What We Learned: Bengals 17, Ravens 14

It was not a goo day for the state of Maryland. No matter where you went, the pain of football was evident, the Ravens lost, the Redskins lost, the Terps lost. In Baltimore this loss was very painful and now many people are in panic-mode. Obviously we are only five weeks in, but with the strength and depth of the AFC, things could be problematic for the Ravens soon, especially with Minnesota coming up.

Things We Learned:
The Reason the Ravens Lost: The Bengals Played Better
It was not the referees or anything like that; the referees were fine. Give all the credit in the world to the Cincinnati Bengals. Their defense stuffed the Ravens offense and allowed next to nothing except one somewhat-fluke Ray Rice touchdown pass. Joe Flacco was constantly being pressured and the running game was not enough to win. Then on the flip side, the Bengals offense was constantly on the attack and led an 80-yard drive to win it all. Had the defense been off the field a little more, then everything for the Ravens might have been fine, but Carson Palmer is too good to be kept down. The Bengals played a great game and legitimately beat the Ravens, no two ways about it.

Conservative Offense? With no McGahee?
Cam Cameron chose a strange time and way to put a conservative offense on the field. Ray Rice did fine, but Willis McGahee saw almost no time on the field, and the Ravens kept running at strange times. Before this, Joe Flacco kept airing the ball, and although the complaint was that he was throwing too much, at least that offense was effective. The offense was terrible, and the reason why the Ravens were in bad shape all game. We hope that Cameron didn't lost confidence in Flacco for the game.

Next Draft: Ravens Need a Cornerback
There is no two ways about it. The current cornerbacks cannot handle the air attacks on the top teams. So far Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, and Carson Palmer all ripped apart Dominique Foxworth and Co., and next Brett Favre may have the chance. Although the unit is not bad, it is clear the Ravens need a top-tier, tall cornerback to cover the most dangerous receiver.

Ravens Need to be Ready for Minnesota
The Ravens have a problem, they are 3-2 and a number of AFC teams look solid, including two others from the AFC North. 11-5 might not be enough to secure a wild card berth. Minnesota is a perfect 5-0 with a solid passing attack led by you know who. Plus, Adrian Peterson is one of the best backs in the game. The defense will need to be ready plus Joe Flacco will need to get out of the funk; the Vikings will not be generous.

Harbaugh's Ravens are Disciplined
Obviously we are disappointed with the field play plus some of the hits. But after the game, the Ravens were not complaining about the refs or anything like that. They focused on what they did wrong. They know they have to improve, which is a good quality for this team to have.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

What Can We Learn from the Ravens Loss to the Patriots?

After Michigan lost to Michigan State and the Ravens lost to the Pats, I wanted to keep as far away from sports news as possible. Today, as I am laid up sick and feeling oddly guilty for not being at work, I find myself capitulating to the boredom and reading the reaction to Baltimore’s loss. I expected to write here about how the Ravens are still a step below the big players in the conference- Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and New England, but this might be the most hopeful 27-21 loss I have seen in recent Ravens memory. Why?

The Ravens are capable of throwing the ball against a solid defense.
I won’t back up Coach Harbaugh and Cam Cameron on this one- 47 times is about 15 times too many for Joe Flacco to be throwing the football. When your running game is working (and breaking long runs) against a defense, you keep pounding the football until they force you to pass it. There is no reason, with Tom Brady on the sideline, to do anything to let him get back on the field again. However, the Ravens were sharp and efficient despite the balance of run-pass and nearly won it were it not for Mark Clayton’s drop (more on that later). I think Cam Cameron is getting a bit too infatuated with Joe Flacco’s arm and has been chucking the ball much more than he has to in every game so far this season. This team is not good enough to do this on a regular basis, but this game proves that if the running game stalls there is another option. However…

The Ravens still need another great receiver.
Baltimore has done a great job with Derrick Mason and a slew of substandard receivers, but Mark Clayton’s drop reminded this team that aside from Mason there is no wideout who can be trusted when the game is on the line. They can all make great plays when they have to (and when Flacco is on target), but without a strong secondary option to Mason this team will struggle to keep passing drives alive. Without Mason, this team would be like the Eagles of the past few years- a great quarterback with poor receivers. The Ravens are unlikely to take this team to the next level without another receiver stepping up, and they may have to just find the money somewhere to pay at least one receiver big money in the offseason.

The defense is still there, even if the refs don’t like it.
Ever since last season’s loss to the Titans following the ticky-tack roughing the passer call against Terrell Suggs, I have been on the lookout for refs who assume that the Ravens will make dirty hits. Well, the flags were out in full force on Sunday and it could become an issue when this team plays more premier quarterbacks. As Terrell Suggs said after the game, the NFL likes to protect some “quarterbacks more than others” and I believe that’s the case with Brady after his season-ending injury last season. I am holding my breath for when Ray Lewis is called for a roughing penalty on Ben Roethlisberger that leads to the Steelers winning the AFC North. Perhaps I am too much of a homer, but the NFL too often interprets an aggressive defense as a dirty one. The league needs to realign things or teams will be hesitant to rush the passer in key situations.

