SB Nation User Blog: BAL_Hawk

Terrell Suggs: New Contract "Close"

BAL_Hawk — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:44:58 -0000

Over the last six seasons, Terrell "T-Sizzle" Suggs has made a name for himself on Baltimore's aggressive defense. During that span, he has more sacks than any other player on the Ravens roster. He has 53 sacks over his entire career, including an astounding 12 sacks in his rookie season. However, Suggs abilities go beyond rushing the passer. Last season, he intercepted two passes and returned both of them for touchdowns. He has perfected his game and become a complete linebacker. He can rush the passer, drop into coverage and stop the run. He has become an essential piece in the Ravens' defense and one of the elite outside linebackers in the NFL.

There is no doubting Suggs' abilities, and the Ravens have kept a tight grip on him. They placed the franchise tag on Terrell Suggs last off-season and hoped to sign a long term deal. They were ultimately unable to reach a deal and were forced to use the franchise tag on Suggs again this off-season. In fact, they had a disagreement because Suggs believed that he needed to be paid like a defensive end, a position that he often plays on the Ravens' hybrid defense and happens to pay more money, but the Ravens insisted that Suggs was still a linebacker and should be paid as such. In the end, they reached a compromise. The NFL created a special franchise tag for hybrid linebackers that splits the difference between a linebacker's pay and a defensive end's pay, and Suggs was the first recipient of the unique tag.

In recent interviews with BaltimoreRavens.com and the Baltimore Sun, Suggs said that a new contract is being discussed.

"I feel like we’re getting close," Suggs told BaltimoreRavens.com. "Negotiations are going on with the Ravens. Fans can be optimistic that I’ll be [at training camp]."

"We’ve talked," Suggs explained when asked about talks with Ozzie Newsome. "There are some minor things we’re working out."

"We are close to an agreement. We just have a few little things to work out," Suggs told The Baltimore Sun. "I don't want to go into great detail, but it's things like the years of the agreement and incentives, but the basic framework has been done."

This is good news for the Ravens and their fans, but one must wonder how much longer these negotiations will last. Last year, Ozzie Newsome tried to sign Suggs to a new long-term contract, but the deal never happened. Suggs briefly held out of training camp to show his displeasure with the franchise tag. This year, both parties seem to be more optimistic about a new contract. Furthermore, Ozzie Newsome has been very thrifty this off-season. He allowed Jason Brown and Bart Scott to walk and receive bigger contracts. He passed on Anquan Boldin and Brandon Marshall. He even allowed Ray Lewis to test the free agent market. He has been tight with the team's money. It's very possible that Newsome has saved a large portion for Suggs, who has been one of the team's most important and consistent players over the last six seasons. If the Ravens cannot sign Suggs by the July 15th deadline, they will be forced to pay him the $10.2 million required by the franchise tag.

"Our plan is to sign 'Sizzle' to a long-term contract," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said in a statement. "We believe our history of keeping our best players for a long time speaks for itself."

Lardarius Webb Signs Three-Year Contract

BAL_Hawk — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:22:17 -0000

When the Ravens were scouting Lardarius Webb, they sent their secondary coach, Chuck Pagano, out to Nicholls State to watch him play. Pagano returned to Baltimore and raved about the 5'10" corner. At the combine, Webb put on an excellent showing and ran the fastest time in the forty yard dash at his position. The Ravens were impressed with Webb's combine performance and invited him to their Owings Mills headquarters to talk to him in person. They debated whether to take Webb in the third round. They believed that he would be available later, but in the end, they drafted Webb because they believed that he was the best player available and didn't want to risk him being taken before them.

Fast and explosive, Webb is the type of player that Ozzie Newsome loves to bring onto his defense. It goes without saying that Webb has excellent speed, but he also shows excellent ball skills. He is the only college player ever to win offensive, defensive and special teams awards in a single season. In coverage, Webb shows good hip transition. This allows him to play closer to the receiver and turn up field or drive inside if needed. As a player, he boasts excellent upside. DraftGuys.com did an interesting special on Lardarius Webb that shows off his talent.

In an interview before the draft, Lardarius said that he wanted to play for the Ravens. He also said that his favorite player was Ed Reed and that he dreamed of playing with Reed. I cannot blame him, but Webb is the only player that I've seen who has shown preference to a certain team before the draft. The Ravens must have told Webb that they wanted to draft him. Otherwise, I cannot imagine Webb going out on a limb like that. In the end, Webb recieved his wish and is now wearing purple and black. He did another interview with Coleman after the draft and was extremely happy to have been drafted by the Ravens. Ironically, Webb was interviewed by Jerry Coleman with Jason La Canforna, who now works for NFL.com and used Lardarius Webb's signing as his first blog entry. I provided the link to La Canfora's blog entry below.

Finally, I believe that Webb has tons of potential and may turn out to be the best corner on the Raven's roster in the long run. That's saying alot since the Ravens have one of the deepest secondaries in the league right now. Furthermore, Webb has experience at safety, a position that he play in college. That experience will add versatility to our secondary and help Webb perform multiple roles.

“[Lardarius Webb] showed a lot of quickness and has a good understanding of the defense for a rookie," said head coach John Harbaugh during Baltimore’s rookie camp. "The fact that he plays safety and corner is going to be helpful throughout his career. But it’s going to help us in camp, too.”

From NFL.com's Jason La Canfora:

The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms with third-round pick Lardarius Webb, with the rookie cornerback scheduled to sign his contract shortly, according to a league source. Webb’s athleticism and versatility drew him to several teams, along with his return skills, and he played both corner and safety during his college career.

Webb will sign a three-year contract, including a $530,000 signing bonus, and veteran-minimum base salaries. I had the chance to interview Webb before the draft on my buddy Jerry Coleman’s sports radio show back in Baltimore, and he was about as charming and humble as can be (all "Yes sirs" and "No sirs"). He had a rough patch off the field before transferring to Nicholls State, but finished strong and joins a Ravens secondary that was very much remade during the offseason.

