Every NFL team will end their preseason schedule Thursday night and hope to avoid injuries to their starters who may only play a series.
The Baltimore Ravens will take on the St. Louis Rams at 8 p.m. Thursday and Troy Smith will more than likely play the entire game. Smith is fighting to make the team so playing a full game will be a good opportunity to prove himself to the coaching staff once again.
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Wide receiver Derrick Mason has returned to Baltimore. This time it’s for two more years.
Mason was leaning toward retirement at the end of the 2009 season, but had stated he would come back if he got a two-year contract. He didn’t really test the free agent market and the Ravens gave him the length on a deal that he wanted.
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The beginning of the NFL free agency period is approaching quickly and teams are starting to put tenders on their restricted free agents. Baltimore has been no different.
The Ravens placed first-round tenders on Jared Gaither, Fabian Washington and Le’Ron McClain Wednesday. They could also put a first-round tender on wide receiver Mark Clayton before Friday’s free agency deadline. Gaither’s tender, which could have been higher, almost insures he will be back with the team next season unless a team is willing to give up their first round pick for the athletic left tackle.
Washington is recovering from a torn ACL and could be either the starting cornerback or nickel back behind Domonique Foxworth and Lardarius Webb in 2010. I’m happy Washington will be back as he is fast and athletic.
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The Baltimore Ravens got their offseason started early by getting a free agent receiver with baggage. Donte’ Stallworth agreed to a contract with Baltimore after the Cleveland Browns terminated his contract. Stallworth sat out the entire 2009 season after being suspended by the NFL for his DUI and manslaughter guilty plea.
I thought this move might occur after news broke shortly before the Super Bowl that Stallworth would be a candidate to sign with the Ravens. Stallworth addresses a gaping hole in the Ravens offense. I expect him to be the No. 1 receiver in Baltimore’s offense. He will compliment whatever receiver is on the other side, but I think Baltimore’s preference is to re-sign Derrick Mason.
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Now that the Baltimore Ravens’ season is over, it’s time to focus on free agency. Doing this, we have to go in under the assumption that 2010 is going to be an uncapped year and therefore, there are certain rules and regulations that each team and player must follow.
Since the Ravens were one of the final eight teams left in the playoffs, they can’t sign a free agent unless they lose one. Right away this makes it tough for the Ravens to make any improvements or changes to their squad.
As for the players, with no Collective Bargaining Agreement in place, players that are four year veterans that would be unrestricted free agents are restricted free agents. For the Ravens, that means they have a decision to make on Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams.
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The Baltimore Ravens are coming off of a loss against the Green Bay Packers. Baltimore was dominated in every phase of the game Monday night and is coming in to Sunday’s game with Detroit reeling from injuries. If there’s a week that the Ravens should rest their injured players for the stretch one, it’s this week.
It’s not that Detroit isn’t improving, they are, but they are still brutally bad. The Lions were beat up by Cincinnati last Sunday and are going as far as resting rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford this week. This game is shaping up very badly for Detroit. The Lions are choosing to start Daunte Culpepper who hasn’t been on his game in years. Although the defense is getting better, they still may have trouble keeping up with the Ravens.
On Baltimore’s side, starters like Ed Reed, Jared Gaither, Jarret Johnson and Mark Clayton are all battling injuries. If I was John Harbaugh, I’d rest them for at least this week, possibly next week as well. Reed is dealing with a leg issue, Clayton has a pulled hamstring, Johnson and Gaither are just banged up. Terrell Suggs is also trying to come back from a knee injury. Suggs, in my opinion, should rest another week unless it is totally necessary for him to return. If Clayton doesn’t play, I’m going to be looking for Kelley Washington and Demetrius Williams to get the bulk of the time in Clayton’s slot.
The other player battling injuries, but continues to play and practice through it, is Joe Flacco. Flacco has been battling a hip and ankle injuries for some time now. If Baltimore gets up by enough, I say Harbaugh should take him out and put Troy Smith in. For one, it’ll give Flacco’s body a little more time recover for next Sunday. Secondly, just in case something does happen to Flacco, Smith will have had some playing time with the team and can knock off some rust.
Better defensive play and, hopefully, better red zone decisions and conversions, well lead to a 31-10 win over Detroit.
With the New England Patriots release of Joey Galloway on Tuesday, rumors have been flying that the Ravens may be interested. I say they shouldn’t be at all.
