2010 Predictions

It's that time of year again! The weather gets cooler, you pull your jeans and Ravens sweatshirts out of storage, sip an Octoberfest brew, and anticipate another season of Ravens football.

And this should be a good one, folks. It seems like every other media personality is picking the Ravens to win the Super Bowl this year, and rightfully so. With the additions of Anquan Boldin, TJ Houshmandzadeh and the quality draft the Ravens had, this year's Ravens team is finally as good on offense as it is on defense. Maybe even better.

So how should the Ravens do this year? Let's break it down!

@ New York Jets - WIN - The Jets are the other AFC team generating massive hype so far this summer, but for all the wrong reasons. If the Jets were from Jacksonville, you'd hear as much about them as you do the Jaguars. But since they are from New York, have a good-looking young QB in Matt Sanchez, a shutdown corner in Darrelle Revis, and a loudmouth head coach in Rex Ryan, they are media darlings. And while they have a solid defense, their offense is shrouded in question marks. To me they look like the 2004 Ravens: all defense, no offense, and a cocky head coach. Joe Flacco and company may have some trouble moving the ball against the Jets' stout defense, but the Jets should be immobile against the Ravens defense. I see a low scoring affair with the Ravens edging out the Jets for the win. 17-13.

@ Cincinnati Bengals - LOSS - The Bengals swept the Ravens -- and the division -- last season and look to be the Ravens main competition for the division again in 2010. I think the Ravens are too talented on offense to be stifled by the Bengals defense like they were last season, but to overlook the Bengals would be a mistake. They are getting better on defense and they've added some good offensive weapons, starting with Terrell Owens. And with the Ravens riding high from their Monday Night win over the Jets on a short week, I think this could be a stumbling point for the Ravens. 17-20.

Cleveland Browns - WIN - The Browns may be better than they were a year ago, but they still have a long way to go. The Ravens should romp in their home opener. 38-14.

@ Pittsburgh Steelers - WIN - The Ravens lucked out and face the Steelers in Pittsburgh during the last week of Ben Roethlisberger's 4-week suspension. QB Dennis Dixon almost beat the Ravens in Baltimore last year, so this could be a very tough game for the Ravens, but I see the Ravens getting the W. They should have beaten the Steelers in Pittsburgh last year if Derrick Mason catches a sure-fire touchdown pass, and the Ravens have only gotten better while the Steelers have taken a few steps back. 24-17.

Denver Broncos - WIN - The Ravens always dominate the Broncos in Baltimore and this year should be no different. The Broncos lost their best offensive weapon, Brandon Marshall, this past offseason and look to be headed for a rebuilding year. I see the Ravens winning easily. 30-13.

@ New England Patriots - LOSS - The Ravens drew a tough hand, getting four very tough road games to start the season and this one is no different. The Ravens went 1-1 in New England last year, but could have easily been 2-0. The Patriots are probably a little better than they were in the playoffs last year with Wes Welker coming back, but their defense is stil suspect and the Ravens' new offensive weapons should help the Ravens move down the field against their defense. But Patriots head coach Bill Belichick rarely gets beaten twice by the same team in a calendar year, so I am going to pick with my head and not my heart for this one. 20-23.

Buffalo Bills - WIN - The Bills are going to be one of the worst teams in the league this year. Even winning a close game would be a disappointment. Blowout city. 40-17.

Miami Dolphins - WIN - The Dolphins are a team on the rise, with the addition of Brandon Marshall, and the Wildcat offense has given strong defensive teams fits in the past. But the Ravens handled them twice in 2008 and should look to handle the Dolphins once more. 26-18.

@ Atlanta Falcons - WIN - To me, the Falcons are a mysterious team in 2010. Like the Ravens, the Falcons have been riding the wave of a new head coach in Mike Smith and a young QB in Matt Ryan, but 2009 was a step back for the team, as they missed the playoff despite going 9-7. Will the Falcons be the Falcons of 2008? The Ravens have added more weapons than the Falcons have, so 2010 is where these two team's eerie similarities should end. But this could be a tough game, either way. 24-17.

