SB Nation - Bobby Rainey

Who Will Be The Baltimore Ravens 2012 Breakout Player?

lastcallbmore — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 11:00:21 -0000

The Baltimore Ravens have many players at many different stages of their careers. That is one of the best things about this team, there is so much unproven talent to go with the very proven talent that they have acquired over the years.

On one hand you have guys like Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, Matt Birk, Marshal Yanda, Ray Rice, etc. On the other hand you have guys like Rookie running backs Bernard Pierce and Bobby Rainey entering their first season. Guys like Dennis Pitta, Ed Dickson, Torrey Smith, Pernell McPhee, Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith who have shown the potential for stardom and are expected to take the next step along the road to greatness this year.

It's seems the Ravens have done an excellent job of reloading on the go without having those awkward rebuilding years in between that gets coaches fired. Each season there is a player or two that seems to come out of nowhere and prove to be a force at the highest level of the game. In recent memory we have Ray Rice, Torrey Smith, Lardarius Webb and Pernell McPhee who have stood out. Of course the Ravens were never surprised though, they knew what all these guys were capable of, that's why they drafted them, right?

The team has also had a knack for bringing in undervalued free agents that have been discarded by other teams and turned them back into Pro Bowlers or at least above average NFL players for the most part. Players like Bernard Pollard, Bryant McKinnie, Cory Redding and Cary Williams. So many players from so many different places have landed here in Baltimore and for some reason this team has helped make them all better and given them a common goal to work towards.

So who's it going to be this season? Will Torrey Smith break out as the true number one receiver that he has looked like since the end of the season last year? Will it be Anquan Boldin who has been the Ravens most prominent receiver over the pas few seasons but most still think has underachieved. Now that he can play the slot most of the time can he return to his 1,000 yard double digit TD form? Will Jacoby Jones be the next player to come to Baltimore and turn his career around? How about quarterback Joe Flacco, who has taken his team to the playoffs for his first four seasons as a Pro but still faces much criticism from the fans and media alike. Will he finally shut up his doubters and show the country what we in Baltimore all know he is capable of?

Or, will it be one of the rookies who steals the spotlight this season. the Ravens have certainly brought in a lot of young talent in the off season. Could Courtney Upshaw, Kelechi Osemele or Bernard Pierce blow up this season and help the Ravens take the next step? Or, will it be an undrafted or late round guy that steps up and takes his game to the next level? the problem is I'm not sure that a guy like Bobby Rainey or Deonte Thompson will get the playing time to make a huge impact this season.

Rookie kicker Justin Tucker most certainly will though. Tucker will get every opportunity to make himself a household name this season. Tucker may be the only Ravens rookie to end up on a fantasy roster this season and fantasy play can turn any player into a cult superhero. Maybe this will be the year of Tucker in Baltimore? Or, maybe it will be Steve Hauschka all over again. You never know until the season starts and, before you know it, you're in the thick of it and somehow someone unexpected has managed to put the team on his shoulders time and time again. Perhaps it will be someone on special teams who turns in a Devon Hester type performance and wins over the Ravens fans that way. I have every confidence someone will come through this season, it's just a matter of who???

Ravens Keep Three Undrafted Free Agents

lastcallbmore — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 11:00:19 -0000

For the first time ever the Baltimore Ravens may have found more play makers in the undrafted market than they did in the draft. Don't get me wrong, The Ravens got some serious talent in the draft with Courtney Upshaw, Bernard Pierce, Kelechi Osemele and Asa Jackson (even if he did blow off my interview) but are any of these guys more explosive than Deonte Thompson, Bobby Rainey and Justin Tucker.

Coming into the season Tucker has the possibility of leading the Ravens in points this season. Thompson may prove over time that he should be the third wide receiver and Rainey is a virtual clone of All Pro Ray Rice. Don't get me wrong, K.O. and Gino Gradkowski may have long NFL careers and prove to be every bit worth their draft position but this trio of undrafted guys could help change the face of the franchise for years to come in very important "skill" positions.

