SB Nation - L.J. Smith

Saturday Injury Report: Ravens at Packers

Brandon — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:03:13 -0000

The Green Bay Packers have 11 players on the injury report including a few starters. It's even worse for the Ravens: several starters are among the 15 players listed.

The report includes CB Charles Woodson, QB Aaron Rodgers, and RB Ryan Grant, but all three players fully participated in practice on Saturday and should start on Monday. The most important player listed this week is LT Chad Clifton, who was limited in Saturday's practice, though Mike McCarthy said he did some team reps. I expect Clifton will play, but if he can't then his backup, OL T.J. Lang, is unlikely to play due to a concussion suffered in practice on Thursday. If neither Clifton or Lang were available, I thought LG Daryn Colledge would slide over to tackle, but McCarthy would rather leave Colledge at LG and start either OL Allen Barbre or OL Breno Giacomini at LT. The idea of Barbre at LT, after his disastrous stint at RT, is scary. LB Aaron Kampman is still listed, but there is no chance he'll play after tearing his ACL against the 49ers. LB Jeremy Thompson won't play after he spent Friday night in the hospital due to a neck injury suffered in practice on Friday, but McCarthy expects he'll be fine.

The Ravens have listed four key defensive players: S Ed Reed, LB Terrell Suggs, LB Ray Lewis, and DT Haloti Ngata. Reed wasn't able to practice until Saturday, but he expects to play. Suggs was expected to miss a month, but he said there is a chance he can play on Monday. Lewis might be slowed by his foot injury, but I haven't read anything to suggest he'll miss the Packer game. Ngata will play, but ankle injuries and defensive lineman are bad combinations, so he won't be 100%. The only other players who could miss the game are former practice squad S K.J. Gerard, and former Titans' practice squad player CB Cary Williams. TE L.J. Smith will miss the game too, but I think the Ravens can find a way to replace the 2 catches he's recorded so far this season.

The complete injury list is after the jump.

Player	Pos.	Injury	Saturday Participation	Saturday Status
Allen Barbre	T/G	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Chillar	LB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Hamstring	Limited Participation	Probable
Ryan Grant	RB	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Ahman Green	RB	Groin	Full Participation	Probable
Aaron Kampman	LB	Knee	Out	Out
John Kuhn	FB	Hand	Full Participation	Probable
T.J. Lang	G/T	Concussion	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Aaron Rodgers	QB	Ribs	Full Participation	Probable
Jeremy Thompson	LB	Neck	Out	Out
Charles Woodson	CB	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable


Player	Pos.	Injury	Saturday Participation	Saturday Status
Matt Birk	C	Ankle & Elbow	Full Participation	Probable
Prescott Burgess	LB	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Joe Flacco	QB	Concussion	Full Participation	Probable
Jared Gaither	T	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
K.J. Gerard	S	Shoulder	Limited Particpation	Questionable
Jarret Johnson	LB	Not Inj. Related	Full Participation	Probable
Ray Lewis	LB	Quadricep	Full Participation	Probable
Le'Ron McClain	RB	Not Inj. Related	Full Participation	Probable
Haloti Ngata	DT	Knee	Limited Particpation	Probable
Ed Reed	S	Back	Limited Particpation	Questionable
L.J. Smith	TE	Shoulder	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Terrell Suggs	LB	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Kelley Washington	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Cary Williams	CB	Knee	Limited Particpation	Questionable
Demetrius Williams	WR	Knee	Full Participation	Probable

Ravens v. Broncos: Prediction & 'Open Thread'

Bruce Raffel — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:07:46 -0000

Stay with Baltimore Beatdown all day and post your comments and thoughts as you watch us shock the world and certainly the Rocky Mountain area and yank the Denver Broncos from the ranks of the NFL unbeatens! I'll join in the aftermath of the carnage when I return home from the game, where I'll be drinking Dom Perignon and eating baked brie off of silver platters served by french maids with long black gloves and high boots in the Club Level. It's the Ravens' annual Halloween game and the cheerleaders will be dresses in all sorts of provocative outfits to bother and distract me. However, they won't be able to distract the Ravens from returning to their early season form as the Bye week that both teams enjoyed last week ends up helping the home team more than the visiting one.

(See more on "Ravens v. Broncos: Prediction & Open Thread" after the 'Jump')

If the Denver Broncos can fly 2500 miles and beat an angry, tough, hard hitting Baltimore team in their own stadium in front of 70,000 screaming fans who are just as angry and frustrated by the results of the last three games, well, then I'm right on their bandwagon with them. Until then, I see the Ravens offense putting points on the stingiest team in the NFL, even in the second half, when the Broncos have shut down everyone up until now. I also see the defense getting back on track, with enough pressure to harass and fluster Kyle Orton into throwing more than just a useless last second Hail Mary interception. For the first time in three games, the Ravens run defense returns to its past of keeping the opposition's rusher under 100 yards and forces the opposition to throw much more and sooner than they want, leading to the game changing plays that we know this defense is all about.

Joe Flacco continues to show why he is the best young QB in the game today, as he withstands the pressure and his offensive line gives him the time to find his open receivers. I expect Todd Heap, Mark Clayton and Kelley Washington to make big contributions and even won't be surprised to see a significant appearance from seldom seen Demetrius Williams and perhaps even L.J. Smith. Derrick Mason will be blanketed by Denver's Champ Bailey, which should have Flacco looking elsewhere for the big plays on offense. Speaking of big plays, right now there is no one in the league putting together a better all around season than Baltimore's Ray Rice. Whether it be running the ball or catching it out of the backfield, expect him to get the touches necessary that he's sure to make at least, if not a handful of big plays that turn the tide of the game in Baltimore's favor and keeps it there for all sixty minutes. Between Rice, Willis McGahee and LeRon McClain, the running attack will wear down the Broncos athletic, but small defensive front seven and take its toll as the latter stages of the game roll around. This time, the last couple of minutes won't be needed to either pull one out for either team as the Ravens finally prove that they could have came into this game at 6-0 just like the Broncos. The differences are that we are 3-3 and pretty damn angry about it and the Broncos and their fans will see what this team is made of as Denver falls for the first time all season.

