Ravens 2010 Schedule Officially Released

The 2010 schedule is finally here! The Ravens’ opponents have been known for quite some time now but now we know when the games will be played and which ones will be in prime time.

Here are a few of the highlights:

-Week 1: The Ravens will open their season on the road against Rex Ryan and the NY Jets on Monday Night Football (9/13).

-Week 4 will be played at Pittsburgh, and assuming Ben Roethlisberger is dealt a four game suspension, Baltimore will not have to face him in that match-up (10/3).

-Looking ahead to Week 13: The second Pittsburgh game…this one at home, will be a nationally televised Sunday night game (12/5) for the second year in a row.

-A week later, another prime time game. This time on Monday Night at Houston (12/13).

-And on six days rest, Baltimore welcomes in the defending champion Saints to M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 19.

Click here or above on the header titled “Ravens 2010 Schedule” to view the entire slate of games. Grab your calendar and mark down the games! This fall should be fun!

Weekend Recap

•Loved the final round of the Masters yesterday. Great golf, great drama. Personally I was cheering for Tiger. He’s my favorite and I thought it would be cool for him to go out there and win it all after going through a tumultuous winter of shame and disgrace. I know there were quite a bit of folks who just couldn’t bring themselves to cheer for the man, but you got to respect his game. CBS’ Peter Kostis made a great comment during yesterday’s telecast: “Say what you will about Tiger the person or Tiger the brand. Tiger the golfer is still exciting.” It looks as if viewers agree. Preliminary Nielsen  estimates indicated CBS’ rating for Saturday’s third round was 33 percent higher than 2009’s third round coverage.

•And although it was who Tiger drew the ratings, it was Phil Mickelson who finished atop the leaderboard to earn his third green jacket in seven years. Mickelson has always been “the peoples champ” and it was so enjoyable to see him win the tournament given the circumstances surrounding his wife Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer. He played tremendous golf, shooting 67’s on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Sunday’s final round was also bogey-free for Mickelson, what a great way to finish.

•Now on to a topic slightly less heartwarming. The state of the 2010 Orioles after 6 games.  They own a record of 1-5, their worst start since 2002. Like I always do because I’m a homer, I’m going to look at this situation with the glass half-full.

The starters have for the most part done their job, through six games they rank 13th in the league with a 3.89 ERA. I know it’s early to be referencing stats but they really do not lie and the starters have held up their end of the bargain, plain and simple.

The run support was one run short in the first four losses. But on Saturday and Sunday scoring zero and two runs respectively is just not enough. Garrett Atkins is hitting .350 and Matt Wieters .409, however they bat towards the bottom of the order. No one else on the roster owns an average higher than .300.

Mike Gonzalez has now blown two saves and people are calling for his head. I was fine with the first one on opening night in St. Petersburg, and pretty frustrated when he did it again in the home opener on Friday. I’ve given him the benefit of the doubt but now my leash is short with him. He better rattle off a few solid scoreless innings before his next blown save. If he can’t, its time for Dave Trembley to make some changes at closer.

So it’s a new week of what is still a very young season and grabbing two out of three or dare I even say sweeping  this upcoming series against Tampa Bay is critical for the team’s confidence. After these three upcoming home games they hit the road for a seven game trip on the west coast against Oakland and Seattle. Then they have to face the Yankees and Red Sox for twelve consecutive games! The Birds went a combined 7-29 in ’09 against the two powers of the A.L. East.

•And a very interesting and unexpected move in the NFL last night. The Steelers have traded wide receiver and Super Bowl 43 MVP Santonio Homes to the Jets for a fifth round pick in this month’s draft. Holmes will be suspended for the team’s first four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Well this is good news if you are a Ravens fan. Holmes has always been a dangerous weapon at receiver and has made big plays against Baltimore several times in his career, most notably in the 2008 AFC Championship Game when he scored on a 65 yard catch and run.

Ravens To Wear Black This Sunday vs. Bears

Baltimore Sun – The Ravens will wear black jerseys with white pants Sunday, when they play the Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium, a team official confirmed Wednesday.

It’s the first time that the Ravens will put on their alternate uniforms this season. The Ravens decided to go from the all-black combination (jersey and pants) last season because first-year coach John Harbaugh didn’t like how it looked.

The only time the Ravens have worn the black jersey with white pants was Dec. 7, 2008, when the Ravens beat the Washington Redskins, 24-10.