Baltimore's Developing Offense

BAL_Hawk — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:36:05 -0000

Defense wins championships! That's been the mantra of Baltimore for over a decade, and it has been a necessity largely due to the constant uncertainty at quarterback and offensive coordinator. Another nagging problem was Brian Billick's controling personality. He did not like handing over the offensive play-calling. Ultimately, Billick was fired, and John Harbaugh was hired. Through a fortunate turn of events, the Harbaugh was able to recruit Cam Cameron, who coordinated one of the leagues most efficient offenses in San Diego and was fired after a 1-15 season with Miami, and draft Joe Flacco. In a single off-season, two of Baltimore's biggest offensive problems were solved.

The decision to hire Cameron proved to be a good one. Baltimore's offense made a surprising turn-around that was evident in the very first game when Mark Clayton scored on a double reverse and Joe Flacco scored on a naked bootleg. For the first time in team history, the Ravens had a bonafide offensive coordinator and a promising young quarterback. Cameron's strength is his creativity and his fundamental philosophy of putting his best players in positions to be successful. Sporting News said, "Cameron, despite his reputation taking a beating in his one year in Miami, is a great coach who took a Division I-AA quarterback and turned him into a productive NFL starter as a rookie" and voted him the NFL's best offensive coordinator. That is a high honor, especially since the Raven's offense was not flashy last season.

They may not have been flashy about it, but the Raven offense was efficient. Cameron played the Raven's personnel to their strengths and made every play-call count while staying unpredictable. Ultimately, Baltimore's offensive efficiency ranked 15th in the league by Football Outsiders. That's not amazing and not what you would expect from the NFL's best offensive coordinator. Cameron's offense has been criticized for being conservative, but if you look at what he was working with, his overall achievement is actually astounding.

With the league's 26th ranked offense in 2007, Cameron was forced to start a rookie quarterback in his first season with the Ravens. He was also trying to install a new offense at the same time, but many, including Cameron himself, remarked that it may have actually made the process easier. Every player, rookie and veteran alike, needed to work hard and learn a new system. Even so, Cameron quickly discovered that it's not easy to win in the NFL with a rookie quarterback. In a three game losing streak, Joe Flacco threw five interceptions and only one touchdown. The losing streak could have easily discouraged the offense, but Cameron held it together. During the rest of the season, Flacco threw thirteen touchdowns and only five interceptions.

Cameron developed a very strong game plan that ultimately helped Joe Flacco's progression. He would simply call running plays right up the middle. This simple but effective strategy is more complex than one would expect. The Raven's offensive line and LeRon McClain, who had converted from fullback, proved to be a bruising combination and very difficult to stop. By pounding the rock, Cameron's offense would force opposing defenses into zero coverage, which means that there's no deep safety. At that point, play action passes were deadly, and Flacco began to show off his arm strength by beating opposing defenses with the deep ball. This became a low-risk way to keep defenses off balance.

Cameron's offense was more impressive in its ingenuity than its production. It complimented the Raven defense perfectly and played to the overall strength of the team. Most of all, it helped the Ravens advance into the playoffs, a feat that most people wrote off. However, the Ravens cannot rest on their achievements from last year. They lost several key plays and drafted young talent. One concern is talent at the wide receiver position.

Since they did not draft a wide receiver, the Ravens will need to rely on the receivers currently on the roster. Derrick Mason had an amazing season but is getting older. Mark Clayton was emerging but needs to be more consistent if he's going to become a go-to guy. The two receivers that have the biggest opportunity to step up are Demetrius Williams and Marcus Smith. Williams has proven that he has the physical tools to be a NFL receiver and deep threat but has struggled to stay healthy. Marcus Smith is a player that has been raved about by coaches, saying that his improvement from his rookie season is remarkable. At a recent team activity, John Harbaugh said the following:

Comparing [Marcus Smith] to a year ago, it's night and day. We talk to our guys about making the most progress from their first to second year, but Marcus just goes to work. The thing about Marcus is you see a little bit of improvement everyday because he works as hard or harder than anyone on the team everyday. So, you start adding all of that up. You watch practice, and you're like, 'Wow! This guy's really playing well.'

We've always thought Marcus is going to be a really good player. He's physical. He's tough and a hard worker. That's a good place to start. He can run. He's a former running back. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he's a strong runner north and south. We think he's going to be that kind of receiver for us. I'm excited about Marcus.

Just like Flacco did last year, Smith may play a key role in next season's offense. Obviously, nothing's certain. That's the beauty of training camp. Every player gets a chance. Most people would expect a progression, but there are still many questions. How will the Ravens improve on offense? Will Joe Flacco improve in his second year? Which players will have the biggest impact? Which young receiver will step up?

The Most Exciting Player In The NFL

BAL_Hawk — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 03:42:25 -0000

In a recent "players roundtable" on the NFL Network, Jamie Dukes, Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp discussed the most exciting player in the NFL. I was surprised to see two Baltimore Ravens make the list. The Ravens had an excellent showing versus the Cowboys that aired on the NFL Network. Therefore, it may natural for them to pick a few Ravens. However, it is saying something that they picked Ed Reed and Ray Lewis over guys like Larry Fitzgerald and Adrian Peterson. During the roundtable session, Jamie Dukes picked Ray Lewis, Deion Sanders picked Ed Reed, Marshall Faulk picked Peyton Manning and Warren Sapp picked Chris Johnson.

Could the Ravens finally be getting some recognition? Obviously, this is just the opinion of four former players. If a national poll were to be taken, I do not think that either Reed or Lewis would make the top ten. Even so, I had a very distinct sense of pride knowing that our current defense is so exciting to so many people. Our defense is very special. I'm sure that it will be remembered for years to come, but for right now, I'm going to enjoy watching them dismantle opposing offenses.

Anyway, I thought that this would be an excellent time to debate the most exciting player in the NFL. My vote is for Ed Reed. If voting had included the playoffs, he would have been the defensive player of the year. With our revamped secondary, he should be a terror next year as well. Who do you think is the NFL's most exciting player?