Ravens 27-16

Ravens @ Vikings: Prediction & "Open Thread"

Bruce Raffel — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:24:07 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

2 months ago: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco's helmet pops free after being hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington, left, and linebacker Ray Lewis during the fourth quarter of the NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Baltimore. Cincinnati won 17 - 14.(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Keep it here all day to post your thoughts and comments before and during today's game between the Baltimore Ravens at the Minnesota Vikings. It's going to be a real tough one, considering the Ravens are in the midst of a two game losing streak at 3-2, while the Vikings sit among the top few teams in the NFL at 5-0.

But that doesn't matter at all once the teams take the field. The Ravens will be by far the toughest test for this undefeated Minnesota team. While the Vikings have won every game this season, they haven't faced the hard hitting Ravens, who up until last week, were as balanced a team as there was in the league. The home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week soured a lot of people on this team, but they have proven they can play with the tough teams based on their win at San Diego and last second losses to the New England Patriots as well as the Bengals.

(More on Ravens @ Vikings: Prediction & "Open Thread" after the 'Jump')

The Vikings also present what should be the Ravens toughest test of the season. Adrian Peterson is the best RB in the league, Brett Favre is playing more like a 20 year old than a 40 year old, the offensive line is big and nasty, and that's just their offense! Defensively, Minnesota may have the best front seven in the league, stopping the run as well as the pass. Their cornerbacks are solid, shut down their opponents' top receivers and make the big plays, leading the league in interceptions.

Since I'm such a home town fan, I see that the Ravens seem to play to their opponents' expected level of competition. This means that we play as good or as poorly as the opponent appears to be playing. Part of the reason the Ravens lost last week to he Bengals is that we fully expected the game to be an easy win but sadly found out that Cincinnati was for real. In both games at the Patriots and Chargers, we either hung tough or took the game to them, not feeling the pressure and folding when we got behind early in the game. I see the same thing happening today, as the team knows they're in for a brutal battle and have their backs against the wall.

Facing an angry Ravens team is not something most teams want to do, but knowing the Vikings, they'll be up to the task. Peterson should get his yards, but as long as the Ravens stop the long run, they should still be in the game. Forcing Favre to throw more than the game plan wants to is in the Ravens favor. While Favre has enjoyed a great season thus far, the Ravens have faced him with success in the past. If Favre has to air it out for the Vikings to win, the Ravens can pin their ears back, pressure him to return to his gunslinger mode and make the interceptions to change the game.

Offensively, I fully expect the Ravens to pound the rock more this game than they did last week, which should open up the passing game. Willis McGahee needs to be involved on a regular basis to spell Ray Rice, plus pounding LeRon McClain into the front wall of the Vikings defense should soften them up for the big play. The Vikings have been susceptible to the passing game, usually to the slot receiver and the tight ends. Expect to see a lot of throws to both Kelley Washington and Todd Heap and perhaps even a L.J. Smith and David Tyree sighting.

With that gameplan, I can see the Ravens upsetting the Vikings and getting back on the winning track. Baltimore likes to be the underdog and gets little respect from the experts. Surprisingly, four of seven writers from The Baltimore Sunpapers actually are picking the Ravens to win this game. Even more surprisingly, I agree with those that do, as I see us getting the pressure on the QB that wasn't there last week and while we've lost our last two games and left points on the field, we could have easily won those games with one more good play on offense or defense. Today we make those "one more plays," both on offense and defense, and drop Minnesota from the ranks of the unbeatens in front of their home fans to go into a well deserved Bye week at 4-2.

Ravens: 21-20

Poll

Who wins today's Ravens-Vikings tilt?

Ravens

60 votes

Vikings

162 votes

222 votes | Poll has closed

Dissecting The Ravens Loss: What Went Wrong?

Bruce Raffel — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:51:37 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

2 months ago: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell tosses the football away as he celebrates his fourth-quarter touchdown during the NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Baltimore. The Cincinnati Bengals won 17-14. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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Where do we start? Perhaps this story might be a lot shorter if we just talk about what went right. The Baltimore Ravens Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 17-14 yesterday and there were so many things that went wrong that my fingers might give out before we list everything.

So let's just summarize and break it down by offense and defense. Offensively, the Ravens could only muster 257 total yards, easily their lowest output of the 2009 season. Joe Flacco threw for 186 of those yards but it was another Red Zone interception on a poorly thrown ball off of a bad decision that cost the Ravens points for the second straight week. Without the amazing run after the short catch by Ray Rice, the offense would have been shut out by the Bengals surprising defense. After throwing what seemed too much last week in the loss to the New England Patriots, the Ravens made so many questionable choices to run at inopportune times in key situations, most notably a three and out in the third quarter when they ran the ball three straight times including a third and four. The subsequent series gave the Bengals their first score on a long Cedric Benson run. The playcalling was boring, the execution inefficient, and the field was reduced to sideline passes and dump offs, resulting in lost opportunities.

