Eh, not bad. The AFC East tripped us up more than I thought. And I think the Ravens get whipped today, 31-16. Of course I also hated them in Detroit and loved them vs. the Pats, so maybe my pessimism is a good sign.Here's my official prediction for the season.
Vs. AFC North: 4-2
They might end up sweeping the Steelers and splitting with the Browns; however it goes down, I still think the Ravens do better than .500 in the division. The first time Cundiff comes in the game for Cleveland during the Week 2 home opener, it's going to be a scene.
Vs. AFC East: 3-1
I can see them handling the Pats at home on a December Sunday night. But maybe Miami surprises them on a hot Florida October afternoon, when the Ravens are on the back half of a two-game road trip. They should take care of the Bills and Jets.
Vs. NFC North: 2-2
They're bad in domes, so the MNF game at Detroit could be tough. And I think GB is a very tough match-up for them. NFC North looks tough to me this year - I'd be pretty happy if they split vs. the division.
Vs. Houston and Denver: 1-1
Two tough games, I'll guess the Ravens split them.
10-6. Probably good enough for a playoff spot, maybe even the division title. And then once they get in the playoffs, maybe with Pitta back, they'll once again be the team nobody wants to play as they go for their 6th straight year with a post-season win. If they make the playoffs, I like their chances as much as anybody's.
Good call, T_M. That game typified the Ravens season.The_Man said:Eh, not bad. The AFC East tripped us up more than I thought. And I think the Ravens get whipped today, 31-16. Of course I also hated them in Detroit and loved them vs. the Pats, so maybe my pessimism is a good sign.Here's my official prediction for the season.
Vs. AFC North: 4-2
They might end up sweeping the Steelers and splitting with the Browns; however it goes down, I still think the Ravens do better than .500 in the division. The first time Cundiff comes in the game for Cleveland during the Week 2 home opener, it's going to be a scene.
Vs. AFC East: 3-1
I can see them handling the Pats at home on a December Sunday night. But maybe Miami surprises them on a hot Florida October afternoon, when the Ravens are on the back half of a two-game road trip. They should take care of the Bills and Jets.
Vs. NFC North: 2-2
They're bad in domes, so the MNF game at Detroit could be tough. And I think GB is a very tough match-up for them. NFC North looks tough to me this year - I'd be pretty happy if they split vs. the division.
Vs. Houston and Denver: 1-1
Two tough games, I'll guess the Ravens split them.
10-6. Probably good enough for a playoff spot, maybe even the division title. And then once they get in the playoffs, maybe with Pitta back, they'll once again be the team nobody wants to play as they go for their 6th straight year with a post-season win. If they make the playoffs, I like their chances as much as anybody's.
But I just think this O Line is too dreadful for words. NFL Network's "AFC Playbook" had a segment on the line and Baldinger just killed him. On one Pierce run to the left last week, Monroe got a good block on his man, Gradkowski pulled and there was a really big alley between Guard and Center. Unfortunately, instead of sealing the alley, Shipley stepped forward and completely whiffed on his block on the ILB and the pulling Gradkowski turned to his right to make his block and just fell down. Sterling Sharpe literally laughed out loud as Gino sprawled on the ground and Pierce saw his hole filled with two Pats for a no-gainer.
The next play, there was an overload from the Pats' left, so the Ravens shifted their line right. Gino and Yanda both made their blocks, but for some reason Oher completely ignored the blitzer coming from his outside and double-teamed Yanda's man whle the blitzer came in and sacked Flacco. Baldinger said something to the effect that this is first week of training camp stuff and the Ravens are still messing it up in Week 16. Oher is so gone.
The Bengals do a good job of freeing up unblocked blitzers vs. real O Lines, so I think they will tee off on Flacco. My only hope is that the Ravens do a great job of making Dalton look bad and maybe they continue that. Also, if the Pats/Colts get up big early, and Marvin benches guys to rest them and to prep things for a Wild Card rematch vs. the Ravens.
All in all, I think the Ravens lose, the Chargers get in, and deserve to because they are playing really well and this year's Ravens are a very mediocre bunch. I guess the high point of the season was Tucker's 61-yarder.
I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek on taking a C in the 1st. But it has been such a glaring weakness this year I was hoping a sure-fire HOFer was thereThat game really summed up the season. Oh well.
Fixing the O line is truly the highest priority. I think most of the offensive woes - no running game, Flacco absorbing vicious hits, no time to connect deep - go to the line.
Ravens are picking #16 or 17, pending a coin flip with Dallas. That's too high for a Center - they might be able to get the #1 Center at that point in the second round. If Osemele is back, he is an outstanding Left Guard. My fear is that maybe they move him back out to Right Tackle, where he struggled, to replace Oher, who is gone. They must resign Monroe at LT.
Art Jones is gone. I think Suggs stays, though it might require a restructure. And Ngata has to stay until next year because of the huge cap hit they would take from cutting him this year. Maybe he will agree to a restructure, but I kind of doubt it. He has the leverage on the Ravens; the Ravens have the leverage on Suggs, which makes him the more likely candidate.
