
Coverage: B
Figurs didn’t get very much help at all from his blocking, but the coverage unit was able to hold down Santonio Holmes and Mewelde Moore to under 20 yards a kick return and under 5 yards a punt return.
Coaching - Overall Grade: B+
Offensive: B
Cam did an excellent job with the offense, although not in a winning effort. Certainly things could have gone better but to be able to get that much production out of a rookie starter is impressive under these conditions. It did seem, however, that the Ravens’ offense was far more vanilla than in past weeks and didn’t have many of the same wrinkles. Where was the hurry-up we saw in the first two games?
Defensive: A
Even though the defense let them back in the game, it’s hard to fault them—they controlled the Steelers nearly all game, and one of the touchdowns against Baltimore was on defense. They had one slip by them in the overtime period, but there’s not much that can be done about it.
And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) – Joe Flacco – I know I gave him a C, and I know that he made some crucial mistakes; however, Flacco did rally the team back to score the tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. For a rookie to show that in his third start, on MNF at Heinz Field, is MVP-worthy.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Jarrett Johnson – I know I gave the linebackers a B+, and I know that he played a good game; however, he made the single most boneheaded play of this game. His 15-yard personal foul penalty was wholly inexcusable and gave the Steelers momentum when they had none and were down by ten. And if you think I’m going to let this go…
Bonus grade:
Discipline: D- - I won’t let this go. There was hope that with Harbaugh (and this might still be the case later in his tenure) we had seen the last of the Ravens gagging on national television and looking like immature fools. Unfortunately this hope was misplaced, because the Ravens committed the same silly penalties in prime time that they have been for years. When will they stop embarrassing themselves?
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Postgame Report Card: Ravens 17, Bengals 10
The word of the game is... surprising. Pleasantly, that is. The headline from this game certainly has to be the impressive performance of Joe Flacco in his Ravens debut, but his performance is only one of several impressive performances which can give the Ravens fans hope for both current and future success. The coaching was superb as this team came out of the gates fully ready to play. Cameron did an excellent job managing Flacco, by putting him in good situations while still showing confidence in not ‘coddling’ him. The defense? Outstanding, unbelievable. To hold the Bengals to three offensive points, and Carson Palmer under 100 yards is a mightily impressive task, especially considering the health issues with his top two cornerbacks. If McAlister and Rolle were still feeling the effects of injury, it certainly didn’t show.
Offense - Overall Grade: B
Quarterbacks: B
As a straight grade the performance was not spectacular, but pretty good. For a rookie quarterback starting his first NFL regular season game, it’d be hard to deny the boy an A. However, to judge objectively Flacco did miss several open throws particularly when rolling out of the pocket. He’ll have to be able to command the intermediate to long routes if this offense is going to win games in which the defense isn’t so dominant. The most important thing that Joe Flacco did today was take care of the football; his decision making was by and large flawless through the game. He looked calm and comfortable in the pocket, and did not appear phased by any of Cincinnati’s blitzes. Tangible improvement game-to-game has been Flacco’s biggest strength since he made his preseason debut. And by the way, the boy can move.
Running Backs: B+
Were it not for Ray Rice’s fumble that led to Cincinnati’s lone touchdown I’d be very well tempted to give this group an A+. Rice was otherwise consistent and showed good vision and toughness. La’Ron McClain dominated the Bengals down the stretch. Lorenzo Neal punished defenders and opened holes, not to mention a nifty screen catch and run in the third quarter. Each one of these backs caught the ball out of the backfield fairly well.
Wide Receivers: B
This unit was by and large consistent in catching the football and made the plays that they needed to make. There were some timing issues that must be worked out between them and Flacco, and Demetrius Williams’ lack of playing time in the preseason showed as he was a non-factor in the game. Oh, and there was a perfectly executed double reverse that ended up being a 42-yard touchdown run for Mark Clayton.
Tight Ends: C-
A major disappointment in this game was Todd Heap, who played one of the worse games in his career. He had an early fumble and let a touchdown pass through his hands, which is not what you expect from one of the finest tight ends in the league.
Offensive Line: B+
This unit was far more cohesive than I think any of us could have expected. They wore down Cincinnati’s line from start to finish and gave excellent protection for Joe Flacco. They certainly weren’t perfect and, yes, they were playing against a Bengals defense that only had 22 sacks all of last season, but I can only judge on what I saw. And I saw some very good things.
Defense - Overall Grade: A
Defensive Line: A
Haloti Ngata was an absolute beast, and the rotation of Bannan/Douglas at the other DT spot was able to make up for the void left by the absence of Kelly Gregg. While the defense certainly is better with Gregg, they proved that they’re still formidable without him. They controlled the line of scrimmage, putting pressure on Carson Palmer and stifling Chris Perry.
