The Wild AFC North

Coming into this season, most people predicted the following for the AFC North: the Ravens and Steelers battling for 1st place all season, led by their elite defenses. The Bengals would finish 3rd but play decently and the Browns would finish in 4th, like usual.

5 weeks in, the only prediction that is looking accurate is the fact that the Browns are one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Right now, the Bengals are in first place in the AFC North after beating the Ravens in Baltimore. Yes, in Baltimore. One of the toughest places to win the NFL. They're now 4-1 and would be 5-0 if not for a fluke hail mary. The strangest part of it is that the Bengals have done it behind a 9th-ranked defense (points-wise). This past weekend, they shut down the explosive Ravens offense. They held Joe Flacco to 186 yards passing on 22 completions. The Ravens rushing game was neutralized and they forced turnovers at key moments. And, oh yea, Carson Palmer led yet another last-second, game-winning drive.

The Bengals are looking legitimate right now. They have a good defense, a good running game, and a clutch quarterback. It's early, but you have to respect a 4-1 record and a road win at Baltimore.

Behind them, the Ravens and Steelers are facing some pretty big issues. Both teams are 3-2. Both teams' offenses are showing serious signs of being elite. The big problem for both teams? The defense. Yes, the defense. For the two teams that take pride in having a defense at the top of the league, it's a surprise to see both teams so beatable.

A close examination of both defenses shows that the secondaries of each team are terrible. The Ravens are giving up passing yards like crazy and even gave up a 100-yard rusher for the first time since a Bush was in the White House. Their rush defense is the same it's always been: elite. But they're 25th against the pass. It's a problem area and the Ravens know it. Is it because of Rex Ryan jumping ship? Is it just poor players? The pass rush not getting there quick enough? Whatever it is, the Ravens must fix it soon. They play the Vikings this weekend and have a brutal schedule the rest of the year.

The Steelers are in a similar situation. They're only 14th against the pass, but they're struggling on third down and are still giving up some big plays - especially in the fourth quarter. Since week one, the defense has collapsed in the fourth quarter. Their stats don't look too bad at first glance because they played so well in the first three quarters against Chicago, San Diego, and Cinciannti. But in the fourth quarter of those games, they gave up tons of yards and against the Bears and Bengals, they lost the game in the final seconds due to poor defense. This past Sunday against Detroit, they had tons of sacks and even had an interception, but still gave up tons of yardage and overall was unimpressive. Luckily, Lamarr Woodley and James Harrison combined for 4.5 sacks and were able to hold off a late Lions comback.

But still, the trend is troubling. In key moments, the Steelers defense is giving up big plays and not creating turnovers. Statistically, they're the 5th best defense in yards against. But any Steelers fan will tell you that there are problems. The root of the problems? Two words: Troy Polamalu. The last four weeks have shown just how important he is to that defense. Without him, the secondary is average at best. They have no depth at safety. Without him, they have to drop Woodley into coverage much more to make up for all the ground Tyrone Carter can't cover in Polamalu's place. Without him, they lose their biggest playmaker and turnover machine.

Luckily for the Steelers, Polamalu comes back next week to face the Browns. If he's 100% healthy, the Steelers defense could return to form, which would mean bad, bad things for the NFL. Their offense is lighting teams up through the air (Ben Roethlisberger leads the NFL in completion % at 73.5%) and they may have found a decent running back in Rashard Mendenhall. Still, they have a lot of questions to answer. Will Polamalu be healthy? Will the defense step it up in the fourth quarter? Can Ben keep it up? Is Mendenhall for real?

No matter what, the matchups between the Ravens and Steelers will be very, very interesting. Even if they are shootouts. And even if they are for second place in the AFC North.

National Media Siding with Ravens

I'm in a journalism class where we have to set up a weekly blog. The purpose of said blog is to blog about something - anything - media-related. Naturally, my topic is how the media views the Ravens. I thought I would shamelessly promote the latest article here. http://tonyherman.org/

It's actually pretty interesting because the last time the Ravens played the Patriots in 2007, the Ravens had a lot to say about the officials then, too. After that game, everyone outside of Baltimore was just telling the Ravens to shut up. This time it's a different story.

Lots of Screwy NFL Things

The NFL season officially begins in 10 days when the Tennessee Titans travel to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. The only NFL talk going on right now should be preview-related; you know, who's going to the Super Bowl, who's winning MVP, all that nonsense that nobody can really predict (yes, sadly, including us) but try to anyway.

So why, every time you turn on your TV, is there another NFL storyline?

A few of the odd ones:

Brett Keisel signs an extension with the Steelers. I'm not one to challenge the Steelers front office; they have amassed 6 Super Bowls and I work at Burger King. It just seems that with their extensive list of 2010 free agents (Willie Parker, Casey Hampton, Hines Ward, Ryan Clark, William Gay, Dan Sepulveda), the Steelers would go out of their way to resign an average defensive end on the downside of his career.

And now Brett Keisel (pictured, left) is going to go to the Pro Bowl.

Ravens put Samari Rolle on the PUP list to start the season. At first glance, odd? No. Then you remember Samari Rolle was actually a free agent this offseason. The Ravens are stacked at cornerback - a recent SI article called their talent at the position "embarrassingly deep" - with starters Fabian Washington and Domonique Foxworth, ex-starter Frank Walker, nickelback Chris Carr and highly touted third round pick Lardarius Webb. Rolle hasn't even practiced yet. Sources close to the team are wondering whether he's going to play at all. So how does that merit the $3 million he's earning this year?

Brandon Marshall, the entire NFL world thinks you're a joke. Josh McDaniels, you're really not far behind. In suspending Brandon Marshall (pictured, right) for a puny 14 days, all McDaniels is doing is keeping him out of preseason and training camp - which nobody wants to go through anyway. Suspend the guy the entire season or trade him for a second round pick to some desperate time. How can you start a guy who basically boycotted training camp merely because he didn't want to be there? It would have been better if he didn't show up. Instead, he's there walking, batting down passes thrown to him, punting balls handed to him. He's six years old, and he gets a slap on the wrist.

