ExtremeRavens

Apologies for the brief break from this last week… but it was Thanksgiving, no one was going to read it anyway, and it was the Bengals. We all lived, right? So moving on… The Redskins come right up I-95 on Sunday in a fairly important game for the Ravens. Winning home games, especially in this final stretch, it crucial for the Ravens. But no, one of the match-ups will not be the Ravens vs. their fear of the primetime. They will have to get over it themselves. And you’ll have to look up the numbers on that yourself if you want to know anything about it. Here are my two key match-ups heading into Sunday night… Ravens’ Defense vs. Redskins’ Offense Ravens DBs vs. QB Jason Campbell The Redskins offense is much like the Ravens, especially with their “rush first, ask questions later” mentality. But in recent weeks, the Redskins have struggled as their powerful rush attack as stuttered and left the game in the hands of Jason Campbell too often. Proof? Clinton Portis has been slowed by nagging injuries and has topped 100 yards just once in his last four games, after eclipsing the 100-yard mark in six straight games. And Jason Campbell has been throwing the ball more often too - in the same four game period, Campbell has more attempts than in all but one game earlier in the season. The result? Well, the Redskins are 1-3 over their last four games, averaging just over 10 points per game, and suddenly, Jason Campbell has learned to turn the ball over. A popular story line earlier in the year, Campbell was approaching the NFL record for pass attempts without an interception. It took until Week Nine this year for Campbell to throw his first pick. He still has thrown just four all season, but all four have come in his last four games. Enter the Ravens. (more…) View the full article

No time to mince words, just be blunt: it was a rough week for the Top Ten. Three of last week’s top ten lost, and three more snuck away with wins in the most absurd of ways. The Patriots and Cardinals fell out of the rankings this week. The Patriots lost to the Steelers by a wide margin at home. In a sentence, they offense got shut down and the defense failed to show up. It was almost expected though; defense has been the Patriots’ problem all season long. For the Cardinals, they just got outplayed by the Eagles. In the process, they lost yet another chance to clinch their division. Though, I must admit, it would be kind of fun to see a team get into the playoffs at 7-9. The two new arrivals this week, taking over the spots of the Pats and Cards, are the Cowboys and Falcons. Both teams have won eight games and are fighting for the second wild card position in the NFC. Unfortunately, both will likely end the season with better records than the winners of the NFC North and NF C West. The full list is after the jump… (more…) View the full article

Quarterback: B+ Flacco had his best statistical game of the season. He threw for 280 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and had several successful rush attempts as well. But even so, Joltin’ Joe left something to be desired. While the heavy pass rush was hardly his fault, Flacco was not at his in terms of decision-making. He seemed just a second behind at times, leading to incomplete passes and scrambling throw-aways. Running backs: B+ Le’Ron McClain topped 80 yards for the second straight game and pancaked the Bengals defense. His quick feet continue to impress, especially given his size and look - he looks like a fullback because he is a fullback. Ray Rice saw limited playing time and limited success. Willis McGahee did not play, which has to leave us all wondering what’s going on. Regardless, the running game was successful, but not perfect. Wide Receivers: A Last week it was the defensive backs who got an A for perhaps the first time in our report card’s history… The only thing less likely? Giving an A to the receiving corps, and yet, here we are. Derrick Mason was his usual steady self. Todd Heap found his way into the mix, including a touchdown reception. And then Mark Clayton showed up. Clayton proved that with a good quarterback, receivers do not need to be wide open. They are receivers for a reason - they can catch. (more…) View the full article

If you want to talk about one-sided games, the Ravens-Bengals match-up today is a perfect place to start. The Ravens came out strong and never let the question of the “trap game” enter the picture. With the exception of one, late first half drive, the Bengals never even came close to changing the feel or tempo of the game. Here are a few points to consider as we enjoy our celebration… The Ravens defense was at its very best once again. Jim Leonhard’s 4th quarter interception, the only forced turnover in the game, was a nice surprise to round things out. But the Ravens defense was strong all game long. While they were not creating turnovers or racking up a ton of sacks, the pressure on quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was evident all game. Fitzpatrick completed just two passes through the first 25 minutes of the game, with most of the incomplete attempts being knocked down and swatted by Ravens defenders at all levels.Le’Ron McClain was glad to take advantage of a battered Bengals defensive front. The best part about watching McClain is how happy he looks going up the middle and dishing out as many hits as he takes. In my mind, McClain looks more and more like Jerome Bettis every week he gets to carry the ball. That’s not a bad thing. The biggest McClain worry, however, has to be the sudden development of some slick fingers. Rain contributed, but Le’Ron lost the ball a number of times today and that cannot happen against better opponents.Joe Flacco had perhaps his best game of his short career. Flacco, despite being sacked multiple times and feeling the pressure on a regular basis, was able to really show off his arm strength and his touch. Flacco had two touchdowns and nearly 300 yards passing while completing nearly 70% of his passes. Quite the day for the young gun, who mixed short and long throws together nicely. Flacco even found Todd Heap a few times, including one pass for a touchdown.No, I did not forget about Mark Clayton. Clayton had his second huge game of the season, but this game was certainly his biggest ever. Clayton not only corralled a few big catches, but threw for a touchdown as well. It was his one-handed 70-yard reception, though, that we will be watching and talking about for weeks. Cheers all around to Mr Clayton.Defensively, the Ravens effort was strong all game long. The unit appeared to lose focus in the winding moments of the first half, but still only allowed a field goal. There was no singular stand-out, but a few players deserve mention. Fabian Washington had Chad Johnson locked down most of the game. Bart Scott scored big in protecting the run. Jarrett Johnson and Haloti Ngata both had great games pressuring the entire Bengals line. And of course Jim Leonhard deserves a sentence all to himself for doing his best Ed Reed impersonation - it was spot on.The only downside for the Ravens today? Their offensive line struggled to protect Flacco throughout the game. Again, against stronger opponents, such mistakes will not be tolerable. Flacco survived on his own wits, but not by much. The other down side? The Browns were unable to upset the Colts, leaving the Ravens in a tight playoff battle. Perhaps the Pats can help the Ravens, though.Gameballs: Mark Clayton and Jim Leonhard.More to come this week as there is plenty to discuss from Frank Walker’s benching to Willis McGahee’s disappearance… and yes, we can even talk special teams and coaching… View the full article

