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Ravens (3-0) @ Patriots (2-1)
Published: October 2, 2009
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:shaking head:
I’m sorry, I still have trouble getting over the fact that the Ravens enter their Week 4 matchup with the Patriots with the BETTER offense of the two teams.
It’s going to take more than three games for us to collectively thaw our frozen offensive hearts here in B’More, but I promise if we stick together, and take it one game at a time, we’ll get through it with Joe Flacco and Cam Cameron at our sides.
Going into the season, I thought the Ravens had no better than a 25 percent chance of winning in Foxboro. Naturally, after the hot start, I am much more optimistic. Let’s look at some reasons why:
Offense!
Through three games, the Ravens offense is reaching heights that nobody saw coming. If I’ve seen one national media piece this week on Joe Flacco’s awesomeness, I’ve seen 20.
Willis McGahee leads the NFL in touchdowns. He and Ray Rice are averaging, combined, an absurd 5.5 yards per carry…NCAA numbers.
Kelley Washington has emerged as a very legitimate No. 3 WR, and he seems to pick up a first-down every time he touches the ball.
The young offensive line is playing out of their minds, opening gaping holes and giving Flacco plenty of time to scan the field and fire up his shoulder-cannon.
Injuries
While the Ravens enter the game relatively healthy, the same can’t be said of New England. With MLB Jerod Mayo already out, DT Vince Wilfork’s ankle injury becomes even more problematic for the Pats.
Wilfork is very important to Bill Belichick’s run defense, and with him likely out, the holes that Matt Birk, Chris Chester, and Ben Grubbs are able to create between the tackles just got a bit wider.
They have issues on the offensive side as well. Randy Moss, after his 100-yard day last week against the Falcons, revealed that he was enduring excruciating back pain during the game, and could barely walk on Monday. Moss will play, and surely be effective, but anything that can slow him down, even a little, is a plus for the Ravens.
Wes Welker was listed as questionable for the Atlanta game with a knee injury, and did not end up playing. His status for Sunday is similarly up in the air, after he was limited in practice all week.
Welker is as important as Moss to the New England offense, as he keeps the chains moving as expertly as any WR in the league, and is always getting open quickly for Brady when the defense brings pressure.
However, the Pats have no shortage of tiny white WRs sure to get on your nerves. Filling in for Welker is rookie Julian Edelman (11 rec, 118 yards).
Fret not. Despite what this guy will try to tell you, Edelman is no Welker, at least not at this point. Wes Welker is a VERY GOOD veteran wide receiver. Julian Edelman has played 3 games in his career. Having No. 11 in there is a huge step down from No. 83.
Another injury affecting New England is one that happened over a year ago. Of course, I speak of the season-ending blow to Tom Brady in 2008. Tom Terrific hasn’t regained his old form yet, and has shown the typical jitters-in-the-pocket symptoms that tend to follow such horrific injuries (see: Palmer, Carson).
He’s obviously still great, but he isn’t playing like the 2007 Brady (yet), and so the Patriots seem, for the moment, incapable of blowing teams away like they did during their 16-0 regular season.
Brady is susceptible to pressure, and can be forced into early, errant throws if the Ravens defense can get in his face.
None of this is to say I’m predicting a Ravens blowout. Far from it. Let’s shift to the things that make me a bit uneasy going into this one.
Defense
Sure, the Ravens’ D redeemed themselves a bit last week…but there is no getting around the fact that it was against the BROWNS. The Patriots, even with a hobbled Moss, no Welker, and a Timid Tommy Brady, are not the Browns.
On paper, the Ravens have nobody to match up with Moss 1-on-1 like the Jets did with Darrell Revis in their victory over New England in Week 2. Fabian Washington has the pure speed to keep up with Moss, but is severely undersized.
I feel confident that he can match up well with Welker, but the Pats like to move Welker inside to the slot, where he would face Chris Carr or a linebacker.
I’d like to see the Ravens play a lot of Cover 2 Sunday, keeping Ed Reed and Dawan Landry deep over the top.
The Pats have struggled in the Red Zone this season, so the weakness of their Red Zone offense versus the strength of the Ravens Red Zone defense is a match-up B’More should try to exploit.
Letting them pile up yards between the 20’s, but keeping them out of the end zone will go a long way towards a purple win.
Red Zone offense and defense don’t matter a lick if you are giving up 40+ yard touchdown strikes (because Ed Reed tries to jump an out route and leaves the deep middle of the field completely open like he did several times against San Diego…thank you, NFL Network.)
Holding the Pats into the low-20’s is probably a realistic goal for the Ravens D this week.
Special Teams
The Ravens return games have been crap in 2009. Chris Carr has looked hesitant and unsure, and continues to leave yards on the field.
A big game like this may not be the ideal time to give Ledarius Webb his shot, especially considering his preseason fumble issues, so it would be nice to see Carr get on track.
Steve Hauschka is 4/5 on the season, but has yet to face a high-pressure kick, let alone a high-pressure kick in a very hostile environment the likes of which he will see Sunday.
In a game that could very well come down to 2 or 3 points, the young kicker leaves us just a little worried.
Bill Belichick
Finally, there is the evil genius himself, New England head coach Bill Belichick. A master of having his teams completely prepared and exploiting any weakness, however small, in the opponents, the hooded one can never be overlooked.
The New England offense was very balanced against Atlanta, as the ageless Fred Taylor ran for over 100 yards.
