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Pro Sports Wrap - Sports Personality of the Day:Patrick Marleau

When these two AFC North heavyweights met in the first week of the season, I was way off in the Ravens surprised and unrepeatable drubbing of the Steelers. Since then, the Ravens are coming off of a devastating loss and a game that was much closer than it should have been. And this was to a team that the Steelers easily handled the week before. Last Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger put in an absolutely dominating performance to shred the Patriots and cement the team's status as contenders.


The Steelers have one of the worst lines in the NFL, but they showed signs of life against the Pats. Although their opponent's interior pass rush played well, the rest of the guys weren't quite as effective going after the quarterback. Still, right tackle Marcus Gilbert absolutely dominated, and I don't recall him ever putting his quarterback under pressure. He was also a force in run blocking, but that may be due to a very favorable matchup against the mightily struggling Rob Ninkovich. Right guard Ramon Foster wasn't quite as good in run blocking, but I also believe that he didn't give up pressure at all and was a key cog in a surprisingly stable right side.


However, the left side is still a mess with Jonathan Scott and Chris Kemoeatu. The left guard was beaten quite handily by the Pats defensive tackles, and Scott might just be the worst left tackle in the NFL right now. Props to J'Marcus Webb and Charlie Johnson who are in serious consideration for this "award".

Things look dire when you look at the two monsters they are slated against; Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata. After a surprisingly anonymous display against the Jags, Ngata showed the Cards whose boss in an inspired display that showed us why he gets his contract. A common misconception is that Suggs is an outside linebacker, but he actually plays most of his snaps at defensive end. Not only is he one of the best pass rushers in the game, but Suggs might just be one of the five best players against the run. The sleeping giant was always solid this season, but he has really turned up the heat the past two weeks.

The Patriots were taken down by the Heath Miller show, and I expect him to be a factor in this game. Ray Lewis is a pretty good player in coverage, but I trust that Ben will find the soft spots- like he did last week- and hit up Miller. Mike Wallace was focused on heavily in the team's last game, but I think this deep threat will have a dagger or two in this one.

I have absolutely no idea as to why Cary Williams is the starter right now.
His display in the last game that these two teams met in pretty much sums up his overall ability; he stinks. Williams gives up far too much space to receivers, and that's not exactly helpful when going up against the best deep threat in the NFL (yeah, I said it). Look, Chris Carr and rookie Jimmy Smith are better players in just about every way. Carr embodies the description of what a solid cornerback is, and Smith has the potential to be a difference-maker in the secondary.

Michael Oher owned last week, and he has been a player who I have often criticized. However, he didn't give up much pressure at all and had arguably his best game in pass pro as a pro. Marshal Yanda and Matt Birk are two of the best in the business, but I can't say the same about left tackle Bryant McKinnie. If Ben Grubbs doesn't play, Andre Gurode will be a severe downgrade at the position. Although he was fantastic the last few years with the Cowboys, Gurode has been stinking it up as a Raven.

The good news is that the Steelers defensive line hasn't been lighting it up this season. While Casey Hampton has been average and is consistently not bad, only Brett Keisel has made much of a difference for the team this season on the line.

An even bigger concern is the fact that James Harrison will miss yet another game. The best linebacker in the NFL, Harrison is obviously a huge key to what the Steelers do on defense. What makes things even worse is the team's moronic decision with regards to who they have replaced him with. Although Lawrence Timmons is one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL, the same cannot be said for his ability on the outside. Simply put; he can't rush the passer at all. I think he has only had a couple of pressures at the position, and that's simply pathetic.

It's not that he is in a funk; it's just that Pittsburgh isn't utilizing him correctly. Thus, he is struggling because he can't rush the passer at a position where that skill is put at a premium. Timmons is still making plays in run defense and hasn't been a liability in coverage, but the Steelers are best served moving him back to the inside and playing Justin Worilds. The drop off in quality from Worilds to Foote in the starting line-up is worth it. The good news is that LaMarr Woodley has been a revelation since Harrison's injury and has been one of the most productive OLBs in the NFL since that point.