Broncos: You're going to be terrible. Kyle Orton is an awful, awful quarterback. I still maintain you got the better end of the Jay Cutler deal - first round draft picks in the NFL are huge. That being said, this year ain't it. Develop Eddie Royal more. Brandon Stokley is serviceable. So is Jabar Gaffney. Point being: your receivers aren't that bad anyway, but it wouldn't matter if Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald were lining up for you, anyway. You would still be bad. Crack down on Marshall.

Now that that rant is done, Osi Umenyiora walks out of Giants camp because of a dispute with his defensive coordinator? I think I speak for everyone when I say ... please, please just let the NFL season start so we can have games to talk about.

Image Sources:

http://www.epicathlete.com/images/bodyImage_coachesKeisel.gif

http://www.roblongshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/brandon_marshall_blog1.jpg

Baltimore Ravens create their own school

Well...not really. But their new practice facility looks like it could be a private school in the offseason, no?

Pictures here.

Check out the pictures there. Very impressive. Bisciotti certainly delivers when his team needs a new building. It's basically a mansion-school-field-gym-perfect place to do anything.

Mock Draft: Picks 25-32

This is the end of the summary of the mock draft we held on Monday. The draft is officially less than 48 hours from now, so this is all I will say about it. Here's wishing the best possible pick to hometown Darrius Heyward-Bey, and let's see some trades. Trades are exciting. 

25. Miami Dolphins

Herman: Evander Brown (DT, Missouri)

Radecki: Vontae Davis (CB, Illinois)

Kiper: Malcolm Jenkins (CB, Ohio State)

McShay: Kenny Britt (WR, Rutgers)

Wright: Everette Brown (DE, Florida State)

- Notes: Another one with all five of us disagreeing, which shows one of two things: either A) the Dolphins are for real from last year and they don't have many holes and can draft for best player available, or B) the Dolphins last year were complete flukes and have tons of holes. I'm going for B. 

26. Baltimore Ravens

Herman: Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR, Maryland)

Radecki: Eben Britton (OT, Arizona)

Kiper: Vontae Davis (CB, Illinois)

McShay: Rey Maualuga (ILB, USC)

Wright: Darrius Heyward-Bey

- Notes: All of these make sense. Heyward-Bey is the tall, fast receiver the Ravens need. Britton would add stability to the right tackle position that the Ravens desperately need. Ozzie Newsome has already hinted at taking a corner in the first round, and Davis is a great talent. If Maualuga is still there, he will be hard to pass up. 

27. Indianapolis Colts

Herman: Clay Matthews (OLB, USC)

Radecki: Peria Jerry (DT, Mississippi)

Kiper: Peria Jerry

McShay: Evander Hood

Wright: Peria Jerry

- Notes: Defense, and more specifically, defensive tackle, is the running theme here. Only I, who thinks that Clay Matthews is too much of a value to pass up here, doesn't have the Colts taking the best defensive tackle available. 

28. Buffalo Bills

Herman: Eben Britton

Radecki: Phil Loadholt (OT, Oklahoma)

Kiper: Eben Britton

McShay: Eben Britton

Wright: Phil Loadholt

- Notes: Sense another theme? Getting rid of Peters makes tackle a glaringly obvious need here. Tyler and Wright had Britton off the board by now, or else I'm sure he would have been the pick. 

29. New York Giants

Herman: Hakeem Nicks (WR, North Carolina)

Radecki: Hakeem Nicks

Kiper: Hakeem Nicks

McShay: Hakeem Nicks

Wright: Percy Harvin (WR, Florida)

- Notes: Another seemingly obvious pick. Nicks would fill the void that Plaxico Burress's jailing will leave, and Harvin will give the Giants a dynamic playmaker. 

30. Tennessee Titans

Herman: Alphonso Smith (CB, Wake Forest)

Radecki: Darius Butler (CB, Connecticut)

Kiper: Percy Harvin

McShay: Vontae Davis

Wright: Darius Butler

- Notes: Wider receiver and cornerback are the biggest needs for the Titans, and it's not even close. However, wide receiver has been a need for such a long time, it's hard to see them finally addressing that need now, so cornerback is the choice for most. 

31. Arizona Cardinals

Herman: Larry English (OLB, Northern Illinois)

Radecki: Knowshon Moreno (RB, Georgia)

Kiper: Larry English

McShay: Donald Brown (RB, Connecticut)

Wright: Chris "Beanie" Wells (RB, Ohio State)

- Notes: If Wells is still there at 31 for the Cardinals, they may seize up out of pure joy. More likely they will go for a runningback like Brown, or they may take the risk and go for Larry English, an underrated pass rush out of Northern Illinois.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers

Herman: Alex Mack (C, California)

Radecki: Alex Mack

Kiper: Eric Wood (C, Louisville)

McShay: Max Unger (C, Oregon)

Wright: Vontae Davis

- Notes: Center is the likely choice for Pittsburgh here, although is Davis is still on the board, Pitt definitely could take him to add a quality cornerback. 

And that's that. I'll be following this up on Sunday with the winner and percentages for everyone. Just so everyone knows up front, this is how scoring will work. One point for every player taken in the spot the drafter said he would be taken in. Once again, we're going to work off numbers here, not teams. That's how I'm getting rid of the trade aspect. I'm intrigued to see how this pans out. 

A Few NFL Thoughts Before the College Basketball Storm

No need for an explanation. The next two weekends are paradise for college basketball fans. Before that, I do need to address some NFL thoughts that are bouncing around in my head. By the way, after Wednesday, I will be posting on this blog at least twice a day about the commencement of March Madness.

1. Somehow, the Ravens did okay for themselves. Sure, they lost McAlister, but he didn't play last year anyway. They replace McAlister with Domonique Foxworth, who, while looking premier cover skills, is one of the fastest cornerbacks in the NFL and won't get beat deep. They lost Jim Leonhard, but make sure you remember that Jim Leonhard was a backup last year to a very capable Dawan Landry, who got injured in the second week of the season.

Losing Bart Scott hurts, but the Ravens have an eager group of linebackers waiting to be the next Scott (or Adalius Thomas or Ed Hartwell or Jamie Sharper). Tavares Gooden is especially exciting. They lost Jason Brown, who received tackle money for being a center, but replaced him with Matt Birk. Granted, Birk isn't as good or as young as Brown, but he's an established player who will keep Flacco off his butt until the team finds a long-term replacement. Finally, they got Ray Lewis back, so he can retire as a Raven and tutor his replacement.