Where was Derrick Mason all day? Until the last drive, where was the over the middle throw to Kelley Washington? Was Willis McGahee playing at all? What about L.J. Smith? So many key contributors from our three wins were absent either physically or spiritually from yesterday's gameplan. How many times did it seem like both Brian Billick and Matt Cavanaugh were calling the plays? I heard a unnamed newspaper columnist say after the Patriots loss that our offense has to take what the defense gives it. I totally disagree with this as good offenses force the defense to compensate, not the other way around. Perhaps this team has such a long history of a weak offense that even they believe that they can't determine what the defense is doing and it must stay the other way around, which is never what you hear from the better offenses in the league. I guess we're still just not up there with them despite our early success this season.

Defensively, you can say that we held them to ten points for the first 59+ minutes of the game and even I predicted they would only score ten points yesterday. Of course, all Ravens fans would have walked away real happy if that was all the Bengals scored. However, when the opposition can roll 80 yards for the game winning score with seconds left in the game on what is supposed to be an opportunistic defense, as it was for one play in the first half, then nothiong else needs to be said.

Blame the refs, the poor penalties, the offensive shortcomings, this team had the lead and where they wanted the Bengals with two minutes left in the game. Our cornerbacks couldn't cover a sleeping homeless guy with a blanket. At the same time, the lack of a pass rush makes it so difficult to cover a guy for that long. Notice that a lot of Carson Palmer's completions came after he had a long time to sit back and wait for his guys to get open for the catch. Until this team (and it's fans) stops whining about the refs and stop causing so many inopportune penalties, the league will continue to sit and wait for us to screw up so they can throw the flag. That is not targeting us in a league conspiracy, it's just knowing that this team is prone to committing penalties and are among the league leaders year after year.

Our cornerbacks remain a huge issue this year as we cannot match up much less cover the opponents receivers. The key mismatches are seeming to come on the nickel and dime packages as the opponents' #3 receivers are burning us over and over. We saw this yesterday when third option Andre' Caldwell caught the game winner with, who else, Chris Carr lying on the ground watching his cross the goal line. Carr has not played anywhere near the guy we thought he would be when we signed him as a free agent in the off season, as a DB or in the return game.

Face it, the days of the Ravens dominating defense appear over. While we still have some great players, this team is not going to win games by themselves and other than the occasional amazing play, do not expect us to shut down the better teams and win the close games unless the offense picks up the slack. That certainly did not happen yesterday and you have to give partial credit to the Cincinnati Bengals who proved you can win all your games in the last seconds as long as you win,which is why they sit at 4-1 and atop the AFC Norht, while we are in what Tom Petty sings in his hit "Free Fallin'" and are now headed for Minnesota and a real tough game against an undefeated Vikings team next Sunday.

Poll

What side of the ball played worse in the Baltimore Ravens loss to the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday?

The Ravens offense

329 votes

The Ravens defense

219 votes

548 votes | Poll has closed

The Linc - The anti L.J. Smith

JasonB — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:46:52 -0000

More photos » by Jacquelyn Martin - AP

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Vick Speaks at a Church in D.C. - washingtonpost.com
Inside of a church in Southwest, with a line of police standing against the back wall and rows of television cameras pointing toward his eyes, Michael Vick clutched the sides of a pulpit Tuesday and took another step toward his redemption.

Gonzo: Don't call the fun police | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/30/2009
When did having a distinctive personality become such an unpardonable sin? When did it become a symbol of what's wrong with these kids today? When I was growing up, athletes rolled out all sorts of unique, self-promoting touchdown celebrations (Desmond Howard and Ickey Woods come to mind), and no one ever called the fun police to have them carted off. But poor DeSean Jackson already has been tried and convicted by those who automatically bristle whenever a player dares to be different.

Eagles by the Numbers: Celek, the anti LJ
Celek has three performances of more than 100 yards in his last 10 games. That’s more games over 100 yards in his last 10 games than Eagles tight ends had in the previous 309 games dating back to the 1990 playoffs. He already has more career 100-yard games than two-time Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley (two). Jeremy Shockey recorded his third career 100-yard game in his 41st start, Jason Witten in his 54th start. Celek did it in his 13th.

Eagles' Justice penalty-free | Philly | 09/30/2009
Three offensive linemen -- Winston Justice, Max Jean-Gilles, and Jamaal Jackson are penalty-free through three weeks. That's particularly impressive for Justice, who is in his first season as a starter at the right tackle position.

Vick story outplays Favre - JSOnline
Undoubtedly the two biggest stories in the National Football League off-season were the return of Michael Vick and Brett Favre. According to Nielsen Media Research, the Vick story was bigger across the nation.

Injury Report: Baltimore Ravens @ San Diego Chargers

John (obviousman) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:21:44 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

3 months ago: San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, right, fumbles the ball and is brought down by Oakland Raiders defensive end Greg Ellis (99) during the first quarter of their NFL football game Monday, Sept. 14, 2009 in Oakland, Calif. The Raiders recovered the ball. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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San Diego Chargers

Out - Nick Hardwick, Travis Johnson, LaDainian Tomlinson

Questionable - Antwan Applewhite, Louis Vasquez, Jamal Williams

Probable - Marcus McNeill, Mike Scifres

Baltimore Ravens

Doubtful - Tom Zbikowski

Questionable - L.J. Smith

Probable - Tavares Gooden, Jarret Johnson, Ed Reed, Terrell Sugs

Denver Broncos Season Storyline - Week 2 Vs Cleveland

Jeremy Bolander — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:22:13 -0000

Grading Out Broncos (1-0) vs. Bengals (0-1)

Before moving on to Week Two, a quick review of the Cincinnati game, and a report card for both teams will help us to put the Win in the rearview mirror, after which we will look at the season's storyline as it continues to develop.