I really don't get Joe Flacco right now, and his inconsistency is frustrating. This game really depends on Ike Taylor. Although penalties have been an enormous problem for him this season, he has still shown that he is one of the premier cover corners in the league. In fact, he is the only guy in the Steelers secondary who can take a competent receiver mano a mano. If he can effectively seal Anquan Boldin, then this is a win for the Steelers. If Boldin gets seven catches and rips off some big ones, then this probably isn't a win for the Steelers.

I really don't care for anybody else in the wideouts vs. secondary battle, aside from Troy Polamalu and Torrey Smith. The rookie wideout is a deep threat who doesn't do much else, and it's up to Polamalu to make sure he doesn't burn the Steelers. Do you really trust Bryant McFadden to prevent Smith from making a big play? Let's not kid ourselves, because this game rides on Flacco as it does for every quarterback in every game. However, it seems to me like this is a statement game for Flacco; we will see who he is as a quarterback.

As far as the running game goes, I think Ray Rice will be able to make himself a factor. The Steelers run defense hasn't looked impenetrable right now, so it won't take a Trojan Horse to get past the gates of Troy. No, Rice's pure ability as a runner will be enough for him to remain productive. It seems likely that he will be able to snare a few balls in as a receiver, but I don't expect him to own the Steelers. However, it is feasible to think that he will gain 80 or so yards on the ground.

Even though I like the Ravens defense more than the Steelers, there are too many "What ifs?" with regard to the Ravens offense. We have no idea as to what we will get from Joe Flacco. This is going to be a very close game, and I am going with the team who has the quarterback that I believe in. Gimme Ben Roethlisberger.
Revenge
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2011 Week 4 Preview: Jets and Ravens

October 2nd 2011 13:29
This right here is definitely the game of the week, and it features Rex Ryan, Bart Scott, and Jim Leonhard going at it against their former team. This is a matchup between two contenders who have quite a bit to prove heading into this matchup. The Ravens need to show that they are indeed for real, and the Jets really have to show that they aren't all mouth after getting run all over by Darren McFadden.

In big injury news, Nick Mangold is listed as questionable for this game, and this actually does mean quite a bit. Not only is he one of the best centers in the game, but his replacement Colin Baxter is one of the worst run-blocking offensive linemen in the league. He gets pushed around like crazy, and that more than "makes up for" his great work in pass protection. It's known fact that run blocking is far more important for centers than pass protection, and Baxter has proven to be a liability on the line overall.

While Ladarius Webb and- to a greater extent- Ed Reed have played well in the secondary, Cary Williams has been absolutely terrible this season. If you watched that Steelers game, you would pretty much know all that you need to know about this guy; he gives receivers far too much space.

I could see this being a very easy game for Haloti Ngata in run defense against Baxter, and Terrell Suggs is another high-impact player who should have a high impact in this contest. Dustin Keller has already been a force on offense for the Jets this season, and Mark Sanchez needs to continue hitting him up for the Jets to remain successful on offense. I really don't see them getting much on the Ravens defense though, and I have always been critical of Sanchez.

The Ravens tackles have been absolutely horrendous this season, but they are lucky that the Jets don't have any good pass rushers. Bryan Thomas barely qualifies as adequate, and I don't think anyone will be mistaking Aaron Maybin for DeMarcus Ware any time soon.

The Ravens interior, however, is much better and has two of the best in the business in Marshal Yanda and Matt Birk. I think Ray Rice should be okay in this game, but don't expect him to play like he has through the first three weeks. Even though they got run down by McFadden, this Jets run defense is a tough matchup.

While Lee Evans has been nothing short of disappointing and awful through his first three weeks in a Ravens uniform, Torrey Smith was exactly the opposite last week. Still, I really don't see Flacco being all that good against a very solid Jets secondary. This game is definitely going to be a battle of defenses.