As Rich Eisen of the NFL Network would say: Ray Rice from Rutgers Running for the Ravens (and in this case) against the Redskins

Nice. I love it when the Ravens wear black. And honestly, I wasn’t too pleased last year when I arrived at the stadium before the Redskins game and saw the team warming up in their black uni’s and WHITE pants. But as the game went on I got used to the black/white combo and now I can say I like them.

Now what I don’t understand though, is why whoever is in charge of making this decision (based on the article above I’d assume its Coach Harbaugh) chose to wear the black uni’s this week. Why not wear them on Nov. 29th against the hated Steelers, at night, in front of a national audience?

If I were a betting man (and I’m not because I get killed by the spread), I would have said for sure at the beginning of the year that the Steelers game at home would be the one game the team wears black. Good thing I didn’t place any wagers.

To my knowledge, this will be only the second time the Ravens have ever worn black for non-night game and the first time for a 1 o’clock start time. The other occasion was New Year’s Eve 2006, when they hosted the Bills with a 4:15 p.m. kickoff

Ravens vs. Bills in 2006

Every Dog Has His Day

Ben Roethlisberger is sacked for a loss by Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Corey Williams. The Browns sacked Big Ben eight times in the contest.

Associated Press — There’s nothing Super about the Pittsburgh Steelers anymore. The defending NFL champions lost their fifth straight and had their playoff hopes sacked by the lowly Cleveland Browns, who ended a 12-game losing streak against their bitter rival by beating the Steelers 13-6 on Thursday night in subzero wind chills.

Ben Roethlisberger was sacked eight times and lost for the first time in 11 career games against the Browns (2-11), who extended Pittsburgh’s longest losing streak in six years and defeated the Steelers (6-7) at home for the first time since 2000.

The Steelers are going to need help to make the postseason, a stunning freefall for a team that hit the season’s halfway point at 6-2.

Oh I love it. This was a fun game to watch. The Browns’ season has just been miserable in 2009. But they went out their and played their asses off in 12 degree temperatures and 20 mile per hour wind gusts.

It’s been said before and it will be said again because it is so true. “Any team can beat any other team on any given Sunday” (Or in this case, Thursday haha). After what transpired tonight and last week when the Steelers fell to Oakland, the Ravens cannot overlook the Lions.

Things are boding well for Baltimore, if they can win out. According to the website PlayoffStatus.com, if the Ravens win their remaining four games, they have an 87% chance of making the playoffs. And that number is not taking into account the Steelers latest loss.

Flags Everywhere!

After reading some message boards and listening to local sports talk radio, I get the feeling that some Ravens fans are a little upset about the plethora of penalties that were called last night.

“They are out to get us” and “The league hates Baltimore” are silly arguments in my opinion.

I really don’t mind the 23 total penalties last night, because if you look at the box score, Baltimore was flagged 12 times to Green Bay’s 11. And if you eliminate Derrick Mason’s Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty early in the fourth quarter (which is Derrick’s fault, not the ref’s), the two teams are even.

I do think the officials were calling it much tighter than what is normally expected. But it since it was tight both ways, it’s just plain wrong to blame any part of last night’s loss on the referees.

Rapid Reaction: Packers 27 – Ravens 14

Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews reacts after sacking Baltimore Ravens' Joe Flacco during the first half

In the second half the Ravens were able to make this a close ballgame, but more penalties and two Joe Flacco interceptions really hurt this team tonight. Here is a quick recap:

Flacco led the ravens own the field, 11 plays and 71 yards to put them on the board and slice the lead to 17-7. On the ensuing kickoff, Baltimore forced and nearly recovered a E.Dietrich-Smith fumble after a short, high kick by Cundiff.

On the very next play, Rodgers’ pass was low and bounced off of Donald Driver’s leg. Jarrett Johnson snatched the ball out of the air to give the Ravens possession in Green Bay territory.

Ravens first play of the drive resulted in pass interference on Tremon Williams on Demetrius Williams in the endzone. Two plays later they capitalized with a Willis McGahee TD run to make the score 17-14.

Just like that the Baltimore offense had scored two touchdowns in a span of 30 seconds, and the deficit was 3. But that was as close to the ‘Pack’ as Baltimore would get.

After a Mason Crosby missed field goal and a stalled Baltimore drive, Green Bay extended their lead to 10 early in the fourth quarter when Rodgers hit Jermichael Finley for a 19 yard TD.

