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Baltimore Ravens Column
 

By: Sean Conner

1/18/09

"Next Man Up", seems like a phrase that is cliché but when you consider the composition of this season's version of the Baltimore Ravens it is more fitting now then in previous years. In this particular mindset it doesn't matter who is on the field next to you, all eleven players are starters and will be counted on to do their job. Rookie may have been a term thrown around a lot at the beginning of the season, but even these players lacking the ideal amount of experience when entering postseason play have to be considered integral components to a team. This motivation has been instilled since the very onset of mini-camps.

First to go down was starting QB Steve Mcnair, the most crucial leadership role on the team now was left in flux. Losing depth at this position led to the drafting of Joe Flacco, who was expected to come in and hold a clipboard his first season. By watching veteran and former first round draft choice Kyle Boller, or the inexperienced yet strong leader Troy Smith, Joe would be preparing himself to take over as the QB of the future for the Ravens organization. Well, not according to plan Boller sustained a season ending injury in preseason and Smith became severely ill during the same time period that Boller was being placed on IR. Now the future becomes the present and things looked bleak for the immediate future of this franchise. Joe just decided to learn the playbook the best he could and make the most out of his remaining reps he was receiving in the final two preseason contests. Faith in his ability and trust in his teammates propelled the offense to an impressive regular season, and combined with an always formidable defense they have been awarded with some meaningful games to play in January. Flacco may be the most obvious example of this motto, but there are definitely many more that have contributed to make up the fiber of this roster.

Losing Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle for significant amounts of last season spelled doom for the secondary and defense as a whole. Both players have sustained a similar loss of playing time this year, yet with the addition of Frank Walker via free agency, Fabian Washington by draft day trade, and draft picks Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura the defense has stepped up when needed. Not many would believe that with Mcalister on IR, and Rolle going out during the game against the number one seed in the playoffs that first year players Zbikowski and Nakamura would fill in on nickel and dime packages and play well enough to help hold the Titans offense to ten points. Zbikowski has also taken over on kick off return duty with return specialist Yamon Figurs being hampered by injury all season. Add the very scary loss of Dawan Landry in week three for the rest of the season and you have three quarters of the projected starting secondary being altered throughout the majority of the year. Bring to the table free agent acquisition from Buffalo Jim Leonhard, and with his strong presence in coverage and run support the defensive backfield has not missed a beat. You can't mention Leonhard without including his play on special teams as a sure handed and straight forward runner with the punt return team. These may not even be the best stories on the defense this season.

Undrafted rookie Jameel McClain out of Syracuse has been an impact player on defense and special teams. In limited snaps he has registered 2.5 sacks, and put constant pressure on the QB with his nonstop motor. That may not even be his most impressive contribution, Jameel has been the cause of two safeties during the year making him the first Raven to do so. His effort has sparked inspiration and even changed games. It was only a 10-7 ballgame in week 12 against the Eagles, punting from the end zone McClain rushed through the line to block the ball out of the end zone to increase the lead to 12-7. This set in motion an onslaught of unanswered points en route to a 36-7 win. With the rash of injuries to young LB's on the team roster he has found a role and ran with it. Also on defense the team lost the underrated heart of the defensive line Kelly Gregg. To fill his shoes would not be a simple task, but his backup Justin Bannan who is built in almost identical fashion has been up to the challenge. While Gregg is most assuredly missed, Bannan's play has been tough and gritty, and he has helped key the continued string of strong defense against the run while occupying blockers to allow the linebacker's to roam and attack gaps in the offensive line. Injuries have been prevalent on the opposite side of the ball as well and forced the team to adjust accordingly.