The All-Time Greatest Plays In Raven History

BAL_Hawk — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:04:43 -0000

Since Bruce Started the "All-Time" posts, I thought it would be appropriate to debate the "All-Time" greatest plays in Raven history. There are so many meaningful plays. It's hard to choose one that I would consider the greatest. I believe that it will be easier to deduce if many people throw in their opinions. Remember that we need to take the meaning of the play into account along with the overall meaning of the game. Therefore, I think that excellent plays made in the post season, especially the 2000 post season and Super Bowl, deserve the most consideration. I can think of three great plays off the top of my head. They all happened in the 2000 season, but this is not the only criteria for great plays. Feel free to nominate any play in any season, but be sure to provide your reasoning.

Anyway, I'll get the ball rolling. I'll name three plays and then nominate the play that I think is the best.

Shannon Sharpe's catch and touchdown versus the Raiders in the 2000 AFC Championship Game.

At the point in the game where this play happened, both teams were scoreless, and the Ravens offensive line was being dominated. This play literally set the tone of the game. Wih their defense that year, the Ravens would dominate if they had a lead. It is arguable that the Ravens would not have gotten to the Superbowl if this play was made. It sealed the game early on.

Jermaine Lewis' kickoff return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XXV. Watch the video from 3:00.

This play may be the weakest of my group, but it was still an amazing, game-breaking play. It was game-breaking because the Giants had just scored on a kickoff return. The Ravens had the game in hand, and this play officially sealed the Super Bowl victory. I would have liked to select more plays in the Super Bowl, but since the Ravens easily rolled over the Giants, there were not many better than this. Again, this play my be the weakest of my group, but I put it in here because of the inspirational factor. Jermaine Lewis had lost his unborn son, Geronimo, only days before the Super Bowl. His touchdown still gives me goose bumps.

Ray Lewis' interception and touchdown versus the Titans in the 2000 playoffs.

This play is my nomination. I believe that this may be the greatest play in Raven History. In the game, the Ravens had been going back and forth with the Titans. The Titans kicker had missed several field goals and kept the Ravens in the game. At the point where this play had happened, the Ravens had just returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown and taken the lead 17-10. The pressure was now on the Titans. They needed to score and stay in the game. On the next drive, Steve McNair passed the ball to Eddie George, and Ray Lewis was able to wrestle it from his arms and return it for a touchdown. This play embodied the Ravens 2000 season, and has been a good example of Raven football in the subsequent years.

These are just my nominations. Let's hear everyone's opinions and come up with a consensus.

Looking Back At The 2008 Ravens

BAL_Hawk — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:07:45 -0000

Last season was enjoyable and amazing. It was thoroughly enjoyable to Ravens fans because of the team’s success and amazing to the entire league because of what the team had to overcome. Ravens fans would say that they never lost faith in the team and that they knew the team had the talent, but there were still many questions. The team was only one season removed from the retirement of perennial Pro Bowler Jonathan Ogden. At the time, no one knew how Jared Gaither would fill in, and since the Ravens did not draft a left tackle, the only option was to start Gaither.

Of course, there was also the quarterback position, the most important in football. Steve McNair’s retirement was not a big surprise, but the Ravens did not have many options. Kyle Boller had never shown the ability to lead and the team did not seem to have faith in him. Troy Smith had been solid in two previous starts, but his technique and size left the coaches worried. Joe Flacco was the rookie, and rookie quarterbacks have very rarely been successful in the NFL. Because of injuries and illness, Flacco was forced into the starting lineup. We now know that this was good fortune, but at the time, it was a very big concern.

The Ravens came out of the gate strong and won their first two games against the Bengals and the Browns. However, the Ravens struggled over their next three games and lost to the Steelers, the Titans and the Colts. The three game losing streak reminded the team of the 2007 season when the they lost nine games in a row. Because of their stellar defense, the Ravens managed to pull off victories against the Dolphins and the Raiders, but everyone in the locker room felt like the team was on the brink. Joe Flacco was throwing interceptions that were costing games. Much like 2007, the defense was wearing thin, and injuries, particularly in the secondary, began to pile up.

November 2, 2008 - Ravens 37, Browns 27.

Going into Cleveland on November 2nd, the Ravens were 4-3. The Browns were 3-4 and had shocked the undefeated New York Giants two weeks before. There was a feeling that the Ravens and Browns were fighting for the same place in the division. The Ravens had the better record, but they also had the easier schedule. The Browns believe that they were going to take the Raven’s place in the division. This game proved to be a season-breaker for the Browns and a season-maker for the Ravens. The Ravens pulled together during this game, and everyone could feel the team coming together. Most surprising of all, Joe Flacco led the team, down by 14 points, to a victory. When asked about "the moment" where he saw the team come together and Flacco emerge, John Harbaugh said the following:

"Looking back on [Joe Flacco’s season], the moment where everybody knew that he could win a game for us, really on his own, was the Browns Game. We go down, all of the sudden, 27-13. In the middle of the third quarter, they score fast, and we are on the verge of getting blow out. [Flacco] takes us down the field twice. The next time you see the scoreboard, were right back up to 27. [Flacco] took the ball down and scored. We got a turnover, and he took it right back down and scored again. It was really just him throwing the ball down the field."

"This guy can take over a game! That’s what the players look for in a quarterback."

In reality, the Browns game did not make the team last season. The team had been carefully crafted by the Ravens front office and their owner, Steve Bisciotti. It all started with the firing of Brian Billick. The Ravens needed a new coach. They needed a motivator, and Bisciotti understood this. There were many speculated candidates. Marty Schottenheimer, Jason Garrett and Bill Cowher were all considered. Then the dark horse candidate appeared, John Harbaugh. Young, inexperienced and full of fire, Harbaugh was exactly what Bisciotti was looking for.