Some random NFL thoughts:

-So… when is that great Chargers team we’ve been hearing about for the last 4 years going to show up?
-There might be a reason for Cincinnati’s confidence this offseason. They may not be great, but they will be an obstacle in the AFC North.
-Brett Favre still has it, and that should scare the hell out of the NFC.
-Is it possible that after 4 games, the Broncos still haven’t played any really good teams?
-Don’t let the score fool you, this Lions team doesn’t give up. They may not win many games this season but there is a change in attitude in Detroit.
-I have no idea what’s wrong with Tennessee, but it won’t cost Jeff Fisher his job. He is still one of the best coaches in the league.

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)

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.

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)

Rex Ryan To Become Jets Head Coach

The Associated Press is reporting that Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan will be the Jets head coach next season. Many had speculated this would happen once the Ravens season was over, and now it has happened. All three Ravens defensive coordinators in history have moved on as a head coach, the first two being Marvin Lewis to the Cincinatti Bengals and Mike Nolan to the San Francisco 49ers, though Nolan no longer retains his job.

Ryan has spent the last ten years with the Ravens starting as a defensive assistant then becoming the defensive coordinator in 2005. He has always been a popular figure around here as some even wanted him as head coach when Billick was fired. Even when he wasn't chosen here or for any other potential jobs, John Harbaugh asked him to stay and Ryan was a huge help to him all season. The Ravens defense has been great as always this season, being in the top-3 in nearly every category, and he has garnered respect from most of the players.

This now bodes the question, who will be the new defensive coordinator? Normally the Ravens tend to look in house for the defensive coordinator. There is not one standard for the Ravens, as Lewis was brought in at the start of the franchise, Nolan was a former defensive coordinator of three other teams, and Ryan has found in house. But the job is a valuable one, as the Ravens are always known for defense.

We here at Around the Harbor wish Rex Ryan the best in New York. Don't let all that Brett Favre nonsense cloud you, that is what cost the last coach his job.

(Photo credit: NY Daily News)

The Ravens Are Going to the AFC Championship Game!

Outstanding! Unbelievable! Joe Flacco engineered a clutch drive to set up Matt Stover, old reliable, the one kicker this franchise has ever truly known, and the Ravens took victory from the jaws of defeat! Was this game perfect? No. Did the Ravens catch breaks? Yes. But at this point in time there is no reason to dwell on that. What this team has accomplished, not having a true bye week all season, is absolutely unbelievable. Both teams were hurt badly, both teams were scuffling, but the Ravens overcame all of that to win.

The image was perfect. Joe Flacco, the young rookie who was doubted from Day One, rose up and didn't blink in the face of unbelievable pressure. No votes for rookie of the year? No problem. And John Harbaugh, who again received no votes for coach of the year, showed the poise and professionalism of a seasoned veteran coach.

This team will play anybody, anywhere, anytime. GO RAVENS!

Note: Postgame Report Card will appear eventually... I need to recover first.

Some Final Thoughts on the Ravens Wild Card Win

Baltimore has won their first playoff game since 2001, and it was a great one. A Gatorade bath for Cam Cameron (but not for John Harbaugh? Come on now.), a classic defense domination, and an upset that almost none of the analysts were predicting. Though in retrospect, I am not sure why. The Dolphins were a hot and trendy team going into the playoffs, the winners of 5 straight, while the Ravens still hadn’t distinguished themselves by beating a top level team at their zenith. I am not sure if the Dolphins qualified, but they came close and they came to play. After a win like that, I think I need to give a few more thoughts before moving on to next week’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

The Ravens could be facing some familiar enemies these last few weeks. 2 of the 3 other remaining teams in the AFC have faced Baltimore at some point in the season. If the Dolphins game was any indication, that doesn’t seem to be a problem for this squad. In fact, I spent much of the game waiting for that big innovation, that new wrinkle on offense that the Dolphins would throw at the Ravens to confuse them and cause some hesitation in their attack. I never saw it. Yes, there was Patrick Cobbs, who caused the Ravens fits but was quickly abandoned after his fumble, but that was more of a change in personnel than a legitimate change in the offensive approach. Anyone who expected the wildcat to be run in a different style or with some new elements to it was sorely disappointed. Miami ran out of the wildcat formation only twice this week, with a net of 6 yards.

What was most telling to me about the Ravens’ reaction to the Dolphins’ attack took place in the 3rd quarter when Ricky Williams took the handoff to the far side and paused, looking to throw. With the way the Dolphins like to run the football, I expected the defense to have hesitated or broken some of their discipline downfield. In fact, running backs are notorious for throwing the ball on those pass option plays even when it isn’t open downfield. Williams instead was forced to run the ball for a short gain as there was absolutely nothing available. This speaks to two points. First of all, Williams (like the rest of the Miami squad at that point) was terrified of challenging the Ravens defense and daring them to make an interception. There was none of the fearlessness that must naturally come with running a trick play. The hesitation was on the part of the offense that was paralyzed by the opportunism of the Ravens coverage unit. Secondly, the Raven defense was staying disciplined, a product of incredible faith in one another. No one lost a step (except Corey Ivy) and no one allowed themselves to get sucked into the play. Everyone knew their assignment, and as we have been treated to for years, the D executed perfectly on the play.