Just a quick peek at the rankings right now, the rest will follow tomorrow… The Giants hold onto to the top spot in the rankings for the second straight week, but the Titans loss to the Jets cost them the number two position. The Jets, on a five-game winning streak, have taken that spot from the Titans, along with their hopes of staying undefeated. Moving through the Top 10, you will not find too many changes. The Panthers loss to their division-rival Falcons cost them a few spots, but most of the other leaders won this week. The biggest change in our Top 10 this week: The Redskins, despite a close win over the Seahawks, have fallen from the number nine position. Replacing them in the rankings are the Ravens, who beat up on the Eagles on Sunday. The AFC is slowly but surely asserting its dominance in the rankings, it appears… Rank Team LW 2008 Record Ups and Downs1 Giants 1 10-1 They can beat up good defenses. They can out-gun good offenses. What more do they need?2 Jets 4 8-3 Brett Favre is getting all the glory, but it was Thomas Jones that did all the dirty work. 3 Titans 2 10-1 The Jets were the first true offensive threat they faced all season, and they Titans stumbled. Bad news ahead: they still have to faced a reenergized Colts team in the coming weeks.4 Buccaneers 5 8-3 Slow and steady wins the race. Is there a more apt description of Jeff Garcia and this offense?5 Steelers 7 8-3 Talk about a tough final run: New England, Baltimore and Tennessee… all on the road.6 Colts 8 7-4 Riding a four game winning streak already and their next three opponents have a combined five wins. 10-4, here they come.7 Panthers 3 8-3 Not only did the loss cost them control of the division, it made them a target. The Falcons are now just a game behind and the Saints just two.8 Patriots 10 7-4 I continue to stand by my assertion: this team has a problem on defense. What happens when Cassel and the offense get shut down? Can the Pats stop anyone from scoring?9 Cardinals 6 7-4 No shame in falling to the Giants. Everyone’s doing it, you know. It would have been nice to see them clinch the division though. Maybe, Thursday.10 Ravens 11 7-4 Over their last four games, including the Giants loss, the Ravens have a plus-11 turnover differential. Their defense + and offense that holds onto the ball = serious success. View the full article

Quarterback: B Joe Flacco had a fine game. His first half was shaky and he looked a step behind, but so did both offenses. By the second half, Flacco was making his reads and finding his targets. His pass to Wilcox in the endzone was a beaut, but it was the pass to Clayton, burning a slant, that really finished the game for the Ravens. Runningbacks: B Le’Ron McClain bullied the Eagles. He ran over their line and linebackers, and made moves to run around them when he had to. Ray Rice had moments, but a fairly disappointing day overall. Willis McGahee is starting to look like Jamal Lewis in 2004 and 2005 - something is missing. As a unit, however, the backs did their job: They kept the Eagles offense and eventually created passing lanes for Joe and his receivers. Wide Receivers: C- There were a number of nice catches and runs in the game, but this unit was invisible for most of the game. There were several plays where Flacco managed to create time, buckets and buckets of time for himself, and yet still had no one to throw to. Generally, the rule is that after five seconds, any WR in the league should be able to find an open space. Apparently our receivers don’t play by the rules. Offensive Line: B+ For the patchwork group they were, they did a fine job. In the running game, especially, the line dominated. In the passing game they did their best to keep the pressure off of Flacco with varying degrees of success. Defensive Line: B The Ravens front did its job: They shut down Brian Westbrook and the Eagles running game. It was not the toughest challenge they’ve had all year, though, given Westbrook’s injury and the Eagles own admission that, if the run is not working, they are happy to pass. Linebackers: A Ray Lewis and Company blitzed and blitzed and blitzed. They did it so well, you may have thought that bringing the house is part of the Ravens SOP. Truth is, the heavy blitzes that the Ravens were sending at McNabb and Kolb were fairly unusual for this team. Lewis and Jarrett Johnson both had stellar games forcing McNabb and Kolb to throw early or throw on the run. Defensive Backs: A+ Not sure of the last time the Ravens defensive backs got anything close to an A in our report cards. Between four interceptions and all-around solid play, this group looked young and fresh. Everyone had something to contribute - even if Corey Ivy missed another sack. It was a pleasure to see that our corners remember how to play the ball. Special Teams: C- Kick-off coverage cost the Ravens a shutout, which is downright unacceptable. And the return units - namely Yamon Figurs - are still having trouble. But Sam Koch was kicking the **** out of the ball and Stover connected on two 40-plus yard field goals. Coaching: B+ Rex Ryan’s plan of attack by the Ravens defense worked to perfection. Cam Cameron and John Harbaugh made the necessary adjustments to the offense at halftime. This team seems to get better as the game goes on, which is a credit to this coaching staff. They make changes when they have to, they know how to motivate their players, and most importantly, they are critical of themselves as much as anyone else. View the full article