2. T.O to Buffalo? Really? When I first heard the news, I was simply floored. Other than the 49ers, Ravens, Eagles and Cowboys, Buffalo was about the least place I could imagine Owens (pictured, left) ending up. A small market team up north with an inexperienced, "jury is still out" quarterback?

... That being said, I think it will work - at least for the one year. After that, it never does. Owens always does well in his first stint with a team. He'll play for pride and for a big contract next year. I'm not saying the Bills are now the team to beat in the AFC, but because the Bills haven't made the playoffs in 10 years and are in need of a few fans, I think it's a smart move on Buffalo's part.

3. What will LT do? As I'm writing this, talks are going on between Tomlinson and the Chargers as to Tomlinson's future with the team. They're trying to restructure his contract, and the team has said that if it doesn't happen by the end of today, it's not going to happen. Although many teams could use Tomlinson (New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville come to mind), he, like Ray, belongs in San Diego. I've said it before on this blog, so of course I'll say it again, the franchising of Darren Sproles was just stupid. I know they wanted to keep him on their team because of what an X-factor he can be, but he's not a featured running back in this league, and they just ridiculously overpaid for him. If Tomlinson were to resign, there is no doubt that he would still be "the guy." He needs to get the deal worked out today, get healthy this offseason, and focus on next season.

4. Houshmandzadeh to the Seahawks; where does Michael Crabtree end up? The "lock" of the upcoming NFL draft is no longer a lock. Houshmandzadeh is definitely a good pick-up for Seattle; they had the cap room and now they can pick up a player of equal value at perhaps a greater need with their number four pick.

The question now obviously becomes how far Michael Crabtree (pictured, left) will fall. I can't see it being out of the top 10. Both Oakland and Jacksonville (picks 7 and 8, respectively) have huge need at WR, and would not pass on him.

Don't be surprised to see a lot of movement around this spot, too. There are plenty of receivers in this year's draft, and if the Raiders do not think Crabtree represents a significant upgrade over, say Darrius Heyward-Bey, but the Bears covet Crabtree, Chicago may be willing to give up their first and a second round pick for the spot.

And now that that's off my chest, bring on the madness.

A Good Move, A Bad Move, and a Risky Move

It's NFL off-season time. More specifically, it's NFL franchising time. Before free agency begins at 12:01 AM on February 27th, teams across the league have been slapping the franchise tag on some of their best players. For those of you unfamiliar, placing the franchise tag on a player means:

1. The player gets a one year deal, valued at the average of the top 5 paid players at his position.

2. The player is forced to accept the deal.

3. Each team can only use one franchise deal per year.

4. If a player gets franchised two years in a row, his salary for the second year will be valued at 120% of his value the first year.

5. A player can not be franchised more than two years in a row. 

Players typically don't like it because they want long-term deals with fat signing bonuses at the beginning of them. Here's a look at three players who have recently had the franchise tag placed on them by their respective teams:

Darren Sproles - RB - San Diego Chargers - $6.62 million in 2009

For Sproles: Scary Move ...  Sproles knows now that he is "the guy" in San Diego - at least for one year. He is still sort of an unknown commodity; if you remember, he really only came on at the end of last season into the playoffs. Even if he plays well this year, his contract now won't increase, and unless his production is off-the-charts, his pay will likely decrease after this year. 

For Chargers: Bad Move ... I understand wanting to keep Sproles around, especially with the uncertainty surrounding LaDainian Tomlinson and his future in San Diego. Simply put, though, they overpaid him. These small, speedster-type guys are often injury-prone, and teams can scheme against him. Despite what we saw in the playoffs, I am very comfortable in telling you that Darren Sproles is not the third best running back in the NFL. 

Terrell Suggs - DE/LB - Baltimore Ravens - $10.20 million in 2009

For Suggs: Good Move ... Why wouldn't this be a good move for Suggs? Not only is he getting paid off the charts because of the 120% rule, but it guarantees that he is going to be given a long-term deal after this year. Even if he gets injured, he is completely proven. Every single team in the NFL would want to pay Terrell Suggs.

For Ravens: Good Move ... They may be overpaying him slightly, but it's a good move for the Ravens because it got Suggs out of the way. They can now focus their time and energy to resigning Ray Lewis and Jason Brown to multi-year deals. 

Matt Cassel - QB - New England Patriots - $14.65 million in 2009

For Cassel: Bad Move ... When the Patriots did this, they guaranteed Cassel that one of two things were going to happen. He now knows he either going to be traded before the season begins, or he's going to be Tom Brady's backup again in New England this year. Even if the latter is true, he knows he will be signing a long-term deal next year with someone. All this did for Cassel was put off the inevitable. 

For Patriots: Good Move ... They guaranteed themselves Cassel if Brady is not ready to start the season. It'll be a great move if they're sure Brady will be ready to go. Then, they can dump Cassel and his high number on some other team, and pick up boat-loads of draft picks so they can start a new dynasty. Leave it to New England. 

The Ray Lewis Interview

I completely messed up on this one. I promised a post about the over-blown Ray Lewis interview, and completely had the wrong interview. What I have to say about it now is completely the same as everything else you've heard. Here's hoping Ray is a Raven next year; the more days pass that he isn't, the less faith I have, though. 

Late Night Ravens Stream of Consciousness, Part Two

Now, as far as the offense goes, even if they don't do a single thing this entire offseason besides resign Jason Brown, the offense will be better next year. Why? Second year in a system instead of the first. Second year quarterback instead of a first. Your primary two runningbacks not named McGahee will be in their second year running the ball instead of the first. The offensive line may actually be healthy, and even if they're not, they can't be more banged up than they were this year. 

That being said, no matter what or how, the Ravens will upgrade at the wide receiver position this offseason. I don't care how they do it. Well, I do, but let's just say I don't for this sake right now. They could do it in free agency, or they may do it with a first round draft pick, or they may do it with a second round draft pick, or they could trade for one. Either way, they will get a wide receiver, and that will make them that much better.