Am I the only one very pleased by Joe Flacco’s performance? I have been extraordinarily harsh on the rookie quarterback this season, but yesterday I saw a lot more than a 9-23, 135 yard performance. Only a few feet separated Flacco from some major completions downfield, and he was attempting these with only 2 receivers (aside from Marcus Smith, who remains “invisible” as Windsor has lamented). Todd Heap was being used primarily as a blocker to keep the Dolphin pass rush at arms length, and was not available for those short 1st down routes that Flacco needs him for. As such, his performance looked more like those of early in the season, when he had no short option and Todd Heap hadn’t yet taken off as a receiver. Joe was consistently stepping up in the pocket to avoid pressure that was all-too-often just around the corner. He didn’t turn the ball over, and most importantly, never got rattled. Sometimes we forget the nerves that must come into play in a player’s first playoff game. While we know Joe Flacco as a cool-headed quarterback, one never to get flustered or upset, but it must be tempting to think about the gravity of the situation. This 1-AA star seemed to know all about playoff football, and fulfilled his role in getting a Ravens’ win. He will have to make more plays going forward, but this week was certainly promising.

Take a deep breath, Ravens fans. Tennessee comes up on Saturday, and they will be waiting for us.

Photo Credit: (Baltimore Sun: Doug Kapustin)

Postgame Report Card: Ravens 27, Jaguars 7

The word of the game is.....congratulations. With their win over Jacksonville, the 11-5 Ravens get the last wild card spot to enter the playoffs. The Ravens knew they had to win to be in, and they looked like a team that needed a victory. The coaching staff from top to bottom had the Ravens ready, and the players put their heart into it as well. Normally, the Ravens do not do well with expectations, but they did today. Nothing is perfect, but this game was excellent.

The AFC playoff picture proved to be a nightmare. The 11-5 Patriots are not here. The Ravens were not expected to have a good year at all with a new head coach, new quarterback, and a bad year last season. It did not help when Baltimore started 2-3, capped by a 31-3 drubbing by Peyton Manning and the Colts. But the Ravens put a good streak of wins together against mid-level teams, and won games they need to win to get to this point. Everyone from coaching to management to the players deserve credit.

Offense - Overall Grade: A-
Quarterbacks: A
Joe Flacco had one of the best days we have ever seen from a Ravens quarterback. 17 for 23 for 297 yards, showing very good accuracy in throwing. Five passes of at least 25 yards, four coming in the first half, and no turnovers; you can't ask anything more of him. Troy Smith did not do bad on his time, but this day was about Flacco. A rookie quarterback had to led the team to victory to reach the playoffs, and Joe Flacco did just that.
Running Backs: B-
The ground game was not as effective as they normally are. LeRon McClain only averaged 2.8 yards a carry and McGahee only carried the ball four times. But they finished well, scoring three touchdowns combined. They assisted the air attack with good blocking, especially Lorenzo Neal.
Wide Receivers: A+
Mark Clayton was a huge deep threat, torching the secondary for 128 yards on just four catches. Derrick Mason despite missing practice all this week and being hurt caught six passes. With all of the issues and injuries in the receiver corps, Clayton and Mason stepped up big despite that they knew they were the only deep threat targets.
Tight Ends: B+
Todd Heap caught three passes and did a good job blocking. He was key on Baltimore's final first half drive, catching two passes while in the hurry-up offense.
Offensive Line: B
Flacco was only sacked twice and the penalties were to a minimum all games. The run blocking was suspect, not giving McClain enough holes, but the red zone blocking and the pass defense was well executed all game.

Defense - Overall Grade: A-
Defensive Line: B+
Though Maurice Jones-Drew had a few big runs, the defensive line was solid through out the night. Haloti Ngata was being used as a tackle and an end, maybe a sign of the future? The pressure on David Garrard was good, though they need to finish tackles a little better in the future, especially on running quarterbacks.
Linebackers: A-
Ray Lewis recovered two fumbles, almost had a third and was everywhere on defense tonight. Terrell Suggs was good as well, though his roughing the quarterback was obvious and unnecessary. But the whole gang was a force. Let's hope this is not Ray Lewis's last game at M&T Bank Stadium as a Raven.
Secondary: A
With all of the injuries, to Dawan Landry, Chris McAllister on IR plus Ed Reed, Samari Rolle, and Fabian Washington, David Garrard could not do anything against the secondary tonight. With the exception of the blown coverage on the Alvin Pearman touchdown early in the first quarter, Ed Reed snagged two interceptions inside Baltimore territory. Even Corey Ivy got in the game and sacked Garrard; the only sack of the game.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: A-
Kicker: A-
Matt Stover converted two short field goals and three extra points, missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. Steven Hauschka had a kickoff that was held like a field goal attempt that was destroyed, nearly going between the uprights. I hope he stays a Raven next year, Hauschka has a monster leg and could be a fine kicker.
Punter: A-
Had a short 32-net yarder in the first half, but landed one on the 5-yard line plus had two touchbacks, ending any chance of a Jacksonville comeback in the fourth quarter.
Coverage: A
Brian Witherspoon was going nowhere fast, even being tackled on the 8-yard line on a kickoff.
Returning: B-
Tom Zbikowski was not good on returning kickoffs, though he was not given a chance after two returns due to Jacksonville's non-existent offense plus he did not turn the ball over. Jim Leonhard never had a chance to return a punt. The kickoff returner will be a big question in the playoffs, as no one has emerged as a hand-down starting returner.