A 68 yard kickoff return by Lardarius Webb set up the Ravens with very good field position. Once again Tramon Williams was called for interfering with Demetrius Williams in the endzone. The Ravens got the ball on the one yard line. However, this drive ended with zero points as Flacco threw a costly interception to Williams.

Baltimore’s defense held their ground on Green Bay’s next possession, forcing a three and out. But on the first play of the Ravens’ next drive, Flacco threw his third interception of the game to A.J. Hawk.

Green Bay moved down the field and kicked a field goal at the two minute warning to cap the scoring on the night

Halftime: Green Bay 17 – Baltimore 0

Green Bay's Nick Collins celebrates after intercepting a pass during the first half.

Quick thoughts after a less than stellar first half for the Ravens:

-The offense is not feeling it tonight. Very reminiscent of the Cleveland game exactly three weeks ago tonight. QB Joe Flacco forced a lousy pass into triple coverage on a flee flicker late in the first quarter and the result was a Nick Collins interception. He is 6 of 14 for 54 yards. Ray Rice has seven carries for eleven yards and fumbled the ball deep in packer territory. Give credit to the Green Bay secondary. They have really covered the ravens receiving corps well.

-Defense is holding their own, but penalties, specifically pass interference, have really hurt this unit. Green Bay drove down the field in 8 plays for 68 yards towards the end of the first half.

-Still a slight window open for a comeback. Baltimore gets the ball second half. Adjustments must be made offensively.

Week 5 Game Preview: Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) at Baltimore Ravens (3-1)

Game Info:

Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. (EDT)

Site: M&T Bank Stadium (71.008) · Baltimore, MD

TV: CBS

Announcers: Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Steve Tasker (color)

Fast Facts:

-33.3 percent (14/42) of Baltimore’s offensive drives have ended in touchdowns this season — the highest percentage of any team in the league.

-Cincinnati and Baltimore are tied with three other teams for the league lead in red zone TD percentage at 66.7%. The Ravens have 12 TD’s in 18 red zone trips, while the Bengals have scored 8 TD’s in 12 red zone visits.

-Since 2003, when Marvin Lewis took over as Bengals head coach, the Ravens and Bengals defenses rank 1-2 in the NFL in takeaways. The Ravens lead with 205, and the Bengals are second at 198.

-Cincinnati has allowed a running back to gain at least 93 yards in back to back games.

-The Ravens have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 39 consecutive regular season games.

Ravens Offense vs. Bengals Defense: After suffering a neck injury last week against the Patriots, it is unlikely that left tackle Jared Gaither will play this Sunday. If that is the case, Michael Oher will switch over from the right side over to the left as he did last week. He will have his hands full though, going up against defensive end Antwan Odom. Odom is tied for first in the league with eight sacks this season. Of Baltimore’s 66 offensive plays last week, only 17 of them were running plays. They will need more balance if they want to keep the Bengals D in check. Joe Flacco and his receivers can only do so much when the opposing defense knows what you are going to do. Le’Ron McClain had zero carries in Week 4. Look for him to get a little more involved this week. Willis McGahee has been a touchdown machine. He scored in his sixth straight game last Sunday and now has nine TDs (7 rush, 2 rec) since Week 16 of 2008, the most of any NFL player during that span.

Bengals Offense vs. Ravens Defense: Quarterback Carson Palmer is off to a mediocre start, with a 75.2 QB rating, which ranks 24th in the league. He has six TD passes but has also thrown five interceptions. Running Back Cedric Benson ranks third in the AFC and is tied for fourth in the league with 367 rushing yards. He is averaging 4.4 yards per carry and has two touchdowns. Chad Ochocinco is the team’s leading receiver with 17 catches, a 15.2-yard average and three touchdowns. The story with Baltimore’s defense this year has been their vulnerability through the air. The run defense is as good as it’s ever been, holding opponents to an average of 59.5 yards a game, tops in the NFL.

Prediction: The Bengals are a good football team. If it weren’t for a miracle ending to their week 1 game against Denver, they would be 4-0. They squeaked out an overtime win over the lowly Browns last week, but have also come back after trailing double digits to the world champion Steelers. I wouldn’t be shocked if this turns out to be a close game late. But I just don’t see them finishing the job. The Ravens are a great football team at home. I don’t see them losing, especially with first place in the division on the line. RAVENS 30 – BENGALS 21.

