Baltimore Ravens’ Crossroads: Moody Team Could Fly in Either Direction

With a perfectly-timed bye this week, the vibe in Baltimore is a subtle blend of frustration and optimism, second-guessing and un-waiving faith. Three close losses in a row to three good teams can do that to a fan base, even one as fervently proud as the Baltimore Ravens’.

But the team itself hasn’t lost sight of who they are and what they can do, at least not publicly. Head coach John Harbaugh has stood by every personnel move, every play call and every decision that he, his staff and his players have made.

But the fact remains that after a 3-0 start, the Ravens are 3-3, with an extra week to steam over the failed last second field goal against the Minnesota Vikings in Week Six that could have generated some strong momentum and put the team at 4-2 heading into their week off.

All Baltimore can do is look ahead.

We have a big picture plan in mind. We do know who’s on the schedule,” Harbaugh said a day after the Vikings loss. “We do know what’s in front of us big picture-wise, and we have a plan to attack. We know who [our opponents] are, and we have an idea of what we want to try to accomplish.”

The Ravens have done a lot right in the first six weeks of the season. And they’ve done a lot wrong. And despite the miscues, they’ve had chances to win the last three games in the closing seconds. This is a competitive team, and if history is any indication, they won’t start letting up just because of a rough patch.

Baltimore is only one game back in the AFC North, and still have four divisional games left, so the proverbial phrase “anything can happen” is still very much in tact. With that optimism in mind, here are three things that can guide the Ravens to success throughout the season:

1 ) They’ve been in this position before. It was just one season ago that the Ravens lost three in a row, all to teams that made the playoffs in 2008. It was even at the same point in the season: Weeks four through six.

At the time, quarterback Joe Flacco was struggling, and doubt was just starting to bubble to the surface after an overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a defensive letdown against the Tennessee Titans and a complete thrashing by the Indianapolis Colts.

This time around, Flacco is flourishing, but close losses against the perennial contender New England Patriots, divisional rival Cincinnati Bengals and of course the anguishing Vikings loss have created a whiff of déjà vu. Harbaugh led his team back from adversity before. There’s no reason to think he can’t do it again.

The Ravens have always played better with the “underdog” tag attached to them, when they’re playing the “no respect card.” Well, all of a sudden, they’re the underdogs again.

2 ) The legs of Ray Rice. What was once a three-headed monster is now the Ray Rice show. Rice has show himself to be a legit featured back in the National Football league. Rice is averaging six yards per carry this season and has three touchdowns. He’s also proven to be an able wide receiver, an admitted goal of his.

“The game has slowed down for me enough where coach will let me do certain things that he knows I’m going to make a play,” Rice said. “That’s the thing that feels good, knowing that I’m in an offense where I’m comfortable and an offense where I can be successful.”

Rice has earned every carry he’s gotten, and played a huge role in the comeback the Ravens mounted against the Vikings. The other key player in the Ravens’ near victory was…

3 ) Joe Flacco. Teams go years without finding a franchise quarterback, and often it can cost them. Baltimore knows first hand, going through the likes of Tony Banks, Trent Dilfer, Elvis Grbac, Randall Cunningham, Chris Redman, Kyle Boller, Anthony Wright and Steve McNair throughout the past decade. Flacco has already shown in his first two seasons he can be the quarterback of this team for the next decade.

The second-year starter has already thrown for 11 touchdowns and 1,674 yards in six games this season. for a 93.8 QB rating. When your team has a talented quarterback like that, you’ll always be competitive. Just ask the Patriots and the Colts.

But a lot needs to improve for the Ravens to make the postseason. The week off will allow the Ravens more to tinker with schemes and packages, make personnel moves if necessary and generally light a fire under their squad.

Every Baltimore sports writer has written about those woes in detail. The most maligned unit in Baltimore these days is…

1 ) The secondary. Starting cornerbacks Domonique Foxworth and Fabian Washington are speedy but undersized, and backups Chris Carr and Frank Walker fit that same mold. Carr has been generally ineffective as a nickel back, and Walker is prone to pass interference calls, much to the chagrin of the fans.

Pro Bowl free safety Ed Reed has been known as a gambler on field, but those gambles have been going against the team lately, while strong safety Dawan Landry is off to a slow start after recovering from a neck injury last season.