Coaching - Overall Grade: A
Offensive: A-
The air attack reigned supreme, as Flacco was given good plays to heave the ball downfield. It is difficult to run an offense with just two dependable receivers and a running game that was not working, but Cam Cameron found a way to do it. Only thing I question is putting Derrick Mason in difficult spots when he is hurt.
Defensive: A
Only seven points when the Ravens need a win, no more than 13 points allowed in any home game. No more needs to be said.
Head Coach: A+
I wanted to add this in for this game. The Ravens have played every week since the unexpected bye week in week 2, and John Harbaugh came out early in the week and said the Ravens were not tired. This rookie head coach has exceeded all expectations and has looked like a seasoned veteran coach out there, trusting his coordinators and keeping a calm head in the locker room. It is clear the players respect him and will go the distance for him, no matter what the circumstance.

MVP/LVP:
MVP- Joe Flacco
As stated earlier, he needed a good game, and gave a great game when the Ravens needed to win to reach the playoffs. 17 for 23 for 297 yards with just two reliable wide receivers.
LVP- Tom Zbikowski
It is difficult to give an LVP is such a great game. Zbikowski was not effective on his two kickoffs, both times just running into blockers without much manuevering.

The Ravens as the 6-seed will take on the 3-seed AFC East champion Dolphins in Miami in the wild card round of the playoffs. Back in October, the Ravens had a 14-point victory over the Dolphins. Cam Cameron could get his second victory as Ravens offensive coordinator in Dolphin Stadium despite that he only had one as the Miami head coach last season.

(Photo credit: AP, Getty Images)

Christmas Comes Early for Maryland Sports Figures

Even though the economy is down (understatement, I know, but bear with me), we here at ATH have a wealth of generosity in our hearts, and an overabundance of the giving spirit this time of year. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa (please comment if you celebrate Kwanzaa, I have yet to meet someone who does), you must agree that our Maryland sports figures are in need of gifts as much as anyone else. Here are some gifts we had in mind for our favorite (or least favorite) athletes, coaches, and executives…

Michael Phelps: Acting lessons for a year. Trust me Michael, or have you not seen that episode of Saturday Night Live yet?

Joe Flacco: Eyebrow trimmer/tweezers. Those things are out of control, and with his success this season he has to look good for those offseason interviews.

Ralph Friegen: A blindfold. That way, he won’t know whether the Terps are playing a good or a bad team that week. I know it isn’t on him, but I couldn’t very well give them to the players!

Nick Markakis: A contract extension. No joke here, get this man his extension before his price tag goes through the roof- the cost of this great player is only going up with time.

Cal Ripken Jr.: $398 million. That is the value of the Baltimore Orioles according to Forbes. Yes, Peter Angelos has given up some of his power to Andy MacPhail, but the man is still in charge and still has the final say over what this team does. Am I the only one who sees a time bomb ready to blow up this rebuilding project? Buy it, Cal.

Andy MacPhail: 2 starting pitchers. It is the least we can give him, though it might be tough just to get one.

Rex Ryan: A head coaching job. I want him to stay as badly as anyone, but if you need a motivator and a leader, this is your guy.

John Harbaugh: A candy cane. I know the offense seems to be reverting, but someone please tell coach it’s okay to smile sometimes, even to Ray. Maybe that’ll help him cheer up some.

Gary Williams: A big man. Braxton Dupree can’t seem to play his size, and in a wide open competition, no one else was able to set up. He needs a big man who can play up to his size and occasionally score.

Mark Teixeira: A Nationals uniform. Look, I don’t want him elsewhere in the division, and I am not sure that the money on him couldn’t be spent better elsewhere. Let him lose 90 games a year for 3 years, then opt out, then maybe sign with the O’s when they are good again.

Ed Reed: Defensive Player of the Year Award. Just give it to him already. Right now.

Dave Trembley: Position prospects in the minors. It won’t do him much good right now, but he’ll thank me later.

Daniel Cabrera: Nothing. I think Baltimore already gave him everything they could, including way too many chances to be successful.

Good luck shopping everyone!

Postgame Report Card: Steelers 13, Ravens 9

The word of the game is... incompetent. The officials and the Ravens offense. Is there any other way to describe it? The officials don’t know the rules and certainly not how to enforce them, and the Ravens offense, well… I believe they were the definition of incompetence today. Joe Flacco couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn for most of the afternoon, and when he did put the ball on the spot receivers couldn’t hang on or were out of position to make the play. The passing game was never in rhythm, Willis McGahee looks like a shell of his former self, and were it not for the superb individual effort of Le’Ron McClain the Ravens might not have put up any points at all.

