Baltimore Ravens Q&A

I don’t think it will be a blowout. Your own tackle, Michael Roos, said it best…

"It is going to be a physical game, and their front seven is stout and they’ve been playing together for a while," tackle Michael Roos said of the Ravens. "They love to stop the run, and we love to run the ball. I don’t think we’ve ever had a blowout between us."

That was a franchise record for turnovers… Not bad for Chuck Pagano’s first day as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator.

where have you been? IIRC one was a tipped interception, but yeah, they looked like steamed shit.

The main factor was a dominate performance by the offensive line. Bryant McKinnie looks like a Pro Bowler again and was putting James Harrison on his butt all game long. The 170 yards rushing was one of the biggest factors. They could not stop the running game without nine in the box, and when they started dropping the safeties down to stop the run, the young tight ends and Boldin killed them in the passing game.

The defense was also able to bring serious pressure without blitzing extra defenders. Suggs and Ngata are monsters, and the young corners, Cary Williams in particular, looked good in coverage. Really, it was just a great performance by the whole team, but I think the offensive line set the tone with Rice’s 36-yard run, which was the first play of the game.

I agree. There haven’t been any blowouts in the Baltimore-Tennessee rivalry… like Roos said.

1. The Ravens don’t typically have ‘let-downs’ in the Harbaugh era. They use to be famous for that under Billick, but under Harbaugh, they are more consistent. They usually beat the teams they’re suppose to beat and struggle versus the good teams. Obviously, anything is possible in football, but I actually didn’t get the impression that the Ravens were ‘pressing’ per se versus the Steelers. They were just playing great fundamental football.

2. Cary Williams came out of nowhere this offseason. He was pretty good last season. That’s why they kept him dispite his suspension, but I don’t think the Ravens could have dreamed that he’d play as good as he has recently. He was making plays all offseason, jumping routes and playing tight coverage. He’s our best corner right now, and I don’t really think it’s the front seven. He’s just playing very well individually.

3. Lee Evans was a factor versus the Steelers… He just didn’t make a catch. The Steelers put their only good corner, Taylor, on Evans for the entire game. That gave Boldin, Rice and the young tight ends good matchups with the other corners and linebackers. Here’s what Harbaugh had to say about Evans after the game…

“Lee opened up a couple crossing routes for us where he takes the top off the coverage, and if they don’t run with him, Joe’s going to throw to him,” Harbaugh said during his post-game media session on Monday. “He cleared out some of those deep crossing routes that you saw. Dennis Pitta’s comes to mind. So I think he had that kind of impact.”

Also, the young tight ends, Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, looked very good versus the Steelers.

Dickson had a sweet TD catch over Polamalu, and together they combined for over 100 yards receiving.

I agree with you about his potential. He’s always seemed like a future stud if he can get his act together.

I think that he was a college teammate of Ray Rice.

If he doesn’t have hamstring issues like last year and this preseason, and stays out of trouble off the field, sky’s Matt Hasselbeck’s the limit on what he can do.

not at all..

This is hard. I mean, if the Steelrs couldn’t do it?

Joe Flacco has traditionally struggled more against Cover-2/Tampa-2 defenses, including Cincinatti and Indianapolis. He’s actually played better against Pittsburgh even before last Sunday than against those 2 teams. The key is getting a consistent pass rush with 4 guys without leaving liabilities in coverage. You play a lot of zone and it will take Flacco time to find the hole, which with an effective pass rush leads to a lot of mistakes and sacks. It is essential to take away Ray Rice in the passing game for this to work, otherwise Flacco will contentedly kill you with checkdowns to Rice. This plan also relies on quick linebackers able to find and plug the holes in the running game. However, if you do that you’re going to have to find a solution for Vontae Leach, who will kill those linebackers. Be ready for 2TE sets, as the Ravens happily took out one of Leach, Boldin, or Evans for a second TE. Our TEs are fast, athletic and 6’4" making them difficult matchups.

The upside is that the offense probably won’t look as great as it did on Sunday but it asks a lot of really tough an often contradictory questions.

and make sure he doesn’t have time to find his WRs.

ur so mean

Probably the same way I felt when Haynesworth stomped on Gurode’s face.

i need tostop trying to write english papers and post comments on MCM at the same time

I am not sure if we will be able to stop both of them, I expect Britt or CJ to have a pretty solid game. But I can tell you that we will be sending the house at Hasselback ALL. GAME. LONG. So I hope your O-Line and QB are ready for Suggs and Ngata coming off the same side.

As for the Steelers game, I think it was a little of both. Our defense played the best game I have seen them play in a very, very long time. The last time I saw a performance like that was against the Dolphins in both games in 2008. But I also believe that the Steelers are getting up there in age. Their O-Line is one of the worst in the league and we took advantage of that. Also have to realize they have 8 starters on defense that are 30 or older.

what years did he play for us though???

Cary is OURS! He has been a pleasant surprise to most people, but has been on our radar for the last 2 years because of his size and the way he was playing in Special Teams.

He has really taken his game to another level, it has been nice to see us get another strong CB.

Was horrible run blocking, remember.
some of the worst imo

No, we will not rest our starters lol.

we just need to improve technique and leverage

enter preseason = entire preseason

I would never say that any team scares the crap out of me, but teams that worry me are of course Pittsburgh and New England right now.

I do not think the Steeler team we saw last Sunday will be the same one we see come week 9. And even though the Ravens have a good track records against NE, how can you not be worried about the methodical, pick you apart style of football Brady and crew run?

good job self

Oh ok. Yea, their defense does look soft. But I do think that will improve once Haynesworth gets going. Him and Worfolk up front is deadly. They have solid LB as well.

lol.. How many of us was really ready to call it quits before the game started (but we still sell-out our stadium unlike some teams who have glittery helmets)

Hancho wa shalf right, our o-line still sucks at run blocking