Right Off Russell

A must win game. We hear that phrase all the time. Sometimes it’s hyperbole and sometimes is dead on.  For the Ravens on Sunday, it’s much closer to dead on than hyperbole. The team sits at 3-3 with 2 key AFC losses to the Bengals and the Patriots. The Bengals loss was especially hurtful because it was at home and it was a division loss.  Now the undefeated Broncos come to town looking to put a stranglehold hold on the AFC West.  As we sit here less than 24 hours from the game, Ravens fans are asking themselves a question that really hasn’t taken much thought to answer for the past 8 or 9 years.  “Can the defense play well enough for the Ravens to win?”.  Strange as it sounds, that question hovers over this team.  The offense has done carried it’s weight for the most part this season. Meanwhile, the defense has surrendered big plays and late game drives that have taken this team from 3-0 to 3-3.  What does the defense have to do to rectify the situation? Let’s take a look. Read more »

Surprisingly, the Denver Broncos rank at the top of the league in scoring defense, allowing just 11 points per game.  Denver also leads the league in 3rd down defense and is 2nd in the NFL in sacks.  The Broncos have proven all the doubters wrong thus far and have earned the right to no longer have the word “surprising” used to describe them.  The Ravens definitely have their work cut out for them offensively on Sunday, as the Broncos present their sternest defensive test yet. Read more »

The Orioles today announced that they have outrighted RHPs ALFREDO SIMON (reinstated from 60-day DL) and BOB McCRORY and LHP RICH HILL (reinstated from 60-day DL) to Triple-A Norfolk after all three cleared waivers, removing them from the 40-man roster.

I actually feel bad for Alfredo. He had a stron spring made the team. Gets rocked in 1 game for the O’s and then ends up with Tommy john surgery.

Bobby McGeeMcCrory had two stints with the O’s this season and really never had his best stuff. Tides announcer Bob Socci said that McCrory had some amazing stuff, but it never seemed to pan out when it mattered.

Then there is old Richie Rich. You gotta love a guy who is about to be cut then telling the world that he was pitching with a torn labrum. For sure, the guy has one hell of a curve ball but nothing else this season. Who know, maybe he will still be with the organization in 15 months when he is fully healed and he can show off his stuff once again.

BaltimoreRavens.com
Oct 29, 2009, 5:28PM

Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Jerry Rosburg
On how Denver WR/RS Eddie Royal stands out from the other returners they have faced: “I think Eddie Royal stands out because, like a couple of other guys, he does both [punt and kickoff returns] well. It’s not a real surprise to me. Where he went to college [Virginia Tech], special teams is a high priority. So, he’s grown up under [Frank] Beamer’s special team system. He knows how to be tough on returns. He can fall forward and get yards. He’s got quick feet and he’s fast. That sounds like a real simple formula, but some guys are quick and some guys are fast. He’s quick and he’s fast.”

On how unique it is for Royal to return both punts and kickoffs: Read more »

Chad Moeller and Melvin Mora have had there 2010 options declined. Jeff Fiorentino, Chris Lambert, Jim Miller, and Guillermo Rodriguez were all outrighted to AAA Norfolk. These moves were all made to make room on the 40-man roster.

These moves were expected. The Rule 5 draft is coming up soon and players like Brandon Erbe, Brandon Snyder, and others are going to need to be protected.

As for Mora, the era is over. Now it will be interesting to see if he plays anywhere else.

BaltimoreRavens.com
Oct 28, 2009, 6:51PM

LB Ray Lewis

On if he is happy about being back to play football: “Why wouldn’t we be? I’ll sum it up like this: Basketball season started, and you always watch a different sport. You see the excitement behind it all. I watched the Lakers last night, then the Celtics and the Cavs. It is kind of exciting to see how the season is going. I was sitting there with my girl and my boy, and was like, ‘Wow, we get to go back and play football again.’ So, you had your little break all week, which is a good thing. We needed it and really got after each other on the bye – practiced some small things. I think now we’ve got a nice little chip [on our shoulder] once we get back to the field on Sunday. So, it should be a good thing.”

On his thoughts about knocking off an undefeated football team: Read more »

BaltimoreRavens.com
Oct 28, 2009, 6:51PM

QB Joe Flacco

On whether Denver’s defense makes him think a more than other defenses: “Yeah, they’re capable of doing some of those things and trying to make you feel uncomfortable and moving around a little bit and showing different looks. But, we’ve got to watch film, get them down and just go in there with our game plan, confident in what we do. As long as we go out there and play confidently and play quickly, then we’ll get rid of that stuff. Like I said, we’ve just got to play our game, and as long as we do that, I think all of that other stuff will take care of itself, and the line will do a great job picking all of those guys up, and we’ll be fine.”

On his prediction for the World Series: Read more »

BaltimoreRavens.com
Oct 28, 2009, 6:51PM

Head Coach John Harbaugh

On if there is a special sense of urgency going into the Broncos game because of the three straight losses: “There’s always a special sense of urgency. That’s how you look at it in this league. So, to make any game any different would be to demean or diminish the other guys, and we’re not interested in doing that. So this game has the same importance it would have had no matter what our record is. That’s how we look at it, and that’s how you better look at it in this league to have a chance to win a game, because it’s hard to win.”

On if it’s harder to scheme against a team like the Broncos who do a little bit of everything well versus a team like the Vikings where you have to stop just one guy like RB Adrian Petersen: Read more »

When we last saw the Ravens play, we watched Frank Walker getting beat by Brett Favre and Sidney Rice for a 58 yard completion that setup the game winning field goal. Why was Frank Walker covering Sidney Rice? Because Fabian Washington had been benched for his lackluster performance in that game.

Will Frank Walker be starting on Sunday vs the Broncos? I think most Ravens fans are hoping that won’t be the case. They are hoping that this benchng will be a shake-up for Fabian and hope to see him play some improved coverage.

Here is what Fabian had to say in a recent CCT article by Aaron Wilson.

“My confidence has never been down,” Washington said. “My technique isn’t what I want it to be thus far, but I’m working on that.”

“I ain’t hiding nothing. We’re going out and competing and the best player is going to play. I’ll be back to being Fabian on Sunday.”

What we might see new is more Ladarius Webb. Webb has shown some great signs of growth this season and with Chris Carr struggling in Nickel situations, it is possible that we may be seeing Webb fill that role sooner than later.

Ran across this article about Joe Flacco on espn.com.  Liked it a lot so I thought I would share i.  Some of it is stuff we have heard already about Cool Joe, but it offers some insight from his coach at Delaware, K.C. Keeler:

“After they drafted him, I can remember [Baltimore's coaches] asking me, ‘Can we play this guy early?’” Keeler says. “I said, ‘Yeah, you know what? You won’t damage him. He’s not a delicate flower. He’s a man. If he doesn’t perform well as a rookie, he’ll live with it and move on.’

 ”To this day, I often use Joe’s philosophy, that you can’t be afraid to fail. When I talk to youth football groups, I tell them about Joe. Joe’s not afraid to fail. That’s a great philosophy to have. That’s something I’ll take with me forever.”

As well as a good quote from another young QB I respect a lot, Aaron Rodgers:

“I met him at one of the Super Bowl events, and I was very impressed by his character and the way he handled himself,” says Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, “which I think says a lot about a person as a leader and as a quarterback. You need to have a good head on your shoulders to be able to inspire the guys around you.”

The article has some other good quotes from his dad and good info about his family.  Confirms we have a franchise guy in Baltimore, which is a unique feeling for Ravens fans.  Just need to keep the right talent around him.