That being said, the incompetence of the officials is inexcusable. Unlike most of these offensive players, the referees have been in the National Football League for an awful long time. The penalty calls were horribly inconsistent on both sides. The use of replay was an absolute joke, on both the controversial touchdown and the Ravens challenge of a Pittsburgh first down. In the case of the touchdown the replays clearly showed that the ball was outside of the endzone even though his feet were in it, and yet the call was overturned to be a touchdown. And the other: third and one from the 29, no part of the ball carrier or the football gets near the thirty yard line, and every angle confirmed that. And yet, the play stood as called. It could be called highway robbery, but out of respect to the Steelers, I’ll just call it incompetence.



Offense - Overall Grade: F
Quarterbacks: F
Oooh. Ouch. I don’t like saying this about Joe Flacco, but I can’t lie, Joe played very poorly. The coaches did a disgraceful job of getting him in rhythm, as all of his early throws were deep and contested. Running some quick hitting routes could have helped him a good deal. But at the end of the day, Joe Flacco was slow in reading coverage, could not deliver an accurate ball, and for the first time in awhile really did not look confident. Arguably Joe’s worst game as a Raven – is he hitting the proverbial rookie wall? We’ll see.
Running Backs: C-
This might be a mite high considering the poor play of Willis McGahee and the inexcusable dropped passes, but Le’Ron McClain’s tough running was the only offense this group mustered. He didn’t get help from Flacco and got very little from his lineman. Le’Ron continues to be an outstanding workhorse for this team.
Wide Receivers: D+
A poor day all around, aside from a couple of good plays by Mark Clayton. It’s hard to tell from a television viewer’s perspective, but I have to think that the receivers could have done a better job getting open given how long Joe was hanging onto the football. And consider this: if Mason properly times his jump and catches the touchdown pass in the first half, are we even talking about these controversies?
Tight Ends: B
Count me as one who was very impressed by Todd Heap today, both in a blocking and receiving capacity. His work on the weak side of the unbalanced line has been the key to the success of that formation.
Offensive Line: D
The pass protection was pretty good, and Gaither and Terry both had solid games. The two false starts were killers, and this group absolutely has to do a better job run blocking. McClain found his yards on his own, the line did very little to help.

Defense - Overall Grade: A
Defensive Line: A
How can I grade them poorly? They controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the game, shutting down the Pittsburgh running game and forcing Ben out of the pocket. Trevor Pryce and Haloti Ngata both came up big today.
Linebackers: A
Again, how can I grade them poorly? This group was absolutely brilliant in all phases of the game. They wrapped up on Ben Roethlisberger when given the opportunity, and they were disciplined in pass coverage. The Ravens’ ‘backers showed off not only their physical skill, but their mental discipline today.
Defensive Backs: B+
Fabian Washington played an outstanding game today, and for three and a half quarters this group was brilliant. However, the coverage breakdowns on Pittsburgh’s final drive were killer.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: A+
Kicker: A+
Stover was the Ravens’ offense, and he was perfect on his tries. Equally important was the play of Hauschka on kickoffs, as he put all but one kickoff in the endzone.
Punter: A
Sam Koch was his usual self today, getting good location and distance on his punts. This was a battle of field position and Koch helped the Ravens win the battle for most of the game.
Returners: A-
Jim Leonhard’s 43-yard punt return was fantastic, albeit somewhat ill-advised. Yamon Figurs started to look like his old self on kickoff returns, but one his second half kickoff returns could have broken for a big gainer if he had seen the correct hole.
Coverage: A+
If the Ravens won this game, the special teams would have been the decider. This unit was outstanding both in blocking and in coverage, downing two punts within the ten yard line. Pittsburgh’s long return off of the muff was an absolute joke, and I do not penalize the coverage unit for officiating incompetence.

Coaching - Overall Grade: B-
Offensive: D+
Yes, the players on the field were not executing correctly, but that’s no excuse for the end result. Cam needed to mix up the game plan somewhat, throw in some gadget plays to get something going. No, I’m not normally a big fan of them in big games, but with the offense running as it was I believe that gadget plays were necessary to loosen things up. The passing routes were altogether too long in developing, and there was little compensation for the blitz. If you want to know how to counter the blitz, just watch Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward in the two minute drill. Cam’s been an outstanding coordinator this year, just not in this game.
Defensive: B
Were it not for that last drive, and probably if the referees had gotten the call right and the Ravens ultimately kept the Steelers out of the endzone, this grade would probably be an A if not an A+. However, the breakdowns in that final drive were horrendous, and the decision to rush three and drop eight on every play was terrible. Why change your game plan when it matters the most?

And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) –Le’Ron McClain– Listen, if I could give it to the entire defense I would, but if I’m only giving it to one player I’m giving it to Le’Ron. At the end of the day, if Le’Ron McClain isn’t on this team I have serious doubts as to whether or not the Ravens would manage even one score this game.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) –Joe Flacco– Oh, it hurts my heart to say it, but Joe looked awful today. He needs to make faster reads and his accuracy was sorely lacking today. The defense nearly carried him to a win, but even this defense needs a little more from the offense.