Galloway is 37 years old, and will be 38 next month. His production has decline big time this season. Galloway has been active for just three games this season, catching only seven balls for 67 yards. He also doesn’t have the speed he used to. This would be a bad move all around for Baltimore.
I think the Baltimore Ravens receiving corps is fine. Kelley Washington, Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton have all been productive this season. Even when Demetrius Williams had to be in the game Sunday he produced. Quarterback Joe Flacco is comfortable throwing to anybody. My evidence for that statement is in the 1,674 yards that Flacco has racked up this season.
The real problem with the Ravens in the defensive backfield. All season the secondary has been getting burned badly. Of course, it’s not all on the secondary. The defensive line hasn’t gotten that much pressure on the opposing quarterbacks. Terrell Suggs hasn’t been successful this season, but part of that is the lack of scheming to get him free from blockers. One way I think the Ravens could free up Suggs is to put Trevor Pryce on the same side. That may confuse the defense on who to account for and, in turn, help the secondary.
What do you think the Ravens should do about the secondary? Should they patch it up? Use Lardarius Webb more? Get more of a pass rush? I think these are all viable options. Whatever they do, they shouldn’t sign Galloway though.
In a very exciting game Sunday, the Ravens came up just short in a 33-31 loss to the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. Joe Flacco came through in a big way in the second half again in Baltimore’s furious comeback attempt.
The offense struggled early in the game, as Brett Favre helped the Vikings to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. In fact, the defense got off to a slow start too. After taking two quick punches the defense held up until the fourth quarter.
Flacco aired it out for 385 yards and two touchdowns. That was almost good enough. He ran the two-minute drill to perfection giving the Ravens a shot to beat the Vikings as time expired. Unfortunately, Matt Stover wasn’t the kicker. Steve Hauschka got his chance for his first pressure kick and didn’t pass the test.
The defense again had a letdown. The secondary was suspect and the rush defense was again leaky. Adrian Peterson was able to find creases and holes all the way to 143 yards. That’s now two consecutive games with a 100-yard rusher after over two seasons without allowing one. Still, this game could have been much worse.
What I did notice, defensively, is the Ravens play the sidelines very well. They have trouble stopping slants and intermediate routes over the middle. Minnesota tight end Visanthe Shiancoe drove the Ravens linebackers and secondary crazy all day. Sidney Rice broke a huge run on a slant pattern and Bernard Berrian’s touchdown was on a slant too. Something has to be corrected there.
Offensively, aside from the success of Flacco, Ray Rice had an unbelievable day. Rice gained nearly 200 yards on 20 touches. Derrick Mason wasn’t shut out again and Mark Clayton even got in on the act. Clayton caught a touchdown pass, almost redeeming himself for the Patriots drop. There was even a Demetrius Williams sighting. Williams got on the field because of a Kelley Washington injury, but he made a crucial grab.
Also, on an even more positive note, Michael Oher played very well. Oher was filling for Jared Gaither for the second consecutive and almost shut down Jared Allen completely. Allen had one sack, but he was unblocked on that play. Oher also sealed off Allen on Rice’s go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Overall, the Ravens weren’t horrible, but they weren’t outstanding either. The bye week comes at a good time for this team. They will now have time to heal up and focus on what they’re done wrong and what they’ve done well. I’m looking forward to the Denver game on Nov. 2.
In a move that I thought would happen for weeks, the Ravens finally signed David Tyree.
Tyree had worked out for Baltimore earlier this season, but nothing happened because the Ravens had a need at tight end. Suddenly, L.J. Smith is healthy and there is no need for Tony Curtis. Curtis was the fourth tight end and didn’t play in Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati.
Tyree bolsters a thin receiving corps that was using only three receivers in games with tight ends Todd Heap and Smith serving as another receiver. Demetrius Williams could have been in danger of being released, but he will still serve as a back up in case an injury occurs.
Tyree is best known for his catch in Super Bowl XLII that helped the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots. He became a free agent because of the Giants young receiving corps this season.
I like this move. We’ll see how the Ravens use him.
There’s been a lot of talk of the Ravens acquiring Brandon Marshall to fill a gap in the receiving corps. I think this would be a good move. Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun floated a trade rumor of Troy Smith, Demetrius Williams and a draft pick for Marshall. Makes sense logically.
Baltimore has five quarterbacks still with the team so trading one of the quarterbacks instead of cutting one and getting nothing for him. Also, Williams hasn’t really proved a whole lot except that he gets injured. Marshall has just proven he’s a head case.
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