Wednesday Morning News & Notes

Two rather big NFL news items to note this morning:

-ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Browns have traded wide receiver Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets. In return, Cleveland gets wide receiver Chansi Stuckey, special teamer Jason Trusnik, and two draft picks. The trade comes just two days after Edwards was accused of assaulting a friend of Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Lebron James outside a nightclub. Edwards was the third overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft.

-Schefter is also reporting that wide receiver Michael Crabtree, the only first round draft pick of 2009 that hasn’t signed with his team, now apparently has. Crabtree was drafted 10^th in this year’s draft by the San Francisco, but missed all of training camp and the 49ers’ first 4 games due to a holdout. He is expected to report to the team’s facility later today.

-On a sad note: Tony Fein, who was a linebacker for the Ravens during the preseason, was found dead in Port Orchard, Washington yesterday. His agent said there were no immediate details available.

-And what a baseball game last night! The Twins and Tigers were tied atop the AL Central after 162 games. And in baseball’s third tiebreaker game in as many years, it was Minnesota who prevailed 6-5 after 12 endless innings. In the top of the 8^th, Detroit’s Maglio Ordonez hit a solo shot to tie the game at 4 apiece. Each team scored in the 10^th, and then Alexi Casilla drove home Carlos Gomez in the bottom of the 12^th. The game lasted 4 hours and 37 minutes. The Twins have little time to celebrate though; they begin Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees tonight at 6:07.

Brett Favre Draws Record Cable Audience

Oh Brett Favre. Say what you want about good old #4. Love him or hate him, the man can draw an audience! Last night’s Monday Night Football game between the Packers and the Vikings was the highest rated cable television program of ALL TIME! Favre beat his old squad to become the first QB in NFL history to have a win against all 32 teams. An estimated 21,839,000 people tuned in to the broadcast.

NFL Week 4: Ravens – Patriots Wrap Up

Some thoughts on yesterday’s Ravens – Patriots game.

-I never thought I’d ever say this, but I would have liked to see Baltimore run the ball more than they did yesterday. There were only 17 rushing attempts the entire game. Credit New England, who shut down the run for most of the afternoon. With the exception of Ray Rice’s 50 yard scamper in the third quarter, they did a very good job of keeping the Ravens running game in check. But I believe with a little more balance; maybe the Ravens finish a few more drives.

-Joe Flacco was good, but not great yesterday. I was extremely pleased with how he did in third down situations. On third downs, he was 8 for 11 and had a QB rating of 125. But on 1^st and 10 with 1:11 remaining in the first half, and driving inside the New England 20, he threw a costly interception to Leigh Bodden. The Ravens were in field goal range and that pick cost them at least 3 points.

-I think it is very weak for anyone to blame Mark Clayton’s drop on fourth down for yesterday’s loss. There were plenty of opportunities for the Ravens to score points throughout the game. Chris Carr’s fumble on the opening kickoff allowed New England to get 3 easy points. Combine that fumble with Flacco’s interception in scoring territory, and that is potentially six, even 10 points in the Ravens’ favor. Mark dropped a big pass that happened to be late in the game. Was it a mistake? You bet. But there many other mistakes yesterday that added up to the loss.

-I’m never one to blame the referees. Overall the officiating was questionable, and the roughing the passer call on Terrell Suggs was just unacceptable. I realize what the league and the officials are trying to do. You have to protect the quarterback, and I get it. But there has to be a point where you let the players play. Ray Lewis was very upset with the call and I agree with what he said: “Without totally going off the wall here, it is embarrassing to the game. Brady is good enough to make his own plays; let him make the play.”)

-At the end of the day I am fine with this loss. The Ravens proved to me that they are very good team and that they can play with the big boys. They had numerous opportunities to take control of the game and they didn’t. They had a chance to win the game at the end and that’s all you can ask for. And I honestly believe they LOST the game more than New England won it. That doesn’t mean anything in the standings though, a win is a win and a loss is a loss. But this team has to feel awfully good about where they can go in 2009. If they stay healthy, I don’t see them losing more than 4 games the whole season.

Week 3: Ravens – Browns Wrap Up

Raice Rice celebrates his first career NFL touchdown with the help of Mark Clayton.