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)

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…

Ravens-Dolphins Preview: Cam Cameron returns to Miami

Many of us all remember last year's Ravens loss to the Miami Dolphins, which would turn out to be Miami's only win that season. Cam Cameron was head coach of the Dolphins and now as the Ravens offensive coordinator will return today. John Harbaugh has some interesting things to say in defense of Cameron's time in Miami:

"He was an effective coach last year. Even though the results weren't what people were hoping for, he did a great job there with what he had to work with." (from Yahoo Sports)

Now of course, the Miami players won't take kindly to this and probably will tack that comment right onto the board. But I like Harbaugh saying that. Stand up for your coach, who's been doing a great job helping your offense this year, especially Joe Flacco. After Cameron passed on Brady Quinn for Ted Ginn in the Draft, which in retrospect hasn't looked like a bad thing, Cameron was never treated with respect in Miami again. Here, Cameron is treated like who he is, a solid offensive mind who has trained quarterbacks to greatness.

On the NFL Today, Steve Beuerlein talked to John Harbaugh, and Coach Harbaugh told him that he and Cameron forgot to bring their helmets today, and they won't be on the field. I love this coach........

Now, to the game: the Ravens (2-3) have lost three straight and suffered their worst loss of the year last week when the Colts beat them down 31-3. Worse, the injuries are continuing to pile up. The Dolphins (2-3) are a wacky team that employs a pretty nuts offense, but has been effective at times. They have won two of their last three games; that one loss to Houston by one point.

Things We're Wondering:

-Joe Flacco has really started to look like a rookie the past two games, and the Ravens lack of success is reflecting that. Not that we didn't expect this from Flacco, since he is still adjusting to the NFL from I-AA play, but first two Ravens game all gave us a lot of hope. Teams are starting to blitz him more and force him out of the pocket more. Miami has a solid running defense, but they are 29th in the league in passing yardage allowed. Flacco needs to have a solid day in the air. No doubt Cameron will stick with the conservative play of primarily running the football, but Flacco will need to keep the defense honest.

-What Miami are we going to see? The Miami that can put up 28+ points, or less than 14? Chad Pennington has new life in Miami, though not flashy he has done a decent job through the air. Six players have double digit catches. The good thing for the Ravens is that Fabian Washington should be able to play, which will put him at the 2nd-CB position over Frank Walker. We saw last week when Corey Ivy was put at nickel back, the Cots threw the ball his direction all day. Miami's passing game vs. the Ravens secondary will be interesting to watch today.

The Analysis:
-Ravens offense vs. Miami defense: Even
Miami's defense matches up well against the Ravens offense. The Ravens like to run very often, and Miami has a solid run defense. The Ravens have had trouble throwing the ball, but Miami has a bad secondary. This might all land on Flacco's shoulders. If he has a good day, everything will be put into place. If he has a bad day, the entire offense will. Willis McGahee will have a lot of his shoulders as well for obvious reasons.

On the defensive side for Miami, former Steeler/cheapshot Joey Porter already has 6.5 sacks on the year, and Channing Crowder has 38 tackles from the corps. So far Miami has forced seven turnovers. Overall, an average defense with more prevalence on the running game.

-Miami offense vs. Ravens defense: Ravens
The Ravens continue to be first in the league in yards allowed per game in both rushing and passing, even though Miami's upstart offense is in many top-15 categories. Ronnie Brown finally has had his breakout year, averaging 4.7 yards a carry plus Ricky Williams can provide solid backup. Not any huge receivers to mention, but Pennington has had a decent season.

With the injury to Kelly Gregg, the line weakens some and will put more pressure on Trevor Price to do well. But after a game where the defense can hit hard by Peyton Manning, they'll be looking for some payback. Fabian Washington returning will get some much needed help to the secondary.

Intangibles- Miami
The Dolphins are at home, and probably upset about Harbaugh's comments. The Ravens are probably trying to recover after a bad loss to Indy, but Miami lost a heartbreaker to Houston. Both teams have first year head coaches, but I give the advantage to Miami.

Prediction:
This is going to be a very close game, period. Miami right now has the better offense, and the Ravens have the better defense. I'm giving the nod slightly to the Ravens today, just because the return of Fabian Washington frees up the secondary and I believe they'll come back after the loss to Indy and prevail.

--Ravens 20, Dolphins 17

(Photo credits: Gail Burton (Harbaugh & Cameron), Baltimore Ravens (Flacco))

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 night.
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?

Postgame Report Card: Ravens 28, Browns 10

The word of the game is... vintage. Vintage Ravens football, that is. Utilizing strong defense, a power running game, and capitalizing on turnovers. Certainly there were differences from the old formula, after all the quarterback didn’t lose his composure and the team didn’t rack up stupid penalties. This was a fantastic game if you were a Ravens fan, as they were able to rebound from a 10-7 halftime deficit to land a convincing 28-10 victory. The defense shut out and shut down the Browns offense in the second half, picking off Derek Anderson three times and harassing him constantly. The Ravens successfully rode their momentum to steamroll the Browns in a game that the Ravens very well could have lost considering the lackluster first half performance and failure to capitalize on early drives. This team showed a fire and passion that hasn’t been seen in Baltimore for some time.