All in all, this unit is giving up too many big plays. They’re not getting much help from the defensive line, who haven’t generated a consistent enough pass rush on opposing quarterbacks.

There are too many strong-armed gunslingers on the schedule to allow this to happen. Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler all will have a crack at the Ravens this year. They need better play from their defensive backs.

2 ) The ground game as a whole doesn’t improve . Despite the play of Ray Rice, the Ravens have become much more of a passing team in the last three games. Harbaugh has noted the team’s desire to stay committed to the run, but their game plan varies from opponent to opponent and they were forced to rely on Joe Flacco’s arm perhaps more than they’d like.

Willis McGahee is healthy this year and at one point led the league in touchdowns this season. Le’Ron McClain is a former Pro Bowler himself and a great north-south runner for short yardage situations. The point is, there’s too much talent on that side of the ball to let it go to waste.

3 ) The AFC North is just too good this year. The Ravens can’t do a whole lot in this area but just play better, period. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the defending world champions and play as such. The Cincinnati Bengals are much improved and are 3-0 in the division already.

Very rarely do three teams from a division make the playoffs in any given year. The two-horse race everyone expected from the AFC North this year is much more crowded with the emergence of the Bengals, and Baltimore may very well be the odd man out.

But the Ravens are still in control of their destiny. They’ve shown that they play hard no matter what the score, and should be competitive from here on out. As they enter this crossroad again at midseason, which route will they take. The Denver Broncos will be the first to find out in Week Eight.

Until then, all the team can do is look forward and improve. And all fans can do is keep the faith.

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Ravens-Vikings: Frustrating Loss, But Ravens Have Shown They Won’t Quit

OK, the bad news first. For the third week in a row, the Baltimore Ravens lost a game they had the opportunity to win in the final minute. Take away one dropped pass, one blown coverage, and one missed field goal, and the Ravens may be undefeated right now.

Instead, they’re 3-3 going into their bye. Their defense is still susceptible to the big play—just ask Brett Favre. Their offensive line misses the presence of Jared Gaither—just ask Michael Oher. And their second-year field goal kicker Steve Hauschka blew his first real shot at being the hero of the day—just ask every sports fan in Baltimore.

But here’s the good news: this team doesn’t give up.

After being outplayed for three quarters against the Minnesota Vikings, the Ravens managed to score 21 points in the fourth to make it a game. Joe Flacco was knocked around all day by the likes of Jared Allen, Pat Williams, and Kevin Williams, but he kept making plays, and continues to prove he’ll be a force in the NFL for years to come.

These tidbits may come as little comfort for the fans in Baltimore, who will now have two weeks to steam over this three-game losing streak.

Despite the bad taste in their mouths, the Ravens’ players and coaches are likely glad to have a bye next week, as it will afford time to work on all the little things that are costing them on the field.

Perhaps fans can take solace in one thing: this time last year, the Ravens were 2-3 after an embarrassing lost to the Indianapolis Colts.

Of course, as we all know by now, they reached the AFC title game.

They were good enough last year to do it, and they’ve proven they won’t give up despite a lot of things going against them. Time will tell if they rebound as well as they did in 2008, but as frustrated as Baltimore fans should be right now, they should also be at least a little proud.

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One Way Or Another, Ravens’ Play at Vikes Will Be Telling

It could very well be a watershed moment for the Baltimore Ravens as they attempt to break their two-game slide this weekend in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings. When the final whistle blows, the Ravens will have either created more doubts, or put them to bed.

After beginning the season 3-0 and being a near-unanimous Super Bowl contender in 2009, Baltimore’s much-maligned secondary has only gotten more heat after being victimized by the likes of Tom Brady and Carson Palmer. People are questioning the game-planning on both sides of the ball, and a few fans are even approaching panic mode.

But it’s easy to forget that this is a team that lost three in a row last season only to bounce back and advance to the conference title game. Head coach John Harbaugh’s team has bounced back from losses before, and played well on the road as well. They face both tasks on Sunday against Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson, standing tall at 5-0.

With a bye immediately afterward, the coaching staff will have time to make the adjustments necessary down the stretch. But the momentum from a victory would be huge heading into November. The schedule will only get more difficult, with games against Denver, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh.