The Ravens did a great job yesterday of staying focused and not overlooking an inferior team. They came out of the gates strong and didn’t let up. They played smart football and the result was a 34-3 domination of the Cleveland Browns before 70,950 at M&T Bank Stadium.

I honestly thought the game would be a little closer, but I guess I didn’t realize just how bad the Browns really are. There are numerous problems with the team, but it seems like the solution is a mystery. Is it head coach Eric Mangini? Is it the quarterback situation? Or is it owner Randy Lerner? I just don’t know. After reading some of the reader comments on the Cleveland Plain Dealer‘s website, I almost feel sorry for what Browns fans have to go through.

But that’s enough sympathy for the Browns. Let’s talk about the Ravens and their stellar performance.

The offense is so fluid right now. Willis McGahee and Ray Rice went literally untouched on all three of their touchdown runs. Huge credit goes to the offensive line, especially tackles Jared Gaither and rookie Michael Oher.

Joe Flacco was efficient, completing 25 of his 35 throws and amassing a career high 342 yards. His confidence has to be extremely high going into Foxborough next Sunday after throwing no interceptions for the first time this season.

Derrick Mason caught 5 passes for 118 yards and he surpassed the 800 catch plateau for his career. His most impressive play came with a little over eight minutes remaining in the game. He adjusted to catch an underthrown pass by Flacco. He made the leaping catch, and proceeded to make two Cleveland defenders miss on his way to the endzone for a 72 yard TD.

The defense took advantage of Jamal Lewis being out with a hamstring injury and shut down the Cleveland rushing attack. Jerome Harrison was limited to 52 yards on 16 carries. With that the Ravens have now not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 38 consecutive games, the longest current streak in the NFL.

Ed Reed, Dawan Landry, Dominique Foxworth, and Brendan Ayanbadejo all had interceptions. The secondary limited Braylon Edwards to 35 yards receiving.

Final Thoughts: The Ravens are playing some the best football in the history of the franchise. Never before have the offense and defense been so balanced and so good. The offense is explosive and the defense is as rough and tough as it’s ever been. But their toughest opponents are still in front of them. Next week’s game at New England is going to be a HUGE test for this team. Whether or not they can go into a tough environment and beat a very talented football team will speak volumes.

Week 3 Game Preview: Cleveland Browns (0-2) at Baltimore Ravens (2-0)

Game Info:

Kickoff: 1:05 p.m. (EDT)

Site: M&T Bank Stadium (71.008) · Baltimore, MD

TV: CBS

Announcers: Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Steve Tasker (color)

Fast Facts:

-Since 1999, Baltimore has allowed 18 100-yard rushing games. The Browns have allowed 18 100-yard rushing games over their last 32 games.

-Since 2003, the Ravens’ defense at home has ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed, points allowed and interceptions.

-Ravens wideout Derrick Mason needs just 3 catches to put him at 800 for his career, a mark which only 22 players in NFL history have hit.

– The Ravens have had at least 1 sack in 14 straight games.

-Free safety Ed Reed has 7 career interceptions against the Browns and has returned 3 of them for scores.

– The Browns are 3-7 in their previous 10 visits to M&T Bank Stadium. The last time Cleveland won in Baltimore was in 2007 in a game that will forever be remembered for Phil Dawson’s wild field goal at the end of regulation.

Josh Cribbs: I have never made a section in a game preview for just one player. But Browns return specialist Josh Cribbs is good enough to warrant his own preview. Consider these stats: From 2005-09, Cribbs is ranks first in the league in kickoff returns for touchdowns (five), and second in combined return touchdowns (seven). He also ranks second in kickoff return yards (5,707 for a 26.2-yard average). During last season’s Ravens-Browns game in Cleveland, Cribbs ran a kickoff back 92-yards for a score, and totaled 237 kickoff return yards and 41 yards on punts. He returned another kick for a TD in week 1 against Minnesota. The Ravens showed last week that their special team coverage has some holes as the Chargers’ Darren Sproles averaged 32 yards per kickoff return including a 52 yard burst that gave his team great field position.