How much better? Enough so that it will compensate for how far the defense will fall. The offense was ranked 18th this past year. If you put a great receiver on this team and Flacco progresses as he should, the offense may even crack the top 10 next year. A top 10 offense + a top 10 defense = success. 

Almost done. To elaborate more on the wide receiver position, I'm glad reports are now that TJ Houshmandzadeh is not going to be a Raven next year, because he's exactly the kind of wide receiver they don't need. He talks a lot, and he's a possession guy. Derrick Mason fills that role wonderfully. I see some mock drafts with the Ravens taking a Percy Harvin, the small speedster from Florida. He's also exactly the kind of guy the Ravens don't need. Mark Clayton fills that role wonderfully. Who do the Ravens need? They need Darrius Heyward-Bey, who can run by most corners in the NFL, or they need Anquan Boldin, who will out-physical all corners in the NFL to get by them, and has the same effect. How are they going to get either one of those guys? Well, Heyward-Bey will be simple to get. Odds are he will be there when the Ravens look to draft at pick 27. There's a slight chance a team like the Dolphins will take him a pick or two beforehand, but odds are against it. Now, there's no chance at all he's still around for them in the second round, so if they want him, they're going to have to pick him with the first round.

I'm not sure this is the most prudent option, though, and I'm looking at Anquan Boldin (pictured, left) when I say this. Is Anquan Boldin worth a first round draft pick in the NFL? I'm not sure. Teams really value their first round picks; it takes an awful lot to give up one. I think the Cardinals, however, in looking to trade Boldin, will look for a first rounder. I think the Ravens will play with this offer, but Ozzie Newsome recognizes value, and I don't think he would do it. That's why (and of course this could change in the two and a half months before the draft) I see the Ravens taking a cornerback in the first round, maybe Alphonso Smith out of Wake Forest. That would leave the Cards seeking a second rounder for Boldin, and they will certainly get their fair share of offers for that. 

Listen to the situation that unfolds itself now. What are the Ravens needs for this offseason? 1) Wide receiver. 2) Cornerback. 4) Anything else. There's that much of a separation. I'm of the opinion that, if the situation plays out like I imagined there, the Ravens would trade their second and third round picks with a team like Detroit who has a very high second round pick, then trade that pick to the Cardinals for Boldin. It makes perfect sense. Why take an unsure thing with a second round pick in the draft when you can get a sure thing with it instead at the position you need? Just a thought there. 

I recognize that this entire post was speculative, and a lot has to go right to make me look like a guy who knows anything at all here. Look at these previous two posts, though, and if you have a problem with anything I've proposed, I would like to hear it. I recognize it's just as likely that Anquan Boldin is a Cardinal next year as everything I've talked about going my way, but it's just a string of thoughts that make sense to me. Hopefully they make sense to the Ravens. 

Posts to look for in the coming days:

1. How A-Rod kicked a recovering baseball world in the face. 

2. The overblown Ray lewis interview. 

3. The ACC vs. the Big East in college basketball.

4. Where Maryland stands after the GT game. 

(Photo Credits: USA today)

Late Night Ravens Stream of Consciousness

So, it's 12:30 at night, and I'm home because of some blood tests I had to have done. All of my friends are at college, so what else do I have to think about besides Ravens football? And when I think of something sports-related, I generally write it down on here. So, here are my thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens' offseason. 

I don't think Ray Lewis is going to be a Baltimore Raven next year, but I also don't believe he will be a New York Jet. In terms of salary cap money, this should tell you all you need to know. The Jets are dead last in the league in terms of cap space. The Cowboys don't fare much better, but I still think he's going to end up there. All they've lacked (or so they think) the past few years has been a leader in the locker room, and Ray Lewis provides that instantly. They will make a few cuts, and then break the bank for Lewis. After they choke their way out of the playoffs the next two years anyway, Tony Romo will rightfully be looking elsewhere for a job. 

Speaking of departures, I don't think Rex Ryan is going to be a very good head coach in the NFL. Rex is all about the buddy system. He loves his guys. This isn't college, though, where a bunch of young guys are going to follow every word you say because you recruited them. He's in a locker room with a bunch of 30 year old men teaching them a completely new way of playing. His way worked in Baltimore, but he also had Ed Reed, the best free safety in the NFL. He had one of the best linebackers in the NFL behind one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. His scheme worked because he had the personnel to make it work. I think the Jets will be better on offense because he will run Thomas Jones into the ground, but I have my doubts whether the defense get much reward out of his risk-reward system. 

Now, as far as people staying, Terrell Suggs (pictured, right) is number one, and he will become the new leader of the Ravens next year. Harbaugh is very practice-oriented, and Suggs is energetic and doesn't mind practice. Ed Reed is getting up there in years, and the his nerve impingement in his neck isn't helping matters. Rumors have it him and Lewis smiled for the cameras, but neither was a big fan of Harbaugh. Suggs will be the man for the next five seasons or so, and expect Bart Scott to do everything he can to fill in Lewis's shoes at middle linebacker. Also, expect Jim Leonhard to be back, Dawan Landry to go elsewhere and succeed, and the Ravens will get a complementary pick for it somewhere in the draft. Jason Brown will also be back to anchor the offensive line. 

This is why I'm not buying into the now commonplace theory that the Ravens are due for a down year next year. Any defense with Trevor Pryce, Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg, Terrell Suggs, Bart Scott, Ed Reed and Fabian Washington playing for it will not be worse than a top 10 defense, and I don't care who the other four guys you line up are. (By the way, the other four will likely be very solid players in Jim Leonhard and Jarret Johnson, a potential star in middle linebacker tavares gooden, and a first round cornerback picked up in this year's draft.) Ngata and Gregg are both top 10 defensive tackles in the NFL, and if you don't believe me, look up Kelly Gregg's stats and compare them with other defensive tackles from 2003-07. You will find that Kelly Gregg has more tackles than any of them. Terrell Suggs is considered by all to be a top 5 outside linebacker. Already said is how dominant Reed is. The talent on defense will still be there. What will be missed is Ray's leadership, but leaders leave teams. New guys step in. John Harbaugh is a natural leader, and I believe in him.

To be continued in an immediate post following this; I don't have too much space left in this post. 

