ExtremeRavens

1. These may not be the Patriots of 2007, but they are still the Patriots. These Patriots may have lost a game early to a team they usually dominate, and they may have struggled against a questionable Bills team, but they are still the Patriots. Tom Brady is just three games in to a recovery that many times can take a full season, or more. And yet, last week against Atlanta, the Patriots we all fear showed up and dominated a familiar Atlanta Falcons team. Familiar why? Because they are built around a stud second-year quarterback, a dominant run game, and a stout defense. Sound familiar, Ravens? The Ravens have plenty going for them, but it won’t be easy. 2. The Ravens balance on offense gives them hope. The Ravens offensive attack this season might be the league’s most balanced. It’s not just balanced pass-to-rush. The rushing game itself is brilliantly balanced between three runners of varying styles - the speedy Ray Rice, the deceptive Willis McGahee, and the powerful Le’Ron McClain. The team may not be able to put all three on the field for every play, but each is strong enough to keep this offense moving on its own. Even in pass heavy victories against the Chiefs and Browns, the Ravens runners have made an impact. But the real key to the Ravens success on offense is its line. The Ravens line is, for the first time ever, a good at pass protection as it is at opening holes for the running game. The Ravens can open up three and four receiver sets and truly trouble defenses. 3. The Ravens have plenty of holes. Not sure why the Ravens seem to be such favorites in this game around the country, but they are getting a lot of love. I’m not even entirely against it, but it is a bit curious. It was just two weeks ago that Philip Rivers threw for 440 yards against a battered Ravens secondary - without several starters on his offensive line. The Pats offer just as many problems: a steady, deadly quarterback in Tom Brady; a corps of tall, speedy receivers featuring Randy Moss; and a powerful offensive line that specializes in pass blocking. If the Ravens pass rush can’t get to Brady, be wary. If the Ravens secondary can’t handle Moss, be wary. The hope for the Ravens here is that thanks to less-than-super rushing game in New England, the Ravens may be able to devote all of their efforts to the pass rush. But good luck. View the full article

Baltimore Ravens (3-0): The Ravens rolled against Cleveland, not even a hitch in the giddyup. The Ravens offense also continued to impress - scoring 30 points in three consecutive games is not easy, even if two opponents were a bit weak. More importantly for the Ravens, their defense seemed to find some renewed confidence and swagger. It may have only been the Browns, but the team’s four interceptions are nothing to laugh about. Heading to New England this week, however, you can’t exactly expect the same kind of mistakes from Tom Brady as from Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. Put enough pressure on him, however, and you can never be sure. Next Game: @ New England (2-1) Cincinnati Bengals (2-1): The Bengals pulled the upset at home as predicted here (and many other places). It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t even cute. For three quarters the Bengals were pretty well handled by the Steelers, and then the Bengals offense showed up and made some plays. But a win is a win, and the Bengals are second in the division. It’s hard to tell what to believe about the Bengals this season. Their defense was still stout against the Steelers, but the Steelers offense has struggled mightily this season. And the Bengals offense only came together at the end. What we do know is that with a re-energized Carson Palmer, they can be trouble. Next Game: @ Cleveland (0-3). Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2): (more…) View the full article

After watching the dominating Ravens win Sunday, in addition to the earlier games this season, it really seems that Joe Flacco is continuing to improve. He looks better now than he did his rookie season, and that was a pretty impressive rookie campaign. After the game I couldn’t help but think how if things were different Flacco may not be advancing the way he is. In some ways I can see it being possible that he would not even be playing yet at this point. Going into last season the Ravens had Kyle Boller, Troy Smith, and Joe Flacco as their QBs. While Coach John Harbaugh was quiet about his plans to name a starter most thought it was going to be Boller by default, and Boller did start the first preseason game. Some thought it was going to be Troy Smith. Most people I talked to or listened to did not think it was going to be or should be Flacco. I think a lot of fans would not have been happy if at the start of training camp Flacco would have been named starter. A lot of fans, and some former players and coaches, worry about starting a rookie QB too soon. They say it is possible to ‘ruin’ them due to too much pressure and them not being ready to handle it. I don’t buy that myself, it’s a really tough position both mentally and physically so my thought is that if a QB starts his rookie year and doesn’t turn into a good QB than I don’t think he would have after sitting a year or so either. Harbaugh’s choice as a starter was taken out of his hands when both Boller and Smith went down in the preseason and Flacco had to take most of the snaps. In Boller’s case he hurt his shoulder against the Vikings and was out for the year. Troy Smith had a rare and dangerous form of tonsillitis that hospitalized him and had him unable to practice for a while after that. (more…) View the full article