@ Carolina Panthers - WIN - The Panthers will always have a strong running attack as long as DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are lining up in their backfield. But with Matt Moore as their QB, they should be a one dimensional team in 2010. The Ravens should win this game as long as they can stop the run. 28-13.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WIN - The Bucs are one of those teams content to go through the motions. Their QB is Josh Freeman. Their RB is still Cadillac Williams and their WR's are filled with guys no one has ever heard of. Their defense is nothing like the one that helped win a Super Bowl and dominate the league for years. The Ravens should win easily. 33-10.

Pittsburgh Steelers - WIN - The Ravens haven't beaten a Ben Roethlisberger quarterbacked Steelers team since 2006. It ends here. 17-13.

@ Houston Texans - LOSS - Everyone thinks the Texans are going to challenge the Colts for the division this year, and they have the offense to do it. Coming off a hard-fought win against the Steelers, the Ravens will drop this one in the closing minutes. 20-24.

New Orleans Saints - WIN - The Saints are a multi-faceted offense much like the Colts that can give the Ravens' defense fits. On defense, the Saints are an all or nothing unit, relying on turnovers to be effective. This could go either way for me, but I think the Ravens will rise to the opportunity after a sour loss to the Texans in Houston a week before. This is a statement game for the Ravens as they look to win the division and head into the playoffs. 30-24.

@ Cleveland Browns - WIN - The Browns have a knack for playing division rivals tough at home regardless of how bad they have been, and just last season they lost to the Bengals by 3 points, beat the Steelers, and the Ravens needed turnovers to score points. I expect more of the same in a Ravens close win. 28-24.

Cincinnati Bengals - WIN - This could be for the division, for the playoffs, for everything -- or nothing -- depending on if the Ravens or Bengals already have their postseason position locked up. But with the Bengals having beaten the Ravens in Cincy in week 2, the Ravens will come out determined to end the losing streak versus the Bengals. 28-21.

Ravens 2010 Record: 13-3.

I would give myself a margin of error of -2, meaning an 11-5 season could be very likely. But I just don't see this team having too many letdowns with the firepower they have on offense and with the talent they still have on defense.

2010 should be a very "super" year in Baltimore. Anything less would be a disappointment.

Ravens finalize roster, sign TJ Houshmandzadeh

Hopefully Houshmandzadeh will do his share of celebrating with the Ravens in 2010.

The Ravens trimmed down their roster to 53 players by making some moves that caught fans by surprise. The biggest surprise was the signing of former Bengals WR, TJ Houshmandzadeh.

Housh turns 34 in a few weeks, and shouldn't be counted on to put up numbers like he did in '06 or '07 when he racked up over 1,000 yards receiving. But he will bring depth to a position the Ravens have lacked for so long. And while none of the Ravens WR's are deep threats, they will bring a physical presence to the Ravens passing game.

Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason, TJ Houshmandzadeh.

Sounds good, doesn't it?

To make room for Housh, the Ravens traded Mark Clayton to the St. Louis Rams for a conditional draft pick. Clayton, a former second round pick, showed flashes throughout his five year career with the Ravens, but was never healthy or consistent enough to be counted on regularly. The Ravens also cut the oft-injured Demetrius Williams.

The Ravens also traded defensive end Antwan Barnes to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 7th round pick. Barnes, a 4th round pick in 2007 had 3 sacks last year.

And the roster crunch meant that the Ravens released QB Troy Smith, who has since been picked up by the San Francisco 49ers.

Smith, a former Heisman Trophy winner and 2007 5th round pick, had a tumultuous 4-year career in Baltimore that felt longer than it really was. As the 2007 season winded down, and Kyle Boller was injured, Smith started the team's two final games, which included a blowout loss on the road to the Seahawks and a win at home against the Ben Roethlisbergerless Steelers. His play in those two games wasn't much to write home about, but it did enough to make the Ravens consider Smith for the starting job in 2008.