All the problems from the last few weeks are connected, so it’s not preposterous to say that by fixing one issue, the rest will improve. Cornerbacks Domonique Foxworth and Fabian Washington need to play better, but they need help from the defensive line. There needs to be a more effective pass rush, which is where Terrell Suggs comes in. Limit the the time the quarterback has to throw, and the secondary will look better right away.

On the offensive side of the ball, it’s just a matter of finding the right rhythm. They were too pass happy against the Patriots, and too simplistic against the Bengals. Ray Rice is playing well and deserves every carry he gets, but Willis McGahee was a touchdown machine the first month of the season, while Le’Ron McClain went to the Pro Bowl last season. Cam Cameron needs to find the proper balance with all three backs, which will help Joe Flacco move the ball more effectively.

And of course, they need to cut down on penalties and turnovers.

Despite all the issues, the Ravens are still a team a few key plays away from being 5-0. And they know it. Maybe that will be enough to break through this slide. But it’s up to the head coach and his staff to instill that mentality.

On Harbaugh’s part, he’s not touching any questions about being in a “funk.” He knows better than that. The task at hand is the Viking. This time last year he was guiding his men through similar adversity. People had the same questions they do now: How will the Ravens adjust after to a losing streak?

It could be a defining moment for this team.

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Ravens Must Work on The Little Things

The fans will cry foul at the referees, and those with an axe to grind may point to a few key opportunities that the team missed on Sunday. But the true explanation for why the Baltimore Ravens lost at home to the Cincinnati Bengals this past weekend is that the Bengals were the better team.

They had a better game plan. Their players were better prepared, and their coaches called better plays at the right time. It was evident all afternoon as they converted on third down over and over. As their defense kept forcing the previously potent Ravens offense to punt.

They’re a formidable opponent, and they proved it. The Ravens, meanwhile, proved they need to rethink their strategy going forward.

What was once a dominating defense hasn’t looked the same without Rex Ryan calling the shots. Or Chris McAlister playing shutdown corner. Or Bart Scott playing both pass rusher and run stopper.

Meanwhile, Cam Cameron has had a hard time determining how to use his suddenly effective offensive corps. Joe Flacco has gotten off to a slow start the past two games, and the offseason remarks about bolstering the receiver corps are quietly creeping back up.

There were times on Sunday when the Ravens offense resembled the vanilla scheme employed by Brian Billick and Matt Cavanaugh earlier this decade, a notion that will likely make many of the Charm City faithful cringe.

After being too pass-happy a week earlier, the Ravens offense had a difficult time establishing any sort of meaningful offense against Cincinnati.

There’s plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. The trick is finding the right way to utilize it. Cameron and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison need to do some tinkering

But for 59 minutes they still stayed in the game, and that’s a testament to what they are capable of doing. Part of head coach John Harbaugh’s job is to keep losses like this in perspective, and make sure the team learns from them.

“The bottom line is this: We make a couple of plays we didn’t make, we’re 5-0,” Harbaugh said a day after the stunning loss. “We don’t make a couple of plays in one other game, we’re 2-3.

“That’s the nature of the NFL. You have to win games as you go. If you want to be in the hunt, you’ve got to win games like this, and our guys know that.”

That might be the most frustrating aspect of the past two losses—change a few key elements and Baltimore is still undefeated right now.

It’s those little things the Ravens will need to work on to get better. They won’t publicly concede to changing their approach. Harbaugh said that “has no value” for the team, and he’s right. It’s about moving forward. And they’ll need to beat the Minnesota Vikings.

Regardless of the miscues and poor execution, the Ravens have been competitive. They just need to learn how to finish.

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Ravens-Bengals: Joe Flacco Can Surpass Carson Palmer

Heading into their Week Five showdown with one another, the Baltimore Ravens are keen on bouncing back after a close loss against the New England Patriots last week, while the Cincinnati Bengals want to keep their momentum going after a three-game winning streak.

Something’s gotta give.

Much of what happens this Sunday in the first big AFC North inter-division game of the season will rely on the shoulders of the quarterbacks. The Bengals’ Carson Palmer has had a bit of a return to form this season after missing much of last year, while Joe Flacco has brought more and more credibility to the Ravens’ offense every week.