Watching the Ravens against the Browns on Sunday, I felt something I haven’t truly felt watching the Ravens in a long time. It didn’t entirely strike me as I was watching the game, but I certainly realized as I reflected a bit on the trouncing of the Browns. There was never a moment, not even an instant, during that game where I thought this Ravens team would not complete the blowout. There wasn’t even a fleeting thought in the back of my head that it could even be a close game. It simply didn’t exist. And looking back on the game, the Ravens seem to have been filled with the same emotion. They were relaxed; they were just playing football. And playing it well. It’s an indescribably weird feeling. There is supposed to be some kind of drama, some kind of suspense, in football. There are supposed to be big plays on both sides and “What if…” moments. There’s supposed to be that any given Sunday, any given play mentality. But it simply didn’t exist. Both on offense and on defense, the Ravens looked like a team in absolute control. Not necessarily in control of the Browns, but in control of what they were going to do. It wasn’t so much swagger, as we saw in 2000 under Billick. It was that subtle, simple, understated confidence in their ability - their ability to drive 90 yards on 16 plays or drive 70 yards on just three plays, their ability to make a stop on 4th and goal or their ability to make an interception at any moment. But comfortable can be a bad thing sometimes. We’ve seen the Ravens get complacent before - we’ve seen them give up little plays expecting to make big plays. We’ve seen them settle for a run expecting the defense to pick up the slack. Personally, I don’t see that with this Ravens team. I see their comfort as having a soothing effect, relieving the anxiety that “the only way to win is to be perfect.” In reality, there’s not a lot you can do about how the other team is going to perform - you can only impact how you are going to perform. So what do you think? Are you seeing the same thing? Are you worried that this team might get too comfortable, too confident? Is it giving you hope or worry with a big game in New England on the docket? View the full article

First, in case you hadn’t heard already… this blog has been nominated for a Mobbie! That would be a Baltimore Sun award a one of Maryland’s Outstanding Blogs. We are nominated both as a Sports blog and a Ravens blog. Click the link to the right to vote for us! You can vote once per day for the next two weeks. Show the world you love your ExtremeRavens and One Winning Drive. But here are some other random thoughts … –Steve Tasker brought up an interesting point from John Harbaugh during yesterday’s Ravens victory. Harbaugh said that he expects the Ravens defense to give up more yards as the team’s offense improves. It sounds a bit funky at first, but it seems somewhat valid. As the Ravens score more points, they are putting pressure on opponents to score more points as well. Which means instead of just trying to grind it out and not make mistakes against the Ravens, opposing teams are going to let loose. I’m not entirely sure how much I buy it, mainly because I don’t buy that other teams weren’t trying to get yards against us before. But additionally, I think when opponents really press to move the ball against this defense, they will force themselves into mistakes and ultimately hurt their own cause. But there may be some merit to the view that with a good offense, its hard to keep defensive numbers perfect. –I don’t mean to hate on Rex Ryan and crew, but I’m not buying the Jets quite yet. They’ve won some great games and looked pretty strong… but I just don’t buy that their defense is the league’s best. And I really don’t buy that their offense can win games for them when necessary. The Jets beat the Patriots and Titans, both formidable opponents, but both at home. And both with glaring weaknesses. First, the Titans, for as good as they “should” be, were 0-2 heading into New York. They lost a close game to Pittsburgh in overtime, giving up well over 300 yards passing to Big Ben and company. Then in Week 2 they gave up 34 points to the Texans. The Texans, people. The Titans are not the force they were last year, and they ran all over the Jets. Meanwhile, the Patriots are a big question mark right now. Maybe I’ll change my mind after the Ravens game this weekend, but for now, they are a question mark. The Pats defense has been suspect since last season - and the Jets weren’t exactly able to exploit that weakness. Meanwhile, the Pats offense lacks a running game in any way, shape or form. Which opens up all kinds of opportunities for Rex Ryan and his pass rush madness. Bottom line… the Jets have been playing well, but I think there are weaknesses that will be exposed. The Titans were able to run on the Jets, they just weren’t able to hold the ball. There are paths to glory here. –The AFC North will be a lot of fun this season… short of the Browns. The Bengals late upset of the Steelers yesterday not only put a twinkle of great hope into the eyes of all Ravens fans (a two game lead on the Steelers?!) but also solidified the Bengals as true contenders. Perhaps what is scariest about the Bengals is that they have been successful despite mediocre play from Carson Palmer. If (when?) Palmer finds his way back to the star he once was, that team will be scary. Meanwhile, the Bengals-Ravens match-up two weeks away looks stellar - it may prove to be the Ravens first true test offensively (depending on the Pats game). View the full article