Well, that went from one of the most dreadfully boring games of football to an entertaining home team blowout in no time. Here’s a few thoughts running across my head as the game winds down… Talk about rebounding. The Ravens defense had perhaps its most dominating effort in recent years. They totaled five turnovers (four interceptions and a fumble), a defensive touchdown, a safety, and several sacks. Not only did the Ravens completely shut down Brian Westbrook and the Eagles running game, but they beat up on both Donovan McNabb and replacement Kevin Kolb.The Ed Reed antics with the football get old fast - there is no need to pitch the ball at the 5 or 6 yardline - but it is hard to deny that Reed is the game’s most exciting and explosive defensive player. His two interceptions, one for a touchdown and another close, illustrated that.A note to Andy Reid: I really do not believe that Donovan McNabb is your problem. The problem is your play-calling. Last week against the Bengals, in a 13-13 tie, the Eagles ran 58 passes to just 18 rushes. 18 rushes against one of the league’s worst defenses and with one of the league’s best running threats. Even John Runyan on your offensive line said that if the run is not established quickly, then Reid abandons it altogether. That is not West Coast. That is stupid. You might not be able to run on the Ravens, but you cannot let them drop seven and read your quarterback every down either.It has been a long time since the Ravens defensive backs have performed as well as they did today. Credit Rex Ryan with a great game plan, but also credit the entire unit. Ed Reed, as mentioned, was certainly on his game. So were Fabian Washington and Samari Rolle, who both had interceptions, and Jim Leonhard who was strong in run protection. It was nice to see our defensive backs jumping routes for once. Not one of the Ravens’ interceptions was the result of a bobble or a tip, they were all clean and pretty.For Joe Flacco it was the tale of two halves. The first half was rough for the Ravens offense all-around, but especially for Flacco. In the second half we finally saw Joe Flacco break out a bit. The late touchdown to Mark Clayton was the perfect example of what the Ravens should have done in the passing game all game: wait for the safeties to blitz and then expose the weakness over the middle.The offensive line for the Ravens gets mixed reviews for its play. Penalties and confusion still hurt the unit in the first half. But for how beat up they were, and for how strong the Eagles pass rush is, it is hard to hold much against them. Flacco did a lot of the work himself in avoiding the pass rushes, but the line deserves some credit.Extra credit to the McClains (Le’Ron and Jameel, no relation). Le’Ron led the Ravens in rushing and finally found the endzone on the team’s last drive. He was strong all game long and really kept the Eagles honest. He exploited their small, fast, pass-oriented line and the threat of the run gave Flacco a little bit of room to work. Jameel recorded his second safety of the season, this time on a blocked punt.Special teams again proved to be this team’s biggest weakness. No shame in Steven Hauschka’s missed kick, but sloppy play on kick offs, punts and all returns kept the Eagles closer than they should have been.Almost forgot to mention Jarrett Johnson. In case anyone is wondering why Bart Scott is the odd-man-out at linebacker come season’s end, Jarrett Johnson is the answer. Scott’s had a fine year, but he is a product of the system. Jarrett Johnson is a part of the system, along side Lewis, Suggs and others, that is going to make any interior linebacker look solid.Game Balls: Le’Ron McClain and Ed Reed.What’s your take? View the full article

The Ravens are looking to rebound from a devastating loss last week to the Giants. Their playoff hopes are still alive, but the outcome of this Sunday’s game against the 5-4-1 Eagles could determine whether those playoff hopes remain realistic. The Eagles, like the Ravens, have had many ups and downs this season. And of course, let’s not forget where John Harbaugh established himself as a premier special teams coach. Here are two key match-ups to keep an eye on as the Eagles come to town. Eagles Offense vs. Ravens Defense RB Brian Westbrook vs. Ravens Front Seven It’s not often the Ravens worry about an opponent’s running game. Over the last 30 games, nearly two full seasons, the Ravens defense has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher. The pride this unit takes in its ability to stop the run is almost mythical at this point. But last week things changed. The Ravens may not have allowed a 100-yard rusher against the Giants, but they almost allowed two. Giants starter Brandon Jacobs left the game at the half, having already totaled more than 70 yards. And in the second half, the Ravens gave up more than 90 yards to third-stringer Ahmad Bradshaw. And that doesn’t include the 41 yards they allowed to Derrick Ward. The trio of New York running backs steamrolled the Ravens - almost literally at points, putting lineman and linebackers on the ground on every play. And that pounding is certainly changing the way we look at games upcoming. (more…) View the full article