Denver

Cincinnati

Rushing Offense

C+

Correll Buckhalter showed great burst and acceleration, while Knowshon Moreno looked like a favored choice to get key reps in his development. This is a trend that will likely continue, with Cleveland's defensive front being quite similar to Cincinnati's. The line is still working on perfecting some of the new techniques, and the cutback lanes haven't been totally clean, but against a defensive front featuring Tank Johnson they still managed a healthy yards-per-carry and protected the ball well. The offense featured two-back sets with Peyton Hillis leading the way as a fullback. Hillis actually got more plays than he has in the past, but fewer individual looks, seeing only one carry and two targets.

C+

Cedric Benson continued to struggle with consistency, and this game marked the first time he had over 20 carries in a losing effort. 10 of his carries were for 2 or fewer yards and he was far too tentative to the hole. He started picking up steam late in the game, a signature of Benson's. The Bengals' short-yardage game looked good, however, and could be a strength for their inexperienced line going forward, and a great source of confidence.

Denver

Cincinnati

Rushing Defense

B+

Just missed making the A grade in this category due to late-game mental mistakes that allowed cutback lanes to open a few times, including Benson's longest run of the night. Overall the timely run support from the safeties was topnotch, and the defensive line looked terrific, stacking and shedding consistently and allowing the Broncos to keep one and even two players in coverage. Despite entering Denver territory on every drive, Cincinnati's inability to rush the ball led to most of the mistakes that earned Denver's D the stops.

A-

Great hitting and fast linebackers set the tone early, and despite a number of quick gashes, the D-line was very effective and the run support was excellent. Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers both looked terrific, while the D-line got good penetration to break up many of the plays.

Passing Offense

C+

Several receivers had drops and Kyle Orton had a number of poor and late reads, but the performance edges towards the positive when the morning's scheme is considered, where the Broncos effectively protected the ball and avoided turnovers. Cincinnati's DBs played very well, which they are more than capable of doing, and even Roy Williams was tackling well. The maturation of the offense was expected to take time, and with Cincinnati's particular matchup problems, unfortunately the passing game was asked to take a backseat to ball protection in this game. The brunt of the negative in this grade comes from inconsistent execution, as many plays were left out on the field in the passing game.

C+

The overall scheme seemed to suffer from a lack of vision, with far too many third downs thrown short of the 1st-down markers. With the long ball effectively taken away, the Bengals didn't look prepared to work underneath and Carson Palmer was mostly ineffective at threatening in the short passing game. He did, however, move well in the pocket, and the line was adequate in protecting Palmer, a critical area for this game. A few bad passes from Palmer and a few drops by his receivers left many plays on the field for the Bengals as well.

Passing Defense

Denver played this according to plan, leaving deep safeties deep and giving the underneath coverage a chance to shine. The pass rush wasn't as consistent as the preseason promise it showed, but flashes were there, and from unexpected sources, including Andra Davis, Mario Haggan and Darrell Reid. Cincinnati's talent was a good test, but with doubts about how well the Cincy team has gelled to date, greater tests loom, especially the Dallas matchup in three weeks.

The weakest area of a strong defense didn't fail catastrophically in any way, except for failing to play the whole field on Denver's final play; but they had numerous short area breakdowns that allowed Denver to twice press into FG range and convert for points. In most games that would be enough to keep Cincy in it, but they needed to clamp down with more consistency in Sunday's unexpected field position battle.

Special Teams

C+

Matt Prater continued his regular-season kicking streak to 12 straight FGs, in addition to his perfect record for the preseason. He has yet to kick a de facto game winner for the Broncos, though; so his toughest challenges are still yet to come. Brett Kern outkicked his coverage a number of times and didn't force any fair catches. In a game that was quickly and completely turned into a battle for field position he was less than perfect, and the Broncos know they have other options if they need them; and they are looking at them. Eddie Royal did as well as he could against an above-average punting and coverage team, but the Broncos' coaches will keep looking for more help to take some of the load off of Eddie. Failure to recognize a fake punt early is a downgrade, but is also a factor of coaching as well.

Long snapper Brad St. Louis is the sole source of downgrade on this unit, though the unit as a whole played mostly average. The ineffective snap to the holder was terrible on many levels, and ruined an otherwise decent day for the STs unit where they converted a long fake punt for a first down, and where punter Frank Huber posted an expectedly-good showing.

Coaching

B-

Not all will agree with the gameplan going in, but based on Cincy's strengths and weaknesses, the Broncos made a great choice for how to combat them. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, and the Broncos chose ball control and time of possession on offense. With no real true weakness on the Bengals' defense, the Broncos chose instead to try to wear them down and force weakness upon them, to mixed results. Unable to consistently execute in the return game, the offense was usually starting from square one, with no clear advantage. On defense, the choice to prevent quick strikes was a perfect complement to the ball-control offense, and with the Bengals needing 59 minutes to score their first points, it was executed nearly flawlessly. The choice to protect the cornerbacks earned a couple of plays from Alphonso Smith and Champ Bailey, which will work out more times than it fails for the Broncos. Cincinnati was able to refocus and drive on this defense late in the game, something they are eminently capable of doing, and it would have been nice to see the defense earn a couple more shots at the ball on that drive; but overall, it was a terrific scheme that put the team in a position to compete for 60 minutes.