Nobody runs on the Ravens, so was that all part of a master plan to fool them into thinking the Patriots are back to a balanced attack? And with the way his defense held the Falcons’ strong offense to just 10 points…
Belichick is good. Very good.
That said, the Ravens coaches are no slouches themselves. I think Cam Cameron will unveil some new wrinkles this week that will surprise old Bill, and Greg Mattison will show that he does indeed know how to use the Ravens’ plethora of defensive talent effectively against a great offense.
Also, Joe Flacco will step up and show everyone what we already know, but which nobody outside of B’More wants to admit…he is better than Matt Ryan.
Ravens 28, Patriots 23
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Ravens Offensive Playbook Must Continue to Evolve
Published: May 14, 2009
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In 2008, the Baltimore Ravens boasted the NFL’s No. 11 scoring offense. NFL can also stand for “Not For Long,” though, and as we’ve seen time and time again, teams that fail to evolve and adapt from one season to the next do not remain on top for long.
In his first year in Baltimore, Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron showed just why he is considered one of the best offensive minds in the game. Despite lacking the kinds of weapons he had during his days with the San Diego Chargers, he made the Ravens, a team with a long history of offensive ineptitude, an exciting, big-play team.
So how will his game plans be different in 2009? Let’s take a look at some possibilities.
The first likely change will be the “opening up” of the playbook for quarterback Joe Flacco. The success enjoyed by Flacco in his rookie campaign was due in large part to Cameron protecting his young signal-caller. Ravens receivers ran primarily short-to-medium routes, and Flacco was not asked to make many complicated reads or throws into traffic over the middle of the field.
Expect that to change this season.
Flacco’s arm strength has never been in question, and his progression in diagnosing coverages and finding the open man is evidenced by his 13:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio over Weeks 7-17. Cameron will continue to ease the “training wheels” off Flacco, and the second year player will have to prove that he can handle the increased responsibility and pressure.
Flacco will also benefit from the addition of Michael Oher, the first round draft choice from the University of Mississippi. Considered a top-10 talent in this year’s draft, Oher is expected to challenge for the starting right tackle position immediately. In 2008, right tackle was a position of weakness for the Ravens, as they were often forced to keep tight ends in to help either Willie Anderson or Adam Terry, who each saw playing time, with opponents’ edge pass rushers.
If tight ends are blocking, then they aren’t running passing routes, and as a result, Flacco often had as few as two options to throw to when he dropped back. If Oher, a guy who has been bragging about being able to stop Dwight Freeney since he was in high school, can step in and hold his own, Ravens tight ends Todd Heap and the newly signed L.J. Smith, both very capable pass-catchers, can become favorite targets of Flacco, and draw defensive attention away from the receivers on the outside.
One of the staples of the Ravens’ offense in 2008 was their own version of the “Wildcat,” the “Suggs Package.” Named after a comment made by linebacker Terrell Suggs on a Baltimore radio show, the “Suggs Package” featured former Heisman Trophy Winning quarterback Troy Smith taking the snap from center, with Flacco split wide as a receiver.
The Miami Dolphins got the most media coverage for the formation, and it seemed just about every team around the league tried some version of it. Having Smith, though, who would likely have been the staring quarterback on opening day, were he not derailed by an illness, really gave the Ravens’ version of the specialty offense an element that the “Wildcats” of other teams were lacking. One of the most exciting plays of the entire NFL season featured Smith hitting Flacco in-stride for a 43-yard gain against Oakland in Week 8.
However, this offseason the Ravens signed former Miami Dolphin John Beck to compete with Smith for the backup quarterback position. Many around town feel that Beck may be the better long-term solution behind Flacco. The Ravens, like many teams, prefer to only have two quarterbacks on the active roster on game days. So if Beck outperforms Smith in training camp, and gets penciled in as the No. 2, will the “Suggs Package” be a thing of the past?
Not so fast.
On more than one occasion, wide receiver Mark Clayton has been the Ravens “emergency quarterback” on game days, even throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass in Week 13 against Cincinnati. Even if Smith isn’t available to run the gimmick, don’t underestimate the creativity of Cam Cameron.
The Ravens’ ground attack faces some uncertainty and likely changes as well going into the 2009 season.
Although officially listed as a fullback, Le’Ron McClain was the team’s leading rusher in 2008, with 902 yards and 10 TDs. His bruising style and nimble feet drew comparisons to former Pittsburgh Steeler Jerome Bettis.
The Ravens though, did not resign Lorenzo Neal, who, by filling the blocking fullback role, allowed McClain to line up as a tailback. The loss of Neal may force McClain back to his more natural position.
If McClain is indeed used in more of a blocking role in 2009, his share of carries will have to be absorbed by Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. Each of them possess their own unique strengths, but neither are capable of wearing down opposing defenses like McClain did in 2008.
McGahee had some tough luck with injuries last season, and will need to prove that he can return to the feature-back role, after being more of a complimentary player for the first time in his career in 2008.
Ray Rice was enjoying an impressive rookie season before being injured in Week 14 against Washington. Used mainly as a 3rd down back, Rice showed a great “nose for the sticks,” moving the chains on many occasions. His best performance came in Week 9 at Cleveland, when he ran for 154 yards on 21 carries. He had double-digit carries only one other time all season though, and still needs to prove that he can handle those kind of touches on a consistent basis.
For a fan base that finally got to watch an offense that seemed to know what it was doing in 2008, all these changes can make us a bit uneasy. Ravens fans just need to have faith, though, that the mind of Cameron and the arm of Flacco will continue to power the offense through these transitions.