This is a year of division greatness and division lameness. The Great: The AFC East, where, even on a four-game losing streak, the Bills are sill 5-5. The NFC East, where, thanks to a tie, every team is over the .500 mark and the Giants are 9-1. The NFC South, where the Falcons, Saints, Panthers and Bucs have been taking turns beating up on every other division out there. The Lame: The AFC West, where the division leader couldn’t even handle the lowly Browns last week. The NFC West, where the Cardinals have as many wins as the other three teams combined. The other three? Just what you’d expect. A little good. A little bad. Lots of fun to watch. Rank Team LW 2008 Record Ups and Downs1 Giants 2 9-1 Their running game destroyed the Ravens #1 ranked defense. Game over.2 Titans 1 10-0 Kerry Collins has now won two games for the Titans. But the struggles the Titans have had on the ground in recent weeks have to be worrisome.3 Panthers 3 8-2 The Panthers haven’t exactly been playing their strongest football recently, but at least they are still winning the games and clinging to a one-game lead in their division.4 Jets 7 7-3 They let Matt Cassel throw for 400 yards and still beat the Patriots. The lack of defense is scary, but letting Brett Favre chuck the ball at will is scarier.5 Buccaneers 5 7-3 You are unlikely to find anyone claiming that Bucs football is fun to watch. But they are getting their wins even when Jeff Garcia has no one to throw to.6 Cardinals 10 7-3 Kurt Warner for MVP? How about Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin? Can we give a joint-award?7 Steelers 12 7-3 Classic Steelers football: they put their noses down and snuck past a worthy foe. The gameplan looks like it might fail them more often as the season ends and the playoffs approach.8 Colts 11 6-4 Fact: The game was far closer than it should have been. Perception: They won, they won, they won and now they are “on a roll!”9 Redskins 6 6-4 The Redskins are starting to put the ball in Jason Campbell’s hands too often. With a backfield that includes Portis, Betts and Alexander, there’s no reason to fall short of 20 carries (as a team) in any game. Shame on you, Jim Zorn.10 Patriots 8 6-4 I return to a comment from their loss to Miami many weeks ago: This team’s problem is it’s defense, not Matt Cassel. Injuries are mounting and the Dolphins come to town next week.The rest of the rankings are below… (more…) View the full article

I’ve got to take a moment to comment, briefly, on something that’s been bugging me in the 24 hours since the Ravens loss to the Giants. This is an out-of-the-norm post for this blog. Already today I’ve been greeted by numerous articles from local and national media outlets proclaiming “what do the Ravens do now?” and “what does this loss mean for the Ravens?” It’s as if the Ravens season has ended with their loss to the Giants. It’s as if all chances of making the playoffs have been squashed out. But guess what? The loss wasn’t that surprising. Even on Ravens-oriented sites, the Ravens were considered underdogs. ExtremeRavens has been experiencing server issues, so chat leading up to the game here was not possible. But I can bet you that if it were, you wouldn’t find anyone calling the game a *** I'm stupid for thinking this game is easy ***, a sure win, or anything else along those lines. In fact, for the first time all season, I even picked against the Ravens (that’s another story). Look at the national and local media for a moment. The Baltimore Sun’s eight sports writers all picked the Giants. Every single analyst on ESPN (both on the website and on Sunday Countdown) picked the Giants. Bill Simmons picked the Ravens… with the spread. He did not pick them flat out. I do not remember reading a single national voice that thought the Ravens would win on Sunday. Not one. So why is this loss the end of the world? It’s something that bothers me every year, in every sport. The #25 ranked team plays the #4 ranked team in College Basketball and loses. And suddenly that #25 ranked team is out of the rankings. But isn’t that what was expected? Dear Baltimore Fans… Dear Football Writers… Dear Everyone… The Ravens lost on Sunday. But somehow, they are still 6-4. They are still in the playoff hunt. In fact, the NFL believes so firmly that the Ravens still have a chance, they are going to let the Ravens play out the rest of the season. How merciful of them. With every loss to a good opponent, the Ravens are learning. They are not a perfect team, but they are not an awful team either. Lucky for the Ravens, they have faced the two toughest teams in the league right now (the Giants and Titans) and they won’t have to face either again, unless they the playoffs become a reality. So rather than spending this week doing our best impersonations of Chicken Little, why don’t we all settle back and actually discuss what this team can do and what they need to do as the season enters its final stretch? The sky is not falling, the season is not over. This team lost a game it was supposed to lose. It may not have been pretty, but to spin the old cliche, pretty doesn’t show up in the standings. The players are going to get over it. The coaches are going to get over it. You didn’t see this team carry that loss against Indianapolis around for very long, did you? So let’s do our best to get over it ourselves, as fans and writers. I’ll start: Joe Flacco has pretty well learned how to avoid making mistakes. He is a legitimate threat when he has the ball, both with his arm and his legs. He’s learned how to avoid sacks, make plays, and he is what brings our offense to life. Now we need everyone else on the offense to learn the same. They don’t have to make huge plays or become game-changers. But they do have to learn how to avoid mistakes themselves, especially against good opponents. Your turn. View the full article