(Photo Credits: allposters.com)

AFC Championship: Why the Ravens Are Heading to Tampa

I abandoned the 12-part post thing as you can tell. This makes more sense; Tyler knows much more about the Steelers than I do, and neither of us really knows about the NFC. So if you were really looking for a Cardinals-Eagles preview, go to ESPN. As a rebuttal, here are my five reasons why the Ravens will emerge victorious today. 

Reason #1: The Steelers have already beaten the Ravens twice this year. Normally, that means that the Steelers would have the advantage here, but if you think that, you don't know the Ravens. Still instilled from the Billick era is a sense of pride in this team unmatched in any I know. Also instilled is a sense of undeniable hatred for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens are admittedly an arrogant bunch, but this will definitely play into their hands. There's no way the Ravens let the Steelers beat them three times in one year. 

Reason #2: I don't know how beating a 4-12 and 9-8 team qualifies you as world beaters. The national media absolutely fell in love with the Steelers this week. They were on the cover of SI twice in a row, and the latest prognostication trend has been to shy away from predicting a close, hard fought game, and to say the Steelers are going to win along the lines of 27-10. Since the week 15 game - a truly epic game that showed just how much separates these two teams (a half-inch, if you recall), the Steelers have lost handedly to the Titans, beat a Browns team that quit in Week 10, had a bye, and then took care of a San Diego team that was only there because for some reason they have the Colts' number. In that same time frame, the Ravens beat the Cowboys in their last game in Texas Stadium, destroyed the Jaguars to clinch a playoff spot, walked all over the Dolphins in Miami, and made enough clutch plays to escape Tennessee with a win. You tell me who has more momentum.

Reason #3: I can fully envision a scenario in which the Steelers rely too heavily on Willie Parker for too long. That's been another theme of this Steeler resurgence: the resurgence of Willie Parker. I will be the first to admit that Parker was awfully impressive in gaining 146 yards against San Diego last week. However, that was against the Chargers' run D, ranked 11th in the league. I know, still solid, but not Baltimore's. Plus, there is Parker's history against the Ravens; he has never gotten over 70 yards. You can talk about what Chris Johnson did all you want, but Chris Johnson is faster than Parker is. Also, the Ravens were playing on a 6-day week last time, and they're playing an 8-day week this time. 

Reason #4: No matter what parts are around them, lined up in the middle linebacker spot for the Baltimore Ravens today will be Bart Scott (pictured, above) and Ray Lewis. You forget how good Ray Lewis truly was against the Steelers in Week 4 this year until you go back and watch the game. It was the most dominating performance by any Ravens player all season. Then, there is Scott, who seemingly plays two good games a year, both against the Steelers. These two players, being - and I kid you not - 2 of the 4 defensive starters from the beginning of the year who are still playing healthy, will anchor this defense, and will be the reason Parker will go nowhere. Suggs is going to play, but even if he doesn't, then the Ravens would go to the 4-3, stick Marques Douglas at defensive end, and line Scott up at the outside linebacker to he can blitz Ben all day. He will rush the passer with a scary fervor. 

Reason #5: As the saying goes, big time players make big time plays in big time games. No matter how much the offense struggled against the Titans and the Dolphins, if you look back at the games, plays were there that were left on the field. The offense has done a brilliant job of holding onto the ball and the defense has done a fantastic job taking it away. They played the two most turnover-savvy teams in the league these past two weeks and stole the game away from both because of the turnovers. Still, that may not be enough against the Steelers, and I expect rookie Joe Flacco to rise up the occasion. Remember what happened in the Dallas game after he fumbled on the 5? He led them down the field in a tone-setting drive that only netted three, but gave the offensive confidence for the rest of the game. Remember what happened in the Jacksonville game when Jacksonville went up 7-0? Flacco went off the deep end, completing something like 11 of 12 passes for 200 yards in the second quarter alone for three consecutive TD drives. Remember what happened in the Miami game when they up 3-0? The very next drive, Flacco led them down the field for the tying score. And remember what happened when Tennessee tied the game at 10? Flacco led the team down the field for the game tying field goal. He's done it all season. When he's needed to make a play, he has - more often than not to Derrick Mason (pictured, right), the Steeler Killer. He may need to make several plays today, and I think he will.

I'm saying the Ravens come away with this one, 17-16. 

And because I'm 6-2 so far on my picks for this postseason, better than 12 of the 13 "experts" on ESPN, I'll pick the other game. In upset II, I like the Cardinals 27-17. 

AFC Championship: Why The Steelers are heading to Tampa

Fittingly, the Steelers and Ravens face off on Sunday at Heinz Field in the AFC Championship game. The two bitter rivals will meet for the third and final time this season, with a ticket to the Super Bowl on the line. Here's why, in my opinion, the Steelers will be headed to Tampa.

Reason #1: The Steelers have already beaten the Ravens twice, so they have proven to be able to win. The wins were both extremely close (a combined 7 points), but a win is a win, no matter how you slice it. Not to mention when a team sweeps another team in the regular season and meets them in the playoffs, the team that swept has won 11 of 18 times. 

Reason #2: Rookie Joe Flacco has been calm and collected during the playoffs, but he had a QB rating of 53.4 in two games versus the Steelers, and was sacked 7 times. In his two playoff wins so far, Flacco has been extremely average, with a QB rating of 59.1 versus the Dolphins (9 for 23, zero TDs or INTs) and 89.4 (11-22). Those numbers are far from fantastic, but Flacco has done a good job protecting the ball and he has been sacked ZERO times. The Steelers have brought pressure against Flacco in the two matchups. In the first game at Heinz Field, Flacco was good in the 1st half, but struggled in the 2nd half, the key play being a lost fumble for a Steelers touchdown. In the 2nd matchup, Flacco was bad: 11-28 with 2 interceptions. He was also sacked twice. The Ravens utilized an unbalanced line against James Harrison, and you can bank on Dick Labeau having a way to break that. Flacco will need to be on his game on Sunday, because he was very mediocre in Tennessee and his touchdown came on a deep ball. If the Steelers cover the deep ball to Clayton, they will be in good shape.

