What they're saying about the Ravens
Here's a look at what the national media are saying about the Ravens. As always, let me know if you have a link I missed.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports gives the Ravens a C- for their performance against the Chargers:
The defense is suddenly very vulnerable. That's two in a row giving up 30 points. Boller made some throws, but the protection was awful.
Kevin Hench of FoxSports.com offers his take on the Ravens' loss:
No controversial ending this week. The abysmal Ravens were picked apart by Philip Rivers (who was booed by Bolts fans after his first series) to the tune of 25-of-35, 249 yards, 3 TDs and no picks. LaDainian Tomlinson passed 10,000 yards rushing in style with a 36-yard ramble (as opposed to the little two-yarder with which Warrick Dunn squeaked over on Thanksgiving). The Ravens have lost five straight and now they get the Patriots and the Colts the next two weeks. Fun times in Billick-ville!
SI.com's Bucky Brooks says the Chargers were able to pressure Kyle Boller by using more five-man pressures:
The return of the Chargers' pass rush was merely the result of using more five-man pressures. Ted Cottrell dialed up more blitzes using Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman on outside rushes off the edges. Though San Diego occasionally mixed in an inside looping stunt by one of their edge rushers, they were surprisingly able to win with conventional rushes off the edges.
SI.com's Peter King says he doesn't know how the Ravens' season can be salvaged.
ESPN.com's Tuesday Morning Quarterback Gregg Easterbrook says Mike Anderson's fumble on a kickoff return Sunday hurt the Ravens more than their other turnovers:
TMQ maintains that, other things being equal, a lost fumble on a kick return -- a "krumble" -- is the most damaging turnover. San Diego scored to take a 19-7 lead over Baltimore with 25 seconds in the first half, the Ravens fumbled the kickoff and the Bolts got a last-second field goal for a 22-7 lead at intermission. Baltimore never threatened in the second half. Note: In his career, Philip Rivers has 20 touchdown passes versus no interceptions in the red zone.
ESPN.com's DJ Gallo says this could have been a preview for the Ravens-Chargers game:
Reminiscent of teen dance movies such as "Stomp The Yard" and "Save The Last Dance," Shawne Merriman and Ray Lewis engage in an intense dance-off, strutting and jiving after even the most inconsequential of tackles. The conclusion is predictable, but three questions will keep your interest. One, can the unlikable Philip Rivers mend his troubled relationship with San Diego fans? Can Kyle Boller's new beard disguise the awful truth that he's still Kyle Boller? And will Brian Billick continue to take issue with the officials' insistence on getting calls right? (Contains suggestive dancing)
Adam Schein of FoxSports.com gives the Ravens an F for their performance in November:
The play calling has been horrible. The play of the starting quarterback was inept. The turnovers are ghastly. The repetitive penalties are inexplicable. Other than that, it's been a good season in Baltimore. To be 4-7 after starting 4-2, with the talent on this team, is just a total letdown and waste.
Adalius Thomas won't be giving the Ravens any bulletin board material this week after he and Ray Lewis exchanged blows through the media earlier this season. Here's what he told Boston.com:
"I have talked to Ray. We talked, and all the nonsense that was printed that was half-true, all of that's done with."
In the rankings
ESPN.com has the Ravens 25th in its power rankings:
The five-game losing streak is the longest in franchise history, and it figures to reach seven with games against the Patriots and Colts the next two weeks. Right now, not even the Dec. 16 game at Miami seems like a sure win.
Prisco of CBS Sports has the Ravens 26th:
We expect the offense to struggle. But what about the defense? They have allowed over 30 points in consecutive games. That doesn't happen to the Ravens.
Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com has the Ravens 27th.
NBCSports.com has the Ravens 24th.
USA Today has the Ravens 24th.
Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports has the Ravens 23rd while Charles Robinson has them 25th.
Dennis Dillon of the Sporting News has the Ravens 26th.
Tony Moss of The Sports Network has the Ravens 24th.
Comments
"Adam Schein of FoxSports.com gives the Ravens an F for their performance in November:
The play calling has been horrible. The play of the starting quarterback was inept. The turnovers are ghastly. The repetitive penalties are inexplicable. Other than that, it's been a good season in Baltimore. To be 4-7 after starting 4-2, with the talent on this team, is just a total letdown and waste."
Aww, come on. Don't you know that Billick is a genius? You must have missed that press conference.
Posted by: RavenKen | November 28, 2007 12:00 PM
what they dont realize is the opponents are receiving the ball on the 50 or better...the defense is not deteriorating it's just be sabatoged.
Posted by: Rob | November 28, 2007 1:39 PM
Schien can't be right about the play calling being horrible. Here in Baltimore on sports talk radio, Billick's nodding bobble head, Steve Davis, is very happy with the play calling and the decision making. So Schien, Peter King, and other neutral critics must be wrong. Another 4 year extension anyone?
Posted by: R.C. Fillmore | November 28, 2007 7:02 PM
What teams other than NE and Indy have not had a season like the Ravens are having recently?
It happens. It does not mean they are abysmal, or Billick is an idiot for not coaching Boller up better.
The Ravens offensive personel was not good enough to overcome the injuries. The back ups were not able step up, and starters we were counting on to carry the load like Todd Heap, McNair and Ogden have not been available or very good when they were. Teams can pressure with 5 and still cover evryone because we don't have enough weapons on the feild.
The national media does have some sort of grudge against Baltimore, Art Modell, The Ravens and Billick in particular since he is the face man. They always highlight our mistakes and dismiss our success. The best defense in the NFL last year was not worthy of mention, but when the Steelers and Jags were playing well on defense this year, they wanted to tell us all about how great they are. When San Diego was getting shredded and struggaling worse than we were with less injuries and excuses, The Ravens were the team the nation wanted to pretend was the big disapointment. They were the #1 seed and team they all talked about all preseason, but Billick is an idiot and Norv Turner is an offensive genius now that Rivers finnally had some wide open targets?
What ever. The Ravens may be down and disapointing this year, but they will most certianly represent and win some games this year that I guess will be a shocking upset to the national and local Billick haters that just can't look past him for reasons why his team has struggled. He is not the one stumbling and fumbling the ball away. Players make plays not coaches. Players make most of the mistakes and good coaches like Billick take the blame. I don't know why. If it were me, I would be like, I told Boller to throw it away if it was not there. He must be an idiot for thinking the protection was going to hold up for 4 seconds. But that is not Brian's MO.
It is easy to say he should have called something else when it did not work or he should have played some one else when the starter stunk it up, but the alternatives that come up could have been worse and are completely hypothetical.
Posted by: jeremiah w | November 29, 2007 11:50 AM
2007 record---four and twelve.. No, they won't beat Miami either
Posted by: bob j | November 29, 2007 11:53 AM
Boller was inept? Let's stck that guy behind our nonexsistent offensive line and see how he likes it. Boller has no chance to succeed without decent protection, same as any QB.
And it doesn't matter which plays are called if the players don't execute, starting with the o-line. Can't consistently run or pass without blocking. New England has a great offense because Brady has time to throw on most plays, and is thus able to make use of his and his receivers' talents. Our offense stinks because our line stinks, and has for years (even when it run-blocked well, it pass-blocked poorly.)
Posted by: Alan | November 29, 2007 2:28 PM