Though there’s another quarterback in the division with two Super Bowl rings, Palmer has often been regarded as one of the elite passers in the game, let alone the AFC North. But Flacco has gotten a lot of attention in only his second year in the NFL, and already has two more playoff victories then Palmer has.

Both signal-callers will need to bring their A-games if they want their clubs to be successful this weekend. Palmer can reassert his prowess as the best quarterback in the division and get his team sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Likewise for Flacco, except a strong performance for him can slide him past Palmer in the eyes of fans and media alike.

“He does everything better [than last season],” said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. “Just across the board, we’re able to attack people in more ways than we did at any tim last year, and that’s because Joe is executing more things well because he’s seen more.”

Palmer has had success against the Ravens defense in the past, and the secondary this year has proven to be a beatable bunch. If Palmer is his regular precise self, it could spell trouble for Baltimore.

But assuming Flacco maintains his current pace, the Bengals will have to be on their toes just as much. With the winning team getting the early nod as division leader, whichever quarterback outperforms the other will solidify themselves that much more as face of their franchise. Ravens fans are optimistic that Flacco is up to the challenge.

But there will be other factors at play, as well. Every NFL game has a few key matchups which will determine the outcome to a greater degree, but this week’s Ravens/Bengals game has some very intriguing ones, for one reason or another.

Ravens OT Michael Oher vs. Bengals DE Antwan Odom: Assuming Jared Gaither sits out due a neck injury he suffered last week, rookie tackle Michael Oher will make his first career start at left tackle after playing the first four games at right. It’s a credit to Oher’s skills as a lineman that he can play at that level so early in his career, as well as the guidance of Ravens offensive line coaches John Matsko and Andy Moeller.

“Mike was a left tackle in college. That helped him, but he works on it every week,” Harbaugh noted. “John does a great job of moving those guys around, so we’ve got different backup plans.”

If Oher does get the nod, he’ll have his hands full with the NFL’s current sack leader Antwan Odom, who has taken the quarterback down eight times in the first four games of the season.

But Flacco is confident in Oher, as well as the rest of his protection.

“I’m not going to really pay too much attention to it. I’ve got to make sure I feel comfortable back there,” Flacco said. “Our offensive line has been doing a great job all year so I don’t feel like there is any reason to pay any extra attention to it.”

Still, Oher will be the main linchpin. In only the fifth game of his career, he’ll need to find a way to handle Odom.

Ravens CB Domonique Foxworth vs. Bengals WR Chad Ochocino: An argument could be made that it will be Ochocinco vs. the entire defense, with as much trash talk has he’s initiated this week. Ochocinco has been calling out Foxworth, fellow corner Fabian Washington and even Ray Lewis via his Twitter feed and in interviews throughout the week.

It may be all in good fun, and many of the Ravens have treated it as such, but they know how big a treat no. 85 can be. Foxworth will be covering Ochocinco throughout the afternoon, and will need to find a way to contain him, in hopes that no one gets to see the “Ricky Bobby” dance he’s promised after he scores.

The bottom line: The Bengals are back after a relatively unhealthy 2008 and ready to challenge the Ravens for division supremacy. But the Ravens have been, and are ready for, all takers. The winner will have a significant leg-up in the AFC North standings, and in a league where every division game matters so much, it could mean repercussions at the end of the season and beyond.

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First Quarter Report Card: Ravens Among the Elite, but with Room To Grow

It’s been feared for years; the possibility of the Baltimore Ravens establishing an offense to go along with their dominating defense that has been a staple in Charm City for a decade.

One-fourth into the 2009 season: fears realized. The Ravens have one of the most potent offenses in the NFL right now. And here’s a scarier thought: The Ravens still have plenty of room for improvement.

Dominating wins over bad teams like Cleveland and Kansas City and a close-but-crucial victory over San Diego have the Ravens tied for the division lead with Cincinnati. And despite some costly turnovers and penalties, the Ravens had a chance to beat New England late—no easy task in Foxboro.

There’s still plenty of football to be played. But Baltimore has set a tone that, barring injuries, will lead it to the postseason for the second consecutive year.