Reason #3: The Steelers offensive line has finally resembled a solid unit. Throughout the season, the offensive line has failed to produce a push off of the line of scrimmage and has failed to produce a reliable pocket for Ben Roethlisberger. The result: 46 sacks, a 3.8 yards per carry average for Willie Parker, and a 22nd ranked offense. Against the Chargers, the offensive line had arguably its bes

t game in 2 seasons, as it opened up holes for Parker and gave Roethlisberger time to throw (he was sacked once, on a cornerback blitz that Mewelde Moore failed to pickup). Parker had 5.4 yards a carry and ended up with 146 total yards. Rarely was he stopped in the backfield and he had numerous 10+ yard carries. He will most likely not have another 100 yard day against the stout Ravens defense, but a solid 75-80 yards from Parker may be enough to give the offense balance. Also, in pass protection, the line has improved mightily down the stretch, which allows Roethlisberger to get in a rhythm. Not to mention offensive coordinator Bruce Arians finally decided to utilize the I-formation and quick, easy throws, both of which moved the ball well for the Steelers.

Reason #4: The Baltimore Ravens have not had a rest since week 2, which wasn't much of a rest. Starting tailback Le'Ron McClain has

 powered the tough running game, but he is banged up and no doubt beginning to get worn down. Terrell Suggs (T-Sizzle) injured his shoulder against the Titans, and will not be at 100% on Sunday. A reduced role of Suggs is a huge factor in the Ravens pass rush, as he led them in sacks with 8 during the regular season. How much will fatigue play in the game? The Steelers had their bye week during the season and had another before the playoffs. They were clearly rested against the Chargers, the most obvious example being Willie Parker, who missed most of the season with injuries.

Reason #5: The Heinz Factor. Heinz Field was absolutely rocking last Sunday and it will be this weekend as well. Flacco has played in Miami and Tennessee, both good fanbases, but Heinz Field is a different demon. Ravens fans were able to infiltrate Nashville and Miami; do not expect the same in Pittsburgh. How will Flacco respond to such a hostile environment on such a big stage? I don't expect him to get flustered, but what if he's forced to turnovers early? And, of course, the other Heinz: Hines Ward. No one has gotten in the Ravens' heads more than Hines Ward. He hits hard, he makes big catches, and his smile makes defenses want to destroy him (and even put a bounty on him!). The problem is, they haven't been able to, and Ward has had key catches/plays in both matchups: the first game, he drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Ravens linebacker Jarrett Johnson and in the 2nd game, he had 3 enormous catches on the Steelers game-winning drive, all of which turned out to be first downs. Another interesting tidbit: Hines Ward is now the Steelers all-time leader in playoff receptions. Come playoff time, Hines comes to play.

Baltimore Ravens: What I Thought I Knew

Now that my heart rate has recovered from a crazy divisional playoff weekend, it's time to do a little posting. This is going to be a 12-part posting about every team in the playoffs. For each team, I am going to do a little post about what I thought I knew, what I know now, and what I expect. 

What I Thought I Knew Heading into the Playoffs: RAVENS

1. It is impossible to move the ball consistently against their defense. Post-divisional round analysis: FALSE

Please don't get me wrong here. The Ravens still have the second best defense in the NFL. However, both the Dolphins, and, to a much larger extent, Titans were able to move the ball on this Baltimore defense, and they did it the same way. Largely forget that running the ball exists, and throw short curls and slants. The reason is two-fold. The Ravens bring exotic blitzes that confuse quarterbacks and offensive lines, but if you get rid of the ball quickly enough, it doesn't matter. The other reason is that these routes will be open, because Samari Rolle and Fabian Washington are both finesse quarterbacks who will play five yards off you at all times. 

2. You can't beat the Ravens deep. Post-divisional round analysis: TRUE

The reason for this is one of the same reasons as number 1. Rolle and Washington both can't tackle anyone to save their souls, but they can run with everyone and don't let anyone get behind them. The bigger reason is that if you throw a ball in-bounds more than 30 yards in the air against the Ravens, it is just as likely to be picked off by Ed Reed, one of the greatest free safeties in NFL history, as caught by one of your receivers. And if Reed picks it off (pictured, above), it's coming back the other way. 

3. Joe Flacco doesn't lose his composure - ever. Post-divisional round analysis: TRUE

Flacco (pictured, right) hasn't been pristine by any means in his first two games. Less than 50% completion rate in his first game, 50% in his second. It hasn't been because he's been rattled, though. Sometimes he's just inaccurate. He's a rookie. It happens. You know he hasn't been rattled because he hasn't turned the ball over once, or even taken a sack yet in the playoffs. Now that's impressive. 

(Photo Credits: AP)

Notable Pictures from the Weekend

I want you to get the context of this picture. I took it while on the bus, so I was sitting on the right side. It was as we were making a left turn. As you can see, the light was red, but we were turning anyway. The cop there is stopping traffic so we could pass. I think everyone that saw the bus pass by thought we were the actual players. 

Suggs; to get his attention, I actually yelled out "Hey, Sizzle!" I think he enjoyed that. 

Very nice and respectable pre-game

About this time, the "Let's Go Ravens" chant you heard started. 

If you want more pictures, check out my facebook. If you don't have one, or aren't friends with me on facebook, leave me a comment with your e-mail address, and I would be more than happy to send some to you. There were about 60 total, including some more good ones with players (Ngata, Mason, McGahee, McClain, Flacco, Johnson, Washington), and some shots of and around the hotel in which we stayed. 

Weekend Recap: VIP Style

This weekend, as some of you know, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Ravens-Miami game in Miami as a "Ravens VIP." It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I tried posting pictures with this, but I guess it would be too long, so I'm just going to asterisk things that have a picture to go with them and do a post immediately after this with the pictures I wanted. 

First, there was the so-called "VIP" treatment, which usually involves getting like a bagel and cream cheese on the flight (we did get that, by the way). The Ravens don't mess around with VIP, though. VIP means walking down stairs from the plane on to one of three coach buses. 

VIP also means police escorts. Meaning six police cars in a constant rotation around the three buses, blocking intersections*. 

And, of course, happenstance, not the Ravens, guaranteed this one, but being in Miami in January was nice, too. 