Linebackers: A+
This unit was in total command from start to finish. Bart Scott was particularly impressive, coming out of the gate strong to prove that last season was a fluke. More than anything else this unit was fully aware and was almost never caught out of position. The accounts of the Ravens Defense’s death have been highly exaggerated.
Defensive Backs: A
There were a couple of mistakes, but those mistakes (that can at least be seen by the common viewer) can be counted on one hand. The McAlister pass interference calls were not egregious (at least the first was not) and the secondary played clean otherwise. When you hold Carson Palmer under 100 yards and make Houshmanzadeh and Ocho Cinco (that is his name…) to relative nonfactors, you’re doing something right. And Ed Reed didn’t hurt his shoulder, so we can all take a big sigh of relief.
Special Teams - Overall Grade: B
Kicker: B-
Stover was 1 of 2 on field goals and 2-2 on extra points. His made field goal was 21 yards but missed badly on his 47-yard try. Perhaps on this grade, he’s a victim of his own success. He has set the bar very high for himself.
Punter: A
Koch was outstanding all day, averaging 48.2 yards on five punts; you can’t ask for much more from your punter.
Returners: A-
The numbers on Yamon Figurs (14 yd average on 4 punt returns) don’t tell the full story. Figurs made excellent decisions in when and when not to field the punts and had a 71-yard return negated by a questionable block-in-the-back penalty.
Coverage: B
The coverage team was decent but gave Holt far too much room on kick returns, allowing him a 44-yard return and an average of about 30 yards per kick return. The blocking for Figurs was average and they did an exceptional job covering punts.
Coaching - Overall Grade: A+
Offensive: A+
Cam Cameron was able to successfully perform one of the most difficult acts in all of football; manage a rookie quarterback in his first professional game. He didn’t put him in tough spots. He allowed his quarterback to make adjustments at the line. He employed the no-huddle when Flacco started to hit a rhythm. Mastko also did a masterful job with the offensive line as they were almost always on the same page despite only being together as a full unit for a few weeks.
Defensive: A+
Rex Ryan was on his game this week. Carson Palmer was consistently harassed, his players were consistently in the right position to make plays, and if the defense ran the same play twice I sure as heck didn’t notice. His best work in a long time – and that’s saying a lot.
And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) – Joe Flacco – I’m fairly certain/hopeful that this will be the first of many times that Mr. Flacco will be the MVP. He was in command, made good decisions, and surpassed any reasonable expectations for a rookie quarterback in his first start. As Expatriate has accused me, I must admit, I’m ‘Wacco for Flacco’.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Todd Heap – I’m fairly certain/hopeful that this will be both the first and last time Todd will receive this dubious honor. He dropped an easy touchdown pass, and fumbled the ball on the second play from scrimmage. Certainly not up to Todd’s standards in any way and I don’t think that we’ll be seeing a similar performance again this season.
One final note regarding John Harbaugh, head football coach of the Baltimore Ravens:
There has been some talk about how this football team would react to Harbaugh’s different style and tougher attitude, and it looks like the critics are being proved wrong. The image of the supposed ‘prima donnas’ on the defense (Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Ed Reed among others) giving Harbaugh a water jug shower and universally embracing him is the image of the week. John, I hope this is the beginning of a beautiful marriage between yourself and the city of Baltimore.
Offense - Overall Grade: B
Quarterbacks: B
As a straight grade the performance was not spectacular, but pretty good. For a rookie quarterback starting his first NFL regular season game, it’d be hard to deny the boy an A. However, to judge objectively Flacco did miss several open throws particularly when rolling out of the pocket. He’ll have to be able to command the intermediate to long routes if this offense is going to win games in which the defense isn’t so dominant. The most important thing that Joe Flacco did today was take care of the football; his decision making was by and large flawless through the game. He looked calm and comfortable in the pocket, and did not appear phased by any of Cincinnati’s blitzes. Tangible improvement game-to-game has been Flacco’s biggest strength since he made his preseason debut. And by the way, the boy can move.
Running Backs: B+
Were it not for Ray Rice’s fumble that led to Cincinnati’s lone touchdown I’d be very well tempted to give this group an A+. Rice was otherwise consistent and showed good vision and toughness. La’Ron McClain dominated the Bengals down the stretch. Lorenzo Neal punished defenders and opened holes, not to mention a nifty screen catch and run in the third quarter. Each one of these backs caught the ball out of the backfield fairly well.