C-

The Bengals stated before the game that they were expecting a finesse, pass-happy team in the Broncos. While the defense adjusted accordingly to Denver's ball-control rushing offense, with only a few minor setbacks, the offense failed almost completely to adjust to the Broncos' choice to take away the big play. The further decision to abandon the run in the second half was also questionable. It wasn't until the Bengals moved to a more-spread-out offense that they started having success finding open men underneath, but by then it was nearly too late, and when they did score, the Broncos were looking at having a decent amount of time on the clock to set up a winning FG.

Week 1, Win at (0-1) Cincinnati: Nothing wrong with a miracle to help get that first win of the season, especially when it comes in a way that teaches so much, and on the heels of a team effort and coaching gameplan that was admirable in its quality. But as far as the Bengals are concerned, Denver earned nothing.

"We played pretty well, regardless of that play," Bengals safety Chris Crocker said. "That play was a miracle. I'm not going to give them any credit and they didn't do anything to deserve that play. We played our butts off."

Crocker may or may not give Denver any credit for how the game ended, but he is certainly within his rights to point out how well the Bengals played. The closest their defense allowed Denver to get was the 24-yard line, and they didn't allow a single passing first down until Denver ran their 2-minute drill late in the first half. What they need to recognize is just how in situ Denver's current offense is, and how limited it was by design. They will need to play much better to have a chance at Lambeau Field, where they have never won, and where the 1-0 Pack brings a much more mature and cultivated offense to the table.

Their offense will also need to do a much better job of limiting mistakes, such as Chad Ochocinco's two fouls, an offensive pass interference and a holding call, both on plays that resulted in negated third-down conversions. And while they managed 4.5 yards per first-down carry, that tapered off dramatically to 2.6 yards on second and third downs. The offensive line still needs time to gel, but the skill players need to start holding up their end of the bargain as well.

Going Forward:

Laveranues Coles needs to get over the drops. He showed #2 potential to get open on Sunday, but he contributed next to nothing to the bottom line.
DE Antwan Odom had an unlikely day, recording 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and one pass deflection. If the Bengals keep rotating him with DE Michael Johnson, he may keep getting the looks he needs to stay fresh and be successful
Roy Williams continues to be a double-edged sword. His 9 tackles were a key part of the defensive effort that held Denver short multiple times, but his boneheaded choice to lay out Marshall instead of play safety at the end of the game was costly. Too costly. He may never change his stripes, but the Bengals would like to see something different, and they won't get it.
The O-line could be in even more trouble, and if Cincinnati struggles more post-Denver, this could be the biggest reason why. Their LG Nate Livings hurt his knee in the second quarter and may need to be replaced. The only upside is that he didn't have any more time to gel than anyone else at this point...

Week 2, Home Opener Against (0-1) Cleveland: QB Brady Quinn looks like he is going to challenge Trent Edwards for the "Captain Checkdown" label, as his first-half numbers (7-of-11 for 47 yards, 2 sacks for 10 total yards lost, and a net production of 37 yards) should tell you. He was quickly reduced to a game manager in a game where the Vikings pulled away with accelerating boredom.

Blame it on the Vikings defense, a tough card to draw in your first regular-season opener.

Regardless, until the Vikings' lead had increased to 14 points, Quinn found zero traction, and failed to find the end zone until there was only 30 seconds and a 21-point deficit left. Despite this, he has the blessing of his coach, Eric Mangini, and the spectre of the "Offseason of Doom" Denver Broncos to look forward to. How bad to you have to be playing for the media to declare that this is a "winnable" game for the Broncos??

Going Forward:

As Jamal Lewis goes, so will this offense go, at least as long as Quinn is starting. The good news is that that isn't such a bad thing. In limited carries he was excellent with a 5.7 yard average and 47 yards receiving, but the bad news is that with James Davis' shoulder injury, he may be asked to take on even more reps. He is confident that that won't hamper him. The history of RBs 30-and-over says otherwise.
Replace Quinn with Derek Anderson? Always a possibility, but in particular it becomes an issue if the team is in desperate need of a quick strike score, which DA brings to the table.
There doesn't appear to be any chemistry in the WR group with a miscommunication between Quinn and Braylon Edwards leading to an INT and Edwards catching only one of 6 passes thrown his way, and with Josh Cribbs running incredibly athletic, but wholly unsuccessful receiver routes. Robert Royal at the TE position is inconsistent and dropped two passes that the team really needed. Watch for Mike Furrey to replace Cribbs at #2 WR, and for the receiving to instantly begin to gel. Hopefully this is a decision that gets put off until Week Three at the earliest, as Denver's DBs could have some fun baiting Quinn...
Not that Cribbs is all bad... :) What is the best way to handle the league's best kick returner? Some say kick it away. Some say kick it smart and give your coverage the best chance for a stop. I don't know what to say. He is a bad dude, and in his own way, better than Hester was. They just need to stop forcing the issue of having him in the base formations. He is good enough to execute trickery even when teams suspect something. For the good of the team, the Browns should just leave it at that.
How are the Browns going to protect Quinn? They allowed 4 sacks and numerous hits on Quinn against Minnesota's 8-man fronts, and Denver brought pressure from 6- and 7-man fronts with their numerous disguises. At best, more sacks are on the menu; at worst, the INTs might start racking up...
With that said, Denver needs to choose their battles. LT Joe Thomas dominated Jared Allen, and Denver will be hard-pressed to face him with someone who can get around him. Elvis Dumervil (DOOM) may be our best choice, due to DOOM's unorthodox style, but it is one heck of a challenge.
Did anyone else see Shaun Rogers lined up at MLB last week?? How scary is that dude with a running start?
For the second time I'm bringing up Kamerion Wimbley. With 1 sack and multiple pressures he is making good on the option of moving him around. Denver needs to watch him before every snap and get the right calls out for him.
Eric Wright is an excellent cornerback, but he could be the source of a terrific offensive matchup for the Broncos offense. Runs to his side can see success, and any RB worth his salt can break an Eric Wright tackle.