Offense - Overall Grade: B
Quarterbacks: C+
Joe Flacco finished the day 13-19 for 129 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Don’t let that line fool you into thinking Joe Flacco had a terrible game; he only made one truly terrible decision, and the other interception was on a flea flicker (although he should have run with the ball or thrown it away because the defense didn’t bite). At the end of the day Joe still showed excellent poise under pressure and had a command of the offense. The yardage and attempts are limited because Flacco was asked to do very little in the second half as the defense and running game took over.
Running Backs: B+
Perhaps I’m being generous in this grade, as this unit struggled to gain consistent yardage in the first half. The running backs get a B+ grade primarily from their dominating performance down the stretch. La’Ron McClain has burst onto the scene as an outstanding power runner who can dominate the fourth quarter. As with the Cincinnati game, he was the closer in the fourth quarter. This unit also accounted for three touchdowns, the most impressive of which McGahee’s five yard touchdown in the first half to put the Ravens on the board.
Wide Receivers: B-
The receiving corps was not involved much at all in the game past the first quarter, and non-existent after half. This was significantly dictated by the flow of the game, but the lack of production sticks them at B-.
Tight Ends: C+
Another lackluster game from Todd Heap, although he was able to catch a couple of balls for 32 yards in total. Ravens fans have to wonder when Todd is going to break out of this uncharacteristic slump, as he still left a number of plays out on the field.
Offensive Line: A-
I thought that this unit did a very impressive job, especially in light of the Browns’ impressive defensive front. The Browns were desperate for a win and threw a lot at the Ravens, and the offensive line did an excellent job by and large of containing the Browns’ pressure. Joe Flacco had good time in the pocket throughout the game and they dominated the Browns up front in the second half. It looks like this young and talented line might be starting to gel.

Defense - Overall Grade: A
Defensive Line: A
Get used to this letter; I’ll be using it a good deal for the defense. The line seemed to get stronger as the game progressed, freeing up the linebackers and steadily shrinking the pocket for Derek Anderson.
Linebackers: A
Each of the linebackers contributed something of their own to this game. Terrell Suggs had two sacks; Jarrett Johnson blew by Joe Thomas for a key sack on third down; Ray Lewis had the hit of the day on Kellen Winslow leading to an interception. And I left out Bart Scott who is more and more looking like the ’06 Bart Scott, shedding away last season’s disappointment.
Defensive Backs: A
To explain how good this unit was, I need to only read one stat line: Derek Anderson – 14 of 37 (37.8%) for 125 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions, and a 22.9 quarterback rating. Braylon Edwards was held down to only three catches for 27 yards, and Anderson’s lone touchdown came on a screen pass to Jerome Harrison. Jim Leonhard stepped up big-time for Dawan Landry, who is in all of our prayers after his on-field collision.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: B
Kicker: C
Stover was 0-1 on field goals, and although he did successfully kick away from Josh Cribbs, some of his kickoffs were too short and led to excellent Browns field position.
Punter: B+
Sam Koch averaged 48.7 yards on three punts, and did an excellent job of directional kicking to limit Cribbs’ opportunities for a big return.
Returners: A-
Jim Leonhard. What can you say. This backup strong safety earned his paycheck today, not only in filling in for the injured Dawan Landry at strong safety, but in returning punts and kicks all game for Yamon Figurs (inactive (hamstring)). He averaged 26 yards on three kick returns, and 21 yards on a punt return. That’s pretty special.
Coverage: A
The coverage team contained one of the best returners in pro football, along with opening up big lanes for Jim Leonhard. Another plus; only one holding penalty for the game, keeping Leonhard’s excellent returns intact.

Coaching - Overall Grade: A
Offensive: A
Cam Cameron continues to impress with this offense. Like in Week 1, Cam managed his rookie quarterback very well while not coddling him and allowing him to make plays. There was a very good use of in-game adjustments, and the choice to go for it on a couple of key fourth downs helped to give the offense confidence and put the game away. The coaches also recognize that they have a ‘closer’-type running back in La’Ron McClain and they know when to put the game on his back in the fourth quarter. This coaching staff has given the offense a killer mentality for the first time in Baltimore history.
Defensive: A
Vintage Rex Ryan yet again in both drawing up and managing the defense throughout. Although not quite as impressive as Week 1 against Cincinnati, the defense wore down the offense in the second half and not the other way around. Rex Ryan is showing what he can do with some healthy starters.

And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) – Ed Reed – There are many choices, but the vote goes to Ed Reed for his interception return for a touchdown which broke Cleveland’s back in the third quarter.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) – Joe Flacco – Egh, it’s terrible for me to say this, because he didn’t have a terrible game and he showed good poise. However, he did give the ball away twice and was unable to capitalize on a couple of long drives. For a rookie quarterback in his second game he played fine, but if I have to choose an LVP, I have to choose someone.

Bonus grade:
Intangibles: A+ - The fire and camaraderie that this team showed was absolutely inspiring. Keep in mind that the team was trailing at the half, and the Browns had capitalized on opportunities while the Ravens could not. After Dawan Landry went down at the end of the first half, the group could have lost its composure. Instead this team came out with immense passion and showed something special. Harbaugh has this team in excellent shape.

(Photo Credit: AP)

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.

(Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun (Gene Sweeney Jr.))

Ravens QB Competition: Preseason Game 3 (Red Alert!)

Welcome to the life of head coaching John Harbaugh. Maybe you should talk to Steve McNair and see if he'd like to give one more season.