And we all know what happened, Boller was injured, Smith caught tonsillitis, and rookie QB Joe Flacco took the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game. Smith would see the field here and there in the next two years in a Wildcat-style offense.

Then, as the Ravens were fighting for a playoff spot late last season, word came via Smith's agent that he wanted to be traded and that he would "crawl from Baltimore". From that point on, it was only a matter of time for Smith. Earlier this summer, the Ravens signed Marc Bulger as back-up, and after Troy Smith failed to impress as he played the entire 4th preseason game this year, he was finally released.

I personally always liked Troy Smith. I felt he had a swagger that the Ravens lacked on offense, and could have become an exciting QB if given the chance. And while I am glad that history went the way it did with Flacco, I'll always wonder what Smith could have done as QB.

Maybe we will, it just won't be in Baltimore.

Ravens win preseason opener

Was Mark Clayton being showcased for a trade last night? He had 2 receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens win over the Panthers.

The Ravens opened the preseason last night with a soaking wet win, beating the Carolina Panthers, 17-12.

While the Ravens' first team offense was on the field, it was if they were saying, "Look ma! No Ray Rice!"

Rice didn't see a single play last night. The Ravens instead opted to use La'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee at the RB position. McClain was the only RB who ran well, averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

The absence of Ray Rice allowed the Ravens to come out and throw, and boy did they ever. On the Ravens' first play on offense, Joe Flacco hooked up with Derrick Mason for 23 yards. Anquan Boldin was getting double coverage on the left side of the field allowing Mason to skirt under the single coverage for the reception. Hopefully a coming attraction of what is to come this season. And we all know Boldin will get his catches despite the double coverage he will see often.

But ironically it was Mark Clayton who had the biggest night receiving. He caught 2 passes for 48 yards including a 30 yard touchdown catch. Are the Ravens showcasing Clayton for a trade? Could be...they do need some secondary help.

Boldin was mostly quiet on the night, catching 1 pass for a 12 yard gain. However, it was nice to see what a #1 WR can bring to the table, getting double covered and allowing the other WR's to practically roam free.

Flacco, meanwhile, looked like he was in midseason form. Aside from taking some sacks that he may have been able to slip out of, he looked great. The touchdown pass to Clayton was on a dime and he finished with an impressive 8 for 12 with 120 yards passing and a touchdown.

Marc Bulger took over for Flacco late in the second quarter, and looked a little rusty. He hasn't seen action on the NFL field since last November, when he went down with a season ending injury. Bulger still has a nice quick release, and throws a tight spiral. But last night he overthrew some receivers who were open. He finished 5 of 12 with 67 yards.

Troy Smith took over mop-up duty in the third quarter and couldn't get anything going. He completed just 2 of 6 passes for 18 yards. He did, however, score a TD on an 8-yard run, but it was set up by Prince Miller's 57-yard punt return.

I keep waiting to see something from Smith, being a former Heisman winner and all, and I liked what I saw from him during his starts in 2007. But since then, he hasn't shown me much of anything in the preseason games he's played in. I know he's playing with the 3rd stringers, many of which will be out of football in a couple weeks, but you'd think that Smith would show some flashes of talent that many people still think he has. I am just not seeing it.

The first team defense had some problems stopping DeAngelo Williams early, as do most defenses, but overall, the defense played well last night, sacking Panthers QB Matt Moore on a 3rd down and totaling 7 sacks on the night. And Cary Williams had himself a nice interception. Williams, who will be suspended for the first two games of the season looks to add some depth to a Ravens secondary that is banged up.

And on Special Teams, Prince Miller turned heads with an impressive 57 yard punt return that set up a Ravens touchdown in the 3rd quarter. Miller, a cornerback, could earn himself a spot on special teams as well as the secondary if he keeps this up.