VIP also meant - and we didn't know this at the time - that we were staying in the same hotel as the Ravens. They checked in through the basement, so we didn't see them then. However, my sister and I stalked the hotel lobby from 4 to 6 and saw practically every player on his way out with other guys or a date out to dinner. 

A couple notes about the players, now. The nicest were Suggs (who actually stopped while he was in a hurry somewhere to take a picture*), Mason (who thanked us for coming down to support the team), and McGahee (the only Raven besides Flacco to smile). The rudest? Corey Ivy. As if he wasn't terrible enough on the field - and he's too small, slow, and weak to play in the NFL - the guy cussed out a little kid asking for his autograph. 

Side note here: Also in the group were some of the players' wives and, presumably because of his good friendship with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, Maryland basketball Coach Gary Williams. Williams couldn't have been ruder. We were in line at the Ft. Lauderdale airport waiting to go through security, and somehow Williams ended up in line between me and my father. The line wasn't moving anywhere, Gary didn't have anything to do or anyone to talk to, and we weren't rude. We tried talking to him like he was anyone else that was in line with us. We just introduced ourselves, and I told him I was a Maryland student and a big fan. No "How's school? How's classes? You like it? Go Terps?" anything. Just an "Okay." I congratulated him on the Charlotte victory. Got a noncommittal head nod. Told him I was excited to attend the GT game this Saturday afternoon, and how it was fortunate the Ravens game wasn't until 4:30 so I could do both. Got a grunt about how GT plays them tough. What? I'm a student at your school and wasn't bothering you. But anyway.

Another note about the players, and this is the biggest cliche I'll give you tonight. They're huge. You knew that, I know. You don't know how big, though, until you get next to them in street clothes. Terrell Suggs could very well be the most jacked human being on this planet. And I kid you not when I tell you that one of Haloti Ngata's legs is about the width of both of mine put together. 

The rest of the weekend went as I expected it would. We went to the game. Miami, for their credit, was rocking that stadium at the beginning of the game. It was louder than it is in M&T Bank Stadium most Sundays, although a few extra thousand people couldn't have hurt that. They also did a nice pre-game ceremony, with Darius Rucker singing the national anthem and a field-sized flag stretched out*. 

I will say, though, Dolphin fans - probably because they don't go to their regular season games - are some of the least intelligent in the NFL. I had one guy to my left trying to convince me the Ravens got lucky when they beat the Dolphins by two touchdowns earlier in the year. After Derrick Mason's catch with about a minute left in the first half, a guy diagonal from me was screaming his head off about "throwing the flag" and couldn't comprehend when I told him that they couldn't do that. After Chad Pennington threw the incompletion on 3rd and 26 towards the end of the game, nobody around me knew that the force-out rule wasn't even in the NFL anymore, so it was a rightful incompletion. Also, Miami fans can secure season tickets next year by only paying a $100 dollar deposit. In Baltimore, you have to wait on a list for about 15 years, and that's not even near the longest in the NFL. One final note about their fans: they don't know when to cheer. They were louder while the team was on offense than on defense, and after the team got down, they stopped cheering for pretty much the rest of the game, save the Ronnie Brown touchdown grab. That being said, it didn't matter, because, by the end of the game, it was all Ravens fans anyway*. 

My actual game analysis will be in my next post, either today or tomorrow. Hope you enjoy the pictures. 

Thoughts from the Ravens-Cowboys Game

It's been 24 hours, and I still can't get over that game last night. There was so much to say about it, and I wanted to write about it immediately, but I just couldn't stop relishing in the victory for the Ravens. Looking back on the day, here's what I have to say about it. 

1. Derrick Mason made me proud to be a fan of the Baltimore Ravens. He is, inarguably in my mind (Rod Woodson and Shannon Sharpe supporters may disagree), the greatest free agent pickup in Baltimore Ravens history. We all saw what he did, between the adjustment he made to the ball going across the middle, getting the fumble recovery, and how he completely lost Terrence Newman while running with one arm to get open for the touchdown reception. 

He did all that after needing to helped off the field three times for re-aggravating a dislocated left shoulder, and not being able to lift his left arm up in the air at all. You could see the pain in his face with every step he took, but he persevered like none other. 

As Mason (pictured) went into the locker room with about four minutes left in the second half, the announcers said that his return was doubtful. To who? Every Ravens' fan I know knew exactly what was going to happen. He was going to go in, get a couple shots of cortisone right in the left shoulder, and be back for the second half. 

One last note on Mason. He does not have near the physical tools that Terrell Owens has. Owens is bigger, faster and stronger. Owens also cries after games, whines when the ball doesn't come to him enough, and quits on routes. Mason has had to put up with Kyle Boller, Steve McNair, and the rookie season of Joe Flacco during his four seasons in Baltimore. He hasn't complained once. He is the soul of this offense, and I can't wait to be there next week when the offense comes out of the tunnel and he is last. 

2. We knew this one was going to happen: the Cowboys lost the game, the Ravens didn't win it. At least watching NFL Network's post-game coverage would tell you that. I recognize that the Cowboys have a larger fan base than the Ravens, but come on. At least pretend that the Ravens should get equal media coverage. Instead, we got to watch Tony Romo and Owens talk for about ten minutes apiece, then watch Roger Staubach talk about a play that happened over 30 years ago. 

3. Think before you start criticizing Madden and Michaels again. Papa was decent as the play-by-play guy, but did Deion Sanders say anything productive during that entire game? Don't get me wrong, either. I love Prime Time. I have a number 37 Deion Sanders Baltimore Ravens jersey, in fact. He needs to stick to highlight shows, though, and not serve as the color guy. Marshall Faulk started off terrible and got better. He at least knew what he was talking about. Neither Faulk nor Sanders, though, can stay in one octave for an entire sentence. 

4. I thought the Ravens were going to win last night for the same reason they did win. That reason is that Tony Romo is one of the worst big-game quarterbacks in NFL history. Let's not be too quick to glorify the Ravens' defense last night. Tashard Choice has 90 yards and would have had a lot more if the Cowboys stuck the run. Owens, Witten and Austin were all open several times throughout the night; Tony Romo just couldn't hit them. 

