Category: Opinions

Ravens 2025 Draft – Edge Linebackers

I’m out of my hibernation.  It’s time for the annual Ravens pre-draft positional analyses for the upcoming 2025 draft!  This analysis, and each of the ones to follow, are not intended as generic player reviews.  Rather, the focus is on analyzing which players fit the specific needs of the Ravens.  These reviews are solely from the Ravens perspective.  Some very good players, high up on mock draft boards, just don’t make sense for Baltimore, and are rated accordingly.  This post starts with edge linebackers.

All of this analysis ends up incorporated in my “Big Board” thoughts, posted after all of the position analyses are finished.

NEW BLOG SUBJECT – As a side note, this blog is adding a section on the JFK Assassination.  Of long-standing interest to two people who will be posting, the assassination remains one of the great mysteries in U.S. history.  Our amateur sleuths will plumb a lot of depths with factual analyses of what actually happened that day in Dallas, and more.  Readers currently on the email list will have links forwarded as posts are made.  Feel free to send us comments.

Now, back to the draft!
Continue reading “Ravens 2025 Draft – Edge Linebackers”

The Bills Debacle

It’s difficult to swallow the elimination pill before you even get to the conference championship game when you arguably have the greatest offense of all time.  Self-destruction is how we will remember the 2024 Ravens.  A team that, in the end, couldn’t avoid beating themselves.  Championship teams don’t do that.

The Ravens lost six games in 2024.  They were outgained in only one of those losses – and that was by 14 yards to the lowly Browns.  The offense averaged 450 yards per game.  Think about that.  They were held below 350 yards just once (the first Pittsburg game) and they still out-gained their opponent in that loss.  They played Buffalo twice, and the “mighty” Bills gained a total of 509 yards.  The Ravens?  They gained 843, including outgaining the Bills by 143 yards in the tragicomedy last weekend. Continue reading “The Bills Debacle”

The Buffalo Matchup – Bills Observations and More

I don’t put much into the Ravens big early season win against the Bills.  That’s almost a season ago.  Instead, tape study of the Bills easy win last week against the Broncos, and from their huge win against the Lions in week 15, yielded insights for the Ravens.  Let’s dive into that, and a bit more.

Bills Observations – Offensive Running Game

The first thing jumping off the offensive tape is the dominance displayed by the Bills offensive line.  It’s a power group, pure and simple, highlighted by excellent play from left tackle Dion Dawkins and right tackle Spencer Brown.  The Bills pull either tackle in the direction of the run play.  Both of them are adept at doing it, though Brown really jumped off the tape last week against the Broncos.  Support from the safeties and corners will be critical to defeat these plays. Continue reading “The Buffalo Matchup – Bills Observations and More”

Round Three – Ravens versus Steelers

The Ravens are a heavy favorite to beat Pittsburgh in the wild card round of the playoffs.  They should be, but I believe that there is too much complacency around fans and pundits belief that this is an easy advance for Baltimore.  Let me jump right into that, and what I took out of the Steelers loss to the Bengals. Continue reading “Round Three – Ravens versus Steelers”

Ravens 2024 Season Finale, Final Thoughts

Ravens fans should have one primary thought heading into the season finale.  Don’t choke on the Browns!  Cleveland is a terrible team, and will field unknown players against the 20-point favorite Ravens.  We should never take anything for granted, but an unfathomable loss against Cleveland would be one of the biggest NFL regular season shockers of all time.  To the Ravens: just win the game and avoid injury.  And don’t let Myles Garrett get to Lamar.

Pundits are Crowing Over the “New” Defense – Are They Right?

The Ravens offense walloped the Texans.  The defense pitched a shutout.  Was the defense that good and have they now become a top level NFL unit? Continue reading “Ravens 2024 Season Finale, Final Thoughts”

Steelers Week Number Two – Ruminations

Heading into Steelers week number two, the Ravens find themselves solid favorites against the team that has been in first place in the AFC North for most of the season.  Somehow, the Steelers have dominated the Ravens over the last few seasons, winning games in ugly ways – but winning them nevertheless.

This week I spent no time watching tape of the Ravens win over the junior varsity Giants.  Instead, I took a hard look at the Steelers matchup with the Eagles.  Below, I share a few opinions from that game, and what they could mean as the Ravens face a must win game for divisional purposes. Continue reading “Steelers Week Number Two – Ruminations”

Ravens Thoughts Heading Into the Giants Game

This week I run through a series of Ravens thoughts heading into the Giants matchup.  The Ravens are 16-point favorites as I pen this, the largest favorite spread for a road team in the NFL since 1966.  Now the Baltimore Colts were the biggest favorites in NFL championship history to lose, and they did that on two occasions.  The 1964 championship game against the Browns, and the awful loss to the Jets in Super Bowl III.  But it’s hard to imagine the Ravens losing against the Giants, who are pitiful given their injuries, quarterback play, personnel, etc.  A loss against New York would stamp the 2024 Ravens as a Super Bowl imposter. Continue reading “Ravens Thoughts Heading Into the Giants Game”

Ravens-Chargers: Some Defensive Improvement? And More

The Ravens enjoyed some defensive improvement last week against the Chargers.  But don’t get carried away yet.  There were still a bunch of mistakes.  And the real defensive test looms against the powerful Eagles offense.  Let’s take a look at this, and a bit more. Continue reading “Ravens-Chargers: Some Defensive Improvement? And More”

Ravens Dreadful Loss to Pittsburgh: A Bunch of Thoughts

Just another Steelers loss that’s hard to fathom.  The Steelers have a good defense, a very mediocre offense to go with a mediocre quarterback, excellent special teams and excellent coaches.  They will make the playoffs barring a shocking turn.  But this makes three losses for the Ravens to inferior teams.  Which tells us – like it or not – that the Ravens are not (yet?) a great team.   Let’s take a look at a few things that went wrong last week, a possible silver lining, and waste few words on the obvious. Continue reading “Ravens Dreadful Loss to Pittsburgh: A Bunch of Thoughts”

Ravens Defensive Problems Just Keep Rolling On

For the second week in a row I’m not going to spend any time on the Ravens offense.  Through ten games the only team that has stopped the Ravens offense is the Ravens.  I’m eager to see whether Lamar can finally exorcise his Steelers demons.  But the Ravens defensive problems just continue to roll on.  The risk that these problems are unfixable is growing.  Below, I try to characterize my concerns, take a quick look at what is going wrong, and point to a few dim glimmers of hope.

Zach Orr and the (In)ability to Adapt

Continue reading “Ravens Defensive Problems Just Keep Rolling On”

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