For the reason stated above in that last sentence, I am going with the Ravens. Although both teams are about even defensively, the Ravens are actually good offensively. Even though I would probably take the Jets wideouts over the Ravens group, Joe Flacco and Ray Rice easily trump Sanchez and Shonn Greene.

Prediction: Ravens 20 Jets 14

MVP: Terrell Suggs (Wayne Hunter? What a joke of a tackle.)

Other picks

Cowboys over Lions
Steelers over Texans
Panthers over Bears
Chiefs over Vikings
Bills over Bengals
Titans over Browns
Redskins over Rams
Eagles over 49ers
Saints over Jaguars
Falcons over Seahawks
Giants over Cardinals
Patriots over Raiders
Packers over Broncos
Chargers over Dolphins
Bucs over Colts (How weird would that be five years ago?)
Terrell Suggs
Heeelloooo Wayne Hunter
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9/2011 Team Scope: Baltimore Ravens

September 26th 2011 14:44
The Ravens are now 2-1 after absolutely shredding the St. Louis Rams 37-7, after coming off of a very disappointing game against the Tennessee Titans. However, that loss was probably a really bad hangover from that shocking blowout victory over their sworn enemy. Looks like a dose of greasy food- an upset loss- really does work for hangovers, as the Ravens tore the Rams with their mighty claws (Torrey Smith).

Yeah, fantasy owners are now familiar with that guy (not to be confused with THAT GUY). I hate fantasy, but even I have to admit that Torrey Smith was fantastic yesterday. The numbers don't lie, as he had five catches on eight targets for a 62.5% Catch Rate. That is made all the more impressive when you consider that his Deep % was 75 (six targets of 15 yards or more). All those stats add up to a 19 point yards per target average, and arguably the best performance by a wideout this week. According to the fantasy numbers (which I hate), Wes Welker and Smith are tied at the top of the leaderboards for all players with 34 points a piece.

My main cause for concern with the Ravens lies in coverage, because Cary Williams just isn't helping the cause. He gives receivers far too much room, the Steelers game is of important note, and he really can't play on an island. It seems like he is far better in support coverage, and that really doesn't help out much as a corner. Some might say he could fit in at safety, but the Ravens already have three productive players at that position. No, what they need is corner help, and Williams has been a liability this season.

On the offensive line, Bryant McKinnie has already shown that he isn't a capable starter. Not only that, but Michael Oher hasn't been impressive at right tackle, and that's quite a surprise. He was solid as rookie on the right side of the line, and he really only struggled last year when he was forced to protect Flacco's blindside. Now back on the right side of the line, you would at least expect him to be league average. Hopefully he just needs to get re-acclimated, but I still haven't been enamored with his play in 2011.

That being said, there are four players who have once again really impressed me on the Ravens this year. These guys aren't newcomers to praise, and they are the usual suspects when things go right in Baltimore. Terrell Suggs has been a terror to tackles thus far, Ed Reed is turning back the clock in the secondary, Ray Rice has once again been the team's biggest offensive weapon, and Haloti Ngata is cementing his status as one of the best 3 techniques in the NFL today. Straight out of line, I don't need a reason to justify my praise; these guys are elite players who win their individual matchups week in and week out.
Hide Yo QB, hide you tackles, cuz there be a beast in Baltimore

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2011 Week 1 Preview: Ravens and Steelers

September 8th 2011 15:12
I have another week 1 game preview for you precious few faithful readers of this blog. It involves another tantalizing matchup between two Super Bowl contenders who just happen to be perhaps the biggest rivals in the NFL. This game already has division championship and bye week implications, because a Steelers- or Ravens- win would put the other team in a hole early on.

From a schematic standpoint, signing Bryant McKinnie and Lee Evans were two of the best offensive additions that they could have made in the offseason. Even though I think Jared Gaither is the better player, McKinnie is a solid left tackle when he keeps his weight in check. Derrick Mason, as old as he is, is an underrated player who is one of the better possession receivers in the league. That being said, the Ravens didn't need another possession receiver- they have Anquan Boldin. No, they needed to get a deep threat, and they got their man.