Ravens Offense vs. Browns Defense: Last week the Ravens showed that their 501 yard outburst in week one was no fluke. In fact, Baltimore now ranks first in the AFC in yards per game (406) and points per game (34.5). On paper, this is as big of a mismatch as you will ever see. Defensively, the Browns rank all the way on the other end of the spectrum. Cleveland has given up an average of 30.5 points in their first two games. The offensive line has been VERY impressive so far in this young season. Jared Gaither held Shawne Merriman to one tackle and zero sacks last week. Center Matt Birk has the tough task of blocking Browns all-pro nose tackle Shaun Rogers. Rodgers is strong and takes up lots of space. He can disrupt the running game by closing holes before they even open. Said Birk, “He’s a great player. He combines power and quickness, and that’s rare in a big guy like that to be so explosive. That’s why he’s been a good player for so long in this league. He’s just a big, powerful guy. All you can do is get in there and try to battle.” The three headed monster of Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le’Ron McClain will once again give Baltimore fresh legs the throughout the game at the running back position. Joe Flacco has been solid in 2009, but has thrown a pick in each game. It will be interesting to see if he can avoid throwing one for the third straight week.

Browns Offense vs. Ravens Defense: Cleveland is having a great deal of trouble scoring points on the offensive side of the ball. They have scored just one offensive TD in their past 33 quarters! That is a stretch of just over 8 full games. Former Raven Jamal Lewis is questionable with a hamstring injury. If Lewis is unable to start, Jerome Harrison and fullback Lawrence Vickers (three combined rushing attempts in ’09) will get the bulk of the carries. As if going up against the NFL’s #1 rush defense wasn’t hard enough, doing so without your starting halfback makes it that much harder. Receiver Braylon Edwards has been very quiet through two games so far this year, hauling in only 7 receptions. But he could be due for a big game, especially against a Baltimore secondary that got lit up last Sunday in San Diego. But Edwards having a succesful day is largely dependent on whether or not quarterback Brady Quinn can play smart football and avoid costly turnovers. Since his debut last November, Quinn has started 5 games, thrown 3 touchdown passes, 4 interceptions, and won just one game. He will have to battle a tough pass rush from Ray Lewis and company as well as a loud M&T Bank Stadium crowd.

Prediction: These two teams are going in two very different directions. Baltimore is thinking Super Bowl and Cleveland is trying to establish a solid foundation with Quinn at quarterback and Eric Mangini as head coach. Take a look at the Baltimore Sun’s
staff predictions for this game. They all pretty much agree that this will be a lopsided affair. I disagree. The Browns have talent and will put up a good fight on Sunday. I would be shocked if they were to escape town with a win, but this will be much closer than a lot of people think. RAVENS 24 – BROWNS 13.

Ravens, R. Lewis Come Up Big in San Diego

The Ravens victory over the Chargers yesterday wasn’t pretty, but when have the Ravens ever been a team of style over substance? Never.

The defense gave up 476 yards, but Ray Lewis, who on fourth and 2 made the game’s biggest play, summed it up best. “You see a couple of big plays here or there, but I told the defense earlier, those third- and fourth-down goal-line stances will win us the ballgame. I’ve been in games where we’ve held under 150 yards. That’s cute. Stats are pretty. But if you don’t win, you’re sick.”

The franchise’s M.O. for winning over the past decade has been to play great defense, and hope the offense can do SOMETHING. However yesterday, in front of a crowd of 66,882 at sun-splashed Qualcomm Stadium, it was a bit of a role-reversal as the offense picked up the slack for the defense.

Willis McGahee rushed for 79 yards and was able to find the endzone twice. Dan Fouts made mention during the CBS telecast of how motivating it can be to a player when he has to earn his carries. This is a remarkably different McGahee than the one we saw in 2008. He has a great attitude this year and is looking even better than he did in 2007 when he averaged 81 yards per game and had almost 300 carries.

Joe Flacco, aside from throwing an interception early in the fourth quarter, was brilliant. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 190 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His 27 yard lob to Kelley Washington looked great. He pumped to Mark Clayton who was setting up for a screen, and the Charger defense bit hard. What a great piece of play calling from offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

The receivers were decent; I was expecting a bit more from Clayton and Derrick Mason. Together they only totaled 4 receptions. Kelley Washington is quickly becoming one of Joe Flacco’s favorite targets. Todd Heap only caught one pass, but it was good for six and gave Baltimore their biggest lead of the game. Mason needs only 3 catches to become the 23^rd player in league history to amass 800 or more receptions.