@ (0-1) Oakland: "They're very hurt," Tom Cable said. "I've been a Raider since 2007 and it felt like that was the first time in the locker room after a loss where it really got us in the gut, and that's a good thing. That's the way you're supposed to feel about this game. So I'm proud of them. Very proud of them."

Gotta start somewhere, right? I described this as a culture of losing, and so I can kind of understand where Cable is coming from, but as far as addressing this culture, well, this isn't exactly what I had in mind... That said, they had a chance to win the Monday Night game against the Chargers, and the difference maker was Philip Rivers. (If we want to go through the agonizing process of defining a "franchise QB" we can make it even more agonizing by starting the discussion with a look at Rivers. He stacks up in a lot of ways, it pains me to say...)

Oh, and Al Davis needs to stop calling plays down to the field. That would help, too.

Richard Seymour makes a pretty good Raider. 2 sacks, 6 tackles and an unrelenting pressure on the pocket. Bastard.
The Raiders held the Chargers to 151 yards for three quarters... and then gave up 166 yards and two TDs on two drives. The difference between playing your heart out, and playing your heart out for 60 minutes. Glad Denver seems to have learned this lesson.
The Oakland running game is missing Justin Fargas for now, and even on returning he may not be 100% with a hamstring pull. He is the most gnat-like of the raider RBs: effectively annoying. His absence is a huge reason why the running game started hot but sputtered quickly.
TE Zach Miller was a legitimate threat as expected, but for now he is the ONLY threat. With Chaz Schilens battling an injury, Johnnie Lee Higgins leaving the game after taking a serious hit and Darrius Heyward-Bey dropping 2 and catching none of his 5 targets, there doesn't appear to be any help on the horizon. Javon Walker continues to be a healthy scratch.
The Raiders allowed 66-yard and 59-yard returns to Darren Sproles. Now we'll see how they do against the Kansas City return units, but it is shaping up to be an opportunity for Denver to establish or gain some momentum on special teams when they face them.

(1-0) Dallas at Home:

Despite the hubbub surrounding Romo's great start, the Cowboys still gave up 174 yards rushing. Next up is Brandon Jacobs. They also gave up 276 yards passing and recorded no sacks. There could be opportunity here...
The Cowboys appear to have officially upgraded one key area. I talked about how STs is devastated when team building is conducted in the manner that Dallas appears to be caught up in. Well, Dallas took the Shanny approach and fired the coordinator and hired a new one...and so far the dividends are positive. Outside of a blocked kick, multiple touchbacks and good FG kicking, the coverage units held Pro Bowler Clifton Smith in check all day.
The Cowboys are insisting on using TE Martellus Bennett to challenge defensive coverages by splitting him out wide. It's not the passes he catches that hurt you in this situation, it's the attention he forces his way, with the other weapons on the field. If Hillis is kept secret, the Cowboys may be in for a dose of their own medicine in Week Four.
The battle between Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins for the #2 CB position is still up in the air. They both played well, but they both failed to cash in on multiple opportunities. The longer this battle plays out, the more it benefits Denver.
I continue to see gratuitous similarities to the Denver of Shanny's final days. Lots of talking up the offensive brilliance while ignoring the defensive failures, though that isn't rooted in the personnel issues and is more an "option". Under this type of team building, units on the team suffer, while other units get saddled with increasing resources but increasing responsibilities - ones which exist in conflict with their primary responsibilities. For example, a stellar offense is charged with not only using its loads of talent to score quickly, but is also charged with keeping a weak defense off the field. But that is an either/or proposition, and contradictions will always come back to bite you. All units require the same amount of attention, or the whole thing becomes so unbalanced that it tips over. It just needs the right kind of push...

Quick Notes:

(1-0) New England @ Home:

Laurence Maroney is once again no lock to be the go-to guy. Fred Taylor on the other hand is a perfect fit...
Right now the Pats are exhibiting a weakness against the screen, a staple of Josh McDaniels' offense. We'll see how long it takes them to get the issue cleaned up.

Newly-acquired cornerback Leigh Bodden might've been the most excited player in the Patriots' locker room following Monday's win. Bodden played for the winless Lions last season and hadn't been on the winning side of a professional football game since 1997. "It feels good," he said. "It's just amazing to me the resilience that this team has, just because you're down it doesn't mean that we're going to go in the tank. Other teams that I've been on it's like, 'Here we go again.' But here I didn't hear any of that. I just heard, 'We're going to get this done,' and we got it done."

@ (1-0) San Diego:

RG Louis Vasquez and C Nick Hardwick both left the Monday Night game with injuries. Hardwick may be out for an extended period of time.
The Chargers are looking at the Ravens, Dolphins and Steelers in the next three games... they allowed 148 yards rushing to the Raiders, and you can bet that these three teams will make every effort to establish the run, and quickly. Unlike the Raiders, it is doubtful that these three teams will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory...
The secondary is showing some holes. Watching Antonio Cromartie and Clinton Hart screw up their coverage to allow a TD is like a symphony in motion to this Broncos fan. The McDaniels Offense is designed to take mistakes like that and make teams pay, so hopefully Orton has it down by then. Quentin Jammer is still the real deal though....
Say what you will about Norv Turner and the slow starts and playoff losses... the dude doesn't seem to ever lose patience. Maybe he should...