With that said, here are some first quarter superlatives to reflect on, and some prognostications on what is to come for one of the AFC’s top teams:

 

MVP: Joe Flacco

Easy choice. In only his second year in the league, Flacco has taken control on the offense. He’s hitting all of his targets and has eight touchdowns on the season. That’s more than half his total from a year ago.

He’s getting an early nod for MVP of the league from some experts but is being overshadowed by the likes of Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Adrian Peterson. Regardless, he’s keeping the Ravens in games all on his own. Even though the last drive of the Patriots game didn’t end well, other game-winners will.

 

Early Season Surprise: Kelley Washington

The seventh-year receiver had exactly one reception in 2007 and 2008 when he was with the Patriots. He has 16 in 2009, including one for a touchdown. Initially viewed as a special teams player and receiver for depth, he’s established a bit of a rapport with Joe Flacco and is thriving in the slot position. While he isn’t likely to claim a starting role anytime soon, he is contributing much more than anyone would have anticipated.

 

Comeback Player: Willis McGahee

You’ve got to feel good for Willis McGahee. After being marred by injury in 2008 and maybe being a little out of shape, he’s come roaring back this year to rank near the top in touchdowns so far. McGahee has rushed for five scores and caught two more from Joe Flacco. He only had seven touchdowns period last year. He’s adjusting well to his role on the team and appears to be in head coach John Harbaugh’s good graces this season, which may not have always been the case a year ago.

 

Most Room for Improvement: The Secondary

It’s been hit on plenty of times before, but this group is giving up too many plays. Domonique Foxworth needs to prove why the Ravens made him a multi-millionaire in the offseason. Ed Reed needs to return to form, as does Dawan Landry.

To their credit, they’ve faced some touch receiving cores and and quality quarterbacks, but the rest of the season is full of gunslingers who can beat the Ravens through the air. If Baltimore wants to contend, the DBs need to play better.

 

Best moment of the season (so far): Ray Lewis stops Darren Sproles in the backfield on fourth down

Another easy one. It won the game. It reminded everyone how good Lewis is. It contributed to the tone Baltimore is setting.

Overall, it’s a good time to be a Ravens fan right now. But it can be better. We’ll see soon if it will be.

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Ravens Loss at Patriot Leaves No Lack of Talking Points

Whether it’s lamenting the Mark Clayton dropped pass that may have won the game, the numerous penalties both on the field and off, the mounting injuries that could be costly down the line, or the questionable officiating that head coach John Harbaugh had so much to say about but couldn’t, the Baltimore Ravens’ 21-27 loss against the New England Patriots left Baltimore’s fan base with a lot to talk about. Maybe even to question.

But they shouldn’t. The Ravens should still be considered among the best in the AFC (even if they won’t be at the top of ESPN’s power rankings later this week). They lost a hard-fought game on the road against another contender, and the only thing they truly learned is that they won’t be undefeated in 2009.

Regardless, there is room for improvement.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady doesn’t seem to be quite in sync yet with his receivers, but it’s clear he’s getting there. He made the plays when he needed to against a Ravens secondary that is still attempting to find its identity, not to mention stop giving up big plays.

Joe Flacco made plays too. He just didn’t make enough of them, and even made a costly turnover late in the first half on a drive that would have otherwise led to points. The Ravens did a lot to beat themselves, and the Patriots took advantage of those miscues.

But Baltimore still made some key defensive stops, and the offense had a chance to win the game in the end. The Ravens were really good on a day that they needed to be great, and they weren’t.

Fans could look at it glass half-empty, or glass half-full. Half-empty: Jared Gaither may miss time after a scary collision that resulted in being carted off and a trip to Mass General, and Brendan Ayanbadejo may miss the rest of the year because of a torn quadricep. The Ravens got no good positions in short yardage shortage situations, and there were some other questionable calls that linebacker Ray Lewis called “embarrassing.”

But despite all the miscues, the Ravens were one or two key plays away from a W. Good teams take losses like these and grow from them. The Ravens are still a good team. How much they learn from a loss against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will been seen next week when they face off against the division co-leader Cincinnati Bengals.

With the division lead on the line, we’ll see if the Ravens can make the leap from really good to great.

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Baltimore Ravens’ 3-0 Start Sets up Showdown in Foxborough

Now, that’s more like it.

