The Outsiders' Edge

(Enjoy the next installment of our global correspondent series. Our next entry covers another purple team- the Baltimore Ravens. Many thanks to Andy our Baltimore correspondent- Elevation)

As day by day the Orioles are finding new, more creative ways to lose as is typically the case in the second half of the season, the time of year has come when Charm City (or “The City That Reads” if you really want to relive that disastrous motto) paints itself purple and takes flight with the Ravens.  After a surprising season that saw a rookie coach, John Harbaugh, and rookie quarterback, Joe Flacco, collect 11 regular season wins and 2 playoff victories, Baltimore comes back looking to soar to even greater heights this year.

Here are 10 things you need to know about the Ravens heading into 2009:

10.  THE SCHEDULE IS MORE FAVORABLE: Based on opponents’ won-loss records from last season, the Ravens have the fifth-easiest schedule in the league for 2009, which comes on the heels of having the fourth-toughest schedule in the league last season.  Looking at the schedule, off the top of my head I see twelve wins, which would even be an improvement over last year.  It’s also nice to see three prime-time games on the schedule, two Monday night games and one Sunday night game.

9.  THE ROOKIES HAVE SOME POTENTIAL: First-round pick Michael Oher looks to be the starter at right tackle on Opening Day; Ozzie Newsome should be arrested for robbery for getting him at pick #23.  Defensively, second-round DE/LB Paul Kruger is reminding some of a young Michael McCrary, fitting since he’s wearing his old jersey number (#99).  The guy who could end up being the best pick out of this class, though, is third-round CB Lardarius Webb.  Throughout camp, he’s shown great ball skills (ranking among the leaders in interceptions) and he can flat out run, which he could get the opportunity to show off returning kicks.

Rookie Lardarius Webb picks off a pass intended for Justin Harper during an afternoon practice at the Ravens training camp at McDaniel College.

8.  THEY LOST SOME TALENT…: Gone from last year are future Hall of Fame K Matt Stover (retired- we think?), line anchor C Jason Brown (Free Agency- Rams), LB Bart Scott (Free Agency- Jets), S Jim Leonhard (Free Agency- Jets), and CB Chris McAllister (somewhere in outer space probably).  That’s five at least part time starters gone, which has to be seen as a red flag, but…

7.  THEY GAINED SOME TALENT: Replacing Brown at center is six-time Pro Bowler Matt Birk, formerly of the Vikings.  A graduate of Harvard, Birk is one of the smartest players in the NFL and his presence, leadership abilities, and skill solidifies this young offensive line.  Also on offense, WR Kelley Washington, from the Patriots, and TE L.J. Smith, from the Eagles, could find roles in an ever-expanding passing game.  At CB, the team brought in former University of Maryland star Dominique Foxworth, who had been with the Falcons, and Chris Carr, formerly of the Tennessee Titans.  One of the fastest corners in the league, Foxworth should also be starting in Week One against Kansas City, while Carr could serve as the nickel back and return man.

New Raven Matt Birk, shown here during a passing drill in training camp, has built a quick bond with his quarterback and fellow linemen.

6.  IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN WHO THEY ADDED (PART ONE- DEFENSE):  Beyond those free agent additions, the Ravens also get S Dawan Landry back from a spinal injury that sidelined him most of last season.  If he can return to top form, he will be an improvement over Leonhard from last season.  As far as replacing Scott goes, the Ravens are so stacked at the position that probably two NFL-caliber players will end up getting cut.  Youngsters Tavares Gooden, Jameel McClain, Antwan Barnes, Precott Burgess, Kruger, Dannell Ellerbe, and Jason Phillips are all battling for a role, with special teams stud Brendon Ayanbadejo a sleeper candidate to start along with Jarrett Johnson, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs.  On the line, NT Kelly Gregg returns to give the Ravens arguably the deepest front seven in the league.

Kelly Gregg ranks second in Ravens history in total tackles. That is an awful sweat pattern.

5.  IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN WHO THEY ADDED (PART TWO- OFFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS): Replacing Stover, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, won’t be easy, but Steve Hauschka (or Graham Gano…I guess) is up to the challenge.  His strong leg will keep the team from having to carry a kickoff specialist (possibly allowing one of those extra linebackers to stick around) and his ability to boot 50 yarders could come in handy.  He just has to prove he can make them when they count.  On the offensive line, Marshall Yanda returns from a knee injury that cost him part of what had been a stellar season for him last year.  With him starting along with Oher, Ben Grubbs, Jared Gaither, and Birk, the Ravens have potentially one of the best lines in the league (key word: potential, beyond Birk they’re all young and still need to prove themselves more).  A sleeper candidate returning from (or is that “suffering another”?) injury is WR Demetrius Williams, who has the potential to be a big-time deep threat for Flacco.

Caption: On the rare occasion that he has been healthy in his career, Demetrius Williams has flashed big play potential.

4.  COORDINATOR CHANGE: Greg Mattison replaces Rex Ryan at defensive coordinator, but don’t expect to see a drop off in production.  While some of the blitzes will be different and the scheme will change slightly, the Ravens will still have one of the most feared defenses in the league.  A forty-year veteran of coaching, Mattison knows what he’s doing- just watch.

3.  THE TERRORIZING THREE-HEADED RUNNING BACK: Willis McGahee was supposed to be a big star when he came to Baltimore in a trade with Buffalo.  Last year, he disappointed, but he has come back hungry to regain his role as the lead back.  Second-year man Ray Rice has been the best back in camp, showing good hands catching the ball out of the backfield and the ability to make defenders miss and explode in the open field.  Oh, and there’s last year’s leading rusher Le’Ron McClain, who has technically shifted back to fullback but still yearns for the ball and to rumble over defenders.  So here’s what it looks like heading into the year: Rice as the starter in name, with a determined McGahee as an all-purpose backup, and McClain as the short-yardage, late-in-game pounder.  Try stopping that.

2.  TRICKERY: Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has only begun to show some of the tricks up his sleeve.  Last year, we saw the “Wild Bird” formation, with backup Troy Smith doing some things out of direct snaps, including a long pass to Flacco.  There was also the overloaded offensive line, Mark Clayton’s wide receiver pass for a touchdown, countless motions and formation shifts, and that was with only one training camp to implement his schemes.  Look out this year, Cameron has some more cards in his deck.

1.  FLACCO AND HARBAUGH ARE A WINNING COMBINATION: Thanks to their successful rookie campaigns, these two will forever be linked together.  For Baltimore, that’s a good thing, as both figure to be even better with more experience.  In Flacco’s case, this year he figures to get more opportunities to show off his big arm.  In Harbaugh’s case, Rex Ryan is gone, so any notion of a split in the locker room should be gone as well.  For both men, they are more comfortable in their positions, have had another year to grow their understanding, and have complete confidence in each other.  This duo’s success is just beginning.

Baltimore’s budding dynamic duo. Its about time someone took the mantle from the Ripkens.

So there you have it, ten things you need to know about this year’s Baltimore Ravens, no particular reason for the order.  Now there’s only one question to ask: are you ready for some football?

(Expect new reports from New York, Mexico City, and Boston in the coming days- El)

~ by globalcorrespondent on August 28, 2009.

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Joe Flacco, John Harbaugh, Michael Oher, Ray Lewis