This, once again, goes to the credit of the Ravens front office and scouting department. They search high and low at every big and small school around to find the very best players to bring in to this organization.Players like Bart Scott, Dannell Ellerbe, Jameel McClain and Jared Gaither are a true barometer of what a high level that these people understand the game and that they are privy to some of the best inside information on players around.

This can also be shown in the amount of successful late round draft picks the team has produce just over the last few seasons. Lardarius Webb is Pro Bowl worthy, so is Marshal Yanda. Both were third round picks. Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura are both starting NFL safeties for other teams this season. Tyrod Taylor, the Ravens back-up QB was a sixth round pick. Pernell McPhee, who set the world on fire was a fifth round pick last season as well.

This team knows how to find football players and that is why they will always be competitive in the ever changing salary cap era of the NFL.

Poll

Who will have the biggest impact on the Ravens over the next 3 years?

Courtney Upshaw, Kelechi Osemele, Bernard Pierce

161 votes

Deonte thompson, Justan Tucker, Bobby rainey

160 votes

321 votes | Poll has closed

Bobby Rainey Makes Ravens Final Roster

Zachary Beard — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 23:23:18 -0000

Bobby Rainey, the undrafted-free-agent out of Western Kentucky, was informed today that he has made the Baltimore Ravens final 53 man roster. Bobby Rainey has thoroughly impressed throughout the course of the pre-season, and his hard work has paid off in seeing his name on the back of a black and purple jersey for at least 16 more games. And while many fans are excited for this, Bobby Rainey is ecstatic to say the least. Bobby posted this on his twitter along with a picture of a Ravens cap:

YES!!!!!!! I'm officially a BALTIMORE RAVEN!!!!!

Bobby is extremely excited (obviously) to make the final roster, and hopefully he can continue to contribute during the regular season!

Bernard Pierce Shows Why He Is Number Two

lastcallbmore — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:00:37 -0000

Well, there wasn't much to cheer about in the Baltimore Ravens loss to the St. Louis Rams last night but there were a few bright spots. One of those few bright spots was rookie back up running back Bernard Pierce out of Temple University.

Pierce showed patience and a great burst when running the ball against the Rams first team defense. The Ravens chose to trade up in the third round of the NFL draft to snatch him before any other team could because they saw what he was capable of and Pierce showed that last night.

Bernard was injured early in training camp and missed some time giving other backs the chance to get some carries. In that time rookie undrafted free agent Bobby Rainey impressed the team and caused a small amount of controversy as to who should back up starter Ray Rice.

Now that Pierce is healthy again he shows why he was and still is the favorite to back up the Ravens All Pro starter. When given the chance he can be both powerful and elusive and should prove to give the Ravens a nice new weapon when Rice needs a breather.

Pierce will start the season as the back up running back and he deserves the spot. Although the Ravens still have many questions heading into the season the running game is solid and in good hands with the trio of Rice, Pierce and Rainey. All three are capable of playing in the NFL at a high level and will be integral parts of the offense as the season progresses.

I, for one, can not wait to see the 2012 version of the Ravens offense take the field. The defense has it's work cut out for them it seems as some of the younger players need to get up to speed very quickly but we will talk about that in a later post. For now, it's nice to know that the Ravens have a bevy of young talent at the skill positions just waiting to make their mark on the biggest of stages.

Taking A Shot At Ravens 53-Man Roster

Bruce Raffel — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:39:20 -0000

We will know soon enough who will be among the 53 players that will make up the Baltimore Ravens roster, but lets take a shot at it now, before they play their final preseason game tonight at the St. Louis Rams. Don't expect to see many, if any, of the starters, other than perhaps the kickers, their holders and snappers. However, the others will all be fighting for the few priceless roster spots available on this veteran-laden team.

