For the second time in three years, the Baltimore Ravens had their season ended on the field at Heinz Field last January. As the Ravens prepare to begin their 2011 season this Sunday, count me as one that believes Baltimore has improved.
Here are 10 reasons why:
1) The athleticism of the roster has improved. Look at WR, TE, D-line, LB, and the Secondary. Each of those position groups has seen their speed increased.
2) The Offensive Line is clearly deeper, and better. The concerns about McKinnie seem trivial to me. McKinnie may have come to Vikings camp over weight, but that was not why he was released. Most of that weight has already come off. He does not have to produce at his ’09 Pro Bowl level to be an improvement over Oher at LT. Yanda over Chester is an upgrade at RG. Oher over Yanda is an upgrade at RT. Any worries I had about Birk making it through the season, or now gone with the addition of Gurode as depth. I also am enthusiastic about having Reid and LeVoir around as Tackle depth.
3) The Defensive Line has also improved. That improvement started with the release of Gregg, and insertion of Cody as the full-time starter at NT. That improvement continued with the obvious maturation in play from Kruger, and Jones. McPhee was drafted with the tag of being a ‘run-stopping DE.’ McPhee certainly looked like a guy that had some pass rushing ability during camp. His motor is also obvious. There is quality depth here that should be regularly rotated to keep everyone fresh.
4) Defenses playing the Ravens last year did not believe that Boldin, Mason, or Houshmandzadeh could beat them down the field. This kept a lot of bodies around the line, and hampered the Baltimore running game. If teams crowd the box against the Ravens this year – Evans, Smith, and Reed have the ability to get past their defenders down the field. Heap had the greatest yards per reception level of his career last year, but Dickson is going to be a nightmare match-up for LB’s this season. Pitta and Doss also have fresh legs, and will factor prominently in the offense as well.
5) An improved O-line, with receivers that can run; is going to help Ray Rice increase his yards per carry average closer to ’09 levels (5.3) vs. ’10 levels (4.0).
6) Kindle returning to football is a huge addition for the roster. It is fair to expect that it will take awhile longer for Kindle to shake off the rust of being out of action for a year, and he is still going to have to adjust to the NFL. However, if he is healthy enough to play, I think his ability to rush the passer on 3rd down will be apparent sooner than later. That will help Suggs opposite of him, and will help the Ravens get off the field quicker.
7) Flacco has less voices in his ears, and a greater ability to audible at the line. I’ve written all off-season that I believe Flacco is generally underrated. I said numerous times last year that if the Ravens wanted Flacco to assume greater leadership, you had to let him have the ability to call his own plays. In his 4th year in the league, and under Cameron’s offense; there is no reason why Flacco should not be capable of calling his own plays. I think Flacco will feel more confident in what he is running, and I think that will only help him produce even more than he has.
8) New Defensive Coordinator Chuck Pagano has promised increased pressure from the Ravens this year. I wrote above about how I think Kindle will help on 3rd down. The other way the pass rush will improve, was with the addition of Smith to the Secondary. Adding a CB that is capable of playing out on an Island, will allow Pagano to bring more sophisticated and aggressive blitzes. Like Kindle, or any player seeing an NFL field for the first time, Smith is going to have to go through adjustments. Still, you can not teach his size, strength, and athleticism. Foxworth will improve week to week. Webb will be better his 2nd year back from the leg injury. Williams looks to be on the verge of really stepping forward, and Carr and Brown also represent strong depth. This is a group that should improve as the year progresses.
9) Outside of Bulger (and there are plenty of reports about him being willing to comeback and QB if an injury to Flacco occurs), the Ravens did not lose a player that they did not replace with at-least an equal.
10) After going to the playoffs the past 3 consecutive seasons, Baltimore is not going to play this 2011 season in the shadows – but generally, the National expectations for the Ravens have been lowered. I think the Baltimore players will be anxious to make a statement on the field. I also think at-least starting the year as the ‘hunter vs. the hunted’ is a good position to be in.
Owner
Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.