For the Ravens’ defensive front seven, it was business as usual. They held the explosive Darren Sproles to only 26 rushing yards and the Chargers as a whole to 53. The play of the secondary was cause for concern though. Sproles and Phillip Rivers connected on a 81 yard catch and run that went the distance. And receiver Vincent Jackson snagged in 6 balls for 141 yards. Down the road, teams are going to exploit corners Fabian Washington and Dominique Foxworth like the Chargers. Each is only 5-foot-11, and when the Ravens face big, tall receivers, (i.e. Braylon Edwards next week and Randy Moss in 2 weeks) they are going to have get help from the safeties and use double coverage. If they don’t figure out a way to contain these playmakers, yesterday’s game will not be the only time Baltimore gives up 400+ passing yards.

Overall, a win is a win and the play of this team right now should excite any fan. Both games this year have revealed weaknesses that could have potentially led to losses. Yet both times, the Ravens have found ways to come out victorious.

With Pittsburgh losing in Chicago yesterday, Baltimore now sits atop the AFC North. I know, I know, it’s early, but starting out 2-0 historically bodes well for the Ravens. The last three times they’ve done it, they’ve made the playoffs (2000, 2006, and 2008). An excellent opportunity to improve to 3-0 awaits this Sunday when Baltimore hosts the 0-2 Cleveland Browns.

Thoughts on Ravens – Chiefs

WR Mark Clayton hauls in a 31-yard touchdown pass over the Chiefs' Brandon Carr. The score put the Ravens ahead 31-24

Yesterday’s 38-24 win was very satisfying for me as a Ravens fan. Some wouldn’t agree, but I’ll explain a little later. Many people are quick to point out that the ravens were heavy favorites, and that they were given a tough fight by one of the worst teams in football. I don’t share that same opinion.

I wasn’t surprised at all by the Chiefs’ effort yesterday; you can always expect great effort from any NFL team on any given Sunday. I was a little shocked though, with the two long scoring drives they had in the fourth quarter. Fabian Washington seemed to be struggling with coverage and the pass rush was decent but not getting to Brodie Croyle as nearly as quickly as it should have been.

And aside from the special teams mishap which resulted in a blocked punt for a TD, and a poor interception by Joe Flacco which led to another TD, the Ravens looked superb yesterday.

Flacco was very sharp and it definitely looks as if he has a much better feel for the pocket than he did last year. He really know when to scramble, when to throw it away, or when to just take a sack. I loved his touchdown pass to Willis McGahee. It was very Roethlisberger-esque, if that’s a word. He bought himself time, kept his head up and extended the play long enough for a man to open up and he capitalized beautifully for the score.

Ray Rice and Willis McGahee were great; they combined for 152 yards on a score on the ground. While Le’Ron McClain caught 3 passes and rushed 6 times for 42 total yards and a score. The running back by committee works! It really is the heart and soul of the Ravens offense.

Mark Clayton’s beautiful game winning touchdown capped a solid day for the receiving corps. He, Mason, Heap, and Washington combined for 2 TD’s, 17 receptions, and 241 yards!

As I mentioned earlier, the defensive play in the early part of the fourth quarter was cause for concern in my opinion. But let’s go over the performance of this defense on their first four series of the game. Four straight 3 and outs! They did not yield a first down until the 4:38 mark in the 2^nd quarter! That is dominant. KC was 2 for 10 on third downs and only made 2 trips to the redzone all day. One of those was courtesy of Joe Flacco, not the D.

So back to my first sentence, you only get better when you make mistakes and learn from them. The Ravens made a few yesterday. 2 of them ended up costing them 14 points. Against tougher teams, it won’t be as easy to put up 38 and negate those two scores. You got to believe head coach John Harbaugh will have these guys ready and even more focused for a west coast trip to play the Chargers next Sunday.

Week 1: Ravens vs. Chiefs Preview

Game Info:

Kickoff: 1:05 p.m. (EDT)

Site: M&T Bank Stadium (71,008) · Baltimore, MD

TV: CBS

Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Rich Gannon (color)

Overview: Baltimore enters the 2009 season with extremely high expectations. After a loss in last year’s AFC Championship Game, the Ravens have their sights set on Miami and Super Bowl XLIV. On the other side of the field, Kansas City is looking to rebound last year’s franchise worst 2-14 record. With a new GM in Scott Pioli, a new head coach in Todd Haley and a new franchise quarterback in Matt Cassel, the future looks bright for this old AFL franchise, which is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year.

