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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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9/2011 WR Rankings

September 24th 2011 13:50
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Andre Johnson
3. Calvin Johnson
4. Reggie Wayne
5. Steve Smith CAR
6. Roddy White
7. Greg Jennings
8. Brandon Marshall
9. Kenny Britt
10. Mike Wallace
11. Miles Austin
12. Santonio Holmes
13. Marques Colston
14. Jeremy Maclin
15. DeSean Jackson
16. Vincent Jackson
17. Anquan Boldin
18. Mike Williams TB
19. Steve Smith PHI
20. Hakeem Nicks
21. Lance Moore
22. Sidney Rice
23. Santana Moss
24. Brandon Lloyd
25. Dwayne Bowe
26. Braylon Edwards
27. Johnny Knox
28. Dez Bryant
29. Wes Welker
30. Austin Collie
31. Mario Manningham
32. Steve Johnson
33. Earl Bennett
34. AJ Green
35. Percy Harvin
36. Jordy Nelson
37. Malcolm Floyd
38. Pierre Garcon
39. Nate Washington
40. Davone Bess
41. Hines Ward
42. Robert Meachem
43. Mike Thomas
44. Donald Driver
45. Lee Evans
46. Julio Jones
47. James Jones
48. Antonio Brown
49. Jordan Shipley
50. Derrick Mason
Musgrave must use him more


Week 3 Picks

Bengals over 49ers
Panthers over Jaguars
Lions over Vikings
Titans over Broncos
Browns over Dolphins
Eagles over Giants
Saints over Texans
Patriots over Bills
Ravens over Rams
Jets over Raiders
Chargers over Chiefs
Packers over Bears
Cardinals over Seahawks
Falcons over Bucs
Steelers over Colts
Redskins over Cowboys (To make this more interesting)
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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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2/2011 Top 75 Wide Receiver Rankings

February 26th 2011 14:29
1. Larry Fitzgerald- Still put up big numbers with nightmare QB carousel. Can catch absolutely anything. Has height, leadership, and athleticism.
2. Andre Johnson- Speed, height, and athleticism. Nuff said.
3. Brandon Marshall- If only he was reunited with Cutler.
4. Reggie Wayne- Peyton doesn't make him great. He helps, but Wayne can ball. Have you seen some of the catches he makes? This guy is amazing.
5. Roddy White- He can beat you deep and can play the possession game. 2010's best WR.

6. Greg Jennings- Jennings is a multi-threat receiver that is extremely tough to guard. You can't afford to give him any inch of space.
7. Calvin Johnson- Megatron is insanely gifted. His raw ability is off the charts.
8. Steve Smith CAR- This is a list by talent, and Smith is certainly incredibly talented. His speed, blocking, hops, catching, and deep play ability make him a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.
9. Mike Wallace- The best deep threat in the league.
10. Steve Smith NYG- The best possession receiver in the NFL.

11. Anquan Boldin- He had a down year, but he is still an athletic wideout.
12. Marques Colston- A great deep threat that is silky downfield.
13. Hakeem Nicks- Extreme talent, but he needs to work on his routes big time.
14. Santonio Holmes- For those of you that don't think he is great, why don't you reexamine that game winning Super Bowl TD catch? Or watch his speed? Or how about the fact that he was the 11th best receiver in the league in helping his team win games according to Advanced Football Stats' WPA score.
15. Miles Austin- He isn't great, but he's definitely good.

16. Jeremy Maclin- If only people realized that it is Maclin who is the best WR on the Eagles.
17. DeSean Jackson- Maclin may be better, but D-Jax and his crazy downfield speed are closely behind Mac. Jackson really needs to work on his route running and other skills instead of just blasting downfield.
18. Vincent Jackson- V-Jax is a huge redzone target and should be valued more by his own team. If he played the whole season, Rivers would be the easy MVP pick.
19. Dez Bryant- I can't wait till this guy fully develops. My best stroke of luck was when I found his rookie card in a Score pack for $1. I'll be holding on to that one.
20. Austin Collie- Collie is a catching machine.

21. TB Mike Williams
22. Wes Welker
23. Dwayne Bowe
24. Sidney Rice
25. Chad Ochocinco
26. Lee Evans
27. Kenny Britt
28. Santana Moss
29. Lance Moore
30. Johnny Knox
31. Brandon Lloyd
32. Braylon Edwards
33. Malcolm Floyd
34. Steve Breaston
35. James Jones
36. Pierre Garcon
37. Percy Harvin
38. Nate Washington
39. Steve Johnson
40. Mario Manningham
41. Davone Bess
42. Jordan Shipley
43. Mike Sims-Walker
44. Jordy Nelson
45. Hines Ward
46. Jerricho Cotchery
47. Mike Williams SEA
48. Robert Meachem
49. Roy Williams
50. Earl Bennett
51. TJ Houshmanzadeh
52. Mike Thomas
53. Michael Crabtree
54. Danny Amendola
55. Randy Moss
56. Nate Burleson
57. Bernard Berrian
58. Donald Driver
59. Kevin Walter
60. Devery Henderson
61. Devin Hester
62. Anthony Gonzalez
63. Ben Obomanu
64. Devin Aromashodu
65. Mike Jenkins
67 Harry Douglas
67. Patrick Crayton
68.Greg Camarillo
69. Brian Hartline
70. Josh Morgan
71. Jacoby Ford
72. Jacoby Jones
73. Early Doucet
74. Chaz Schilens
75. DeMaryius Thomas
Already 19th Best WR
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