"Do I like a guy that has to earn his resume? Yeah. I kind of made a living on hiring people with thin resumes and it's worked out pretty well for me in the last 25 years," Bisciotti said. "I think that works to John's advantage. I said three weeks ago you have to take chances to be successful. You have to be willing to do things that the masses wouldn't do, or I don't think you will be able to separate yourself from the masses."

John Harbaugh immediately began to assemble one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL. The two biggest moves were hiring Cam Cameron as the offensive coordinator and keeping Rex Ryan as the defensive coordinator. As the off-season progressed, the new coaches and the front office started to gel. Harbaugh seemed to know how to make it work. He was born to be a head-coach.

"When you grow up in that [football family] environment, the thing you learn is that there are three important things [to] putting together a football team," said John Harbaugh "Number one is the team. The second most important thing is the team, and the third most important thing is the team. We'll stick with that through and through, beginning to end. That's what it's all about."

It became quickly apparent to everyone that the 2008 NFL draft was going to determine the Ravens immediate and long-term success. Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta did not take the task lightly.

"This is probably the most critical draft we've ever had, based on our needs on this team, based on the future, our record last year and where we want to get to," said Eric DeCosta, Baltimore's director of college scouting. "I'm very excited. We've all talked, the three of us, about sleepless nights and waking up in the middle of the night."

"The wounds from last season are still fresh. That was a very trying season for me, personally. This draft is very strong in comparison to last year's draft. We've got nine picks, we hope to have some more at some point possibly, and I think we can really legitimize the roster for the next four, five, six years with an excellent draft this year."

Ultimately, the Ravens came out of the draft with Joe Flacco and Ray Rice. Both played an instrumental role in the victory over Cleveland, but even more than that, their ability to contribute in their first year shows the value of the Ravens front office. They understood the needs of the team and were able to select players that would help them win immediately while building for the future.

When asked if he was surprised by the performances of rookies Ray Rice and Joe Flacco in Cleveland, Harbaugh responded, "When they get drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, we expect them to play like that. Are we surprised? No."

The performance against Cleveland displayed a balanced team. It was a team win. The Ravens began to win games by any means necessary. If the defense needs a stop, they did their best to make it happen. If the offense needs to score, they did their best to make it happen.

"You’ve got to tip your hat to the offense," Terrell Suggs stated. "Amazing what they did. They put up 14 points fast when we were down 27-13. They scored twice, and you could feel the sense of team being formed, what we’ve been searching for all year."

"I couldn’t be more proud to be the coach of the Baltimore Ravens," Harbaugh said. "We talk about character and integrity and doing what’s right – to overcome the adversity that they did in the second half speaks about how big their hearts are."

It all goes back to what Harbaugh said the day he was hired. "The most important thing is the team." In the Raven’s system, no one player or coach is solely responsible for the team’s success or failure. The Raven’s success goes beyond the stats, the coaches or the players. It is a team effort, through and through.

"We're going to be a dynasty," John Harbaugh said boldly. "If you're not willing to say it out loud, how do you expect to get there?"

We all know the final outcome. Jared Gaither filled in remarkably for Jonathan Ogden and looked like a future Pro Bowler. Joe Flacco started the entire season and did what no other rookie quarterback has ever done. He won two playoff games. John Harbaugh took the team and starting in training camp, gave it a “hard-nosed” mentality. In his first season, he took the team to the AFC Championship game and came within minutes of the Super Bowl. Ravens fans could not have hoped for much better, and the rest of the league can hardly believe it. The future looks bright, and I will always remember the 2008 season as special. In particular, I will remember the game against the Browns where the team came together, and Flacco won his first come-back victory.

Which Ravens Will Make The Pro Bowl?

BAL_Hawk — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:20:48 -0000

I don't typically put much stock in the Pro Bowl. The Ravens are not a high profile team, and it always seems that there are several Ravens players who are snubbed. Obviously, there's no way that anyone could predict the Pro Bowl. We have no idea who's going to step up on our team or on other teams.

This is just meant to be a friendly discussion and debate. I'd like to know who you believe will be a big enough contributor and have big enough individual seasons. Remember that the Pro Bowl is a popularity contest. I would take many of our players over many other players at their position, but you need to keep the popularity of other teams and players in mind. The Pro Bowl does not take upside into account. As much as I love Joe Flacco, I don't think that he will be making the Pro Bowl over guys like Manning and Brady... this year. I hope he proves me wrong. Anyway, please pick the Ravens players who you think will make the Pro Bowl next season and provide a brief explanation. Also, I'd like everyone to make a sleeper pick. Pick a player that you think is flying under the radar. My picks are as follows:

Ed Reed, FS (First Team)

No one can argue with this. Reed is, far and away, the best safety in the NFL. He has the name recognition and the ability to back it up. If he stays healthy, Reed is a lock for the Pro Bowl, and I think that he's the pres-season favorite for defensive player of the year.

Ray Lewis, MLB (First Team)

Sadly, many people would probably disagree with this pick. They would say that Lewis is not dominate anymore, but Ravens fans know that Lewis still has a couple Pro Bowl seasons left in him. He still has the best instincts in the NFL and is still breaking opposing running back's collar bones. Most of all, he's still the best middle linebacker in the game. I'd like to see someone name a middle linebacker who's better right now.

Haloti Ngata, DT (First Team)

Ngata was snubbed last year. His humble demeanor doesn't attract much press, but since Ngata was drafted, the Ravens have been one of the toughest teams to run against. Ray Lewis is a big part of that, but Ngata eats up blockers and keeps our awesome linebackers free to make plays. Ngata is a stud, and if he fails to make the Pro Bowl next season, Ravens fans need to revolt.

Terrell Suggs, OLB (Alternate)

Suggs may be the most versatile and impactful player in the NFL. I put him as an alternate only because flashy players like Harrison and Ware will always get more votes. I believe that he deserves more credit. The Ravens defense would not be nearly as good without Suggs.