Despite beginning the season with two solid victories and showing more offensive prowess than Baltimore had seen in years, there were still voices of concern.

The defense, which had been the linchpin of one of the more successful NFL franchises of the 21st century, was ranked a mediocre 17th, the secondary was giving up too many big plays, and they were missing Rex Ryan more than they thought they would.

One 34-3 demolition of the Cleveland Browns later, and that No.1 position on ESPN’s power rankings makes that much more sense.

“The old coaching adage is, ‘It’s never as good as it looks. It’s never as bad as it looks.’ And last week, as bad as some things looked, they weren’t that bad,” said head coach John Harbaugh, referring to the criticism his team received after last year’s close win against the San Diego Chargers. “That’s what we try to convey. Yet, we still had to get better.”

“This week, as good as some of those numbers are going to look, it’s not as good as it looks. There [are] a lot of little things in there that we have to improve on.”

Cleveland never had a chance in this one, one of the biggest mismatches of Week Three.

Quarterback Joe Flacco continued his non-sophomore slump, compiling 342 yards of offense and a touchdown.Running back Willis McGahee went into the end zone untouched—twice. Ray Rice registered the first NFL touchdown of his career while wide receiver Derrick Mason made the 800th reception of his.

But after giving too many big plays to the likes of Brodie Croyle and Philip Rivers, the defense embarrassed not one, but two of Cleveland’s quarterbacks.

Brady Quinn couldn’t complete a pass—unless it was less than five yards. After Quinn was benched, Derek Anderson successfully completed a few passes—to the initially maligned Ravens’ defensive backs. Domonique Foxworth, Dawan Landry, and Ed Reed each picked off a Cleveland pass in the rout.

This was the type of win a Super Bowl contender should and expects to have against a lowly opponent. It’s even better when it’s a divisional opponent. Harbaugh instilled the idea in his players’ heads that the Browns could upset them on Sunday, and the Ravens made every effort to make sure that was never a possibility.

Now, it’s on to New England. Despite taking down the Atlanta Falcons, their defense is still attempting to forge an identity, and quarterback Tom Brady still doesn’t look like himself after missing last season. But the running game is sound, their top receiver is still Randy Moss, and their head coach is still one of the smartest men in the NFL.

It will be the next big test for a team with championship aspirations. And if the Ravens can beat Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on their home turf, it just might put those laments about the defense to rest for good.

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Ravens Offensive Success Stymies Wildcat Hype

As fans and the media alike get over the initial shock that the Ravens have an effective offense for once, let alone an explosive one, it becomes easier to break down what makes Joe Flacco and company so successful. And as the much-hyped “Wildcat” offense continues to leave an impact on the NFL, Baltimore’s bunch is proving you don’t need to be tricky to win.

Which isn’t to say that the Ravens won’t pull out the tricks when necessary, as evident by the use of quarterback Troy Smith in certain situations (dubbed the ‘Suggs Package’ by the local media). But Baltimore’s 2-0 start is thanks to the arm of Joe Flacco, the legs of Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain and the skill of a young but promising offensive line.

It’s called balance. And it makes Baltimore a tough match-up for any defense in 2009.

The popular offense of the last year, the Wildcat formation helped the Miami Dolphins earn a division title last year. With the NFL being the copycat league it is, many other teams have attempted versions of it, with the Philadelphia Eagles even bringing in the high-profile Michael Vick. How successful the Eagles’ version will be has yet to be seen.

But the Dolphins have not had much success with it in the early part of 2009, starting 0-2. The Ravens played Miami twice last season, in the regular season and playoffs, and had no trouble halting them. Other teams are catching on.

Meanwhile, the Ravens’ offense is third in the NFL with 406.0 yards per game, and is second in scoring, coming only behind the New Orleans Saints.

“I think it credits our receivers, it credits our offensive line, it credits our running backs,” said Flacco, referring to his team’s success in the red zone this season. “We have a couple of ways that we can beat you. Our offensive line is doing a great job right now pass-protecting and run-blocking for the backs.

“Anytime your offensive line is playing the way they are, it allows you to free up some time back there for me to find receivers, and it allows the backs to run through some open holes and maybe bust a couple for touchdowns rather than a couple of yards.”