So was it fun to watch football again? You bet...at least for the first half.

The Ravens play the Redskins in Washington on Saturday the 21st.

A rocky summer doesn't lower expectations

For many Ravens fans, the start of training camp should come as a relief. This past offseason had reached a boiling point. Fans over-examined the smallest details in an article. It was getting ridiculous.

Remember Joe Flacco's interview where he said he wasn't sure how Marc Bulger would affect the team's chemistry? Fans took it as Flacco directly insulting Bulger, when Flacco was really just speaking about the solid chemistry that he had with back-up QB's John Beck and Troy Smith.

Remember Ed Reed's public ploys to get a new contract, even though he'd hinted at retirement last season and still says he is not close to being 100% healthy? A lot of his comments were strange, but overall it was just Reed posturing for a new deal.

Remember the on-going Jared Gaither saga all offseason? Gaither was on the trade market all offseason but will remain a Raven in 2010. Unfortunately, he does not have a good work ethic, but is still one of the best offensive lineman the team has.

Now that the team is back together at McDaniel College in Westminster, fans should breathe a sigh of relief. There is real football to discuss and not just dissecting a player's quotes.

That said, there are some troubling things hanging over the team right now.

Sergio Kindle, the team's first draft pick in the 2010 draft, suffered a fractured skull in a fall down two flights of steps just days before he was to sign a contract with the Ravens. It was as tragic as it was suspicious. Kindle has had a history of alcohol abuse and many linked his fall to being drunk, but no official report has come out saying how or why Kindle fell. Apparently, Kindle suffers from narcolepsy, and people have made the connection, blaming that for the fall. But we don't really know. And we may never truly know what caused the fall. All we as Ravens fans can do is hope for the best for Kindle's sake. Here is a man about to sign a multimillion-dollar contract and now his entire career is up in the air. Just tragic.

Then there is Reed, who did raise fans' eyebrows with his constant remarks in the media about the Ravens disrespecting him by not letting him review game film or giving him a new deal. Reed's comments are all over the place. He's talked about retirement, said he's not 100%, says the Ravens don't treat him as they should -- and yet he wants a new contract. I think Reed realizes his career is coming to an end and wants one last payday but he is going about it the wrong way. What he needs to do is focus on getting ready for the 2010 season, and let everything else take care of itself. Currently Reed's return is unknown. Rotoworld currently says he could miss the first six weeks of the season.

As a matter of fact, the entire secondary is pretty much up in the air at this point. A week ago, CB Dominique Foxworth suffered a torn ACL and will miss the entire season. Ladarius Webb is rehabbing a knee, and is on the PUP list for training camp and the earliest he could return is week 2 or 3. And Fabian Washington, who also suffered a knee injury last season, was just removed from the PUP list and is able to resume full football activity. Hopefully Washington will be able to remain healthy now that the secondary's depth has been slashed.

That still leaves promising guys like Dave Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura in the secondary, giving them a chance to step up along with a few late draft picks and undrafted free agents, but if the Ravens have a weakness heading into the season it's definitely in the secondary.

But, getting past all those issues, there is still reason for high expectations in Baltimore. Aside from the secondary, the Ravens are loaded with talent at every position. The offense, with WR Anquan Boldin, finally looks to be the strongest unit on the team, and the defense, with Ray Lewis still front and center, should remain strong.

What does it all mean? I think the Ravens are setting themselves up for a deep run into the playoffs, but anything can happen. The Ravens probably have their best team on paper, but as we have seen in the past, anything can happen on Sunday. And if the injuries continue to pile up, all bets are off.

But despite the setbacks the team has suffered this summer, nothing short of a disaster is going to lower expectations now. And for good reason.

Ravens sign Bulger

Chin up, Marc, you're not on the Rams any more.

