By Mike Wynn Sports
With a combined 6-26 record last season nobody in their right mind would have predicted these two teams would both be playing in the post-season. Miami just 1-15 last season has made the improbable turn around going 11-5 and winning the AFC East. Baltimore was better at 5-11 last year, but not many expect much out of the Ravens, who started a rookie at QB when the season began. Yet, here both teams are in the post-season and one of these two is going to move to the second round. So let’s take a look at these improbable long shots and we’ll start with the visiting Ravens.
By #1 Sports
Philadelphia (5-4-1) Eagle fans – a warm and cuddly bunch by nature – have been screaming for heads since their crew finished with a 13-13 tie on Sunday at Cincinnati in which Coach Andy Reid continued to ignore the running game (23 passes vs. 5 rushes first half) and QB Donovan McNabb (227 of 382 for 2711 yards, 14 TD, 8 INT) threw 30 incomplete passes (28 of 58 for 339 yards, TD, 3 INT) including 3 caught by Bengals plus added a lost fumble. Further fueling the fire was the fact that many Philadelphia players – not just 10-year veteran McNabb – had no idea that no second overtime was waiting after the first extra frame expired in a deadlock! OK, with many connections to pro and college players over the years we can attest that these guys know more about coverages, systems, and schemes than what 98% of the viewers think they are seeing during a play but when it comes to the more geekafied points like statistics, records, and the more esoteric rules they are clueless compared to the average Arm-Chair Charlie. Counting ourselves in the Charlie group, combined with time spent around these guys, this seemingly odd hole in their knowledge came as absolutely no surprise to us. The comparisons of football to the military have been done (ground attack, aerial assault, gridiron, scrimmage, the bomb, flanker, field general, and many more) and these players see their job as playing the game, with the best teams those that most consistently and without question execute the strategy of the coaching staff whom holds the responsibility for these finer points. Anyway, every Charlie knows you have to run the ball in this league to win championships and Philadelphia just doesn’t consistently. 95.3 yards per game on the ground ranks 25th in the NFL and with an offensive line led by 6’7” 335 LT Tra Thomas (160 career starts) and 6’7” 330 LT Jon Runyan there’s just no lack of talent or beef to pound out the yards. Sure, 3rd-year 6’3” 338 RG Max Jean-Gilles is playing for Shane Andrews (out recovering from back surgery) but with a solid 4-0 yards per rush through 11 games, play calling is the only thing stooping RB Brian Westbrook (123 for 508 and 6 TD) and RB Correll Buckhalter (57 for 233 and 2 TD). At least Reid gets this pair of superb all-around athletes the ball in the passing game (combined 53 catches for 465 yards and 3 TD) but there just is no substitute for lining up and pounding the ball for what it can yield later in the game. As one would expect, the stat sheets for most of Philly’s receivers are filled but we are impressed by the job done by backup 6’4” 255 2nd-year TE Brent Celek (17 for 239 yards) and 5’10” 175 rookie WR DeSean Jackson (42 for 652 and TD receiving, 12 for 80 and TD rushing, 10.3 per punt return and TD) who has seized a starting job over Reggie Brown (13 for 192 and TD) and others.
By Totals 4U
Baltimore (6-3) The Ravens continued their 4-game stretch of racking up big points against poor defenses (36.0 points per versus Dolphins, Raiders, Browns, and Texans) last week, crushing Houston 41-13 and now face their toughest test of the season for 6’6” 230 rookie QB Joe Flacco (151 of 243 for 1449 yards, 7 TD, 7 INT). Little could be more important to this kid’s success than his offensive line and it will be a man down this trip. Coach John Harbaugh most often uses a 6-man unbalanced line to protect Flacco (17 sacks) and bash the ball on the ground but RT Willie Anderson left in the 3rd quarter against the Texans with a ankle injury which slides 6th lineman 6’8” 330 RT Adam Terry into his slot. There’s nothing wrong with Terry – he was the protected starter before Baltimore picked up Anderson – but that likely eliminates the 6-man line or puts either 6’4” 310 UTEP rookie T/G Oniel Cousins or 6’6” 315 Weber State rookie David Hale in the game against a level of competition they have never faced. Either way, rushing the ball will primarily be the focus and Running Backs Coach Wilbert Montgomery has a dynamite trio that can all produce on the ground and sneaking out for short passed. Willis McGahee (125 for 463 yards and 5 TD rush, 14 for 113 receive), 5’8” 205 rookie Ray Rice (77 for 356 rush, 20 for 190 receive), and 6’1”250 rookie Le’Ron McClain (96 for 366 and 5 TD rush, 15 for 88 receive) rotate for an offense that grinds out the league’s 3rd-best 150.2 rush yards per game at 3.9 yards per carry. Quaterbacks Coach Hue Jackson has done a phenomenal job with not just Flacco but also Troy Smith and Todd Bouman but stretching the field just hasn’t been part of the plan. WR Mark Clayton (20 for 225 yards and TD) and WR Derrick Mason (46 for 598 and 2 TD) – who returned to the game to catch 3 balls after suffering a 1st quarter separated shoulder against the Texans – have had to share the balls with the backs while TE Todd Heap (18 for 195 and 2 TD) has been used primarily in the blocking game as a 7th lineman. It seems a waste for a talent like Heap but he did finally have his first big game of the season last week, grabbing 5 balls for 58 yards and his first 2 scores of 2008.