Matt Birk, C (First Team)

Sadly, Matt Birk is the only offensive lineman that I'm selecting from the Ravens. I'm sure that many of you would disagree, but again, I actually think that more of them should make it. I just don't see people voting for our offensive line... unless they have a record breaking season (which isn't outside the realm of possibilities). Birk going to the Pro Bowl makes sense. I expect our offensive line to be extremely successful next season, and the average fan will probably chalk it up to Birk instead of giving our entire line the credit they’re due.

Leron McClain, FB (First Team)

McClain will probably make the Pro Bowl for many years. His performance last season won him respect and recognition from the entire league. Even though he will be playing more FB next season, I still expect McClain to get plenty of touches. Cam Cameron uses his talented players.

SLEEPER PICK:

Willis McGahee, RB (First Team)

Bam! I know that many of you are laughing at this pick, but I honestly believe that McGahee is going to have a career year. Last season, he was banged up and lagging behind for many games, but in the games that he was healthy, he actually played very well. He still has great talent. He’s my sleeper pick because many people have forgotten about him or written him off. I believe that this will fuel his fire. McGahee has much to prove after last season, and with the emergence of our offensive line, I believe that he will have a dominate season.

Anyway, who do you think will make the Pro Bowl next season? Be objective.

Looking Back At The 2007 Ravens

BAL_Hawk — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:05:51 -0000

I don't know why, but I have been thinking back to the 2007 season recently. Most Ravens fans probably want to forget it, but I think that there is alot we can learn about the Ravens foundation by looking back. Last season, many people thought that the Ravens came out of no where, but I disagree. In 2007, many of the pieces that made the Ravens a playoff team remained, but the Ravens had a horrible string of injuries and an uncertain QB situation. However, our foundation was still good. More than any other game, the game versus New England personified the Ravens 2007 season. The heart and talent that they played with was a testament to the caliber of the team, but the unbelievably bad luck at the end of the game showed why the Ravens finished with a 5-11 record.

Even though it was a loss, the game we played against the Patriots was the best game that we played all season. I think that it was one of the finest games in Raven's history, and because of the large audience, it will always be one of the most memorable. The loss was insignificant. The way the Ravens played was legendary. In the face of adversity, grief and injuries, the Ravens dominated one of the most prolific teams in history. In a way, we can see the heart and foundation of the team through this game.

Yes, I would have loved to win the game at the time, but looking back, we can now see that the Patriots were destined to make their first loss a bigger one. Whether it was punishment for spygate, revenge for the Ravens or just the biggest choke in NFL history, the Patriots lost and their dreams of perfection were shattered. The following is a summarization of that Monday night game versus the New England Patriots on December 3, 2007:

December 3, 2007 - Monday Night Football - Patriots 27 Ravens 24.

In what might likely be viewed as the 2007 Ravens' last stand, and finest moment, they faced the New England Patriots, in Baltimore, on Monday Night Football. In what seemed like a fated meeting, it seemed as if everything was going right for the Ravens for the first time all season, as the entire team played to near perfection, the defense sacking Tom Brady (who was otherwise rarely sacked all season) multiple times, Willis McGahee having a career game, and even Devard Darling, who had beforehand rarely shown much life in his four seasons with the Ravens, managed to step up big time.

And most impressive of all, Kyle Boller, behind and unusually steady offensive line, managed to match Tom Brady play for play, both QBs ending the game with 2 TDs and 1 INT, but Boller actually managed to get the upper hand in the contest, as his final QB rating was 105.3 to Brady's 73. It was arguably the best game of Kyle's young career, outplaying what many were calling the best Quarterback in the NFL, in a Monday Night Football game that drew in the highest ratings of the program's history. Sadly, in what seemed like the theme of the entire season, the Ravens suffered painful heartbreak, as a brave defensive stand on 4th and 1, in which they managed to stop the Patriots not once, but twice, were both negated, first on a time out called by defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, and then again by an alleged holding penalty against the Patriots. Inevitably, Tom Brady finally made good on what many argued was a questionable TD pass, and after an emotional meltdown that cost the Ravens severe yardage on the following kickoff, even in the final moments of the game the Ravens had a chance to win the game, as Boller heaved a 52 yard "Hail Mary" pass downfield, which was caught by Mark Clayton. Unfortunately, as time expired, he was stopped, 2 yards short of the end zone, and the Ravens lost one of their finest games in franchise history.

McGahee Debate

BAL_Hawk — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:57:00 -0000

The following is a debate that I had with Ampallang:

I can't believe the McGahee hatred!
It’s not just you, Rexx. I’ve heard this hundreds of times. Did everyone forget the 2007 season? He WAS our entire offense that year! Last year, he had a bad season (mostly due to injuries), and now everyone wants to throw him off the team. Why? Because he didn’t show up for voluntary workouts? So what! They are voluntary! Because he performed badly? He was injured and was still one of our leading rushers! Dawan Landry and Kelly Gregg didn’t contribute at all last season. Why are we welcoming them back? Let’s give them the Willis treatment to be fair. Get that trash off the team!

I’m sorry if I sound irritated, but I was really annoyed by Buffalo fans when we got McGahee. They were treated him unfairly and gave him the Philly fan’s McNabb treatment. Unfortunately, this attitude has been contracted by Baltimore fans. It won’t be long before we’re cursing L.J. Smith too. I just thought that we were better than that.

by BAL_Hawk

You know, I lived just east of Buffalo (horrible, horrible town) for about five years, just as McGahee was overtaking Travis “Can’t Stay on my Feet” Henry, and I can tell you that there was no unfair treatment. Buffalo wasted a first round pick on a seriously injured college freshman in the hopes that he’d return to form, and eventually gave him the #1 RB slot. In return, they got an under-performing athlete that trash-talked his meal ticket town. They happilyshipped him off to us. As you say, he was our offense in a year in which Medicare McNaire couldn’t hold onto the ball or pass more than 10 yards to save his life. That makes McGahee the smartest kid on the short bus. Congratulations, Willis.