The Ravens surprised their fans by signing former Rams QB Marc Bulger to a 1-year deal earlier this week.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Ravens signed themselves abother QB, since it was pretty certain that Troy Smith would not enter the 2010 season a Raven after demanding trades last season, leaving John Beck as the only other QB on the roster aside from Joe Flacco. But it was kind of shocking to see the Ravens pick up Bulger.

Many fans in the NFL may envision Marc Bulger having a big fork stuck in his back. And many of those fans may be Raven fans.

But that is unfair.

Bulger, who was the Rams QB from 2002-2009, was at one time a very good QB, having thrown for more than 20 TD's and 3,800 yards three times in his career. But then sometime around 2007 the Rams became one of the worst teams in the NFL and Bulger's career, and health, suffered for it.

Bulger missed 7 games last year, and hasn't put up decent numbers since 2006. That's to be expected. The Rams were awful. If they were a Major League Baseball team, they'd be, well, the Orioles. And when the Rams selected Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford with the first overall pick in the 2010 draft, it was the end of Bulger's career in St. Louis.

It was pretty obvious that Bulger wouldn't be signed as a starting QB this offseason. Despite the Rams struggles on offense these last few years, Bulger turned the ball over too much and couldn't stay healthy. But at 33 years old, I still think Bulger has something left in the tank.

And the Raves, who are legit Super Bowl contenders heading into the 2010 season, need a back-up QB better than John Beck. No disrespect to Beck, I think he'd be a fine back-up and maybe even a decent starting QB in the NFL, but the Ravens need a more experienced QB on the team in case something happens to Joe Flacco (God forbid).

With Flacco injured and Beck the starting QB, the chances of making the playoffs would be decimated. But with Bulger, who will once again be playing behind a great OL and actually have some good WR's to throw to, the Ravens would still be considered playoff contenders.

And that's what it all comes down to: insurance. Joe Flacco is the franchise QB and after improving during his second season in the NFL in 2009, he is poised to break out and become a top 10, or even top 5 QB in 2010.

But it is nice to know that Marc Bulger, and not John Beck, will be the one coming into the game if tragedy strikes Baltimore and Flacco is injured.

The higher the expectations, the harder they fall

I'll be the first to admit, I expect the ravens to have a great 2010 season and go deep in the playoffs. The words "super" and "bowl" shouldn't sound strange to Ravens fans using them in the same sentence.

But I am not ready to buy tickets to Dallas just yet. And here's why.

In the past, the Ravens have done very poorly with heightened expectations. Most of the time, they were Brian Billick coached teams, and that might say something about Billick's coaching style. He was always better rallying troops who were viewed as the underdog. His coaching in the 2000 season and throughout the playoffs was completely brilliant. But unlike Bill Belichick, Billick wasn't very good at keeping the Ravens focused and motivated when the world viewed them as a legitimate threat.

Here's a look at some of the more hyped Ravens teams that ultimately disappointed.

Year: 2001
The Hype: The Ravens had just come off a Super Bowl win, had seemingly upgraded at QB (Elvis Grbac > Trent Dilfer) and had landed themselves a preseason reality show (Hard Knocks) that would make even third string special team players household names. Many fans and local sports personalities predicted the Ravens to repeat.
What Went Wrong: Second year RB Jamal Lewis and OL Leon Searcy were injured early in training camp and missed the entire season with injuries. Without a running game, the Ravens became one-dimensional offense and Elvis Grbac cried on the sidelines.
What Happened: 10-6, clinched a playoff berth the final week of the season, beat Miami 21-3, lost to Pittsburgh 27-10.
Disappointment Level: 8. The Ravens were legitimate candidates to repeat before Lewis and Searcy were lost for the season.

