How Good Is This Team?

[vmax]

There has been so much going on with this 2010 Baltimore Ravens team for the last week or so that my head is spinning trying to process everything.

 

Reed to the PUP list, Webb comming back, no RT yet other than Moll, Gaither has no idea when he can play, Wilson gets signed to bolster the secondary and now, out of the blue, TJ gets inked.

 

Oh...I forgot to mention it...we have not seen the Ravens run the ball. Their bread and butter.

I hope they remember how to do it. It can be very handy!

 

How good is this team????????

 

Bottom line: With all the roster moves, I'll be happy as shit if they just win Opening Day.

 

I can only see ahead one game at a time with the brutal opening road schedule: @ Jets, @ Bengals, @ Stealers and @ Patriots in the first 6 weeks!

 

I need 3-4 games to get a good feel on how good this 2010 team is (or if can they live up to their 'POTENTIAL') for 2 reasons:

 

1. The QB.

Will Joe Flacco take the next step and be able to utilize all these offensive weapons?

He needs to now.. right away.

It all hinges on him. The effectiveness of this offense.

If he tanks or is mediocre, the season could be almost done by week 7. No worry because Joe hasn't even given a hint of being that kind of QB.

 

So... I'm kind of freaking out with the other senario: We're about to witness this season something even better than the "Days of Vinny!".

A common reference point would be how we felt watching the 2000 D. They were really special and a treat to watch. Now I don't think this will be a NFL record breaking offense, but for offensive starved Ravens fans, it sure will feel like it if this O lives up to it's potential.

 

The fact remains that Joe is going to face some very good defenses out of the gate.

 

2. The Secondary.

The Corner position in particular....the Safeties are solid...good.

Palmer and Brady, on a good day, carve up good secondaries. The Ravens catch a break with Sanchez and Dixon/Batch.

 

Are the Ravens Corners, as a unit, any good?

I don't know.

I feel 10 times better now that they have Wilson.

Webb may not be of any help in these crutial opening weeks.

So it's up to Washington, Carr, Wilson....

 

They need a serious pass rush...starting Monday Night. They might have it.

 

I'm very unimpressed with the LB pass coverage skills. Another weakness until they prove otherwise.

 

Still, don't sell the defense short. They have a ton of talent. A ton. They know how to use it to cover any weakness.

 

I think Special Teams will be very good. They are a big part of winning football.

 

Wow...this has the makings of a phenominal year.

[cravnravn]

Im not worried at all with the O, they will take care of themselves..

What week does Mason start bitching about not getting his touches?

 

As we all know it takes 3 ingredients to win a Championship, O, Special Teams and D..O & Special Teams are in check..This will be the first time since 1999 where we are questioning our D..Its not the same folks, we are badly hurting in the secondary.

We have 2 options here to continue on, 1 Im not crazy over, that is we'll have to play many a shoot-out, its likely to come down to the last team with the ball will be the victor.

 

2nd, Improved play of the front 3 or 4 or whatever we are playing, Yes Suggs reported to camp in great shape, but he needs help, I thought Kruger would be the answer, yes he bulked up but last week he was playing with the 3rd stringers, so I dont like that at all. We have to get pressure on the opposing QB every pass play.

 

So we have 2/3rd's of the pie in place, the first 2 games will be a giant tell tale of how our O will be, and how our D reacts, especially week 2..

 

 

Its going to be a nail biting season....once again!!

[varaven45]

Good points, Max and Crav !

 

In my opinion, the prospects for this team are teetering on greatness vs. mediocrity. Our offense, sans the OL (RT), is vastly improved. To me, it hinges on the OL & Bazooka Joe. After the first four games, esp Jets, Cincy and Pittsburgh, we'll see what we have got. Talk about teetering, we could be either sitting pretty or in a big hole after the first four games.

 

The D is intriguing - lots of athleticism, experience and tenacity. As you said, the LB's pass coverage abilities are a concern but I'm more concerned about our corners. The corner position has been largely ignored by the FO during the draft; its going to bite us in the butt again (i.e. against Cincy, NE, NO, Houston). I am not as optimistic as Max when it comes to the contribitions of L Webb, Wash and the pickup from Seattle. The pass rush could mitigate the deficiency if T Sizzle, JJ, Ray and the DL step up.

 

Either way, its going to be a helluva lot of fun this season. I cant wait to see if Cam, Bazooka Joe & his receiving corps will take it to the next level. If so, the sky is the limit !!

[oldno82]

While going all the way to the Super Bowl would be great, I'd settle for the making the playoffs as long as we have an offense that doesn't put me to sleep anymore. The D is suspect but it is not all negative there. Carr was decent last season and the addition of Wilson, and later Webb, will help the secondary. I too have qualms about the linebackers in coverage. I saw Ray fail to cover the tight end in one of the preseason games and it wasn't pretty.

 

Finally, the schedule is very tough. It isn't beyond the realm of possibility that we might be 0-2 after the first two games but still have a good shot at making the playoffs if injuries can be kept to a minimum and Joe is the QB we saw in the 3rd preseason game.

[vmax]

noteworthy...

 

Still, Baltimore's defense ranked No. 8 against the pass in the NFL last year, surrendering an average of 207.3 yards per game. Over the final three regular season games – with two starting cornerbacks and Reed out – the Ravens held the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders to a combined average of 203.3 yards passing.

That's actually an improvement.

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/Articles/2010/09/Standing_Up_To_The_Critics.aspx

 

[geo]

And in the four games without both Ed and Fabian, again less than average 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards per game, 4 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD, but 9 interceptions and 4 FRs! 5 TDs but 13 turnovers! 60 points/15 per game.. this is more than solid numbers without the chief ballhawk. And Landry and Carr who struggled early that season stepped up! And we did replace Scott with Gooden/Ellerbe.

 

GB 3 TD, 3 turnovers

Lions 0 TD, 2 turnovers

Bears 0 TD (Return TD), 6 turnovers

Steelers 2 TDs, 2 turnovers

 

And what we also seems to forget is that last year Suggs, Ngata and JJ all struggled with form and injuries and missed a lot of game action.. This was the first season when Suggs and Ngata was not dressed up in every single game. This is as I see it what matters. A healthy D, and the D will be just what we expect them to be and more!

 

Btw that Steelers game, makes me still angry!