Offensive Game Ball: Derrick Mason. Actually, lots of good news to go around on offense. But for 800 career receptions and one of the most fun TD receptions in recent memory - it goes to the vet and the leader. Mason made some nice catches throughout the game, a few for first downs, a few classic outs. But his 72 yard reception, turning to the ball, shaking the defender and strutting into the endzone: priceless. Yellow Game Ball: Mike Furrey, Browns. The Browns wide out actually had a decent game when all was said and done, totaling four catches for 40 yards. And a few of those catches stung the Ravens. What wasn’t so hot, though, was his reception on the Browns first play of the game. Furrey caught the ball crossing about five yards out and promptly planted his bum on the turf. Seeing Ray Lewis out of the corner of your eye, Mike? Take the hit. [Honorable Mention to Eric Mangini opting for the field goal with the score 27-0 in the fourth quarter.] Don’t Blink Game Ball: Domonique Foxworth. Foxworth helped get Brady Quinn benched with his first quarter pick. I’m not sure whether he was tipped off by coaches or just did his film study, but with Braylon Edwards running straight at him, trying to sell the fly route, Foxworth didn’t move. Seriously, he didn’t flinch a muscle. And when Edwards let up and turned for the hook, Foxworth coolly stepped in front and took the pick. He also did his best Ed Reed impersonation, perilously pitching the ball to Reed for a few extra yards on the return. (more…) View the full article

Just under two hours to game time and I’m trying to remember what the storyline on this game is. I suppose at one point it may have been about Jamal Lewis coming back and playing the Ravens - that’s always interesting, right? Not really. Lewis had some decent games against the Ravens, but Ravens fans especially have never had it out for Lewis now that he’s on the Browns. I don’t really think that Lewis has it in for the Ravens either. Oh, and did I mention that Lewis won’t be playing today, anyway. Some in the press are trying to play the “can the Ravens handle this success” card. That’s just silly. The Ravens went 11-5 last year and made it to the AFC Championship - with virtually the same roster. They can handle the success. They also proved last year that they know how to win games they should win. They even won games they weren’t supposed to win. Week 1 might have been a scare against the Chiefs, but minus two big mistakes, and that game is a 100% blowout. Sorry, but there is no story this week. Here’s what the story should be: Can the Ravens put up enough points to overtake the Saints as the league’s #1 scoring offense? Probably not. Can they at least hold on to #2? Probably. View the full article