By Nevada Sharpshooter
The 4-3 Ravens travel to Cleveland to take on the 3-4 Browns. Last week the Ravens brought back the single wing offense using two Quarterbacks on the field at once. One of the plays from this formation resulted in a 43 yard TD pass from QB Smith to QB Flacco vs the Raiders. The reason is clear why the Ravens have resorted to trickery, they have been unable to move the ball consistantly using more convential plays. The Raven offense ranks dead last in the NFL averaging a paltry 239.5 yards per game. The defense which is battling through some key injuries has been mediorce ranking 19th in the league and 23rd vs the rush.
By Platinum Plays
The surprising Ravens take their show on the road to the brand new Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the team formerly from Baltimore until they packed up the moving vans in the middle of the night on March 29th, 1984 and settled in Indianapolis. Twenty years later, the hard feelings have diminished somewhat as the Ravens, formerly the Cleveland Browns, as Art Modell made a cash grab of his own when he moved the Cleveland franchise to Baltimore in for the 1996 season. Many fans are confused when they see replays or pictures of Super Bowl V when Jim O’Brien kicked a last second field goal to defeat the Dallas Cowboys (16-13) in 1970. The Colt fans in Indianapolis were also rewarded with a Super Bowl victory when Peyton Manning brought home the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLI (2007) when they defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17. Not to be left out, the Raven fans also celebrated a NFL championship when the Ravens beat the New York Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV (2001).
By Totals 4U
Cincinnati (0-0) recently made some tough choices by cutting former Pro Bowlers RT Willie Anderson, RB Rudi Johnson, and CB Deltha O’Neal, adding $8 million in cap room, in a move to reverse the aging of a team that opened last season at 2-6 before finishing out of the playoffs at 7-9. Offense again will be a strength for Coach Marvin Lewis’s (42-38 in 6th season) crew with a strong offensive line (17 sacks allowed in ’07, average 6’5 ½” and 326 pounds) providing the time for QB Carson Palmer to grab chunks via former Oregon State teammates WR Chad Johnson and WR TJ Houshmandzadeh who combined for 205 catches, 2583 yards, and 20 touchdowns in 2007. The addition of 6’6” 250 TE Ben Utecht to 6’4” 256 TE Reggie Kelly should beef up the running game and if starting RB Chris Perry continues his career struggle with remaining healthy, reliable 7th-year RB Kenny Watson (178 for 763 yards and 7 TD in ’07) can step right in. Keep your eye on 6’2” 195 rookie WR Jerome Simpson (2nd round Coastal Carolina) who earned the 3rd receiver sop with a big preseason while WR Antonio Chatman will again handle returns. Cincinnati will certainly score with this squad but if they are to return to the post season, Coordinator Mike Zimmer’s defense must show more up front. 3rd-year 6’3” 325 LDT Donato Peko comes off a superb season (52 T, 1 ½ S) on the inside but RDT John Thornton is aging, LDE Robert Geathers managed just 3 ½ sacks last year, and RDE Antwan Odom hasn’t suited up since the first preseason practice. The Bengal back 7 is capable of a big season. WLB Brandon Johnson, MLB Dhani Jones, and Rashad Jeanty are a good group, backed up by strong depth in 6’2” 241 rookie OLB Keith Rivers (USC) and 6’3” 255 OLB Darryl Blackstock. Safety is a bit of a concern with FS Marvin White moving to the starting lineup and SS Dexter Jackson battling an ankle but look out for these corners. 5’11” 193 3rd-year LCB Johnathan Joseph (58 T, 4 INT) and 5’11” 199 2nd-year RCB Leon Hall (60 T, 5 INT) are primed for huge seasons. With the money on the line, few kickers are better than Shayne Graham (133 of 152 career field goals, 31 of 34 last season) while P Kyle Larson are returns.
2008 NFL Sneak Peek – AFC North
By TD at Totals 4 You
Welcome to the 4th edition of our eight-week series taking an off-season look at the National Football League. This week we check in the AFC North where big expectations in 2007 were never quite realized as the member squads pounded each other into the middle of the pack and failed to notch a playoff win. It’s a tall order to crack the elite tier of the AFC so let’s find out what’s shaking in the land of the 3-4 defense.