Fast forward to last year. All of a sudden, McGahee has some competetion. What do we get? Lots of whining. Underproduction. Who is our lead rusher? A full back. And where is McGahee? Whining to the local media. You may or may not have seen some of my prior posts about said whining months ago. So, I’m sorry if I sound irritated, but this guy deserves it. We have depth at RB with McClain and Rice, and I feel like we’d be just fine without the UM whiner. Also, Dawan Landry and Kelly Gregg never went mouthing off to the media; that’s why you don’t see anybody around here anxious to give them the boot.

by Ampallang

Your facts are wrong.
McGahee rushed for 1128 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first season as a starter in Buffalo. Those are excellent numbers, and the Bills rode McGahee to a 9-7 record. He gave us the same performance in the 2007 season, rushing for 1207 yards and 7 touchdowns.

McGahee never trash-talked to anyone. He made a comment about how boring it was to live in Buffalo, and the fans got their feelings hurt. That was all he said. I would challenge you to find other trash-talking quotes from McGahee. You won’t find them. I would also challenge you to find coaches or players that have criticized McGahee. If you can find them, please give me the quotes. The fact is… you won’t find any. All of this negative press surrounding McGahee has been generated by the press and fans who got their feelings hurt.

I’m serious about finding me quotes. You called McGahee a whiner MANY times. I challenge you to find quotes to back it up.

by BAL_Hawk

Get comfortable, BAL_Hawk, because this may take a while. You’ve asked for quotes about things that happened years ago, and I’ve done my best to accommodate that. I think the best way to organize this will be by topic. Also, after waxing narcissistic for a sufficient number of words, the formatting (bolding and breaks between quotations) gets all wonky, so try to bear with me.

Your First Post

First, a recap. In your original post, you characterized McGahee as “our entire offense.” Since you didn’t respond to my rebuttal, I’ll have to assume that my point stands. You compared McGahee to Landry and Gregg, to which I countered that they didn’t whine; relevant quotes are forthcoming. You said he didn’t attend voluntary workouts. This is a particular thorn in our collective sides because he’s a repeat offender. It was actually the second time he’s skipped voluntary workouts while a new offense was being put into place. Again, more on this later. Now on to the meat of the subject.

McGahee’s Performance in Buffalo

You are correct about McGahee’s first year as a starter (2004). 1100 yards and 13 TD’s is great. I notice that you didn’t mention the subsequent years, though. In 2005, he again broke the 1000 yard barrier, but his yards per carry fell below 4.0 and he posted only five touchdowns. His next season, in which he missed two games due to injury, was equally disappointing with him running under 1000 yards and getting only a half-dozen touchdowns. I’d also like to point out that he actually did not give us the same production in 2007 as his performance in 2004; there’s a minus six touchdown differential!

McGahee’s “Trash-talk”

Let’s take a quick look at what McGahee actually said.

"Coming from Miami, I was used to partying, going out, just having something to do every night. Restaurants, whatever. Going to Buffalo, it was like hitting a brick wall. Like, ‘Damn!’ Can’t go out, can’t do nothing. There’s an Applebee’s, a TGI Friday’s, and they just got a Dave & Busters. They got that, and I’m like, ‘What the?’ And, you know, the women …

"You see, when I was in college that’s what I used to thrive off of," the 25-year-old says. "The better you do, the more fame you get. So you know, it was like, I was used to that. And then you get to Buffalo and no matter how you do, it’s the same. It’s no big city. You know what I did every day? I came home and played video games."

The most reliable source I could find for this was http://www.brendanloy.com/wp/2007/03/willis-mcgahee-doesnt-like-buffalo-and-the-feeling-is-mutual.html
The link to the original source at the Baltimore Sun was unavailable; however, the sheer number of times I’ve seen that exact quote repeated all over the Internet leaves me pretty confident in its authenticity.

As I said previously, I have a bit of personal experience with Buffalo. Please excuse the caps, BUT THE BARS DON’T CLOSE UNTIL 4AM!!! Buffalo has plenty of flaws, but the night life really isn’t one of them. When you get more cloud and snow cover than 99% of the rest of the continental United States, you develop a propensity for drinking. A guy with that kind of money and time on his hands should have easily found something to do. Worst case scenario, if he’s looking for something a little more up-scale, Toronto is a day-trip away, which brings me to my next point.

“They should just bring the Buffalo Bills to Toronto. Case closed.”

http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=1d29b2c1-b6bb-4426-8bbe-38a4f73962c7&k=98190
Originally from an interview with Penthouse magazine.

To put this into context, Buffalonians have an inferiority complex with their Northern neighbors. That kind of comment hits close to home, especially with a fan base so dedicated to their team. You said they treated McGahee unfairly, but I believe that he gave them every reason to hate him. He denigrated their night life and their women, and basically said that they were less deserving of their franchise than a rival city. What if McGahee came out tomorrow and said that Baltimore’s night life was non-existent, its women were fugly, and suggested that the franchise just move on out to Ohio? Combine that with his declining performance on the field. How much does it really take before the hatred is valid? Please let us all know.

Coaches Criticizing McGahee

This is, admittedly, a tall order. Players, let alone coaches, don’t really criticize other players publicly all that often, so when it actually does happen, it tends to be kind of a big deal. Other than a lot hearsay, the following is pretty much all I could find.

“Willis literally didn’t know what to do on the plays,” a source said. "After the play was called, we’d have another coach signaling to Willis what to do because he didn’t know. He’d miss blocks [in pass protection] a few times, not because he was beat, but because he didn’t know what he was doing.

“He just doesn’t study. … His teammates noticed it, and it affected how they viewed him in the locker room.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-combinenotes022407&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

It looks pretty damning to me, BAL_Hawk. I said earlier that I’d be bringing this up again. This was after McGahee skipping the voluntary off-season workouts after they had put in a new offense under a new coaching staff. Sound familiar? It should, because it’s what happened here in Baltimore this past season. McGahee skips workouts designed to teach a new offense, then his production slips from the previous year. Only this time around, he actually had some competition in the backfield. There will be more later on his reaction to this turn of events.