Three Predictions: 1. Two Ravens runners will top 100 yards. That’s pretty bold, right? I’m leaning towards Willis McGahee and Ray Rice, obviously. Not sure that there are even enough carries in one game to get them both other 100 yards, but it only really takes one big run (and the Browns specialize in making this available). 2. It won’t be a shut-out. As much as Ravens fans and the team want it, the Browns are going to score. This Ravens defense is not there yet, especially not with Josh Cribbs helping out with field position. Not sure if the Browns will find the endzone or not (based on yesterday’s score prediction, I’m leaning towards not), but they will put something up on the scoreboard. But man, what would a shut out do for the Ravens points allowed average! 3. The Bengals will upend the Steelers. Ok, so this one isn’t Ravens, obviously. But there’s only so much to say about Ravens-Browns. Looking at the other division game this weekend, I’m loving the Bengals. Their defense is more legitimate than most think at the moment, and with the Steelers unable to run and vulnerable to the sack, there’s hope for Cincy. I also love Hines Ward saying that Pitt isn’t worried about their running game because the passing attack can handle it - for how long, Hines? Three Questions: 1. Will the Ravens big play defense show up? The Ravens are facing a pair of back-up runners (one a rookie). Their also facing an inexperience quarterback leading a sloppy offense. The turnovers should be there for the taking - so will the Ravens take them? I expect a couple of turnovers, of course. But the bigger question is can the Ravens turn one into their signature scoring play? Fans are waiting - Ed Reed, Fabian Washington, Haloti Ngata, we’re looking at you. 2. Will the Ravens secondary improve? It better, given the opponent is far less advanced than San Diego was last week, but we all still have doubts. Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said the defense will be returning to more standard secondary arrangements, hopefully keeping everyone on the same page and (we can only hope) in the right position. It would also help if he taught his smaller corners how to defend a pass, and not just run stride for stride with a receiver. But we can only hope for so much in a week. 3. Will the Browns implode? Their play on the field has already collapsed, obviously. That’s not really the question. But the whole team seems on the verge of absolute self-destruction. If the Ravens really pound the Browns, it might just be enough to send them over the edge and on the path to being one of the truly memorable bad teams in football history. Ray Lewis has a history of leaving bad memories for opponents, we can only hope he delivers here. View the full article

Ravens Rush Attack vs. Browns Rush Defense The Browns rush defense could be one of the worst in league history, even relative to other Browns defenses in recent memory. And as bad as they have been, the Texans are actually still worse at the moment, statistically. Regardless, the Browns have allowed more than 400 yards rushing in just two games. And the Ravens? Well, they only bring the league’s fourth best rush attack to the game. While no individual Raven is going to have Adrian Peterson-type numbers at the end of the day (180 yards and 3 TDs), you can bet that the Ravens are going to get as much as they can on the ground. Any of the Ravens three runners (Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain) could handle this defense alone. And with the help of the Ravens offensive line, which has been downright dominant on the ground this season, you can expect to see defenders blown off the ball play after play. Edge: Ravens Ravens Pass Attack vs. Browns Pass Defense: (more…) View the full article

Whooooooooops. Ok, so first things first… It’s a football, not a mini-helmet! Our mistake. The mini-helmet is signed by Kyle Boller, which we assume is slightly less valuable to current Ravens fans. Maybe we’ll just toss it… So once again, here are the details. The commenter to submit the 500th comment to this blog will win this Todd Heap signed football (purchased through NFL Auctions, so you know it’s legit). Spam and fluff comments will be deleted and not counted. It’s that simple. You post comment 500, you win the football. Additionally, the winner of the football will have the chance to be entered in another contest later in the season! We’re still not even at 100 comments, but that can change quickly with a few clicks/comments per post. We’re expecting this football will be given away before season’s end - if not before the end of October. So get posting! We want to know what you’re thinking! View the full article

