Ravens Last Preseason Game Tonight

The final Ravens preseason game is tonight as Baltimore heads down to Atlanta to take on the Falcons.

For the average fan, there will not be much excitement. It is reported that many of the hands down starters, including Joe Flacco, will not play much in this game. This preseason game will be the final opportunity for players to show themselves for the final cut.

A couple of positions still need some deciding, notably the kicking game. Steven Hauschka has looked like the better kicker than Graham Gano, but he is not blowing away anyone on the coaching staff, missing a chip shot inside 30 yards in the Ravens last preseason game against the Panthers. It is pretty clear that Gano will not win the job, but the question is will the Ravens be happy with Hauschka as the full time kicker? Some fans have been calling for Matt Stover, who lives in Baltimore with his family, to return. According to the Scott and Anita Show on 105.7 The Fan, Stover has been keeping in good shape, but is not actively trying to return to the Ravens, but that he is keeping good shape to be ready to go to a team sometime this season. This last game may determine whether the Ravens feel the need to seek this option.

Obviously another area of concern is the receiver position. Mark Clayton already said he will not play in this game, and Derrick Mason will likely do the same. Demetrius Williams and Kelley Washington appear to be all right for the final cut, but they should play anyway. But other players, like Justin Harper and Jayson Foster, still have something to show before the final cut of the roster. The main player who needs to step up is Yamon Figurs. The Ravens drafted this player high in the third round due to his speed, but so far due to injuries and problems catching may turn out to be a bust. It is possible that this is the last chance for him to be a Raven in this preseason game.

Other positions that still have some questions include cornerback and some of the offensive linemen; possibly the third string tight end as well. But the starters for the Ravens are mainly set in stone, so for the average fan, this preseason game won't bring a lot of interest. But for the hardcore, it is the final chance for some of the players to make the cut.

Game tonight is at 7:30 PM.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

Free Kicks

Well, I called in sick today with what feels like the flu so I am not sure how this post will turn out. However, I didn’t want to miss a week and then hear about it from Falco and Windsor. Anyways, without further or due, let’s line up for the kick…

Sorry, Matt
Matt Stover is clearly upset and disappointed with the Ravens indications that they want to acquire a new kicker to replace the 41-year old veteran. However, as much as we all love Matt, we have to realize that his time has come. His field goal average (81.4) was the worst it has been since 1998, and well below the league average. Additionally, he has become increasingly erratic from outside 40 yards, leading to the acquisition of Steve Hauschka to take over the longer field goals and kickoff duties. I know I have written about this before, but with Stover going public it seems like the perfect time. Matt has meant a great deal to this organization, but at a certain point it becomes about a player’s ability and not nostalgia. NFL players are paid for what they will do for the franchise, not what they have done in the past. I am sure everyone in the organization wishes he could still perform, but he has not shown any indication that he is worth a brand new contract.

Who Will Sign T.O.?
Well apparently Jerry Jones isn’t completely impervious to reason, and has elected to released malcontent wide receiver Terrell Owens. Jerry Jones might be a jumpsuit away from being a younger Al Davis, but there is no question he made the right call- both for the lockerroom and production on the field. It is much easier to run an offense when you don’t have to force the ball to an egotistical wideout, particularly when your quarterback is not the most accurate in the league. However, the list of teams unlikely to sign the receiver is very long. Please rule out the Vikings- head coach Brad Childress wasn’t even on speaking terms with the receiver when he was the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia. I personally don’t think that Tennessee will pull the trigger, either. Can you imagine the ripping that Owens would give that coaching staff after their conservative offense fails to score enough to win? Tennessee already has gotten a hold of Nate Washington, and the draft is so stacked with receivers that I doubt the Titans will feel the need to take that risk.

An owner would have to be out of his mind to sign a 35 year old receiver who will demand that the offense be tailored around him and his ego. Al Davis, step right up.

A-Rod’s Convenient Hip
This might be the best injury… ever. Alex Rodriguez has an excellent excuse to duck away from this steroid issue for another 3 months after discovering a torn labrum and a cyst in his hip. The Yankees don’t want him to get surgery and instead play through the pain, but we know how that plays out- A-Rod scuffles for 2 months and then the pain gets worse or the injury gets worse and he elects to have the surgery anyway. You know Alex wants the surgery. He gets to wait out the media on the steroid issue, and watch the Yankees struggle a bit more than usual in April, and then have Rodriguez return as a savior to the franchise. He will be seen as spurring on the June-July turnaround that the Yankees have had in recent years, and his success will take much of the steroid pressure off of him. Winning solves everything, especially if it seems like you are the reason. Go under the knife, A-Rod, and everything else will take care of itself.