McGahee Whining

You’ve challenged me to find quotes of McGahee whining. Ask, and ye shall receive.

McGahee said he “tried to be someone else’s running back this year, and it didn’t work out.”

“I’m just going to go out there and play for me. I can’t play for nobody else but me.”

“Still, it’s not like where I want to be at. I’m used to competing, but with the injuries and whatnot holding me back, I look at it as a loss.” … “See, I’m talking about my season, I’m not talking about the team’s season,” McGahee said. “I’m talking about my season as an individual. That’s what I’m meaning: My season is over with.”

http://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2009/1/2/707034/mcgahee-running-his-mouth

It’s apparently impossible to find any articles older than several weeks on the Baltimore Sun website, as the two sources I’ve quoted in that Fan Post are broken links. Nobody in that thread, including a hostile Dolphins fan, called me out for making up shit, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. For the sake of brevity (ironic this far into my post, I know), I’ll let you browse that Fan Post for the salient points. I recommend the actual Fan Post itself, as well as my second post from the bottom, although you are free to peruse all of my witty banter there and elsewhere. In Buffalo, McGahee managed to keep his big mouth out of the media for the most part, so I’ll just leave you with some general impressions of his time there.

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Willis McGahee (325/1247/5 rushing and 28/178/0 receiving last season) scored only 1 TD during his final 10 contests last year. He finished 2005 held to under 100 yards rushing per game in 7 straight games (until a 22/113/0 rushing and 2/22/0 receiving effort during the meaningless week 17 game vs. the Jets, which had no fantasy significance for most of his owners). How did he respond to his dismal second half? Why, he agitated for a renegotiated contract and then held out of non-mandatory OTAs during the offseason, of course – while the Bills worked on installing the new offense with their new coaching staff (headed by Dick Jauron).

http://subscribers.footballguys.com/2006/06faceoff-McGaWi00.php

At that point, his contract was incentive-based. With his play falling off, it’s no wonder he was trying to get a renegotiated contract.

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Asked if McGahee had requested a trade, Jauron replied: “That’s a good question for you to ask him.”

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2791831

Sounds like Dick Jauron was repressing some aggressive emotions about the topic.

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Jauron said McGahee indicated to him that he’s working out in Miami, staying in shape and studying the new playbook but a specific reason for not attending this week’s OTA wasn’t provided.

The Bills were given no notice that McGahee would be appearing on the NFL Network for three days this week until late Tuesday.

Veteran Joe Burns said the new offense under coordinator Steve Fairchild is loaded with new terminology and McGahee is missing valuable time.

“Because it’s a new offense, I’d say so,” Burns said. "If it were the same offense as last year, I’d say he’d be fine, but anytime you can get together as a team it’s a benefit.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bills/2006-05-30-mcgahee-absence_x.htm

And there’s your quote by a player. It’s very politically stated.

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Buffalo News columnist Bob DiCesare wrote that removing McGahee had “purged the rot” from the Bills’ locker room.

http://www.ravens24x7.com/column_view.php?cid=33&id=1871&view=archive

Also mentioned there is the website www.willisistrash.com, which is, unfortunately, not up and running anymore.

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Whelp, that’s about all I have. You wanted quotes, and you got them. A coach saying in no uncertain terms that McGahee’s poor work ethic was hurting his performance, as well as that of the team (via missed blocking assignments). An entire city with plenty of reason not to like this guy. Unreliable performance from year to year. Self-centered whining just before our first playoff game, in spite of backing from the coaches and several good games up to that point (you said that he “was still one of our leading rushers!”) I believe that I’ve met your challenge, and I eagerly await your response.

by Ampallang

All of Willis McGahee’s problems started after he insulted the city of Buffalo. McGahee “made a comment about how boring it was to live in Buffalo, and the fans got their feelings hurt.” Since that point the media has been looking to ruin his image and ultimately, his career. I’m not going to address the Buffalo quote now. Obviously, I agree that he should not have said that. His life would be much easier if he hadn’t said that. My ONLY points are as follows: Much of the bad press that McGahee received was been drummed up by the media and infuriated fans, and his bad reputation as a player is unfounded and has never been directly confirmed or confronted by coaches or players. I’m an objective person and listen to reason, but I cannot find any reason for McGahee’s continual media persecution.

McGahee’s Performance

McGahee’s performance as a player has been very good overall. I’m sure that you are laughing, but it’s true. His average did drop from 4.0 yards per carry to 3.8 yards per carry, and he only scored 11 touchdowns in his finale two seasons with the Bills. However, his team was struggling during that time. The Bills went 9-7 during his first starting season, but went 5-11 and 7-9 during McGahee’s last two seasons. McGahee’s lack of production cannot be blamed on him entirely, and he showed that he was still a dominate player when he rushed for 1200 yards and 7 touchdowns with the Ravens. He would have had more touchdowns in 2007, but Billick liked to pass in the red-zone for some reason.

McGahee’s Trash-Talk

I have already addressed the offensive quotes that McGahee spoke against Buffalo. I knew that McGahee had “made a comment about how boring it was to live in Buffalo.” In fact, I originally challenged “you to find other trash-talking quotes from McGahee.” Note the emphasis on other. I have already heard those quotes hundreds of times. When I said that “this is exactly what I was talking about before,” I was talking about people who refuse to let this offense go. Sure, it was mean. Sure, it hurt some feelings. I just don’t think that McGahee is a monster because of it. You said yourself that Buffalo was a “horrible, horrible town.” McGahee just made the mistake of saying to the media. I’m not going to say that people shouldn’t have been hurt. That’s not for me to judge. I just don’t think that it’s fair to eternally smear a player’s name over one misspoken quote. I think that it’s especially bad when a player’s performance is unfairly evaluated due to these issues. I consider my challenge on this issue unmet. You failed to provide quotes of McGahee’s trash-talking other than the quote that I had previously referred.