By position, here are my locks for the 53-man roster, with the final position battles noted afterwards:

OFFENSE:

QB: Joe Flacco (Position Battle: Tyrod Taylor vs. Curtis Painter) - Total spots: 2

RB: Ray Rice, Bernard Pierce, Bobby Rainey (Bubble: Damien Berry) - Total spots: 3

FB: Vonta Leach - Total spots: 1

WR: Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones, LaQuan Williams, Deonte Thompson (Bubble: Tandon Doss) - Total spots: 5

TE: Ed Dickson, Dennis Pitta, Billy Bajema - Total spots: 3

OL: Matt Birk, Marshal Yanda, Bobbie Williams, Michael Oher, Bryant McKinnie, Kelechi Osemele, Gino Gradkowski (Bubble: Jah Reid, Ramon Harewood, Justin Boren, Tony Wragge) - Total spots: 8

(Click on the 'Jump' to read my shot at the defense and Special Teams)

DEFENSE:

DL: Haloti Ngata, Terrence Cody, Arthur Jones, Pernell McPhee, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Bryan Hall - Total spots: 6

LB: Ray Lewis, Jameel McClain, Paul Kruger, Albert McClellan, Courtney Upshaw, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Dannell Ellerbe, Sergio Kindle (Bubble: Chavis Williams, Nigel Carr - Total spots: 8

CB: Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, Cary Williams, Corey Graham, Danny Gorrer, Asa Jackson (Bubble: Chykie Brown)- Total spots: 6

S: Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard, Christian Thompson, Omar Brown (Bubble: Sean Considine) - Total spots: 4

SPECIAL TEAMS:

PK: Justin Tucker

Punter: Sam Koch

LS: Morgan Cox

Total spots: 3

PUP LIST: Terrell Suggs, Tommy Streeter (Not counted against 53-man roster)

That's a current total of 49 spots, meaning there are still four more to be named. I could see one player added in the following positions: OL, DL, LB, CB. That would add up to the maximum of 53 players. Of course the last one or two spots would still be in jeopardy as the Ravens are sure to sift through the trash heap from the cuts around the rest of the league to perhaps add a player or two. The addition of Steeter to the PUP List is a prediction, not anything definitive.

Let the debate begin.

Ravens News Around The Web

Bruce Raffel — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 23:00:23 -0000

Here is all the news on your Baltimore Ravens from all around the internet on the World Wide Web:

Baltimore Ravens place Terrell Suggs on PUP list
The Baltimore Ravens put linebacker Terrell Suggs on their physically unable to perform list Monday as they worked to trim their roster to 75 players.

Baltimore Ravens release kicker Billy Cundiff

Baltimore cuts veteran kicker Billy Cundiff, gives job to rookie Justin Tucker.

Ravens: Backing up Rice could be a joint effort - Carroll County Times: Ravens
OWINGS MILLS — A nifty sidestep of a Jacksonville Jaguars defender and Baltimore Ravens running back Bobby Rainey was free down the sideline, eventually outracing the Jaguars’ defense for a 48-yard touchdown.

Ryan Clark admits Terrell Suggs is a 'really cool dude'
So there seems to be a dirty little secret about the Ravens-Steelers rivalry, which is arguably the best one going right now in the NFL.

It’s Sam Bradford Against The Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have an upcoming game this Thursday against the St. Louis Rams, on the Ram’s home turf.

(More links to more Ravens stories after the 'Jump')

Touring the AFC North: Baltimore Ravens try to get back to the Super Bowl before time runs out on Lewis, Reed | cleveland.com
Since they broke Cleveland hearts by raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy in 2001, the Ravens haven't returned to the Super Bowl despite seven more playoff appearances and two trips to the AFC Championship Game.

Ravens: Bryant McKinnie's conditioning has improved since he arrived at training camp - CBSSports.com
OT Bryant McKinnie got his first start of the preseason with the Baltimore Ravens, and it appears he's in better shape than when he showed up for camp.