Once Jonathan Ogden retired, the Ravens offensive line had to make many changes. Supplemental draft choice from a year ago Jared Gaither was thrust into the starting position at left tackle and although he has fell short of Ogden's level of performance he has showed promise and the ability to be the protector of Joe Flacco's blindside for years to come. Right Tackle and draft choice out of Iowa from last season Marshal Yanda was moved inside to RG, placing Ben Grubbs the team's first round draft choice from last year out of Auburn to his more natural position of LG. This moved the most improved lineman of last year Jason Brown from left guard back to his position in college at North Carolina of center. Then to bookend the line Adam Terry was moved to RT. Due to Terry's ankle issues early on the Ravens were quick to sign veteran tackle Willie Anderson to help stabilize and bolster the line. Even Chris Chester, a second round draft choice out of Oklahoma from a few seasons ago who seemed to be a failed project, has filled in admirably as starter at RG after Yanda was lost for the season to IR. He has proven to be the player Ravens scouts thought he could by excelling in his pull technique and getting to the second level of defenders. The running back's have been riddled by some injury as well, with McGahee being out all preseason and the first game, it opened a door for Cam Cameron to allow Leron McClain to get the opportunity to tote the football. He has capitalized and become the team's primary ball carrier and power runner to compliment a three-prong rushing attack which also features Rutgers first year man Ray Rice and long time bulldozer and lead blocker Lorenzo Neal. On the wide receiver front an early midseason injury to Demetrius Williams landing him on IR has left the Baltimore aerial attack with really only two primary pass catchers. Even the go to guy Derrick Mason has been battling a separated shoulder since early November after hitting the turf hard in Houston. This has given Marcus Smith a chance to really learn the offense by being on the field . Although he has yet to haul in a pass, he has been an asset in blocking and on special teams. All this makes the current spot in the AFC Championship game even more startling to any person outside the locker room.

The mantra of "Next Man Up" has been the way of life for the 08' Baltimore Ravens. No matter who lines up for the next play they expect to beat the man in front of them and come out with victory. In a conference championship game that will feature division rivals clashing, who almost mirror one another, it will be a battle of wills across the board that determines whether the Ravens or Steelers advance to play in the Super Bowl. After eighteen straight weeks of football and many setbacks along the way, the Ravens are a closer team for all of it, and are ready to earn the right to play another day.

 

10/14/08

The Ravens came out of the gate strong this season with two consecutive home wins against divisional opponents. After a tough three game stretch which featured all playoff teams from a season ago and two of the past three Super Bowl champions, this team may be teetering on the brink of another long losing stretch.

After soundly defeating the Bengals and Browns only high praise seemed to be directed towards the team. Some pundits understandably picked apart the Baltimore victories due to the opponents being perceived as second-tier. Still one can admit that with a rookie head coach, rookie quarterback, young offensive line, and aging/ailing defense, two wins to start the season was both unexpected and impressive. These circumstances might result in unfavorable outcomes for others, but for the Ravens it looked like they had found a successful formula to give themselves the best chance of winning.

Any NFL player or coach will tell you that the main goal each week is to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football. Coming into the season that was a serious concern for a group lacking the now retired Jonathan Ogden. Even with the addition of Willie Anderson to the offensive line before week one, it appeared that whoever was going to be lining up under center for the team would be taking quite a beating throughout the regular season. By controlling the line and clock in their first two wins, along with only allowing one sack, this young unit showed what it is capable of when playing together. The following two games were a little more of a struggle due to the caliber of the defenses, yet considering that Pittsburgh and Tennessee bring to the table two of the top overall defenses, both which pride themselves on stopping the run, the Ravens' offensive line held up well. Even after those two physical battles the rushing offense still maintained the number four overall unit in the league before getting thoroughly handled by the Colts' swarming defense which came into the contest as the worst rated run defense in the league.

On the other side of the ball the Ravens' run defense has been excellent, allowing only about sixty-four yards per game. Today the team did allow their first run of over twenty yards and first rushing td, aside from that they were able to maintain a level of respectability when it came to stopping the Colts' offensive line from taking total control of the game. Due to some over-aggressive plays from the secondary and the ability of Peyton Manning and the Colts' line to read and pick up blitzes, for the first time this season the defense was had consistently the entire game. Of course there were some drives in the previous two games where the toughness of Big Ben kept the chains moving, or the veteran savvy of Kerry Collins showed when he got rid of the ball quickly and on target before the blitz could get home. The defense had not been on its heel's until meeting the aerial attack of Indy and has fueled this season's campaign up to this point. Rarely have mental breakdowns and the inability to make a play and get off the field plagued this defense.