Year: 2004
The Hype: The Ravens had won the AFC North in '03 and Jamal Lewis had rushed for over 2,000 yards. Kyle Boller, who was injured mid-way through the 2003 season, was back and expected to improve drastically in his second year. Deion Sanders made a comeback had joined the team late in training camp.
What Went Wrong: Boller never really improved and the Ravens' offense routinely went three and out. Jamal Lewis was suspended for 4 games. Despite the Raven's horrid offense, the defense routinely won the team games, but couldn't hold a lead at home against the Bengals late in the season, ultimately costing the Ravens a trip to the playoffs. John Feinstein's book, Next Man Up, explores this troubled season with great precision.
What Happened: 9-7, missed the playoffs.
Disappointment Level: 6. Outside of Jamal Lewis, the '03 Ravens were one-dimensional on offense. 2004 wasn't very surprising in retrospect.

Year: 2005
The Hype: The Ravens on defense were still a threat and had missed the playoffs by only one game. Many expected that Boller would finally "get it" in 2005 and the Ravens would go to the playoffs.
What Went Wrong: Boller was injured in week 1 and missed the next eight games. Anthony Wright, who'd filled in well for Boller in '03, was a disaster. Ray Lewis missed 11 games and the wheels fell off the wagon.
What Happened: 6-10, missed the playoffs.
Disappointment Level: 5. Many people thought Boller getting injured was a blessing in disguise, which should tell you where people's hopes were headed into the season.

Year: 2007
The Hype: In 2006, the Ravens had gone 13-3 under newly acquired QB Steve McNair and clinched a first round bye before losing to the Colts at home in the second round of the playoffs. In '07, the Ravens were expected to at least make a repeat playoff appearance with newly acquired RB Willis McGahee.
What Went Wrong: Steve McNair looked like a geriatric and was shelved with arm and groin injuries in week 6. Boller never fared any better and injuries to Todd Heap, Samari Rolle and Chris McAllister devastated the team even further.
What Happened: 5-11, missed the playoffs.
Disappointment Level: 9. Many fans expected a repeat of 2006.

Year: 2009
The Hype: The '08 Ravens were a pleasant surprise. Rookie head coach John Harbaugh and rookie QB Joe Flacco lead the Ravens to a 11-5 record and a trip to the AFC Championship where they lost to the Steelers. IN '09, Flacco was supposed to improve mightily and the Ravens were supposed to waltz into the playoffs.
What Went Wrong: It started off so well. But the kicking game was inconsistent, the defense couldn't stop opposing offenses and Flacco was injured in week 6 despite playing the entire season.
What Happened: 9-7, made the playoffs, beating the New England Patriots 33-14 before losing to the Colts, 20-3.
Disappointment Level: 7. The Ravens cost themselves several games on turnovers, missed field goals and poor coaching. Despite all that, they made the playoffs, annihilated the Patriots, who they hadn't beaten since the Browns moved to Baltimore, before rolling over again for the millionth time against the Colts. Still, it could have been much, much sweeter.

So there you have it. Every time the Ravens are picked as favorites, they falter. And with the high expectations in 2010, here's to hoping that history doesn't repeat itself.

2010 Schedule Released

9/13 @ NYJ
9/19 @ CIN
9/26 CLE
10/3 @ PIT
10/10 DEN
10/17 @ NE
10/24 BUF
10/31 BYE
11/7 MIA
11/11 @ ATL
11/21 @ CAR
11/28 TB
12/5 PIT
12/13 @ HOU
12/19 NO
12/26 @ CLE
1/2 CIN

A few notes on the Ravens schedule:

- A very tough start to the season. On the road for two before coming home, and the week 2 game will be a short week since the week 1 game at New York Jets is a Monday Night game. Four of the first six games are on the road.
- Since Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for 6 games today, the Ravens caught a break in playing at Pittsburgh in week 4.
- It will be interesting to see how the Ravens play in New England after blowing the Patriots out of Gillette Stadium in the first round of the playoffs last year.
- The bye comes at the perfect time: right at the mid-way point.
- All in all, it's a pretty tough schedule, but the Ravens got a couple of breaks that should help them on their way to a third playoff appearance in a row.