The loss was bad, how’s the report card? Quarterback: B- Joe Flacco avoided the pass rush all day, made a few impressive runs, and even made a few nice passes. His arm wasn’t quite as sharp was it could have been, though, with many of this throws landing behind their intended targets. The windy conditions seemed to limit Flacco and the entire offensive scheme; the Ravens never even tried to stretch the field. Flacco had two interceptions on the day, though he only deserves credit for one. Running Backs: D+ How bad was the Ravens rushing attack? Joe Flacco’s 57 yard performance led the team. Similar to in Indianapolis, the Ravens running backs tried to run around the defense, instead of through it. Willis McGahee was limited by injury again. Ray Rice stepped in and did a fair job, but even he looked scattered. The Ravens couldn’t get anything started on the ground - not that they could be expected to match the Giants 200+ yard performance. Wide Receivers: D Derrick Mason had 7 catches and 80 yards, but attempt at impersonating David Tyree may have cost the Ravens the game. Mark Clayton and Yamon Figurs were non-factors. Todd Heap made three catches for a total of 17 yards. This group continues to take the life out of the Ravens offense with dropped passes and poor routes. Offensive Line: C- The front five of the Ravens had their ups and downs, as did most units. In the passing game, they kept the rush off of Flacco for most of the game, allowing only one sack. That’s not to say Flacco never felt the pressure, but the line helped him manage it well. In the running game, the offensive line looked lost. No sealed corners. No running lanes. And worse? The unit was charged with five false starts. Defensive Line: D+ The Ravens defensive line was handled all day by the Giants fron-five. They occasionally got pressure on Manning, but were pushed aside and pancaked time and time again in the running game. Linebackers: D Outside of Ray Lewis’ interception, the unit failed miserably. Lewis was mentioned more for missing tackles and overpursuing than he was for making tackles. Terrell Suggs and Bart Scott were never mentioed. Jarrett Johnson’s off-sides penalty negated an interception by Fabian Washington. The unit was out of position and looked out of place. Defensive Backs: C The Ravens secondary normally takes the brunt of the criticism in bad losses, but not today. The Ravens secondary was far from stellar, but at least they showed up. Eli Manning and his receiving corps didn’t beat the Ravens today. Jim Leonhard deserves some credit for a game well-played and being the only Raven man enough to take on Brandon Jacobs face-to-face. Special Teams: D+ Kick returns by Yamon Figurs were surprisingly strong, but hardly enough to save face for a bad season. Matt Stover had a kick blocked. Sam Koch was bothered by the wind. The unit didn’t necessarily hurt the Ravens effort, but they sure didn’t help either. Coaching: C- The coaching in this one is hard to read. To start with, the Ravens looked outmatched. That simply shouldn’t happen. The Giants knew every scheme Rex Ryan had and they came prepared. Offensively, Cam Cameron shut the Ravens down himself. At the same time, however, adjustments were clearly made at halftime and the Ravens looked like a new team. If not for a few mistakes specific to the players, not the coaches, I believe this team would have made things far more interesting. The biggest questions, though, have to be for John Harbaugh, who conceded defeat and truly shut the offense down in the 4th quarter. Running the ball is for eating clock, not saving it. View the full article

Anyone that saw the game doesn’t need to be told that the Ravens got it handed to them today. The Giants won in convincing fashion, moving the ball often and with ease, and shutting down the Ravens offense for most of the day. That said, here are my quick thoughts on the game… and this will be very quick. Like most of us, I need to go drown my sorrows a bit. First, kudos to Joe Flacco. The line in this game is going to be that Flacco threw two interceptions, one returned for a crushing touchdown right as it appeared the Ravens were about to come to life. If Flacco doesn’t throw that pick, it’s hard to see the Ravens not scoring to make it 20-13, at the least. But Flacco was better than those two picks. His legs were clearly working, as he ran for 50 yards to lead the team. His brain was working too. Sacked just once, Flacco was masterful at avoiding the rush and moving from target to target. It was a shame, however, that his arm wasn’t as up to the task as the rest of him. Building on the kudos for the Ravens, a few pats on the back for the Ravens OL. Allowing just one sack to one of the league’s fiercest pass rushing attack is no small feat. Their issues with in providing run-blocking were unwelcome, however. Mini-note: I’m still not sure why the Ravens did not go for it on 4th and short in the 4th quarter of this game. That was a flat-out quitters punt by John Harbaugh. It’s tough to talk about the Ravens defensive effort. We can really split the game into its two halves. In the first half, the Ravens were just plain beat. The Giants were well-prepared and appeared to know every play the Ravens had in Rex Ryan’s encyclopedia-sized playbook. Manning had time, the runners had holes, and the receivers had our defensive backs just plain fooled. But in the second half, similar to a few other games this year, the Ravens defense came to life. Pressure on Manning was better, though the Ravens managed just one sack. And the running lanes were shut down. Despite a staggering 200-plus yard rushing total by the Giants as a team, the Ravens were able to hold on to their streak of games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. And if you remove Bradshaw’s 70+ yard carry and Jacobs 30+ yard carry, suddenly the Ravens rushing defense looked respectable. Unfortunately, we can’t remove those kinds of plays looking back. All-in-all, the Ravens came out weak and it cost them. There’s nothing else to say. This wasn’t the most physical game we’ve ever seen; the physicality hardly lived up to expectations. The Ravens just missed opportunity after opportunity and they paid for it. Teams like the Browns and Dolphins might let you get away with a few mistakes, but not a team like the Giants. That said, however, it would be a waste to throw this game at the wayside as we continue. The Ravens should walk away with a number of valuable lessons. Despite the score, in the second half, the Ravens looked like a football team capable of playing with the big boys. They just need to start limiting mistakes and finding ways to win, not just be competitive. View the full article