The Ravens planned to start Troy Smith against the Rams for the second consecutive preseason game. The reason given was that Kyle Boller had seen a lot more time and that Harbaugh wanted to see Troy more, but Boller's apparent shoulder injury might have had something to do with it. But a stomach virus sat Smith down. Joe Flacco now got the start vs. the St. Louis Rams, and had to play all game.

The Ravens defense couldn't stop the Rams attack, allowing 21 points in the first half in a 24-10 loss. Flacco ended the night going 18/37 for 152 yards and a touchdown.

Flacco still looks like he's improving, but it is clear he still isn't ready. In the first half, the Ravens failed to take any of their six drives more than 17 yards. Harbaugh kept many starters in for the first drive of the second half, where the Ravens drove the ball 75 yards for a touchdown thanks to four complete passes to Derrick Mason. But other than that, Flacco still shows rookie issues, including not having solid accuracy leading the receiver and staying in the pocket too long. But, as many have emphasized, he is going from I-AA to the NFL. It will take time to learn. But, this was a great learning experience for the young quarterback.

The Ravens had hoped that this situation would be settled by now. But I don't see how Harbaugh or Cameron can choose a starter yet. Flacco should be clearly out, he needs at least a year on the sideline to transition to the NFL. So that leaves Boller and Smith, neither of whom have stood out. Boller still can't control the ball and Smith still can't pass well. As much as the coaching staff hates the situation, they need to use the last preseason game before they decide. Right now I believe Boller is in the lead, but neither has locked anything up.

The Ravens final preseason game is this Thursday when they come home to play the Atlanta Falcons. Expect Troy Smith to start with Boller and Flacco both seeing time.

(Photo credit: Dilip Vishwanat, Getty Images)

The Other Birds in Town

Contrary to what the theme of the blog has been of late, this is an all-Baltimore blog and not simply an O's blog. So! In that spirit we have to turn our attention to the other birds, the Baltimore Ravens.

Although the importance of following training camp has been debated (as previously on this blog), there is no denying that this year's training camp is truly a pivotal one for the Ravens, as I'm sure even the most casual fan knows. Sure it is too early to draw conclusions, but what are we as fans looking to learn from camp this year? Here are the top three questions going through training camp, ranked in order of significance:

1. Who's the starting quarterback on this team? John Harbaugh has said since the OTA's that this battle would be an open competition and he is certainly keeping to his word. The three quarterbacks have for the most part gotten equal snaps, though Harbaugh has generally switched between Boller and Smith for the first reps with the first team. Who is eventually chosen to start the season will not only affect this season, but could very well define the future of this franchise. Keep in mind, as Baltimore fans, we still look back and say 'what if' as to Boller starting his first year.

Certainly there is more faith this year on the part of the fans to the coaching staff than in past years; Harbaugh has taken a wise and mature approach, and has certainly given the impression that he will rely heavily on Cam Cameron's judgement. The popular consensus, and my personal opinion, is that the Ravens should and most likely will start Troy Smith to start the season. By all accounts he has taken a big leap from last year to this in terms of decision making and being comfortable, and has unique mobility among this group to make plays outside the pocket and compensate for an unsure offensive line. Most importantly, Troy Smith has the confidence of his teammates and they seem to be quick to rally around him. Flacco and Boller seem to be a toss-up as to the second most likely to win the job. Coaches have been effusive in their praise of Flacco and have been relatively mum on Boller, though conventional wisdom says to take Boller over Flacco for his experience.

The battle won't be won in one practice or preseason game, but I think it will become very clear near the end of training camp who's leading the pack.

2. How will the players react to John Harbaugh and his camp style? All the reports thus far have been positive to Harbaugh, but keep in mind that camp has just started. This new grind is different for most all of the veteran players, and how this wears on them both mentally and physically is a significant storyline to watch. Even more significant, however, might be the physical toll this takes on the team heading into the season. Certainly a tougher camp can lead to a team that isn't as tough out of the gate as many of Billick's teams, but there are significant risks involved. Already several players are going down with injuries, which is common, however if an unusual number of injuries pile up there will certainly be scrutiny on the style of camp and its effect on the players' bodies.

With such an intense training camp, this team can go in two directions: either they bind together as a battle tested team, or they splinter as a result of weariness and discontent. Count me as a man who's betting on the former, but we'll have to wait and see.

3. Will Gaither take hold of the LT spot vacated by Jonathan Ogden? With the retirement of Ogden, all eyes turned to Gaither as the man to take his spot. The former Terp carries nearly the same build as Ogden, with many of the same physical tools. While certainly noone expects him to be in the class of Jonathan Ogden, he has been eyed as the heir apparent to JO after the Ravens picked him up in last year's supplemental draft. Gaither played sparingly last season, but made a favorable impression on the coaching staff with his natural ability.

So, the question is whether or not Gaither can take that next step up, dedicating himself to improving his game and learning Cam's system thoroughly. That work ethic has always been the question for Jared since his days at UMD, and if he can turn around that reputation then all expectations are that he can seize the left tackle spot for this team.

Gaither has been recently sidelined with an ankle injury, however it is not meant to be serious. Assuming he recovers smoothly, Gaither should be considered the favorite for the job, but he's going to have to go out and seize it. By no means will Cam and John hand him this prized job.