Baltimore Ravens Fans May Be Diseased - From Our Editors - SBNation.com

The Ravens are dealing with a minor rabies scare. Fans at a preseason game may have been in contact with an infected bat.

Stadium Guide: The Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium

Poe, the Raven's mascot, is gearing up to welcome fans into the home nest, nicknamed the Purple Palace.

Juggernaut Index No. 12: The Baltimore Ravens | Roto Arcade - Yahoo! Sports

The Ravens may only rank No. 12 in this series, but it turns out this team's home city rates much, much higher in a more important fantasy index.

Ravens to pick up pace in title chase – USATODAY.com

The Baltimore Ravens plan to work no-huddle offense into the mix as aging veterans gear up for Super Bowl run.

Ravens WR Smith catches on with Baltimore fans - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

Ravens WR Smith catches on with Baltimore fans Ravens WR Smith catches on with Baltimore fans

Ray Rice Will Maintain Heavy Workload: Fantasy Implications - SBNation.com

Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who touched the ball 367 times in 2011, will maintain his heavy workload in 2012, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Ravens Set To Air It Out In 2012

lastcallbmore — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:00:29 -0000

I think the Baltimore Ravens have a bit of a surprise for the NFL this year. You could start to see it's beginning last season when the coaching staff would let quarterback Joe Flacco air it out against a team with his hurry up offense. Whether it was because they were down big like in the Arizona game or if they needed a game winning drive like in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati or New England. Joe Flacco is starting to become a leader.

He is starting to show that he has what it takes to put the team on his back and win games. We have seen flashes of it in the preseason over the past few seasons. I remember being surprised his second year at what he showed in the preseason but once the season started the team went back to the same old vanilla run based, throw on third down play calling.

This season looks to be the year that they unleash their creation though. In Ed Dickson, Dennis Pitta, Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin and Jacoby Jones offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron has the combination of size, speed and toughness that he can finally run his Air Coryell offense without the restrictions he has had to deal with in the past. Basically he hasn't had the players to run the system.

The big thing is that now he has the strong armed, determined to do so as well. Joe is capable of making every throw there is to make on a football field. He is big and strong and his offense is loaded with talent. Torrey Smith looks like an All Pro so far in the preseason. Anquan Boldin gets to move back to his best position in the slot and the team has a third receiver capable of making big plays.

Baltimore has reason to be excited about the teams running game as well. they have three play-making running backs on the roster. Yes, Bernard Pierce and Bobby Rainey are not NFL proven but i know a player when I see one and those two can play. They will not be just space eaters. They will contribute.

The one thing that could slow them down is the offensive line. A unique mix of savvy veterans and young talent give reason for hope in Charm City however, If the best five linemen are put on the field they should be pretty good. If they falter, so will the team.

The Ravens had one of the best secondaries in the league last season. The main reason for that was that they also had one of the leagues best pass rushes. We all saw how well the Ravens secondary did in San Diego when they were unable to get pressure on quarterback Phillip Rivers. The secondary didn't look so good. Of course Lardarius Webb was out that game but I'm not sure he would have made that much difference.

If the team is unable to create pressure this season the secondary could get exposed a bit. Giving me even more reason to think that Flacco will have to air it out a lot more in 2012. It's all a delicate balance that is mainly dependent on our offensive line. If Flacco is allowed the time to throw I think the team will still have enough prowess on defense to win most games. Even if they do slip a bit on defense, I think the Offense can keep them afloat.

Whatever the case may be, we are going to see a different Ravens offense this season and it's gonna be sweet...

Who Looked Good, Who Looked Bad Vs. Jacksonville

lastcallbmore — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 11:00:16 -0000

The Good:

Bernard Pollard:

Already in mid season form. This guy plays like a Raven. Enough said.