Here’s a peek at our Power Rankings for this week.Behind a surprising offense and a four game win streak (second only to the undefeated Titans), the Ravens have moved all the way to fourth in the poll this week. The Jets have found their way into the Top 10 for the first time this week. Their blowout of the Rams coupled with the Patriots victory over the Bills took the Jets into a tie for the lead of the AFC East. The Patriots, though, are lurking right behind them. Finally, the Falcons found their way back into the mix this week. At 6-3, they are tied for second in their division with the Buccaneers. Matt Ryan is finding his groove and the Falcons look nothing like the team we expected to see this year… Rank Team LW 2008 Record Ups and Downs1 Titans 1 9-0 They just keep sneaking by, sneaking by. Impressed that they were able to win on the arm of Kerry Collins, but still waiting for them to stand up to a real offensive threat.2 Giants 2 8-1 We know this much: They can win any way they want. Lots of points? Lots of defense? On their kicker’s leg? Yes, yes and yes.3 Panthers 3 7-2 Ugly wins are still wins. Jake Delhomme, however, continues to rise in our sister poll of overrated quarterbacks. 4 Ravens 7 6-3 For the first time in team history, the Ravens have scored more than 27 points in four straight games. Additionally, they are allowing just 15 points per game during their win streak. And did we mention the plus-six turnover margin in that span as well?5 Buccaneers 5 6-3 Mmmmmm… bye week. And two winnable games upcoming to really set up the rest of the playoff run.6 Redskins 6 6-3 The possibility of not having Clinton Portis against the Cowboys almost cost them a spot in these rankings. Almost.7 Jets 14 6-3 Following in the Ravens footsteps, the Jets have won three straight and reclaimed a share of their division lead. If not for that embarrassing loss to the Raiders in Week 7, we’d be talking about a seven win team on a five game streak.8 Patriots 11 6-3 They are winning again, and the 20-10 victory over the Bills all but ends Buffalo’s hope for this season. What the Pats should be concerned with now: their division rival Jets have scored 70 more points already this season.9 Falcons 13 6-3 They finally beat a division opponent in the Saints and they did so with serious conviction. Better news? They get to play the Saints again in just four weeks.10 Cardinals 10 6-3 Kurt Warner doesn’t sound like a football player in his post-game speeches. He sounds like the kind of guy that’s been nominated for eight Oscars but never won… and never will. But he plays like a Hall of Famer.Read our complete rankings from this week here. View the full article

Quarterback: A For weeks, Joe Flacco has managed the offense, and that trend continued against the Texans. The rookie protected the ball, while still taking plenty of shots down the field. All told, Flacco turned in a solid performance with a 118.9 passer rating that included 185 yards and two touchdowns. Flacco is beginning to come into his own at a very important time for the Ravens. Troy Smith also continues to contribute to the team, as he threw for a touchdown. Offensive line: B- For the most part, the offensive line protected their quarterback. Although the unit allowed three sacks, they did a great job at opening up running lanes to help sustain drives. The Texans’ star defensive back, Mario Williams, was held in check throughout the game. Penalties continue to plague the line. Wide receivers: B Last week, the offense welcomed Mark Clayton to the 2008 season. This week, it was Todd Heap’s turn to be reintroduced to the offense. Heap turned in a two touchdown performance. Yamon Figurs was serviceable in place of Derrick Mason, who suffered a dislocated shoulder early in the game. Despite the injury, Mason caught three passes for 41 yards. Running backs: B+ Willis McGahee returned to the field after watching rookie Ray Rice trample the Browns last week. McGahee racked up two touchdowns of his own; his best performance of the season. Defensive Line: A Haloti Ngata showed sheer dominance throughout the game. From snagging an interception in the red zone, forcing an interception, and nearly blocking a punt, Ngata is having a Pro-Bowl year. The unit also held the Texans’ red zone offense in check, limiting them to just three points from inside the five-yard line. Linebackers: A Middle linebacker Ray Lewis hauled in two interceptions that looked like they were intended for him anyway. Lewis finished the game with eight tackles. The unit helped ensure that the running game was taken away from Houston, while limiting the short yardage passes of Texans quarterback Sage Rosenfels. Terrell Suggs was able to pressure Rosenfels throughout the game, and managed a safety early in the game. Defensive Backs: B- The secondary did a decent job of containing Texans receiver Andre Johnson, limiting him to 66 yards and no touchdowns. Samari Rolle returned to the field and hauled in an interception of his own. The unit was exploited a couple of times in the game. One of those miscues resulted in a Houston touchdown. Against a better quarterback, the secondary might have had big problems. Special teams: B Steve Hauschka announced his arrival to the Ravens squad by sinking a field goal from 54 yards, while punter Sam Koch held the Texans in check. The kickoff coverage was much improved this week. Matt Stover missed a 50-yard field goal, but that is quite a stretch for him anyway. Coaching: B+ The Ravens clearly executed the game plan they wanted. The offense continues to field a balance attack to keep opposing defenses honest. The defense continues to dominate opposing offenses, while the Ravens offense sustains drives, eating up the clock and actually scoring. Why was Stover sent out to kick a field goal from midfield when Hauschka already proved he could kick it from further? View the full article