Thursday is usually the day where we break down the big match-up or big story of the week. Usually. Honestly, there isn’t one story in the Ravens-Browns game coming up on Sunday worth an entire column. Not one. There’s just nothing too interesting in this match-up, nothing the Browns are about that is worth a few hundred words. So instead, here are three half-hearted items that the Ravens need to think about heading into Sunday… 1. Josh Cribbs. The Ravens kick and punt coverage improved in Week 2 against the dangerous Darren Sproles, thanks in large part to great kicks by both Steven Hauschka and Sam Koch. If there is one returner more dangerous than Sproles right now, it’s Cribbs. Sproles nearly broke a few big kick returns and his impact on field position hurt the Ravens defensive effort. The Ravens need to more than match their effort from last week to contain Cribbs. 2. Braylon Edwards. If you want to talk about big, fast receivers, you want to talk about Edwards. Personally, I’m still having nightmares about Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers, I can’t even handle thinking about Edwards. The only threat the Ravens need to consider when the Browns have the ball is Edwards. If Brady Quinn can put the ball in the air, Edwards has a good shot of bringing it down. Last week Edwards caught six passes for more than 90 yards in a loss. 3. The Big Play. Let’s do the math together. Cribbs plus Edwards equals a dangerous mix and a good possibility of some big plays. We saw in Week 1 how just a pair of big plays can make any game look close. One interception… one big pass… one kick/punt return… A mistake here, a mistake there; it all adds up. The Ravens biggest worry, and our biggest worry as fans, should be the possibility that our defense continues to let up the big play. The Browns aren’t heavy on talent. They aren’t loaded with heart at the moment either. But it only takes one player and one play to change a game. The Browns have more than a few individuals that can really make a difference even in the face of a floundering franchise. But in the end… don’t bet against the Ravens. View the full article

Baltimore Ravens (2-0). The Ravens offense appears for real. For the second straight week, the unit put up more than 30 points (all by the offense alone) and is now second in the league in points scored. In fact, if not for Drew Brees and the Saints, this team would probably be #1 overall. With the Browns coming to town, another 30 point week doesn’t appear out of the question. The question appears to be when this defense will show signs of the dominant force it once was. The Ravens are a popular pick for number in power polls across the country, but even local fans know there are signs that might not last long. This Week: vs. Browns (0-2). Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1). The Steelers lost a brutal defensive battle in Chicago to fall to 1-1. The defense was dominant throughout most of the game, but it was the Steelers offense that struggled. For the second straight week (and beginning the second straight season), the Steelers seem to have lost their rush attack. With an embattled offensive line as well, offensive production is falling to Big Ben, whose body can only take so many poundings. The Steelers had many opportunities to win this game, including a pair of Jeff Reed field goal misses, but never closed the door. Unlike last week, this is un-classic Steelers football. This Week: @ Cincinnati (1-1) (more…) View the full article

As ExtremeRavens continues to celebrate it’s fifth birthday, Dan and I have decided to add a little spice to our blog. We’re looking for a person to make the 500th comment here at One Winning Drive. Comments can’t be fluff, must be relevant to the blog entry and (of course) can’t be spam. So, who’s gonna win this very easy contest? It’s up to you! And to make things interesting, the winner will be entered into a second contest where the winner could score tickets to a 2010 Ravens game! View the full article

Are you more impressed with the Ravens offense or more worried about the Ravens defense through their first two games? The numbers… Ravens Offense: 2nd in total points, 3rd in total yards, 13th in pass yards, 4th in rush yards, 1st in first downs, 3rd in time of possession Ravens Defense: 23rd in total points, 17th in total yards, 2th in pass yards, 1st in rush yards, 4th in first downs Also worth noting… All of the Ravens points this season have been scored by the offense - no defensive TDs to pad that stat so far! View the full article

In Week 1, when Brodie Croyle threw two touchdowns and manufactured back-to-back scoring drives in the air, most Ravens fans and players called it a fluke, a sign of the unit’s complacency. Now in Week 2, following Philip Rivers monster 440 yard game, some of that reassuring “it won’t happen again” mentality is fading - and many fans are wondering not if it will happen, but when it will start to affect the Ravens record. The Ravens secondary play this season should be a big concern for the Ravens and their fans. With the exception of two interceptions against Rivers on Sunday, there has been little to get excited about. The unit has been bounced in every possible way - confused by play action, outrun on deep balls, and out of position on screens and crosses. Here are four reasons the Ravens secondary has looked so bad - things we all should have seen coming - and how to fix it. View the full article

Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes. Pulled that one out. Nice game on both sides, scary on both sides, impressive on both sides. Ravens sneak by. Defensive Game Ball: Ray Lewis.Gotta start where it ended. Not only did Lewis make the tackle that ended the game, beautifully reading the Chargers’ blocking scheme and meeting Darren Sproles 4 yards in the backfield, but he also controlled Sproles throughout the second half. After Sproles and the Chargers abused the Ravens defense on screens and swings, the Ravens assigned Lewis the task of hawking the speedy back. In the second half, Sproles’ big screens were far less damaging. Lewis had a forced fumble, an innumerable number of tackles, and was one of the few highlights of an otherwise forgettable defensive performance. Two-Face Ball: Dawan Landry. It was the tale of two halves for Landry. In the first half, he needed a GPS to find his way around the field. Landry lost Sproles on the Chargers 70+ yard screen to score in the first, and found himself out of position or turned around frequently. It’s hard to deny that my mind occasionally wandered to Jim Leonhard’s spirited campaign at safety last season. But in the second half, Landry found himself and turned his game around - intercepting Rivers once and almost doing it a second time later in the third. Winner / Whiner Ball: Philip Rivers. (more…) View the full article

Three Questions: 1. Can the Ravens pass rush shake Philip Rivers? Rivers is used to getting hit - he’s hardly the least sacked quarterback in the league. But Rivers thrives despite his line’s deficiencies and is still one of the league’s most productive and dangerous quarterbacks. If the Ravens can’t rattle him, he’ll be in the game until the end. That’s you we’re looking at, Terrell Suggs and Trevor Pryce. 2. Can Joe Flacco eliminate the mistakes? Big mistakes are not Flacco’s big weakness. He makes small mistakes - overthrows and missed receivers - that have small consequences. But against a good team, small mistakes can turn into big mistakes. Flacco can’t be flinging the ball around recklessly on this defense. 3. Can Michael Oher and Jared Gaither handle Shawne Merriman? Merriman was a non-factor last week in Oakland for the Chargers, but it was his first full game back from last season’s injury. If the Ravens expect to be able to pass the ball, they’ll have to protect against Merriman’s attack - and the youngsters on the corner will have to do it. Three Predictions: 1. Todd Heap will outshine Antonion Gates. It’s not just that Heap is back in rhythm, but Joe Flacco clearly knows how to use the big man. Heap will make an impact for the second straight week and confirm what many in the league have feared: he is still one of the league’s most impressive tight ends. 2. Darren Sproles will not top 50 yards on the ground. If Sproles is going to change this game, it’s going to be receiving out of the backfield and on special teams. While the “thunder and lightning” tandems have trouble the Ravens in past, the defense can handle just speed - which is all Sproles has going for him. 3. Turnovers will rule. This game will be decided by mistakes - who makes more and when they make them. Neither the Ravens or Chargers have proved to be mistake-free yet (on offense or defense). But a big mistake or two will burn the losing team. Don’t think the Ravens can survive a blocked punt and 70-yard interception return this week. View the full article

Ravens Rush Attack vs. Chargers Rush Defense: The Chargers defense is not quite the feared force it was growing into in 2006 and 2007. They are a decent at stopping the rush, but not superb, allowing just over 100 yards a game in 2008 and allowing well over 100 yards on the ground against the Raiders. The Chargers will struggle mightily with the Ravens multi-faceted rush attack, especially if the Ravens return to their run-oriented gameplan and control the clock. Even with limited touches, the Ravens showed they know how to use their running weapons, getting quality touches to Ray Rice, Willis McGahee and even Le’Ron McClain. We may not see any back top 100 yards on their own, but the Ravens expect to be pushing 200 yards as a team on a weekly basis. Edge: Ravens. Ravens Pass Attack vs. Chargers Pass Defense: (more…) View the full article