Unfortunately for the Baltimore Ravens the few lapses and big plays being made by the opposition have outshined their solid play. I'm sure that this is not much consolation for a team that now sits two games behind a Steelers' team that has been very banged up and has not yet played to their full potential. Yet they have still overcome their deficiencies to secure a 4-1 record. Also at this point the Ravens are only a half a game ahead of a Cleveland team they dominated in week three. Nearly all people in the loop of the NFL circle did not expect them to be able to compete for the AFC North title or a playoff spot, but the men suiting up in the Ravens' purple have to believe they could have easily been 4-1. With that said the whole team has factored in earning their record at this current juncture, and they have the ability to correct any instabilities coming to the forefront on game day. It is either that, or continue down the path they seem to be on and let these problems perpetuate themselves and possibly become more numerous. By that time this Ravens' team could be looking at a slide reminiscent to that of last season when they lost nine straight and were only able to salvage a lone victory against a Pittsburgh team resting a plethora of injured starters. Here is to hoping that this team has too much pride and resilience to allow it to reach that point.
 

4/26/08

Thus far the off-season of the Ravens has been making little news, aside from the recent retirement of Quarterback Steve McNair. It is safe to bet the majority of this time has been devoted to looking at film, visiting various pro days, and grading possible prospects that could assume a role in reviving a franchise consisting of more veteran core players than youthful talent.

A mixture of age and leadership seems to be on a collision course with fresh legs and some wide open eyes. Looking just a day ahead to the draft that could very well be the most important to the team since the first Raven draft in 96', there are certainly a lot of anxious feelings throughout the entire Raven family. It would be wildly ambitious and almost foolish to hope for a draft the caliber of that season, which landed such integral pieces to a budding franchise like Jon Ogden, Ray Lewis, and Jermaine Lewis. Yet still, for this weekend there are probably just as many holes across the board that need to be filled, not only so this upcoming year can be an improvement upon last season, but so there is hope for Baltimore beyond the next few years.

The very first spot looked at on any team is QB. After a successful and taxing tenure as an NFL starting QB Steve McNair has called it a career. No doubt in my mind that his numbers warrant HOF consideration, but the most important attributes he possessed had to be his effort and consummate team first attitude which made him stand out as one of the top QB's during Steve's thirteen seasons at the helm. His departure leaves two men standing for the time being, and Kyle Boller and Troy Smith are both looking forward to leading the new Cam Cameron west coast style offense into battle. Most national media guarantee the Baltimore Ravens want and need to have top rated QB Matt Ryan, on the other hand there are many within the organization, and those who follow the team that believe either Kyle Boller can blossom in a new system or Troy Smith can be the guy that develops into the franchise QB Baltimore has long coveted. Players like Joe Flacco, Chad Henne, and Brian Brohm all have been linked to the Ravens as the man to take over if they fall to the 38th overall selection. I would not be surprised to see Quarterback not addressed until even later with an Andre Woodson. A signal caller will be taken by the Ravens this weekend but it is anyone's guess who it will be, and it is exactly this unpredictability that an NFL Draft is predicated on that will have many fans holding steady to the edge of their seats.

Do not be surprised to see Matt Ryan drop to the number eight spot, and yet watch the Ravens pass on his services. Just because there is a lack of a proven commodity on the current roster, it would be premature and presumptuous to consider his selection a foregone conclusion. If the trade value is there I could even imagine the Ravens moving back a significant amount of slots in the first round to accumulate extra picks for this year or next. There are so many options if that were to happen, you could see James Hardy tabbed as a future #1 receiver, Mike Jenkins brought in to immediately fill a void at cornerback, or even Branden Albert to beef up and bring versatility to the offensive line. Sitting at eight has great value too, due to the variety of needs that every team has in the seven spots ahead of the Ravens, a very highly rated player could drop to eight. Like Adrian Peterson last season, maybe Darren McFadden takes an unexpected plunge with teams trying to bolster their defense or offensive lines. Vernon Gholston could also fall when the most sought after pass rusher, Chris Long comes off the board. It's fathomable that Sedrick Ellis could get the strongest push in the draft room. Or, coinciding with popular opinion and belief, the Ravens pounce on Matt Ryan or Leodis Mckelvin to fill one of their highest needs. With so much in mind, and four extra compensatory picks being awarded, all the Ravens personnel should be set in their mind frame's with an eager focus.

The general idea is to get better now, and build for years to come. Only with a lot of work put in and patience will this come to fruition. Draft another first round QB that does not pan out, and have Boller and Smith fail, and it could set the team back years in development. Be smart with your picks and make sure you have the guys who can flourish in your system and environment, and just maybe you can build something special. The NFL Draft is not an exact science, for every diamond in the rough there are many more bust's. Keeping the faith and trusting instincts will be crucial to the Ravens if they hope to continue the pattern of solid and successful college drafts.