@ (1-0) Baltimore:

501 total offensive yards against KC...
Terrell Suggs doesn't look like the same player. No sacks, no pressures, no hits on the QB.
TE L.J. Smith may not be ready to go; but then, he may not have to, what with Todd Heap's reappearance after an injury-riddled 2008. He looked like a quality target and was able to go after the ball, and Joe Flacco seemed to gain a lot of confidence in him as the game went on. A blast from the past for the Ravens...

(1-0) Pittsburgh @ Home:

Expect Troy Polamalu to make the Denver game his first game back from injury for PIT. He could possibly be back sooner, and he is a competitor so that shouldn't be ruled out, but without setbacks, the expectation is 6 weeks to heal from the MCL sprain.
The running game from 2008 didn't look great, and so far, it isn't looking like anything special in 2009 either (and may have gotten even worse). And yet, the Steelers still managed to find a way to win. There is that franchise quarterback discussion that we all love so much...
The pass defense looks porous, but the run defense looks stout as ever. That is something that can be built on, at least.

@ (0-1) Washington:

Albert Haynseworth isn't racking up the stats, but that doesn't mean his impact isn't being felt. He played very stoutly against the run in limited playing time, and that is where the Redskins wanted to start with him. But they will need to get some wins under their belt or they may be facing a classic Haynesworth inversion, where he disappears completely on the field. It may not be a fair criticism, but it is always threatening, based on his past history.
DeAngelo Hall and Fred Smoot are incredibly weak links in the Redskins secondary. Whether those links hold long enough for Denver to get a turn taking advantage of it in Week 9 is anybody's guess though...
Jim Zorn needs to get the college ball out of his system. After opening with a very unlikely 34-yard rush from Clinton Portis, he followed with an embarrassing option pass from Antwan Randle-El. That is how you destroy healthy momentum in the NFL, and from that point forward (outside of an excellent fake FG that the Redskins had stored in the hopper for the Giants), the Giants had the Redskins right where they wanted them.

(1-0) New York Giants @ Home:

Giants WR Ramses Barden should see the field next week, and I will definitely be watching... I wasn't a big fan of his, but it will be interesting to see what a team like NYG can do with him.
So far, the running game isn't all that it has been touted as, with only 3.3 yards per. Part of it was going against Albert Haynseworth, but part of the blame rests firmly on the Giants' O-line. They get Dallas next, who are having trouble already with stopping the run, so the proof should be in the pudding after next week's game.
They got burned badly on a fake FG before the half that allowed the Redskins to gain new life. Don't expect it to happen again...

@ (0-1) Kansas City:

Against the Ravens, the Chiefs unveiled a new strategy: don't beat yourself. They committed zero turnovers and committed only three penalties. They did, however, consistently miss blocks and assignments on offense. So I guess it is more like, "Don't beat yourself...too badly."
The Chiefs' run blocking really struggled, but that is mostly a testament to the Raven's D-line which spent most of its time in the backfield. Still, this is something to watch for a (hopefully) lack of improvement.
If KC can get production out of its "odd man out" D-line prospects (notably Tamba Hali and Tank Tyler) then they can consider themselves ahead of the curve for their rebuild. Both Hali and Tyler were supposed to be casualties of the switch to the 3-4, but they are producing - Tank as a converted NT and Hali as a converted OLB (though to be fair, Hali's production comes when he is lined up as a DE).
CB Brandon Flowers is not back on the field yet, but will be soon. He is an excellent young corner who is hard to replace (though Maurice Leggett did a decent job against Baltimore).

@ (1-0) Indianapolis:

At this point, Denver can expect that WR Anthony Gonzalez will be back by the time they play Indianapolis. More weapons for Peyton Manning is never a good thing.
DT Antonio Johnson, acquired off of the Jacksonville practice squad by Bill Polian, earned a gameball in his first start. He stacked and shed like a vet and got 9 tackes (5 solo) for his efforts. Could be another solid find by the Colts... Also Rookie CB Jerraud Powers was impressive in his first start.

@ (1-0) Philadelphia:

The Philly defense hasn't lost its edge with the passing of its architect, the late Jim Johnson. With 7 turnovers and 5 sacks, it shows the kind of aggressive promise that it always has.
Despite the convincing win, the passing game was struggling, earning barely over 4 yards per attempt.
DeSean Jackson, who was widely regarded as a much better receiver than Eddie Royal before the draft, is starting to show some of that promise again. He isn't the pure receiver that Eddie is, but he is finding ways to be productive out of the Wildcat, on reverses, and in the return game (where he had one return for a TD against Carolina).

Wednesday Injury/Practice Report: Baltimore Ravens @ San Diego Chargers

John (obviousman) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:16:40 -0000

San Diego Chargers

Did Not Participate

Antwan Applewhite, LB (Hamstring)
Nick Hardwick, C (Ankle)
Travis Johnson, DE (Groin)
Marcus McNeill, T (Hand)
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB (Ankle)
Louis Vasquez, G (Knee)
Jamal Williams, DT (Arm)

Baltimore Ravens

Did Not Participate

Terrell Suggs, LB (Concussion, Chest)
Tom Zbikowski, S (Concussion)

Limited Participation

Ed Reed, S (Concussion)
L.J. Smith, TE (Hamstring)

Full Participation

Tavares Gooden, LB (Knee)

Ravens 53 Man Roster: My Picks

Bruce Raffel — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:00:24 -0000

Here are my picks for what the Ravens will end up doing later today when they announce the 53 man roster that they will be trimming down to when they release 22 guys to get down to the NFL max.