There are only a handful of teams in the NFL who can create a little worry for the Ravens defense, and the San Diego Chargers should be one of them. Any other given week, the key to a Ravens victory will lie almost entirely on the offense, but not when an attack as well-rounded as the Chargers presents itself. The Chargers present one of the most well-rounded, versatile offensive attacks in the league; they have for the past few seasons. Start with one of the league’s most dangerous running backs, LaDainian Tomlinson, add in a a speedy compliment, Darren Sproles, a rifle-armed quarterback, Philip Rivers, and the league’s best tight end, Antonio Gates; it all adds up to trouble. In fact, the Chargers offense represents everything the Ravens want their offense to be. As Ravens fans have learned over the past 13 seasons, a one-dimensional attack is easy to handle. Even if your rushing game is outstanding, a team that can only run the ball faces serious limitations. But balance - the ability to run or throw with deadly execution on any play - presents a real problem for even the best defenses in the league. It’s the ultimate catch-22, a paradox: if you blitz the pass, Darren Sproles will be in the secondary before you’re in the backfield; if you squeeze the run, Philip Rivers will pick you apart. The Ravens defense is not out-matched, by any stretch of the imagination. We all know that the Ravens can handle just about anyone when they are on top of their game. But that’s the key, the Ravens will have to be far more perfect in San Diego than they were against the Chiefs. Missed assignments, missed tackles, lost footing - it will all spell disaster if it happens this Sunday because the Chargers won’t let an opponent get away with it. On the ground, the Ravens biggest challenge will be containing the speedy Darren Sproles. LaDainian Tomlinson is recovering from a number of minor injuries, including a tweaked ankle, and will likely get limited touches on Sunday, if he plays at all. But Sproles is capable of handling the ground game all by his lonesome, even against a stout Ravens defense. If the Ravens overcommit, Sproles will burn them. But here’s where the conundrum builds. While containing Sproles may require an element of patience, containing Philip Rivers and the Chargers’ pass attack is all about the blitz. If you saw any of the Raiders-Chargers game on Monday, you saw what Rivers can do with a little bit of time - even without a corps of big name receivers. To rattle Rivers, the Ravens have to hit him and hit him hard. Luckily for the Ravens, their saving grace may come in the form of an injury report. The Chargers are banged-up, especially along the offensive line. At present, it is looking more and more likely that they will be without a pair of starters from Monday - when San Diego allowed three sacks. Add Tomlinson to the list of questionable starters, and things are looking up for the Ravens defense. Regardless, the Ravens defense will have to be at its very best on Sunday to contain an explosive and balanced Chargers attack. Oh, and a few signature turnovers wouldn’t hurt either… View the full article

In case you’ve missed it, Bills return man Leodis McKelvin was the victim of a vandal’s attack last night. McKelvin’s lawn was vandalized last night, with the 25-24 final score to the Bills loss to the Patriots painted onto his front lawn with obscenities. Police have not released more information. Read more about the incident here. McKelvin fumbled a kickoff return in the final minutes of the Bills-Pats game on Monday night. With the Bills leading the game and less than three minutes left in the game, McKelvin opted not to take the kick as a touchback. After a solid 30-yard return, McKelvin had the ball knocked out of his arms as he was tackled. The Patriots recovered and later scored to win the game. Regardless of how you feel McKelvin or any other professional athlete, these types of crimes are pathetic and should not be condoned. Hopefully, no one is getting any bright ideas when they read this story. It’s not our job to punish players - they have bosses in the forms of coaches and owners to do that. Football is a game, no matter how strongly we may feel about it as fans, and we need to remember that. Boo, hiss, write mean things on message boards - but leave players alone off the field. View the full article

Not too many surprises in the AFC North in Week 1… but here’s the breakdown… Baltimore Ravens: W (1-0) against Chiefs (0-1). The Ravens aired it out and totaled more than 500 yards of total offense - good for best in the AFC and second best in the NFL. But we didn’t really learn too much about this Ravens team. Beating up on what may be the league’s worst team, and giving up some big plays at crucial times, doesn’t bode well. In short, the Ravens are still a mystery. Don’t bet on 500 yards against the Steelers. This Week: at San Diego (1-0). Pittsburgh Steelers: W (1-0) against Titans (0-1). Classic Steelers football on Thursday. The defense took a few drives to find its feet, but shut the Titans down later in the game and never let things get out of hand. Big Ben and the offense took a few shots, but made the plays when they had to. Many fans had to be wondering why the Steelers were even in the game in the third quarter - but that’s how good football teams play. This week: at Chicago (0-1). Cleveland Browns: L (0-1) against Vikings (1-0). The Browns introduced themselves as the division whipping boys this season with a blowout loss against Minnesota. The Vikings proved they are deserving of mentions as Super Bowl contenders, running and throwing all over the Browns. Brady Quinn and the offense showed some signs of life, but never made it count against a tough Vikings defense. This week: at Denver (1-0). (more…) View the full article