Ravens Free Agent Picture Begins to Take Shape

Of all the “Big Three” linebackers the Ravens have up for free agency this season, the one I most suspected would be allowed to hit the market- Bart Scott- could be resigned in a Baltimore uniform within the next several days, according to agent Harold Lewis. At the beginning of the offseason, I had several key contentions: the Ravens would be willing to pay competitively for Terrell Suggs or spend the franchise tag on him. Secondly, the Ravens would make a strong play for Ray Lewis, and all accounts are saying that management will probably outbid anyone else for the services of the 33-year-old face of the franchise. Finally, I was certain that deep down inside, Bart Scott wanted to be a starter more than he wanted to be in Baltimore- I could easily see him in a Jets uniform at outside linebacker, for instance. Should Scott resign, it would indicate to me that Baltimore is unsure if they will get back Ray Lewis or that Scott is willing to take a discount to stay a Raven. Either way, it would surprise me.

Harold Lewis also represents center Jason Brown, easily the best offensive lineman on the team this season after moving over from guard after the 2007 season. Lewis intimated that EITHER Brown or Scott could resign, but not both- I estimate that Brown is more likely to hit the market. The fact is that offensive and defensive linemen can command a great deal as a free agent, as they are less likely than skill position players or linebackers or defensive backs to have their performance take a significant dropoff from one season (or team) to another. Additionally, the Steve Hutchinson deal in 2006 worth $49 million set the stage for blockbuster contracts for offensive linemen. He will likely be looking for something on the lower end of Jordan Gross’ 6 year deal which paid out $30.5 million over the first three years. He won’t get that, but that will be his starting negotiating point. With the bloated price for linemen, I would not be shocked if Brown decided to resign with the Ravens after free agency begins, but he would be foolish from a financial standpoint not to see what is out there- even in this economy.

However, don’t expect the feel-good story of this season to be back in a Ravens uniform. At the scouting combine late last week, Ozzie Newsome sent a rather clear message that this team could be parting ways with backup-turned-starter Jim Leonhard. Management has told him he would have to compete for a starting job with returning free safety Dawan Landry, and Leonhard obviously would like to be a starter somewhere. Unlike the other Ravens free agents, Leonhard has no tradition of being part of this organization and no inherent loyalty to the coaching staff outside of former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, whom he has described as having taught him more about the game than anyone in his NFL career. Besides, there are significant reasons for the Ravens to avoid resigning Leonhard. From a financial standpoint, Landry is still under his rookie contract and won’t be up for a new one for another few seasons- it wouldn’t make sense to pay what it would take to keep Leonhard with the team. From a football standpoint, this team also has promising young safeties in Haruki Nakamura and Tom Zbikowski who could possibly fill the void a la Jarrett Johnson when Adalius Thomas left. Look for Leonhard to bolt for the Jets and serve as a top notch starting safety for another 6 years, while Baltimore takes their chances with another playmaker in Landry.

Finally, Newsome also updated the media on the status of negotiations with the only kicker Baltimore fans have ever known, Matt Stover. He implied that both the Ravens and Stover were looking at other opportunities, but that has not been corroborated by the kicker, who will be conducting his own negotiations with the team. It is clear that the 41-year-old wants to sign a new deal to stay with the team, but has not been contacted by anyone from the front office. I have no problem with the Ravens wanting to move on; Stover has lost his range in recent years and is now questionable with anything beyond 40 yards- Steven Hauschka was brought in for 50+ yard kicks and kickoffs- and Stover only converted 81.4% of his field goal attempts, his worst percentage since 1994. I am sure he can still play, but this might be as good a time as any for the franchise to move on to kicker #2.

Playoff Report Card: Ravens 13, Titans 10

The word of the game is... miraculous. How a team like the Ravens could grab a victory in that environment, with a rookie quarterback, after being wholly outplayed for nearly the entire game? I would characterize that as miraculous. Considering the yardage statistics, the Ravens should have had no place winning this game as they were outgained by over 180 yards of total offense. What kept the Ravens in the game were costly turnovers by the Titans and a couple serendipitous calls by the officials. But that was not the whole story.

Make no mistake the Ravens won this football game, and the better team is going to the AFC Championship. The Titans decided that, to break down the Ravens defense, they were going to air the ball out. This is a fair and smart strategy for moving the ball, but note to the Titans: if your game plan involves 40+ throws by Kerry Collins, don’t be shocked when there are multiple turnovers. The Ravens defense was gashed, yes, but the turnovers were not just good fortune. And on the flipside, the Ravens offense played smart conservative football all game which ensured that there were no turnovers and no sacks on Joe Flacco. The Ravens gambled that ball security was far more important than yardage. They were right.

And by the way, I think we should all chill out over that non-called delay of game penalty. It was a blown call, and that gaffe really is not excusable. That being said, it is simply a five yard penalty on a 3rd and 2. The game does not end if the call is made, and there is nothing to say the Ravens don’t convert. If folks in Tennessee think that that play lost them the game, then they just weren’t paying attention.