The Baltimore Ravens soundly thumped the Houston Texans, 41-13 on Sunday. Understandably upset, Texan fans are placing the blame at the feet of their quarterback, Sage Rosenfels, who threw four interceptions. The Houston fan base are overwhelmingly blaming the officiating as well. Here’s a snippet of some of the reactions of Texans fans over at the Texans’ official message board, HoustonTexans.com; Yahoo’s message board; and our Fan2Fan Alliance site, TexansTalk.com. This is a poorly called game today….call after call against the Texans when they have the Ravens stopped. No call on grounding by Flacco (sic)two unbelievably bad PI calls…The Texans (sic) are not doing themselves favors and the refs aren’t (sic) helping them at all. How can you go from the least penalized team to have 12 by the 4th quarter…. [ticking] me off. spurstexansastros, TexansTalk.com Wost officiating I have EVER soon, this was one of the main reasons we lost. It was PATHETIC! imatexan, TexansTalk.com Let’s trade for Troy Smith (sic). He can run. And is accurate. Heisman winner. Nah, let’s pick up a washed up FA never was. blake1776, HoustonTexans.com Did anyone notice we gave up 40+ points? TO THE RAVENS!? The GM would be an ***** to draft anything not related to defense. If Schaub wasn’t taken out by cheap shots, we would probably rank fairly high in most offensive statistics at the end of the season. We need to improve the defense badly. That HAS to be the #1 priority going into this off season. Schaub2Andre4TD, HoustonTexans.com I watched in amazement as we would either throw three and out, or throw a pick, EVERY series! @#$%in’ RUN the ball on first down, at least. Their run defense can’t possibly be THAT scary, challenge them. That was pathetic play calling. PATHETIC! moondog.1369, Yahoo! Message Board View the full article

The Ravens dominated the Texans today, 41-13, for their fourth straight win and third straight win on the road. That should be the first thought… three road wins? We haven’t seen a team in Baltimore that can win on the road since 2000. Joe Flacco made great progress as a QB today. With his favorite target going down early he was forced to find other options in the passing game, which lead to Todd Heap finally looking like his old self. Joe stretched the defense with multiple deep throws, one resulting is a TD to WR Yamon Figurs (Congrats to Yamon on his first career receiving TD). Joe has now thrown 6 TD passes in his last four games with no turnovers. Willis McGahee looked healthy and ran hard the entire game. He went over the 100 yard mark for the second time this season and added two TD runs. And I must add, his new touchdown dance is hilarious. The Ravens defense was solid through most of the game. The air defense still has some leaks, but they overcame the injuries and picked off Sage Rosenfels four times. Ray Lewis had two interceptions thanks to the great play of NT Haloti Ngata. The return of Samari Rolle was immediately apparent. When Frank Walker, a fomer starter, can be your nickel back, you’ve got some depth. Walker may not be a star, but being able to use him to help Fabian Washington and Rolle is a great advantage to this Ravens defense. Ngata is probably the Ravens best defensive player. Haloti came up big when he picked off Sage Rosenfels at the goalline which ended a good drive by Houston, he has two interceptions this season (three for his career) which is more than all-pro safety Ed Reed! Ngata has disrupted the QB more times this season than I can count, which has lead to turnovers and missed opportunities for opposing offense. We’ve heard all season about Albert Haynesworth and Shaun Rogers, but there’s no #92 I’d want more on my team right now thatn Ngata. New kick-off and long field goal specialist Steven Hauschka. If anyone remembers seeing this kid kick in college with NC State, you know the kind of leg he has. I’m going to steal a line I heard on the postgame radio show today, but bringing in Hauschka is bigger than just getting a new leg… it proves that John Harbaugh is learning and, more importantly, willing to learn. Poor special teams play (bad kick offs, bad coverage, refusing to try long field goals) already cost this team a few games (Pittsburgh, Tennessee) and almost cost them a win last week (Cleveland). Kudos to John for making a move. And let’s just make an overall comment here… The Ravens have now scored 27, 29, 37 and 41 points in their last four games. A lot of help is coming from this defense, but let’s also give credit to an offense that is able to take advantage of a short field and take the points it is given. When was the last time you remember the Ravens scoring more than 25 points in four straight games? Or averaging 33 points per game in a stretch like that? We’re going to have to go look that up, but I can’t remember anytime. Even with those scores, this team is only averaging 21 points per game on the season… which tells you just how poor this offense was for those first five games. Now that the Ravens have both pieces clicking, it’s time for the rest of the league to watch out. View the full article