I'm sure lots of mock drafts will link the Ravens to a WR at #16. I think they are more likely to go with a DE/OLB type at that spot, just based on their history.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baltimore-sports-blog/bal-sports-blitz-grading-ravens-offseason-moves-20140106,0,7124019.story?track=rssSo, how have last year's defections/losses done in their new homes?
I haven't followed very closely, but it appears Ellerbe isn't considered Miami's best signing ever at this point by Dolphin fans. He's the one that I said the Ravens had to keep after last season ended![]()
You're right. The drop off from Birk to Gradkowski was horrifying. I don't recall thinking as much of it as some of the other losses last winter and boy was I wrong not to.I still think Birk's retirement hurt more than any of the other 2012 postseason personnel losses.
If you like game plans where falling behind by a TD leads to an OC panicking and abandoning the run game, Kyle's your guy. I'm glad he's no longer in Washington.Ian RapoportVerified account @RapSheet
#Ravens have interviewed former #Redskins OC Kyle Shanahan for their vacant offensive coordinator position, per source.
I agree with you about starting OL and DE/LB. I trust the front office implicitly to NOT move up too much except when it makes sense for needs. I'm just so concerned if we're not able to ensure we're the highest bidder for Monroe, could lose both tackles with a big question mark at Center. Yikes. They want that rangy FS but I think they are better served going get someone in free agency. That Buffalo FS Byrd would be perfect but I'm sure he'll sign in Jax for 50 gazillion dollars.1) I think theres a good chance we see something similar to the 2012 draft where we trade back and take OL and DE/LB. Boring but sound and reasonable.
2) I love how this team drafts
3) I would love for us to be a position to move up and grab a top 7 pick.
Which begs the question of whether Kubiak will adjust the OL personnel/play to include more of zone blocking schemes?Remember this time last year when the Ravens were about to be in the Super Bowl? And then they won it? And then all the crazy celebrations afterward?
Yeah, that was a lot more fun than this year.
But... looks like they're about to hire Kubiak as O Coordinator. I like this hire a lot. I always loved what the Texans did with their play action, both going deep to Andre Johnson and hitting the TE off the bootleg. If the Ravens can just get the run game going again, I feel like it all fits so well - with Torrey Smith taking the deep role and Pitta (if they keep him, which I think they will) in the Owen Daniels role.
Video of Ray Rice pulling unconscious fiance out of elevator surfaces from TMZ:Been an interesting month. Ray Rice deal this week. He's been a model citizen, don't think this is even a small bump in the road. Ozzie came out with that pretty direct line about specific needs, o-line, WR, rangy FS. We lost the coin flip with Dallas so they pick 1.16 and we are 1.17.
Oher, Clark, Cody, Jones, Ihedigbo, Jacoby sound gone to beyond gone. CB Graham and LB Smith should be back. They are saying all the right things about resigning Monroe but due to his talent/production and youth, gonna be hard to outbid everyone. Same thing about Pitta, but I think we'll see that get done.
This draft is deep at tackle (especially ROT/combo G types) and WR. Could see FS brought in out of free agency if the price is right.
^This. Unfortunately for the Ravens Jones was just south of the others as far as keepability. Still, Ozzie is working some serious magic so far this offseason. Not one of the deals is a break the bank type yet he is signing good to very good players to keep a solid core in tact.Man, between the O's with Showalter and Duquette and the Ravens with Bisciotti, Harbaugh and especially Newsome Baltimore appears to be in the middle of a second Golden Age for the pro sports teams.Daryl Smith was huge, too.
Hate losing Art Jones, but we all figured he'd be gone.
I would think so. There is a lot of comfortability with Owen Daniels being brought in but I can't see him having much more impact than whoever else we have been running out at TE, even in two TE sets. Although I question how much speed Smith has at this point. I hope this has moved them off the Ebron talk (even if he were to fall and it sounds like he won't).With Steve Smith Signing, alongside Torrey Smith... Does this mean Dennis Pitta is in store for a pretty good season? 2 Speedsters to open up the short pass game/and the middle! Id like to think so! I traded for Pitta, thats for sure!
Agreed!One of the things Ozzie always does so well is fill in all the holes prior to the draft. While there are still many places the Ravens can upgrade, he's addressed deficiencies at WR, TE, and Center. The only glaring hole seems to be Right Tackle, though free Safety is still a little weak as well. Starting to feel like this team will move past last year's post-Super Bowl disappointment and reemerge as one of the AFC's top teams.
Aaaand, he got one.
It seems like a luxury pick unless Brown is wasted or Smith traded. Are they geared to show more 3-4 looks? Would that even make sense?Aaaand, he got one.
So, it appears Mosley & Brown will battle to start alongside Smith next season. If both pan out, then the Ravens have their ILBs sewn up for several years.
I wonder if Ozzie would've taken Martin instead had Dallas not sniped him.
They pretty much run a 3-4 now - in name anyway, if not always in practice.It seems like a luxury pick unless Brown is wasted or Smith traded. Are they geared to show more 3-4 looks? Would that even make sense?Aaaand, he got one.
So, it appears Mosley & Brown will battle to start alongside Smith next season. If both pan out, then the Ravens have their ILBs sewn up for several years.
I wonder if Ozzie would've taken Martin instead had Dallas not sniped him.