Offense

QB: Joe Flacco, Troy Smith, John Beck

WR: Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, Kelley Washington, Justin Harper

RB: Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, LeRon McClain, Jalen Parmele

TE: Todd Heap, L.J. Smith, Davon Drew, Edgar Jones

OL: Matt Birk, Ben Grubbs, Jared Gaither, Chris Chester, Marshal Yanda, Michael Oher, David Hale, Oniel Cousins

Defense

DB: Ed Reed, Dawan Landry, Fabian Washington, Domonique Foxworth, Haruki Nakamura, Tom Zbikowski, Chris Carr, Lardarius Webb, Frank Walker, Derrick Martin

LB: Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Jarret Johnson, Tavares Gooden, Jameel McClain, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Paul Kruger, Prescott Burgess, Antwan Barnes

DL: Haloti Ngata, Trevor Pryce, Justin Bannan, Kelly Gregg, Dwan Edwards, Brandon McKinney

Specialists

P: Sam Koch

PK: Steven Hauschka

LS: Matt Katula

That’s only 52 guys and my final spot is a tough one to decide upon. I am looking at one of the following guys:

Yamon Figurs, Jason Cook, Jason Phillips, Joe Reitz, Kelly Talavou

Figurs still has the speed and with Webb looking a bit shaky on returns, Yamon gives us another option behind Chris Carr. Jason Cook gives us another fullback along with LeRon McClain. Jason Phillips was a 4^th round draft pick in 2009 and Ozzie doesn’t like to release draft picks. Perhaps Phillips will be IR’d to keep our hands on him (I expect the Ravens to IR undrafted rookie LB Dannell Ellerbe as well). Joe Reitz gives us more depth on the offensive line as well as Kelly Tavalou does the same for the defensive line.

I don’t want to take the easy way out by only selecting 52 players, so I will have to go out on a limb and make my selection and therefore the 53^rd spot on the Baltimore Ravens roster goes to Yamon Figurs.

The other players I was undecided about go onto our Practice Squad, where we can have up to eight players. Of course, I would expect the team to peruse other teams’ cuts to add a player or two to either our roster or Practice Squad, and vice versa for the rest of the league. However, in advance of that info, my Practice Squad would look like this:

Cook, Reitz, Talavou, Foster, Riley, Peerman, Smolko, Stallings

Additionally, as I stated earlier, the team would place both Dannell Ellerbe and Jason Phillips on Injured Reserve (IR), which would end their 2009 seasons, but ensure the team retains their rights while giving the players their full 2009 salaries, which do count against the team’s salary cap. However, being rookies, that should not be much of an issue.

Your thoughts and comments on those last few slots?

Ravens Recent Injuries Create Opportunities

Bruce Raffel — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:25:01 -0000

The Baltimore Ravens are not unlike most any other NFL teams in that they've had their share of injuries in Training Camp as well as pre-season. Luckily, other than Adam Terry and Marcus Smith, both looked at being reserves anyway, the team has escaped the devastating loss that could drastically affect a team's season.

After the game Monday night against the New York Jets, a couple of other injuries came out to the public. Tight end L.J. Smith has a bum hamstring and DT Kelly Gregg injured his shoulder. There is every reason to believe that both guys will return by the time the regular season begins in a little over two weeks. We've already been informed that wide receiver Mark Clayton has returned to the practice field and will be ready for the home opener on September 13th against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Clayton's absence in practice and the exhibition games has opened the doors for Kelley Washington and Justin Harper, both who have had their share of success. Washington looks to be the guy willing to go over the middle and his enthusiastic approach to the game is contagious and refreshing. Harper, who looks to be the guy who will make the deep acrobatic catch one moment and then miss a pass that hits him in the numbers the next one, has made great strides this year compared to last year when he was ignored on the Practice Squad.

With Clayton's return, the depth chart just got a little deeper and it may be hard to find significant playing time for all of the receivers, which is a nice problem to have for this team, since it has been widely criticized for the lack of a star receiver. Derrick Mason is still the go-to guy for QB Joe Flacco and this team will remain a run-first offense no matter who is playing wideout here. However, if teams decide to stack the box to stop the run and force us to pass, then they will be quickly burned by the strong arm of our second year QB, who has the cunning Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron in his helmet radio not afraid to light it up if the opportunity arises.

L.J. Smith's injury leaves Todd Heap as the only other proven tight end on the roster. Rookie Davon Drew has had a great opportunity the entire camp and pre-season but just hasn't earned the right to get the chances he could have. The team also has converted linebacker Edgar Jones, but his pass catching abilities have been less than promising and Isaac Smolko, from Penn State on the roster. Smolko has actually looked good but was so far down the depth chart that he might have been forgotten up until now. Many radio callers are saying that the team should bring back former Raven Daniel Wilcox, who was a fan favorite but couldn't stay healthy last year. I say put both Drew and Smolko in there for a majority of the last two pre-season games after Heap gets his reps and let's see if they sink or swim.

Kelly Gregg's injury is no big deal to the defensive line, as he missed a huge portion of last season and we didn't miss a beat with Justin Bannan in his place. We now have a healthy Dwan Edwards as well as a plethora of others to man the d-line in so many combinations. Brandon McKinney and Kelly Talavou are just two names who contributed last year but are not exactly household names on this star-studded defense. However, both could probably start on many other NFL teams.

All in all, the injuries are just a part of the game. The team's mantra has always been "next man up," and will continue to be that way, as this team is deeper at most positions than it has ever seemed to be. While they are thin on the offensive line, their starters are as good as any other team and should be a major strength, providing they stay healthy. So for now, the team will reload and play out the final two exhibition games, giving some of the reserves the chance they need to earn a roster spot before the final cuts are announced over the next two weeks.