Offense - Overall Grade: C-
Quarterbacks: B
Like last week this grade is bumped up for the fact that he is a rookie quarterback, made the key throws when they counted and, well, is making history to be quite honest. That being said, Joe was inaccurate on several throws throughout the game which cost the team precious first downs. He needs to stop throwing too high on short patterns, as that not only lays out the receiver but could lead to interceptions. His poise and decision making were both excellent, but if he could get his accuracy back on track this offense can go to the next level (which it will need to).
Running Backs: D+
Awful, awful game for the backfield tandem of Le’Ron McClain and Willis McGahee. Le’Ron, even before his injury, was running poorly and couldn’t hit the holes quickly. Willis ran slightly better, but still the production was not there. 24 rushes between the two for an average of less than two yards? The running game has to be effective for this offense to move.
Wide Receivers: C+
Derrick Mason had some outstanding catches, and Mark Clayton had a beautiful deep reception close to the goal line, but the highlights just about end there. The depth on this receiving corps is absolutely nonexistent, and that fault could easily come back to haunt this team.
Tight Ends: B-
Catch of the day, drop of the day for Todd Heap. But the catch was far more important, so the grade is a B- rather than a C+. The 23-yard reception was Heap’s only of the game, and Wilcox only had one catch for four yards. Flacco needs to be able to lean on this group more in the passing game, as they are big and easy targets, particularly Heap who can be a matchup nightmare.
Offensive Line: C-
Yes, Flacco didn’t get sacked, but that was more a product of his decision making and athletic ability than superior protection by the offensive line. The fact of the matter is, this group could not establish running lanes and that cost the Ravens dearly. Because of that the running game could not get going and thus the offense continually stalled and the defense was hung out to dry.

Defense - Overall Grade: C+
Defensive Line: B-
They were pushed around by the Tennessee defensive front all night. You can talk all you want about the play of Kerry Collins, Justin Gage, Chris Johnson, but there’s no secret as to how they ran over the Ravens defense; their offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage. It was clear that this group was tired, as they had difficulty wrapping up and generated no pass rush whatsoever.
Linebackers: B
Overall not a bad job, but their performance was far from their lofty standards. The blitz could not get to Kerry Collins, and the pursuit of Chris Johnson was sloppy and undisciplined. The missed tackles and slower movement to the football are most likely a product of fatigue, and hopefully with an extra day to rest this week they will be re-energized for the AFC Championship Game. (sidenote: doesn’t that sound fantastic to say?)
Defensive Backs: D-
Poor tackling, poor position, and slow footed. This was a terrible day for the Ravens secondary as they made Collins-to-Gage look like Montana-to-Rice. The lack of a pass rush exposed this group, but they are playing hurt. Nice interception by Samari Rolle, but that was a pure product of a rare pass rush.

Special Teams - Overall Grade: A
Kicker: A+
Matt Stover won the game with a 43-yard field goal. Yep, Stover is clearly all washed up at this point in his career.
Punter: A
Sam Koch had one of his usual excellent games, and was put in some very tough spots to boot. His punt to the 2-yard line was absolutely gorgeous.
Returners: B+
Tom Zbikowski is looking like a better and better pickup each day, and what can you say about Jim Leonhard? He doesn’t have the measurables that leap out at you, but there’s no arguing with his production. He’s smart, catches the ball, and makes plays. The most underrated offseason pickup in the NFL this year.
Coverage: B-
Considering the Titans have the best kickoff return team in the NFL, not a terrible day. Harbaugh was right in saying that the Ravens’ kickoff coverage has to improve. The discipline in coverage and returns are improving.

Coaching - Overall Grade: B
Offensive: C-
A very bad game for Cam Cameron, as he was unable to get the running game going and did not get Flacco into a good rhythm by letting him make some short throws early. If McClain hurts his ankle, why not give Willis McGahee more carries? Instead he threw in a gimpy McClain until very late when McClain was in significant pain. And if neither of those is successful, why not get Ray Rice involved? Ray Rice has the special ability to make things happen in the open field; a quick screen would be low risk and high reward, but it wasn’t even attempted. Also, it might have been smart to run some quick misdirection or a reverse, because the Titans were stacking the run straight up the middle.
Defensive: C
It’s a whole lot tougher to be a brilliant defensive coordinator when your line is dominated by the opposition. I understand that Ryan didn’t want to expose his secondary to the big play, but it took him far too long to send significant heat at Collins. Bart Scott is a pass rusher at heart, not a coverage linebacker. It was good to see more guys coming in and making plays like Nakamura and Jameel McClain.

And for my MVP/LVP...
MVP (Most Valuable Player) –Matt Stover– There are a number of people who made huge contributions—Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis, Jim Leonhard for certain—but Stover won this game with an impressive 43-yard field goal. Without his clutch kick, this would have been in the loss column for the Ravens.
LVP (Least Valuable Player) –Le’Ron McClain– Le’Ron played through injury, but he rushed for only 12 yards on 12 carries in a game when the Ravens needed him big. The coaching staff is heavily responsible for this, as he should have been out of the game when his ankle went bad.


(Photo Credit: Derrick Mason(Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun), Jim Leonhard(Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun), Ray Lewis/Matt Stover(Doug Kapusitin/Baltimore Sun), Matt Stover (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun))