The Baltimore Ravens got their preseason off to a successful start Thursday night when they recorded a 31-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Very little can be taken from preseason games in terms of judging how well a side will perform in the regular season, none more so than at the Georgia Dome where both sides fielded the majority of their starters for just one quarter.

These games do, however, provide the perfect stage for untested rookies and players lower down on the depth chart to prove their worth and stake a claim making the final 53-man roster. Following a summer of significant roster upheaval in Baltimore, this is one of the most hotly anticipated preseasons in recent memory for the Ravens. Duels for depth chart superiority are abound for Baltimore with halfback, wide receiver and outside linebacker positions coming under extra scrutiny, whilst there are still starters places up for grabs in the offensive line.

The role of Ray Rice’s backup was initially thought to be contested between third-round draft pick Bernard Pierce and second-year players Anthony Allen and Damien Berry, but the emergence of undrafted rookie Bobby Rainey in the Raven’s training camp has thrown in a fourth contender.

Rainey was undoubtedly the star of the game for Baltimore, running elusively between the tackles, showing good acceleration to get outside of the defense and demonstrating his ability as a receiver when he collected a screen pass and displayed good agility to elude the Falcons’ defense on the way to scoring a touchdown. You could be forgiven for thinking you were actually watching Rice, such are the physical and playing similarities between Rainey and the current starting running back, a factor which could work against him should the Ravens want a contrasting back to supplement Rice.

With both Courtney Upshaw and Pierce absent due to recent injuries, it was likely that focus would fall on free agent acquisitions for Baltimore, rather than rookies, but a number of lower round picks stood up to be counted.

The fifth-round draft pick Asa Jackson looked good on special teams as well as nearly recording a sack early in the game, whilst safety Christian Thompson was reliable in the secondary and put in a thunderous hit late in the game. This is clearly a sign that training alongside Bernard Pollard is paying off for the youngster.

Wide receivers Deonte Thompson and LaQuan Williams both had good games, with Thompson in particular making a couple of clutch catches as both players compete for the fourth wide receiver spot on the depth chart.

The offensive line appeared solid, with the veterans acquitting themselves well, if not spectacularly, and Bryant McKinnie played, contrary to suggestions, in a bid to prove his fitness following a late arrival at training camp due to a back injury. Rookies Kelechi Osemele and Gino Gradkowski both looked good during their snaps, but they will have to maintain that form throughout the preseason if they are to challenge for a starters spot, although a place on the final 53-man roster seems a certainty at the moment.

It is difficult to criticize any of the current starters, despite being outplayed early on by the Falcons. They were only allowed a single quarter to showcase their talents, but a substandard performance from Cary Williams may well have alerted John Harbaugh. Playing against a wide receiver duo of Roddy White and Julio Jones is never easy, but Williams seemed outmatched, possibly opening the door for Jimmy Smith to partner Lardarius Webb.

Other notable performances included two fumble recoveries and an interception by rookie corner Omar Brown, while quarterback Curtis Painter may have helped establish himself as the backup quarterback after he outperformed Tyrod Taylor with a fairly composed and effective outing.

It is certainly in the early days for Baltimore, and the game against the Falcons probably raised more questions than answers in terms of the depth chart, but it was a good performance from the young rookies, especially the undrafted pair of Rainey and D Thompson. All eyes will now turn to their next preseason game at home against the Detriot Lions, where highly rated rookies Upshaw and Pierce should make their bow at the M&T Bank Stadium alongside the likes of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

Image Courtesy of  Baltimore Ravens

The article Young Ravens Impress at the Georgia Dome appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The career of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Sergio Kindle has certainly been a bumpy road thus far, but with the University of Texas graduate heading into his third season in the NFL, it is make or break time for the 24-year old.

The versatile outside linebacker, who also has experience playing both inside linebacker and defensive end, looked like a real first round prospect in the run up to the 2010 NFL Draft. Standout performances during his years in Texas saw him named a First Team All-American in 2009 and culminated in a eye-catching performance in the 2010 BCS National Championship game against Alabama, dramatically raising his draft stock.

His ability on the field was never in question, but a number of non-playing issues swirled around Kindle and were enough reason for many of his potential suitors to pass on him. These issues involved persistent knee injuries as well as off-field controversies including a charge for driving while intoxicated following his inaugural season in Texas. Ultimately these problems caused Kindle to drop to the second round where the Ravens picked him up with the 43rd overall pick, clearly impressed by his game footage and impressive showing at the Combine.

The Ravens, known for their shrewd drafting policy, clearly believed that the experienced heads of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs on defense would be enough to help Kindle mature both on and off the field. This, however, was not to be, as Kindle suffered head trauma following a fall down two flights of stairs and spent the rest of the season on the injured reserve list.

Although Kindle fractured his skull in the fall, a severe loss of hearing in his left ear has hampered his professional career even more significantly. The damage to his hearing prevented him from making any meaningful contribution to the Ravens in his second season as he looked to adjust to his injury, an unenviable task given the frequency of pre-snap audibles used in the NFL.

Whilst Kindle was given little opportunity to shine last season with Paul Kruger deputising for both Suggs and Jarret Johnson at the outside linebacker position, the departure of Johnson to San Diego likely means Kruger will become a starter and leave Kindle as the first choice replacement at the position. If this scenario does play out, Kindle would be more than happy to emulate Kruger’s performances a year previously, with the Utah graduate highlighting himself as a very effective pass rusher in the limited opportunities he enjoyed.

If given an opportunity to shine this season, which Head Coach John Harbaugh will undoubtedly be keen to give him, the pass rushing threats of Suggs, Kruger and Haloti Ngata will almost certainly help create space for Kindle to do damage and establish himself as a player who can excel in the NFL. He has the chance to learn from some of the best defensive players currently playing in the NFL and Baltimore seems to be the perfect fit to get Kindle back to the kind of form he showed in college prior to his accident.

The fact remains however that the challenge ahead of Kindle is great. He will have to work harder than anyone else on the team just to be able to keep up with his defensive colleagues and will have to spend Ray Lewis-esque time studying game tape of upcoming opponents.

If he can overcome these obstacles though, the Ravens renowned defense will have added another weapon to their already formidable arsenal. The NFL would be wise not to sleep on Kindle who, if he reaches his potential, will be a fierce prospect indeed. Ben Roethlisberger, Andy Dalton, Colt McCoy, you have been warned.

The article Make Or Break Season Looms For Ravens’ Sergio Kindle appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Reminiscent of the infamous ‘Wide Right’ miss by Scott Norwood in Super Bowl XXV, Billy Cundiff’s failed 32-yard field goal attempt against the New England Patriots broke the hearts of Ravens’ fans worldwide. In addition to being a missed opportunity for Baltimore, it raises widespread concerns over whether or not the current side can mount another genuine shot at Super Bowl glory.

With defensive talismans Ray Lewis and Ed Reed both winding down their illustrious careers, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to maintain their high level performances for another season. Although Lewis has already moved to reassure fans he will be back next season, and remains confident of being able to challenge for the Super Bowl once more, he is not the only issue Baltimore will have to contend with as they move into the offseason.

Primary amongst Baltimore’s concerns will be resolving questionmarks over both defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Pagano has orchestrated another great season for the Ravens, helping them maintain their position as one of the best defenses in the league, ending the regular season ranked 3^rd in Total Defense, 3^rd in Sacks and 1^st in Forced Fumbles.

These kind of statistics are hard to ignore and Pagano has been linked with several of the vacant Head Coach positions around the league, and as such, ensuring his continued position at the Ravens must be a priority for Baltimore.

Questions of a different kind abound over the future of Cameron however, with the OC coming in for widespread criticism from both fans and pundits alike. Most prominent of these criticisms have been Cameron’s inability to get Ray Rice the touches he needs to be a dominant force in games, and his persistence to try and shoehorn Joe Flacco into a system which the quarterback is clearly not comfortable in.

Highlighting this problem has been the fact that some of Flacco’s best plays this season have come either in the no huddle offense or when he is escaping the pocket and giving his receivers more time to find space. Whether they stick with Cameron or decide to pursue an alternative, Baltimore need to make a decision quickly in order to ensure the least possible disruption come the preseason.

In terms of personnel on the playing field, the Ravens have key opportunities in the upcoming draft to address positions which are in need of an injection in both quality and depth. The first of these positions is the inside linebacker. Although Lewis has performed exceptionally given his age this season, he no longer has the pace to make himself a force in coverage, which means both he and Jameel McClain are focused on stopping the run, and leave the vaunted Ravens defense susceptible to the pass and feeling unbalanced.

Another receiver would also be top of the Ravens wish list, whether he is a tight end or a wide receiver. Rookie Torrey Smith has done well in his first sseason, but has yet to develop the ability to catch the ball consistently, whilst Ed Dickson showed signs of his potential early in the season, but like Smith, has a penchant for dropping passes which are relatively pressure free.

Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta have both acquitted themselves well this season, but the lack of reliable targets in his receiving core has led to Flacco recording his lowest completion rate since he entered the NFL, as well as his quarterback rating dropping to a similar level that he recorded in his rookie year.

Come the Ravens’ pick in the first round, inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict of Arizona State could be available, but would represent a high-risk reward scenario for Baltimore. None can doubt his talent, and he possess the speed that would make him an excellent tandem with both Lewis and McClain, but his form has been highly inconsistent this season and he has been known to give away unnecessary penalties when he lets his anger get the better of him.

These are flaws which can be corrected however, and there is arguably no better guy for him to learn from and have as a positive role model than Lewis. In terms of taking a receiver with their first round pick, the Ravens could do far worse than Mohamed Sanu of Rutgers who, whilst not quite possessing the top end speed of Smith, is a good route runner and has reliable hands.

An alternative to both of these could be Nick Perry of USC who is an outside linebacker with a great ability to rush the passer, making him the perfect option to line up opposite of Terrell Suggs and really torment opposition quarterbacks.

Whichever way Baltimore decides to go this offseason, fans can be left fairly assured that GM Ozzie Newsome has rarely led the Ravens astray in recent seasons and that between himself and Head Coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens will be in a good place come preseason and ready to give both Lewis and Reed probably their last shot at Super Bowl glory.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/baltimoreravens

The article Playoff Exit Raises Questions for Ravens appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Ray Lewis might have wished that he had waited another week before he returned from his toe injury, as the Baltimore Ravens (10-4) fell to a comprehensive 34-14 defeat to the San Diego Chargers (7-7).

The Ravens marched down the field confidently on their opening possession and looked certain to take the lead in the game. However, kicker Billy Cundiff, who is carrying an injury to his left thigh, was unable to convert the simple field goal, and gifted possession back to the Chargers. San Diego proved to be more clinical on their opening drive, with Mike Tolbert going over from the 1-yard line to end the Ravens streak of not allowing any kind of score on their oppositions opening drive.

Baltimore did manage to level the scores early in second quarter, quarterback Joe Flacco finding Ed Dickson with the 15-yard touchdown pass, and Cundiff was on target with the extra point. San Diego were exposing a Ravens secondary which, without Ladarius Webb on most plays, was allowing big yards to Phillip Rivers in the passing game, and retook their lead through a field goal initially, and then extended it with a rushing touchdown from Ryan Matthews as the game went into halftime.

The Chargers heaped even more misery onto the misfiring Ravens defense early in the third quarter, with Rivers finding Malcolm Floyd for a 28-yard touchdown, and moving San Diego into  a 17-point lead.  A Takeo Spikes interception then led to another rushing touchdown for Matthews, as they took the game beyond Baltimore, consigning the Ravens to their fourth loss of the season.

Rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith did grab a consolation touchdown for the Ravens in the fourth quarter, with a 36-yard touchdown, but it was too little too late for Baltimore who looked uncharacteristically poor in defense.

The Chargers will be thrilled with Rivers, who put in a masterful performance, throwing for 270 yards on just 17 completions, and although he only managed one touchdown, his accurate passing set up the rushing touchdowns of Matthews and Tolbert.

Baltimore Head Coach John Harbaugh will now be hoping that his brother Jim can do the Ravens a favor and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, which would keep Baltimore at the top of the AFC North.

Image Courtesy of  Keith Allison

The article NFL Ravens Shocked by Masterful Chargers, 34-14 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Baltimore Ravens (9-3) snapped their habit of losing to teams with a less than .500 record with a comfortable 24-10 victory over A.F.C. North rivals, the Cleveland Browns (4-8). With many Cleveland fans still angry about the relocation of their beloved team to Baltimore during the N.F.L. expansion, this game often takes an even higher meaning for them, and they will be disheartened to have not caused an upset.

The main injury concern before the game surrounded Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, who continues to suffer from a toe injury, and although sources reported he probably could have played, the Ravens had him rest, ensuring that he is fully healed for the end of the season as well as the playoffs, which are looking more and more favorable for Baltimore.

Although the first quarter was scoreless, the visiting Ravens took the lead halfway through the second quarter with a 6-yard touchdown rush from running back Ray Rice, and Baltimore proceeded to extend the lead to 10 points with a successful field goal from Billy Cundiff.

The Browns cut the deficit back to seven points with a field goal of their own in the third quarter, but could not maintain it for long as the Ravens struck back with a one-yard touchdown from Ricky Williams, the tailback finishing off a 73-yard drive which had taken just three plays.

Baltimore really wrapped the game up when Ladarius Webb returned a punt for a 68-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and although Cleveland managed to grab a consolation touchdown after a 22-yard pass to tight end Evan Moore, it was too little too late for the home side, who will now be resigned to finishing bottom of the A.F.C. North.

The dominant running game of the Ravens was just too much for the Browns, with Rice rushing for 204 yards on 29 carries, and Williams amassing 76 yards on 16 carries, with both backs registering a touchdown apiece.

With Lewis still out, Baltimore Head Coach John Harbaugh will also be pleased with the performances of inside linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain, who effectively shut down the running game of Peyton Hillis and Chris Ogbonnaya. They were not the only defensive highlights for the Ravens, as rookie Pernell McPhee continues to impress, sacking Colt McCoy twice during the course of the game, whilst cornerback Jimmy Smith continues to grow into his role in the Ravens defense, collecting another interception in what was a composed performance from Baltimore.

The article Rice Rampant in Ravens Victory Over Browns, 24-10 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Detroit Lions were dropped from the ranks of the unbeatens, as they lost 25-19 to the San Francisco 49ers yesterday. The Lions, coming off an emotional win over the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football, got off to a great early start and looked as though they were going to use that momentum to propel themselves to a win.

The game seemed to be over before it started, as Detroit defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch forced a strip sack on 49ers first offense play from scrimmage which resulted in a Brandon Pettigrew TD reception for Detroit. Detroit jumped out to an early 10 nothing lead but was held scoreless for the rest of the half by a stout 49er defense.

The 49ers kept the Lions run game in check, rendering running backs Jahvid Best and Maurice Morris ineffective by only allowing 66 yards on the ground. After a Frank Gore touchdown, the defense racked up an 11 yard sack for safety on Matt Stafford that allowed the 49ers to gain some momentum and take a 12-10 lead into halftime.

From then on it was a back and forth game with a total of four lead changes. The final lead change came on an Alex Smith fourth-down, 6-yard pass touchdown pass to Delanie Walker to give the 49ers a 22-19 lead with 1:51 left in the 4^th quarter.  The Lions had a chance to drive for the winning touchdown but thanks to the pressure from the 49ers defense, they weren’t allowed a first down on the final drive.

However the fireworks were not over after the clock ticked down to zero. During the mandated head coach handshake on the field, Jim Harbaugh extended his right hand for Jim Schwartz and with his left slapped him on his back. Schwartz took offense to this and chased Harbaugh down the field yelling at him — the two had to be separated by players.

In a season full of unlikely events, and with two young hot shot coaches, I think we have the start of our most unlikely NFL rivalry.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.facebook.com/DetroitLions

The article Detroit Lions Lose Their Roar Against The 49ers appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.