Joe Flacco:

Obvious choice here. He shredded Jacksonville's secondary. He threw all kinds of passes. Slants, nines, short little touch passes. He even used some Peyton Manning like misdirection. I expect big things for Joe this season. They better get that contract done soon.

Torrey Smith:

I truly believe that Torrey will have a Pro Bowl season in 2012 if he stays healthy. You are watching the development of a complete receiver.

Lardarius Webb:

Looks like Pollard's play was contagious as Webb, shortly after, started to pick up where he left off last season.

Ray Rice/ Bernard Pierce/Bobby Rainey

Rice: 2 carries 30 yards! Pierce looks like a real player who always seems to get that extra yard every time. Rainey: Play-maker...

Back up receivers:

LaQuan Williams, Tandon Doss, Deonte Thompson, Logan Payne: All looked very good this week.

Justin Tucker:

That 53 yarder would have been good from 73... I heard an interesting fact today. Justin Tucker was tied for second in special teams tackles last year in college with eight, sounds like a Raven to me. Especially when you look at our special teams so far.

And a much needed shout out to Tyrod Taylor who took a lot of heat last week. The dude can play some football.

Neutral Still:

Jacoby Jones:

So much potential. He needs to catch the ball more, and better, and more again. Looks like a great return man though... He will probably be the best third receiver the Ravens have ever had.

The Bad:

Special teams:

What are we doing? we signed all theses supposed special teams studs and we are still giving up kickoff returns to the 40 half the time. This is still a top priority. If you get better players and they don't play better you have to look at the coaching.

Billy Bajema: Yes he made a few plays but the guy is no where near Dickson or Pitta talent. He had a hard time getting open. Imagine if we had had the two of them out there???

Cary Williams:

Is it just me or is it always Wiliams guy that makes the big play on third down or the 26 yard reception out of no where?

Michael Oher:

For real man? An other false start?! Come on bro, your blocking skills are getting much better but Damn man...

Ravens Offense Rolls Over Jaguars

Bruce Raffel — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:00:28 -0000

There was a lot to be satisfied with in the Baltimore Ravens dominating 48-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in last night's preseason game. The 48 points were the most that the Ravens ever scored in a preseason game. Although this was just an exhibition contest, it was the deepest into the game that the starters played in the preseason. The numbers for the starters as well as the team as a whole are impressive, if not astounding.

The Ravens finished with an amazing total of 571 yards of offense, which included 433 yards passing. Led by QB Joe Flacco, who had 266 yards, including two TDs in less than three full quarters of play. Backup QB Tyrod Taylor got into the act, throwing for 133 yards and two scores, plus running for another one himself. Even third-string Curtis Painter chipped in with three completions in three attempts, including a 33-yard TDs pass to rookie WR Tommy Streeter.

Running backs Ray Rice, Bernard Pierce and Damien Berry all gained at least 30 yards and Bobby Rainey added a 48-yard catch and run for a late TD in addition to his now normal all-around performance rushing (7 yards), receiving (73 yards), and returning one punt (-4 yards).

The only reason Rainey did not return a kickoff was that there were only two from Jacksonville in the game, one returned by Jacoby Jones and the other by Deonte Thompson. Ironically, both returns were for significant yardage, with Jones going for 51 yards and Thompson's for 63 yards.

Torrey Smith led the receivers last night with eight receptions for 103 yards, most coming after it appeared he had injured his leg early in the game and was thought to be done for the night. It was obvious that the Jaguars feared his deep threat speed and he was able to catch short and medium range passes virtually at will.

In addition to Streeter and Rainey, Anquan Boldin, Vonta Leach and LaQuan Williams all had receiving touchdowns in the Ravens passing frenzy. In all, fourteen different players caught at least one pass in the game.

Usually, the Ravens defense puts up the statistics that merit the attention it has earned over the years. For one night, even if it was only the preseason, the offense carried the team and provided the highlights for the game. Could this be a sign of the future?