When Baltimore’s 1300 AM became a totally ESPN radio station (it was once a blend of ESPN radio content and local sportscasters), it seemed to signal a shift in the legitimacy of sports talk in Baltimore. The availability of ESPN’s full lineup (from Mike & Mike to Scott Van Pelt) provides the city with a national view of sports, something that was severely lacking in this town. One of my main complaints with the former 1300 AM was the onslaught of commercials. Obviously, the ads are needed to bring in revenue to the station, but at times these commercial breaks lasted a good five minutes. That’s a long time when there are no visuals (like on television) to help break up the monotony of sound. Unfortunately, since the station’s switch, the ad blitzkrieg has seemingly taken a turn for the worst. Driving home from downtown Baltimore, I was keyed up to hear the start of the second of two games being broadcast for Monday Night Football’s opening night. Instead, I was thrust into 12 minute hell of advertisement after advertisement after advertisement. Twelve minutes. In case you’re wondering, I traveled from M&T Bank Stadium on 395 to Route 100 in Columbia in the time span. The broadcast started with the announcers in mid-sentence explaining that the Raiders were now on their second possession. That’s a darn shame. And it isn’t ESPN’s fault. This same nonsense occurs on a daily basis on Baltimore’s 1300 AM. Try catching the traffic report on this station. They’ll introduce the traffic reporter. And the traffic music will play. But there won’t be any traffic report. What you will get, underneath the mundane music, is another ad in the background. This station used to be a proud and reliable station. Now, one has to wonder if the powers that be aren’t trying to sabatoge ESPN’s market share in favor of their own sports commentators were moved to the FM dial. Maybe just a little? View the full article

Joe Flacco is not Trent Dilfer. That not certainly does not come as a surprise to any fan of the Ravens. But around the league, to other fans and commentators, Flacco was nothing more than a glorified Trent Dilfer throughout his rookie season. Take a glance at the numbers though, especially the Ravens heavy reliance on the run (nearly 40 attempts per game), and it is easy to see why anyone not intimately familiar with the Ravens would confuse the two. Flacco’s mediocre 80.3 passer rating certainly didn’t help his cause, either. But on Sunday against the Chiefs, Flacco stood up and put the Ravens offensive attack on his shoulders in a way that Trent Dilfer never did. And, with all respect to Dilfer, Flacco did so in a way Dilfer would never be able to. (more…) View the full article

One game in and the debate is already raging. The Ravens won their first fight of the new season, amassed more than 500 yards of total offense, and exploded with four second half touchdowns. And yet a debate rages on. Did the Ravens throw too much against the Chiefs? The answer is probably yes. But the question is stupid. (more…) View the full article

It may not have been the prettiest win the Ravens have had - especially not as double digit favorites at home - but it was still a win and impressive in many ways. The 38-24 final in the Ravens win over the Chiefs doesn’t even sound like a score from the Ravens in recent years, but eager fans will take it. Offensive Game Ball: Joe Flacco. To open his second season, Flacco set career highs in touchdowns, passing yards and passing attempts. He topped 300 yards for the first time in his career as well. Despite a few overthrown balls and a brutal interception that really had the Ravens spinning, Flacco managed the game well and showed that he is no Trent Dilfer. The Raven said they were going to test this offense’s limits, and they did it perfectly today. Flacco never looked overmatched and the offense fired on just about all cylinders. Welcome-Back Ball: Todd Heap. Between injuries and blocking assignments in recent years, most Ravens fans had forgotten why Heap made it to a pair of Pro Bowls and was once considered among the league’s most dangerous tight ends. Today, they remembered what it’s like to see a tight end simply dominate a defense. Heap had five catches for more than 70 yards and a momentum-changing touchdown. Defenses beware: the Mormon is stormin’ again. (more…) View the full article