It seems silly to point out, but the Ravens’ offensive line is one of the largest reasons for their success thus far in the season. With the young and athletic Jared Gaither and Michael Oher protecting Flacco, the second-year quarterback is staying up right, and has times time find his receivers.

But Flacco has also shown his ability to move around when need be. Combined with his strong arm and poised demeanor, it’s given defenders more reasons to stay up watching film prior to playing Baltimore. Flacco has nine touchdowns in his first two games this season, a mark he didn’t reach until Week 9 in 2008.

Flacco is also spreading the ball around. A year ago he would often lock on wide receiver Derrick Mason. This year, he’s spreading the ball around to the likes of Mark Clayton, Kelley Washington, McGahee, Rice, and Todd Heap.

There’s nothing especially unique about the play-calling. It’s just been smart, courtesy of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, often regarded as one of the best in the league. With a year under his belt in Baltimore, it’s given the offense more time to gel, and the results are showing.

“[Cameron is] feeling more comfortable with us as a unit, and Joe [is] feeling more comfortable with the weapons he has out there,” Mason said. “He’s not just going to look at one guy. He knows he has two, three or four guys he could potentially hit that could make a play.”

But what truly makes the Ravens difficult to game plan for is the “three-headed monster” of McGahee, Rice, and McClain. Each brings a different style, and Cameron uses each of them on a regular basis, depending on the game plan.

McGahee is the versatile, explosive type who can also block with the best of them, while Rice is more elusive, able to run between the tacklers. McClain is the bruiser of the bunch, great for short yardage situations.

Simply put, there’s just too much for a defense to prepare for. And the Cleveland Browns, who have given up 61 points in the first two games, may have a hard time.

When you have more talent at your disposal, trickery isn’t as necessary. The Ravens are proving that talent and execution can overcome fancy schemes on any given Sunday.

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Baltimore Ravens Secondary a Primary Concern

OK – the Ravens can score points. That much is clear. They can run the ball, pass the ball, protect the passer and look good doing it too. They can also stop to run and rush the passer with the same elite finesse they have for years.

But no team is perfect. Despite a strong 2-0 start, it’s abundantly clear that the Ravens need to improve in their pass coverage.

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers shredded the Ravens secondary for 436 yards in the second game of the year. A week earlier, they gave up 177 yards to the lowly Brodie Croyle in their home opener.

It’s early in the season, but the Ravens cannot hope to remain a contender in the AFC, let alone for the Super Bowl, if they continue to give up big plays down the field. With the likes of Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers on the schedule.

The Ravens maintain their faith in their defensive backs. But that doesn’t mean they don’t think there isn’t room to improve.

“The pass defense stuff is really very correctable. It’s really a matter of sometimes guys in a big game like that trying to do too much—trying to do more than you have to do,” said head coach John Harbaugh. “We played together better back there, trusted the guy next to us a little bit better and stay in position, and we’ll be fine. 

“That was the encouraging part of it. Our guys see that, and it’ll be corrected.”

Rivers is widely considered to be one of the more elite passers in the game, but the Ravens have a reputation to maintain, and having a quarterback put up career numbers against them doesn’t bode well for it.

But as Harbaugh pointed out, the Chargers’ receivers are much larger than the average NFL cornerback or wide receiver.

Nevertheless, Domonique Foxworth and Fabian Washington aren’t as big as the prototypical cornerback should be. But they are as fast. They need to reward the Ravens’ front office and coaching staff’s faith in them as starters.

Both corners acknowledged as such via their twitter accounts after the game. Washington proved last season he could be a starter, and Foxworth has overcome slow starts before. But the rest of the defensive backs need to step up.

Dawan Landry has an interception to his credit this season, but he’ s still adjusting after missing most of last season. Frank Walker is solid if not spectacular, rookie Lardarius Webb is still learning, Chris Carr is more of a return man and as great a player he is, and Ed Reed can only cover so much ground.

Perhaps this group is just missing Samari Rolle, who was put on the Physically Unable to Perform List and cannot return to action until Week 6. Or maybe they’re still adjusting to new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. Regardless, they need to improve and they know it.

And maybe that’s all it will take—knowing they need to get better. And whether it’s a change in scheme or personnel, the Ravens believe they will.

Because if the secondary does tighten up, the Ravens just might be the best team in the AFC.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

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