The “source” that you provided is another example of a problem. After some time, players that are in the hot-seat become a lighting rod for bored reporters. These reporters are looking to drum up any story that they can find. That’s why I don’t take these anonymous quotes seriously. Who was that being quoted… the water boy? People want recognition, and reporters want stories. The quote by Joe Burns was closer to what I was looking for, but it’s not “damning.” Burns was simply stating that McGahee would have benefited from the voluntary workouts. I’m sure that the reporters were trying to get Burns to say something bad about McGahee. The remaining links that you provided were all beat-writers, and I’m not interested in what they have to say. If this is all of the dirt that you can find on McGahee, then I think that you are reaching. Until I hear a coach or a player saying that McGahee is a problem or a bad player (bad motivation or work ethic), I will not believe it. I also consider my challenge on this issue to be unmet.

The “whining” quote that you presented was very controversial. I will admit that. However, I honestly don’t think that he knew or meant what he was saying. I was watching the video. When he said, “I can’t play for nobody else but me,” his eye’s widened like he was thinking, “What did I just say?” He quickly recovered by saying, “See, I’m talking about my season, I’m not talking about the team’s season.” I think that he was trying to say that he was disappointed with his season, but he said it in the worst way possible. I just chalk this one up to stupidity. Obviously, this is speculation on my part, but if you were to watch the interview and take the quote into context, it could go either way. Of course, he immediately followed that quote up with his 108 yard performance in Dallas.

Conclusion

Throughout this whole debate, I have not seen anything that would lead me to believe that McGahee is a bad player. McGahee made a mistake by insulting the city of Buffalo. Since then, he has been a target in the media. Don’t get me wrong. McGahee is no saint. I admit that I have also questioned his work ethic and intelligence at times, but I cannot hold his past against him if he’s trying to get over it. If you take everything into account and do your (unbiased) research, I think that you’ll see a player, with below average intelligence and elite athleticism, whose past has haunted him and is ruining his reputation and career. As fans, who ultimately pay player salaries, we should not be so easily swayed by the media, who write many stories only to make money.

Top Drafters In The NFL

BAL_Hawk — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:37:17 -0000

From John Clayton's article on ESPN.com:

As many teams found out over the past two decades, it's hard to win a championship through free agency. Teams have more cap room to keep their top free agents, so it's hard to get more than one or two starters in free agency. Typically, the teams that hit free agency the hardest are the teams that fail in the draft.

What do today's top draft evaluators have in common? They all have been drafting throughout this decade and still have jobs. Heading into Saturday's draft, here are the top draft evaluators in the league:

1. Ozzie Newsome, general manager, Baltimore Ravens

As a player, he was known as the Wizard of Oz, a Hall of Fame tight end who was hard to stop. As a drafter, he's a master of finding the right players. Newsome built one of the greatest defenses in NFL history, starting with middle linebacker Ray Lewis.

Normally, Newsome drafts players from major colleges, but, in typical Newsome fashion, he went against his profile to find the right quarterback for the Ravens. Last year, he took Joe Flacco out of Delaware. The Ravens won 11 games, and Flacco appears to be the quarterback who can challenge Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers.

2. Bill Polian, general manager, Indianapolis Colts

Polian built the Buffalo Bills into a four-time Super Bowl team and the expansion Carolina Panthersinto an NFC Championship Game participant. His work with the Colts has also been exceptional. Polian built the franchise around Peyton Manning. Because his salary cap is heavily loaded on offense, Polian is forced to build his defense through draft choices and undrafted free agents. He found the perfect coach to manage the system with the hiring of Tony Dungy and now is going with Dungy understudy Jim Caldwell.

3. Kevin Colbert, director of football operations, Pittsburgh Steelers

Colbert came from the Lions and fit perfectly in the Steelers' model of building through the draft. A native of Pittsburgh, Colbert always seems to find the right young player to replace outgoing starters. When the Steelers decided not to re-sign Plaxico Burress, he draftedSantonio Holmes. Now, Holmes is emerging as a star.

When Colbert needed youth to bolster a veteran linebacking corps, he drafted LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons. Obviously, the selection of Roethlisberger has put the Steelers back among the elite. Roethlisberger has been to the playoffs in four of his five years and has two Super Bowl rings.

4. Bill Belichick, coach, New England Patriots

Of all the coaches in the league, Belichick has the best eye for talent. He knows how to get the most out of players, and he's able to find players who fit his system. Over the past couple of years, New England's drafts have been criticized because several picks either didn't make the team or didn't emerge as starters. That criticism is unfair. There aren't many openings on most Patriots teams. Belichick loads his roster with veteran role players, so there aren't going to be many spots available when training camp begins. His rosters are usually set, and if he does make changes, he's going to lean toward veteran role players. Belichick's strengths have been finding defensive and offensive linemen, and obviously, Tom Brady was the steal of the decade.

5. Andy Reid (coach) and Tom Heckert (general manager),Philadelphia Eagles

It's hard to argue against their accomplishments. Together, they have been to five NFC Championship Games and one trip to the Super Bowl. Reid and Heckert work for an owner, Jeff Lurie, who loves to study the draft, and the two have won him over with how they operate.

Few franchises work the draft better than the Eagles. They are one of the best in the league at gaining compensatory picks, which are awarded by the league for departed free agents. The Eagles are also one of the best teams in football in making trades for draft choices. Reid and Heckert are two of the most forward-thinking evaluators in the league because they are constantly looking for players to replace aging starters.

This article isn't news to Ravens fans. We would take Ozzie Newsome over any GM in the NFL. There has been alot of love given to the Wizard of Oz recently, but it is all well deserved. Ever since Ozzie's first draft in 1996, he has consistantly found late-round values and built a championship team. The Ravens have always been underdogs and often overlooked. Teams like the Colts, the Steelers and the Patriots get alot of publicity, and it's not surprising to see those teams on this list. It's good to see Ozzie getting recognition, something that the Ravens have never gotten.