ExtremeRavens Posted January 8 Posted January 8 Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens’ season. After beating Cleveland to win the AFC North, Baltimore (12-5) stays home to host the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Ravens are 1-1 against the Steelers this season, losing in Pittsburgh but winning, 34-17, in Baltimore on Dec. 21. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) In your estimation, does the Ravens’ defense throttle and frustrate Russell Wilson so much that Justin Fields comes in to spark Pittsburgh’s offense? — Ed Helinski from Auburn, New York Ed, I think you are getting a little ahead of yourself. Throttle? The Ravens? Come on, man. The last time I checked, the Ravens had the No. 31 ranked pass defense in the NFL, allowing 244.1 yards per game. I think they will be able to get some pressure on Wilson because of a weak offensive line, and the Ravens will probably double-team outside receiver George Pickens. I think Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin will use Fields in certain situations, but I’m not sure Fields will come in as a potential savior. The Steelers struggle offensively, but Fields isn’t the answer, at least not in this game. Any idea which officiating crew will be doing the game Saturday? The Ravens always seem to get a crew that either favors the visitors, or one that throws a flag every time someone sneezes! — James Lahman James, I would assume the coaches from both teams are aware of the officiating crews. It’s an advantage to know the types of penalties each crew favors, and assistant coaches from both teams will let their respective position groups know. For example, if one crew likes to call a lot of pass interference penalties, the secondary coach will be on alert. I don’t agree with your assessment about crews being flag happy for visiting teams when they play in Baltimore. The Ravens have been consistent as far as being one of the most penalized teams in the NFL regardless if they have been home or on the road. The responsibility is on both the coaches and the players. READER POLL: How far will the Ravens advance in the playoffs? Usually in the postseason, officials allow players to be more physical and crews cut down on the penalties. Remember, these are the best officiating crews in the NFL. These groups drew high marks and have earned the right to officiate games in the postseason. One of if not the biggest successes of the Ravens’ offensive line this year is the play (and durability) of Ronnie Stanley. With his impending free agency, do you think the Ravens will address this before he hits the open market? Do you think he will take less knowing the situation he has in Baltimore versus proving himself on a new team? — Dan from Elkton, Maryland I can’t answer that right now because it’s hard to predict what will happen on the open market, especially for left tackles. I will say Stanley, 30, has made significant improvement over his past couple of seasons. He stayed around and worked out consistently in Baltimore during the offseason, and it showed during the various minicamps. The lower half of his body was more defined as he added muscle tone. In the past, Stanley didn’t participate in the offseason minicamps. With Stanley, part of the improvement was a pride issue. When players get a certain age, they know they have to prepare harder and longer during the offseason, which Stanley did. He wanted to get back to his previous Pro Bowl level. It didn’t hurt that the Ravens restructured his deal last March, lowering his base salary from $11 million to $3 million but providing incentives to earn some of the money back. He has worked well with several of the young offensive linemen, including rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten. Now, what happens with him in the offseason, I don’t know, but he has played well. He’s not the Ronnie Stanley of old, but also not an old Ronnie Stanley. What in the world happened to Marcus Williams this year? He’s only 28 and should be in the prime of his career. — Clarke Fox Players get old and their bodies take a beating. It’s only a matter of time before they show signs of decline. Williams suffered several injuries throughout the past few years, and he just wasn’t going to be super aggressive anymore. That’s why he has been a healthy scratch in recent weeks. Does that mean he can’t go somewhere else and play? I’m not certain, but sometimes a change in environment is good for a player. I’m pretty sure he’ll be released when this season is over, but you are correct. Twenty-eight is a young age, even for an NFL player. Have a question for Mike Preston? Email sports@baltsun.com with “Ravens mailbag” in the subject line and it could be answered in The Baltimore Sun. View the full article Quote
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