 

3/4/08

    It is a difficult task to place a number value on an important piece in your system that is vital to the underlying function and success. In the draft of 2003, Terrell Suggs appeared to be a lock as a top five selection coming off a record setting year at Arizona State where he posted twenty-four sacks. After the Arizona Cardinals traded out of the 6th spot, most will remember an unexpected series of events with teams rushing to the podium to put in their picks because the Minnesota Vikings were in discussion with Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome for a possible trade up to obtain Byron Leftwich out of Marshall. What looked like a possible blunder on the front office¢s part for not getting their man ended up as a blessing in disguise in retrospect.

    After five seasons Suggs has consistently done what is asked of him and even exceeded most expectations. His durability would be the most overlooked aspect of his game. In his career he has yet to miss a game due to injury. Good fortune may be on his side, but I am sure that his work ethic in the off-season contributes mightily to this fact. During his first season, where he earned defensive rookie of the year honors, his primary function was as a situational pass rusher. With rigorous training and film study, Terrell has evolved into a more complete and versatile player. While his sack numbers have yet to match those of his first year in the league, he continues to improve in pass coverage and can be counted on heavily when trying to stop the run. On a team that does not produce a high number of forced fumbles, Suggs is the exception to the rule, as his nose for the football has helped him cause a decent number of fumbles in his young career. When looking at his development, and how seamlessly he transitions from DE to OLB, it¢s easy to understand his importance to the defense and team.

    Franchising a twenty-five year old on the upside of his career is certainly not a detriment to the organization. After letting Adalius Thomas walk in free agency last season, it was crucial that Baltimore brings back T-Sizzle for the upcoming season and the future. The premium put on rushing the passer elevates the monetary demand teams are willing to dole out to acquire such talent. A little over eight million for the average at the top five of the OLB position does put some heavy cap constraint on the Ravens front office. The team had to restructure contracts for Todd Heap and Jonathan Ogden just to create the room to franchise Suggs. Even though his current number of 8.065 million leaves minimal maneuverability for signing free agents and draft picks, it is well worth the price to keep him in Ravens purple. Terrell Suggs and his agent both feel he should get a contract similar to that of Dwight Freeney's six year, seventy-two million dollar benchmark. Factor in the knowledge that while Freeney is more of a force creating pressure on the QB, Suggs can also cover well in the flats and does an excellent job in run support, so with his larger quantity of responsibilities, his agent and him have a valid discussion point when it comes inking a long term deal. Keeping Terrell off the market was a good idea for the Ravens brass considering the weak crop of free agents thus far in this year¢s class. He would have been highly sought after, and likely even struck a deal worth more than that of Dwight Freeney's.

    Often the franchise tag can cause bitterness and resentment. Players want guaranteed money to have more financial stability for their future, since you can easily have a career threatening/ending injury on or even off the field. For most people slightly more than eight million in one year would be quite a nest egg and nothing to complain about, but with the uncertainty of tomorrow, especially for a professional athlete many players would beg to differ. The Baltimore Ravens know very well the unhappiness the tag can cause. During the 2003 season it was used on Chris Mcalister. After being franchised one season, the tag was placed on him again the following year, this led to a holdout situation, which was finally resolved after signing a long term contract. Throughout the ordeal Mcalister's disenchantment could be detected from even the most unaware eye. Holdouts are now unfortunately common place in today¢s game, and players even speak of the willingness to miss games during the season, which testifies to the fact that a content franchised player is a rarity.

    The good news for the Ravens locker room, fans, and organization as a whole is that Suggs is taking all this in stride. Many players in the same situation would complain, yet Suggs is very happy to continue as a Raven and understands the business and team aspect of getting a deal done. He has been quoted as saying he would love to retire as a Raven and that Baltimore is his city, despite rumors stemming from a misconstrued comment he made about the possibility of being an Arizona Cardinal. What is important is that both he and the team want him to stay in Baltimore. His behavior and professionalism in dealing with his future shows maturity well beyond his years, and provides only more proof that his presence on the team is positive, and makes him an asset to the Baltimore Ravens.

1/29/08

Change is in the air, sweeping into Baltimore with a new set of wings, and bound for flight is Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. There is no doubt Harbaugh is motivated and eager to take on the challenge of coaching each and every player to reach their utmost potential.