Ravens Offense vs. Chiefs Defense: Look for Joe Flacco to have plenty of time today as he faces a weak front seven. The Chiefs recorded only ten sacks in all of 2008, the fewest in NFL history. If you remember back to last year’s season opener, Cam Cameron had a few tricks up his sleeve which included a Mark Clayton end around. I loved seeing the statue of liberty play in the preseason game vs. the Jets. I would not be surprised to see some fancy formation or trick play today. I was listening to Gerry Sandusky on the radio this morning and he said to look out for what he calls “the I-Gun” formation. The I-Gun has the quarterback in the shotgun, and then directly behind him is a back or a receiver. That brings up the possibility of options and sweeps and other different plays. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee will see a great deal of touches today. The Ravens will rely on them to establish momentum and help set up play-action. And then later to help eat up clock and wear down the Chiefs

Chiefs Offense vs. Ravens Defense: Matt Cassel is going to be a game time decision. I don’t think it will make a difference whether he plays or not. If he does go, he won’t be 100%. Earlier this week, head coach Todd Haley indicated that Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle could both see playing time if Cassel cannot go. The Ravens are healthy on defense and that is very dangerous. Larry Johnson can be one of the premier backs in the league when he is on his game. He was the last running back to gain 100 or more yards on the Ravens.

Prediction: The Ravens are so focused right now. I believe they will win this one 31-10. More to come later today with a recap.

Titans – Steelers Preview

The NFL season kicks off tonight from Heinz Field as the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers host the Titans. The previous meeting between these teams was in Nashville last December with the number one seed throughout the playoffs at stake. The Steelers held a 14-10 advantage early in the third quarter. But Tennessee scored 21 unanswered points, capped by a Michael Griffin 83 yard interception return for a touchdown. What ensued has started a massive controversy. A Terrible Towel was thrown from the stands towards the Titans sideline. A few Titans, most notably LenDale White, started stomping on the towel. This pretty much declared war between these two franchises, which were destined to meet in the AFC Championship as the respective 1 and 2 seeds. But the Ravens knocked off the Titans in the divisional round and Steelers never needed redemption, they got something better instead, a Super Bowl victory. As you can imagine, the Titans feel as though they beat the best, so they should be the best. “If we would’ve had a chance to play them again in the AFC championship and those guys would’ve beat us, it would’ve been a little easier to swallow,” Pro Bowl safety Chris Hope said. “Being we beat the Super Bowl champions and never had a chance to compete and go play for the Super Bowl, that left a bad taste in our mouth.” So fast forward almost nine months, it’s time for the rematch.

Tennessee is a different defense without Albert Haynesworth, who signed with the Redskins this offseason. It will be a little tougher stopping the run without his presence. But they still have the majority of their defense intact from last season, a defense that trailed only the Steelers in points allowed with 14.6 PPG. Keith Bulluck, Javon Kearse, and Kyle Vanden Bosch are the leaders of unit. On offense the M.O. for Tennessee is simple: Heavy doses of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. White lost 30 pounds this offseason and is the slimmest he’s been since high school. This has got to be one of, if not the best two back tandem in the league. Alge Crumpler is a reliable tight end who is always a threat to score inside the redzone. Former Steeler Nate Washington is solid vertical threat and a nice addition to Tennessee’s less than stellar receiving corps, but he is questionable for tonight’s game with a hamstring injury.

They go up against a tremendous Steelers defense, which gave up the fewest yards and points per game last season. It is such a tough task  for the offense to account for so many good players on one side of the ball. Players such as Troy Polamalu, Casey Hampton, James Farrior, Lamar Woodley, Ryan Clark, and reigning defensive player of the year James Harrison. This defense against the Titans running game will definitely be something to keep your eye on. On the offensive side of the ball the Steelers are just as dangerous. Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes, Health Miller, Hines Ward, Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and Ben Roethlisberger can all make plays. Roethlisberger’s instincts are amazing. His ability to make plays on the move and always get the ball out just before the pressure gets to him makes him a pain for any defense.

Both of these teams are built on physical defenses that force uncomfortable 3^rd and long situations. This could be a low scoring affair with average field position being the most important stat of the night. I am picking the Steelers to win this one. You have heard it before and your will hear it again a million times this season. It is hard to win on the road in the NFL. The Steelers have won 6 straight season openers dating back to ’03, which is the longest active streak in NFL. I’m not going against that trend. STEELERS 27 – TITANS 13.