We all know about Joe Flacco's arm, but he hasn't had the chance to show his arm quite yet. Evans was in a messy situation in Buffalo, and he now has the chance to show his talent. The problem is that the rest of the receivers around Flacco just aren't all that good. Tight end Dennis Pitta could be something, but all he really is right now is a "what if" guy.

The McKinnie move was extremely important, because of Michael Oher. If you don't know who that is, then I strongly suggest that you lift up the rock you have been living under. Oher had a strong rookie campaign at right tackle because of his run blocking ability, but he was an enormous liability at left tackle. It seems ironic that the movie is called "The Blindside", because Oher wasn't helping out Flacco very much at LT. I expect a nice rebound year from him, and that's mainly thanks to McKinnie.

Over on the other side, the Steelers have a weak secondary. Nobody is going to call Polamalu and Ike Taylor bad players, unless if you're a Ravens fan, but Ryan Clark is really the only other solid starter in the secondary. Their lack of depth at corner is a travesty for a team with such a prolific front seven.

About that, I really want to watch this Steelers defense go at the Ravens offensive line. It is a matchup that will be a lot closer than what a casual fan might think, because guys like Ben Grubbs, Matt Birk, and Marshal Yanda can really play some ball. And oh by the way, Andre Gurode and Jah Reid are their backups. Yeah, that's a really damn good line.

Even with Vonta Leach paving the way, this isn't a game meant for Ray Rice. The way the Ravens win is if they can effectively spread the ball around and shred the secondary. The thing is, they just don't have that many offensive weapons as far as receiving threats go.

Alright, it's time to switch sides. They say everything starts up front, so let us start up front. I honestly think Maurkice Pouncey is an overrated player, and that Haloti Ngata is going to be a monstrous problem for the Steelers line. There is no way that they handle him or Terrell Suggs. One thing here, Suggs gets more snaps as an end, not OLB. Willie Colon is the only offensive lineman on the Steelers who I can call "good", and this front seven will just eat these guys up.

Passing the football effectively is the easiest way to win games, and the Steelers have the advantage in this respect when you compare their passing offense with the opposition's pass defense. It baffles me that Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr are not listed as starters, because they are the only proven corners on this roster.

There is no doubt that Jimmy Smith has the potential to be a great cornerback, but let's not forget that potential doesn't usually get fulfilled at first. Plus, I doubt he ends up being as consistent as Carr, and he most likely won't be as good as Foxworth this season. Smith is a real wild card, and I would suggest starting Foxworth. And Cary Williams is starting? Really?

If not for those roster management gaffes- either that or the depth chart I am looking at is wrong- the Ravens would be suited to face the Steelers receivers. Ed Reed is not a guy you want to mess with, and Bernard Pollard is a solid player in the box. However, you should never ask him to cover. The depth chart I am reading also says that Tom Zbikowski is starting over Pollard, and that also doesn't make much sense.

Antonio Brown, Heath Miller, Mike Wallace, Jerricho Cotchery, Emmanuel Sanders, and Hines Ward are six legitimate weapons whom the Ravens must keep up with. I see Miller ending up with a huge day, business as usual for Wallace- which means he gashes the Ravens with a couple of deep catches, and one of the other wideouts having a solid game. As for the Ravens receivers, I think this could end up being a big day for Lee Evans if he can seize the moment.

I am focusing so much on both team's passing offenses, because this is the way that these teams will win. This game is going to be fought in the trenches and in the air. With that being said, both teams are almost evenly matched save for a few key differences. I think the Steelers are stronger defensively and have the better receiving game, so I see them winning the game on a classic late game drive by Ben Roethlisberger.

Score: Steelers 24 Ravens 20

MVP: Heath Miller

Sources:

www.sports.yahoo.com
The towel wins
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