Now I see Billick's job is the subject of talk again. I still give him a passing grade but I will say that penalties make it look like the Ravens lack discipline. Hey Brian, that's you.
The playcalling was alternately good and dismal. The passing D has evaporated, what is going on?
Now we start to face teams with winning records...looks like post season will be spent rooting for SBE (Some Body Else)
I have mixed feelings about Billick, why did it take so long to realize the o-line needed work?
Yet a Ring is on his finger and he earned it.
Maybe he can surprise me and find a way to make the O stop looking so dismal.
It would be nice

The Ravens season can not be blamed totally on the unconventional play calling of Brian Billick, as apposed to previous years of bye the book calls: ex. three straight pass plays with only one yard to gain a first down. Or the defense being exposed by no-huddle quick plays by opposing team’s mediocre offenses. And this reason is not a cope out, but this has been a terrible year for injures. Many key play makers have been in street clothes for Sundays and some positions are down to their third stringers. Especially hurt is the O-line, one more injury and the Ravens will see their long snapper as the center or moving the third string TE(Quinn Sypniewski) to center or guard, depending on who goes down.
Luckily this whole injury situation could become less of a deciding factor for weather the Ravens get back on the winning track. With the bye week arriving at the most desperate time for the team, it might be exactly what the doctor ordered. With the addition of at least five key players, the starting line up will again provide the coaches with everything they need to run the desired plays.
Sitting at 4-3, currently in second place, the Ravens enter week 9 with the prospect of taking sole position of first place with the personnel that can and have taken them to the playoffs. Most notably TE Todd Heap's and DE Trevor Pryce's absences have been felt the most due to their abilities to impact the game on a high level. Although the Raven's are performing well in the sacks department, putting pressure on the QB has been difficult because of the no-huddle, quick 3 and 5 step drops, that opposing teams are employing. This limits the time the pass rushers have to get to the QB, without Pryce on the line Suggs gets double teamed which putts tremendous pressure on the linebackers to assume the pressure. Until he went down [Pryce], I was not aware of how truly important he was to this top tier defense.
On the other side of the ball, Heap's three week stint on the sideline has been a demonstration of how all the work in the off-season, training camp, and pre-season to open up the passing game doesn't mean squat if you don't have Heap catching passes in the middle of the field. When healthy, Heap can call the attention of double teams and still make the grab, or allow the deep threats(ha) to get single man coverage on the outside. The thing that boggles the mind is why the Ravens don't try the latter; I mean try to run deep patterns that are disguised to look like Heap is the intended target. Then again I am only a fan that has been an amateur student of the game for 12 years, catching every home game since their arrival in 96'.
Bottom line time or cards on the table time. There are a few problems, some old some new, but all serious if they hope to make a run at the post-season. With many people criticizing the defense more than in previous years, the D will be there in the end. The season depends on the offenses ability to use MaGahee like they have so far, and McNair's health and most importantly being able to show teams that we can throw down field successfully, even if it isn't but a few times a game. This will change opponent’s game plan when sizing up our passing threat. But if we can not do this then expect teams to sit back and do exactly what the Colts did in last year's playoff game, which was allow us to hit the short yardage passes without giving up the big 20+ yard pass play. They bring their safeties closer to the line of scrimmage and put eight men in the box to disrupt our running game. Look across the NFL and you will find that any offense that can move the ball in the air with relative ease possesses a deep threat or at least a physical receiver. Check time, do the Ravens have either or?? Mason is still producing but doesn't scare any DBs with his speed. Mark Clayton has been a non-factor due to injury with many football reporters predicting a break out junior season for the former first round pick. The last capable receiver is Demetrius Williams who has entered his second season as the biggest deep threat the Ravens have. He has been most productive on third downs with 15 of his 19 grabs going for first downs. I'd like to see him do more go routes or deep posts because if the Ravens could utilize the potential that he possesses than someday he could become a number two receiver on this team.
Anyways, most fans foresaw a 6-1 or 5-2 record going into the bye, but sitting only one game out of first, things could be worse. Billick was able to do more with this offense last year without MaGahee, so the question is what gives?? Is it the injuries, or the desire of the players, or the play calling? We will see, and possible as soon as week nine when the battle is against the first real competition of the season. Cuz its fight, fight, fight for our ol' Bal-ti-more!!