Just to clarify, this would normally make my second point null and void, were it not for Baltimore's offense. They stepped it up in a huge way and are the reason the Ravens won this game.

 

5. If you tell me that Sam Koch is the team's MVP, I won't argue with you. How many weeks in a row is it now that Koch has been absurdly good punting the ball? He is better at putting the ball inside of the 10-yard line than anyone I've ever seen. The fake field goal sprint was amazing, too. He has played a huge role on this team, and fans should never overlook just how crucial he has been in helping the Ravens win the all-important battle of field position. 

Quick hits now ...

6. Perhaps the best part of the entire game was McGahee looking like he finally got back on track. Without Ray Rice, that could be huge. 

7. In the past 5 games, Ed Reed has six interceptions. And two fumble recoveries. And one fumble forced. And a sack. And touchdowns.

8. As bad as Matt Stover is outside of 4o yards, is there anyone better than him within 40? No.

9. I liked the volume of the "O" during the national anthem and the "HEEEEAP" during the game. I've always thought that Ravens' fans were underrated travelers. 

10. Flacco played a man's game last night. His first fumble was inexcusable. You have to know that guy's there. Nonetheless, he took a beating the entire night, and kept getting up and making clutch throws. He did hit the rookie wall a few weeks ago against Washington, ran back into it last week, and finally crashed through it this week.  

(Photo Credits: AP)

5 Things to Keep an Eye on

Sure, you have the NFL playoff races, but there's other things to keep an eye on this weekend. Here's five things I'll be paying attention to.

1. The Mark Teixeira sweepstakes. C.C. already went to the Yankees; everyone expected that. Teixeira, on the other hand, is a local boy. Both the Orioles and Nationals have expressed interest, and Teixeira has reciprocated with both. It will be interesting to see where Texeira ends up, and whether the local teams will be filling to fork over enough money to get him.

2. Maryland basketball: taking care of business. More on this later, but it's the worst time of the year for Maryland basketball. It's no longer the beginning of the season, so we're not really learning anything about the team. They no longer play anyone that will help their resume at the end of the year. It's full of Elons, Bryants, and Delaware States from here on out. None of these wins will help, but losses will devastate.

3. Pittsburgh-Baltimore: Will the emotions finally boil over? Both teams have been good all week. No players or coaches have expressed anything but mutual respect for the other team. You know it's just because they feel the eyes of Czar Goodell looking over them, though. I mean, after all, this is the same Ravens team with Bart Scott (pictured), who openly threatened to kill Hines Ward last year. It will be interesting to see whether all this emotion they're keeping inside will spill out onto the football field in terms of some 15-yard penalties.

4. Which team will get back on track: Dallas or New York? I have a feeling New York is going to destroy Dallas in this game, but that's just me. Everything I've ever said negative about Tony Romo (pictured) I will reverse if he managed to get the huge win this week. If not, I don't see Dallas winning another game. Conversely, New York has to show the league that they just ran into a Philadelphia team at the wrong time, and that the Giants are still the team to beat in this league, with or without Brandon Jacobs. We're going to learn something about both of these teams after this game.

5. We will immediately start to see the effects of the first big trade in the NBA. Forgive me, but I don't think the Wizards getting rid of Antonio Daniels for two guys who combine to average about 5 ppg is going to make that big of a difference. There was a trade that went down last night between the Bobcats and the Suns, though, that caught a lot of people's interest. Boris Diaw (pictured, left) and Raja Bell (two staples of Suns for the past few years) and Sean Singletary (whom Maryland fans know quite well) left for the Bobcats. In return, the Suns received Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley (also well known by Maryland fans). Steve Nash was visibly upset during last night's Suns-Lakers game. 

And yea, I just wrote about the NBA. 

(Photo Credits: AP)

Baltimore, why are you so enamored with John Harbaugh?

After three straight losses - two of which the team should have won and one that was an utter blowout - Ravens fans are still in love with the whole John Harbaugh thing.

Why?

All I'm hearing from people is "Wow, so Flacco sucks" or "Our O-line is not living up to expectations."

It just seems funny to me that last year - with virtually the same exact team - the Ravens struggles were all Brian Billick's fault. This year, though, Harbaugh can do no wrong.

Never mind the numerous balls he should have challenged, but didn't (Derrick Mason in the endzone?). Never mind the press conference lies (two weeks ago, Kelly Gregg would be back in a couple weeks; now he's on the IR). Never mind the fact that the Ravens came into Indy with the single worst possible game plan they could have had.

The Ravens have a team with a poor offense, with poor discipline, and that can't play consistently. Gee, Billick could have done that.

They are who we thought they were

Steelers 23, Ravens 20.

A bit disappointing for me, obviously, but I can tell you that this was a great game to watch, and I wasn't even too upset after it. This game reaffirmed a couple things I already knew about both teams.

1. The Steelers have offensive line troubles. They could not really run the ball at all, and Big Ben was being pressured all game. He did not get sacked that many times, though, which leads us to ...

2. I am willing to admit it. Big Ben is a very good NFL quarterback. His ability to maintain contact and still make a play is phenomenal, and he really showed it tonight. He won the game with his toughness. And because they won the game, I will say what I've said before ...

3. The Steelers are the class of the AFC North. They will most likely win the division this year. But because the Ravens gave them such a game ...

4. It may not be the Ravens season this year, but as a fan, I love the direction this franchise is heading. We are not that old on defense. Lewis, Reed, and Pryce are all old, but we have pieces behind all of them that can step in. And as far as the offense goes, its so young its amazing they're doing anything right now. The Ravens need some receivers, but other than that, they will be fine. I can say this confidently because ...

5. Joe Flacco is a rookie, but he will be good in this league. He showed he was a rookie in fumbling a snap, and fumbling on two sacks tonight. The Ravens told you he was a rookie when they didn't decide to go get a score when they got the ball back with 1:40. But the truth of the matter is that Flacco played better tonight than almost anyone expected him to. He made some very clutch throws, and showed he could find the open man. He lacks some pocket presence, but there are many NFL veterans who still struggle with that. I have been on several message boards and I can tell you that the Steelers are worried.

In conclusion, the Steelers won a game that they were expected to - and deserved to - win. It will be interesting to see how both teams do on their short week against tough opponents.