Wide Receivers: B
This unit was by and large consistent in catching the football and made the plays that they needed to make. There were some timing issues that must be worked out between them and Flacco, and Demetrius Williams’ lack of playing time in the preseason showed as he was a non-factor in the game. Oh, and there was a perfectly executed double reverse that ended up being a 42-yard touchdown run for Mark Clayton.
Tight Ends: C-
A major disappointment in this game was Todd Heap, who played one of the worse games in his career. He had an early fumble and let a touchdown pass through his hands, which is not what you expect from one of the finest tight ends in the league.
Offensive Line: B+
This unit was far more cohesive than I think any of us could have expected. They wore down Cincinnati’s line from start to finish and gave excellent protection for Joe Flacco. They certainly weren’t perfect and, yes, they were playing against a Bengals defense that only had 22 sacks all of last season, but I can only judge on what I saw. And I saw some very good things.
Defense - Overall Grade: A
Defensive Line: A
Haloti Ngata was an absolute beast, and the rotation of Bannan/Douglas at the other DT spot was able to make up for the void left by the absence of Kelly Gregg. While the defense certainly is better with Gregg, they proved that they’re still formidable without him. They controlled the line of scrimmage, putting pressure on Carson Palmer and stifling Chris Perry.
Linebackers: A+
This unit was in total command from start to finish. Bart Scott was particularly impressive, coming out of the gate strong to prove that last season was a fluke. More than anything else this unit was fully aware and was almost never caught out of position. The accounts of the Ravens Defense’s death have been highly exaggerated.
Defensive Backs: A
There were a couple of mistakes, but those mistakes (that can at least be seen by the common viewer) can be counted on one hand. The McAlister pass interference calls were not egregious (at least the first was not) and the secondary played clean otherwise. When you hold Carson Palmer under 100 yards and make Houshmanzadeh and Ocho Cinco (that is his name…) to relative nonfactors, you’re doing something right. And Ed Reed didn’t hurt his shoulder, so we can all take a big sigh of relief.
Special Teams - Overall Grade: B
Kicker: B-
Stover was 1 of 2 on field goals and 2-2 on extra points. His made field goal was 21 yards but missed badly on his 47-yard try. Perhaps on this grade, he’s a victim of his own success. He has set the bar very high for himself.
Punter: A
Koch was outstanding all day, averaging 48.2 yards on five punts; you can’t ask for much more from your punter.
Returners: A-
The numbers on Yamon Figurs (14 yd average on 4 punt returns) don’t tell the full story. Figurs made excellent decisions in when and when not to field the punts and had a 71-yard return negated by a questionable block-in-the-back penalty.
Coverage: B
The coverage team was decent but gave Holt far too much room on kick returns, allowing him a 44-yard return and an average of about 30 yards per kick return. The blocking for Figurs was average and they did an exceptional job covering punts.
Coaching - Overall Grade: A+
Offensive: A+
Cam Cameron was able to successfully perform one of the most difficult acts in all of football; manage a rookie quarterback in his first professional game. He didn’t put him in tough spots. He allowed his quarterback to make adjustments at the line. He employed the no-huddle when Flacco started to hit a rhythm. Mastko also did a masterful job with the offensive line as they were almost always on the same page despite only being together as a full unit for a few weeks.
Defensive: A+
Rex Ryan was on his game this week. Carson Palmer was consistently harassed, his players were consistently in the right position to make plays, and if the defense ran the same play twice I sure as heck didn’t notice. His best work in a long time – and that’s saying a lot.
And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) – Joe Flacco – I’m fairly certain/hopeful that this will be the first of many times that Mr. Flacco will be the MVP. He was in command, made good decisions, and surpassed any reasonable expectations for a rookie quarterback in his first start. As Expatriate has accused me, I must admit, I’m ‘Wacco for Flacco’.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Todd Heap – I’m fairly certain/hopeful that this will be both the first and last time Todd will receive this dubious honor. He dropped an easy touchdown pass, and fumbled the ball on the second play from scrimmage. Certainly not up to Todd’s standards in any way and I don’t think that we’ll be seeing a similar performance again this season.
One final note regarding John Harbaugh, head football coach of the Baltimore Ravens:
There has been some talk about how this football team would react to Harbaugh’s different style and tougher attitude, and it looks like the critics are being proved wrong. The image of the supposed ‘prima donnas’ on the defense (Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Ed Reed among others) giving Harbaugh a water jug shower and universally embracing him is the image of the week. John, I hope this is the beginning of a beautiful marriage between yourself and the city of Baltimore.
(Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun (Gene Sweeney Jr.))
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