Got a question for Baltimore Ravens Pro-Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs? I’ll be interviewing him in the next few days. If there is anything you ever wanted to ask Suggs, now would be the time. Please send all questions to d.peterson@extremeravens.com. Be sure to title your email “Question for Terrell”. Please submit your questions by 8:00 pm EST tomorrow, Saturday, November 8, 2008. View the full article

Friday afternoon that means just 48 hours til game time. Here’s how the ExtremeRavens staffers see the upcoming Ravens game against the Houston Texans… Baltimore Ravens (5-3, W3) at Houston Texans (3-5, L1) Danielle: Texans 17, Ravens 12. Houston has won three straight at home, and the Ravens (even with wins at Miami and Cleveland) still struggle on the road. Is Baltimore capable of winning this game? Absolutely. The result lies with the Texans’ backup quarterback, Sage Rosenfels, ability to exploit a pass defense that has been exposed in the past. John: Ravens 23, Texans 17. Texans have won three straight at home. Rosenfels hits a big play to Andre Johnson, but also turns the ball over a few times which makes the difference in the game. The Ravens three-headed monster will carry them to fourth straight win. Andrew: Ravens 31, Texans 14. The extremely talented Andre Johnson will get his numbers, but the Ravens will shut down the Texans run-game and will harass Sage Rosenfels all day. On offense, Jared Gaither will be able to keep his ACC-rival Mario Williams incheck while the Ravens continue to progress on offense. Dan: Ravens 27, Texans 10. The Ravens are averaging more than 30 points per game over the last three games, including to games on the road. This week, against a young secondary and coming off a strong performance, Joe Flacco will really show off. What’s your take? View the full article

Lost in Baltimore’s early off-season chatter about coaches and coordinators is perhaps an even larger issue… the guys who actually play the game. Rough estimates at this time, from a variety of sources, say that the Ravens will be somewhere between 5 and 7 million dollars below the salary cap heading into the off-season - and that’s with just 42 players signed. So who stays and who goes in the days before (and after) draft day? (more…) View the full article

With John Harbaugh now in place as the Ravens’ new head coach, attention has quickly shifted to the issues Harbaugh will face in taking over the team. The biggest decision the new coach and his front office have to make is who will be at his side as offensive and defensive coordinators. The Ravens’ defensive coordinator for the last three seasons, Rex Ryan, is a fan favorite and it’s fair to say that most fans would love to have Ryan back in charge of the team’s strongest unit. The Ravens have also expressed interest in retaining Ryan, who is also a front-runner for the open head coaching position in Atlanta. But from a broader perspective, one has to wonder if Ryan is really the best option as this team’s defensive coordinator in the year(s) to come. (more…) View the full article

John Harbaugh was hired by the Ravens yesterday in a bold move that gives the longtime assistant coach his first head-coaching opportunity. The Ravens will introduce the 45-year-old Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach, who comes from a football family, during a news conference at noon today. Harbaugh,... View the full article

According the their website, the Baltimore Ravens have hired John Harbaugh as their new head coach. It will be interesting to get to hear Harbaugh speak. He was a relative unknown, at least to Baltimore fans, when the job search began. He served for nearly a decade with the Eagles as both a Special Teams Coordinator and a defensive backs coach. The Ravens’ webpage say he will bring a “youthful exuberance” to the club. Harbaugh is 45. As a fan, two questions quickly come to mind: first, what becomes of Rex Ryan? Hopefully he lands a head coaching position elsewhere in the league, but if not, I’d hope to see Harbaugh offer him a spot with the Ravens. Second, how is a defensive and special teams coach going to reshape this offense and balance a roster of vets and young players? It’s fair to say he must have been mighty impressive in that interview room. Prediction: we’re going to see a much larger roster overhaul than originally expected. View the full article

“They say you can’t please all of the people all of the time… and last night, all of those people were at my show.” -Mitch Hedberg. The Ravens are set on making the right decision and finding the right man to fill Brian Billick’s shoes. But as the search for a new coach continues, we’re finding out rather quickly that everyone in Baltimore has a different idea of what’s right for the team. (more…) View the full article

It’s been two weeks since the Ravens dismissed Brian Billick as Head Coach, an unexpected move that received rave reviews from most fans. But it is fair to say that all has not proceeded swimmingly since then, and while the off-season has hardly even begun, the pressure to settle the issue is mounting. Perhaps “settle” is a poor choice of words at this point… (more…) View the full article

Jerry Jones has managed to retain offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for at least another five years, but how will such a contract extension and steep pay raise be felt not only throughout the rest of the league, but his own team? Current Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips was hired not even a year ago, signed to a three-year deal worth a reported $12 million. In short, Garrett is signed on to make $10 million in the next two years alone. Either Phillips is out after next season (or perhaps sooner if the Cowboys don’t win the Super Bowl), or Phillips is the most understanding coach in America. View the full article