After a rollercoaster ride for nine seasons with Brian Billick the organization hopes new blood is just what this team needs to improve upon a dismal season that began with high expectations. Injuries, turnovers, lack of discipline, all these factors seemed very prevalent throughout the football season. There were some good points this past year such as a 4-2 start, a memorable effort against the formidable patriots, and a strong finish against the AFC north champion Steelers. In the end, a nine game losing streak which included a heartbreaking loss to the winless dolphins seemed to have planted the seeds in team owner Steve Bisciotti¢s mind that something had to be done.

Enter, the Ravens third head coach in team history, John Harbaugh. His resume includes stints in college as a positional and also assistant head coach, ranging from Western Michigan to Indiana. After 13 years in the college ranks he joined the Eagles as a special teams coach. He maintained that position until last season when he switched to defensive backs coach. It is known that he was awarded special teams coach of the year amongst his peers on one occasion, and he constantly led a unit ranked towards the top of the league. Harbaugh comes from a football family, his dad a head coach, and his brother former NFL quarterback Jim is now the head coach for Stanford at this time. John played some college football himself at Miami of Ohio as a defensive back. His desire to want to become a head coach grasped the Ravens management and made them believe he has what it takes to run this team, and despite the fact he has no experience as a coordinator at the NFL level, the ravens front office all agreed it would be worth the risk.

Now, comes decision time. The normal state of the ravens address is postponed until a full coaching staff is assembled. Meanwhile, Ozzie Newsome and Eric Decosta and many others are shoulder deep into the scouting/free agency/personnel process. Many questions are on the horizon, and many more lay just in front at the next stop light. The Ravens are not one of the more fortunate teams with a lot of room to maneuver within the salary cap. Heavy contracts like those of Jonathan Ogden, and Steve Mcnair come with questions as well. Who knows if Ogden is willing to play another season? Does Steve Mcnair have another magical season left in his aching body? Only time will tell, but due to the lack of excess cap space some decisions made have to be forced down from the organization. There is only so long you can wait, no matter how much a player has contributed for your team. Stand pact for too long and you lose potential free agent acquisitions that could be very helpful to your team, even more importantly your top drafted talent on your roster may leave to the highest bidder a la Terrell Suggs. Whether this team looks to build mainly in the draft and by re-signing their own free agents, or by making some splashes in free agency, some business decisions will have to rear their ugly head sooner or later.

Looking ahead to the draft and free agency, Baltimore has some holes to fill. Just like every other team in the league there are going to be some spots where the ravens need to add some depth and then there are others where the team may be looking to retool and rebuild. The most glaring weakness in games this season had to be at the cornerback spot. Okay, its true many of the exotic blitz packages the ravens use leave any cornerback vulnerable but you have to be aware of your assignment and not leave another player who is depending on you in a bad spot. Once Mcalister and Rolle went down, the lack of experience, and just general ability often stood out as an area that could be attacked and conquered at any time the opposing offense would like. Corey Ivey is a solid nickel corner, but when he was left alone on the outside he was frequently exploited. With the rest of the younger corners, the game often seemed too fast for them, or they looked lost in terms of identifying their particular responsibility. Drafting a stud cover CB who is strong in run support would go a long way to solidifying this unit in the short and long term.

While contemplating the possibilities of this season you may have to temper your expectations. New head coaches struggle often finding their niche when it comes to leading a team. Recent and past history in the league proves it is not easy to implement a winning formula that is successful and that will also last. This can be seen by the constant turnover in head coaches every season, with the average being about five new positions needing to be filled each off-season. Whether the hiring of John Harbaugh is for the good or the bad remains to be untold until the product hit¢s the field. For now Harbaugh is restlessly game planning his every step, helping to bring in Cam Cameron as his OC made a positive first impression among Raven¢s fans. Also back by the popular demand of many of his players, the fans, and with great support from John Harbaugh is defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Rex Ryan. Although some think bringing Rex back does not bode well for changing the feeling in the locker room, it will be good for continuity among the defensive unit, and positive for the new head coach whom has a familiarity with Ryan after coaching with him for the Cincinnati Bearcats in the collegiate ranks. For now we all wait and hope Harbaugh¢s energy can refresh this team and help them improve upon this past season.



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