Mike, why haven't they made you GM yet??

Hey get off of Mike's back. He played DIII ball at Towson. That qualifies him for all sorts analysis.

Ngata- 3rd year in NFL
Haynesworth- 7th year in NFL

Hmm...pretty pointless to even compare a 3rd year player to a 7th year player let alone say one is better than the other. Thanks, you truly are an "insider" to the ravens

How unnecessary. Ravens are gearing up for a huge game Saturday, and you just have to find a way to disparage them.

Hey Mike,
Who are you kidding! I know the real truth about you. You are a Pittsburgh Steelers Fan. Thats why you write trash like this. Ngata is elite. Please go back to Pittsburgh!

Chris, get off Mike Preston's case. Preston is, after all, a sports writer who should be making jugments like this. You should appreciate this analysis instead of articles like "Do the Ravens inspire you?"

If you disagree with Preston's assessment, then please provide your analysis of Haynesworth and Ngata.

How about comparing Ngata at two years experience vs Haynesworth at two years.

I know you are trying to wind up Ngata to play to his true potential but this is the second year Haynesworth can be called a disruptor.

His first 5 years in the NFL were as good as Ngata's.

As you know it takes DTs time to grow into their weight and realize their potential. Both Siragusa and Adams got better as they grew older.

This is probably true!

I've got to agree with you Mike...Ngata is more like Siragusa than Adams.

What do you guys want Mike to say? He gives his opinion. Do you want a Ravens figure head just putting out basic hand fed information? Give him a break

Yeah, but I don't see Ol' Fat Albert the Face-Stomper dropping into coverage and making picks like Haloti does. They each have different strengths.

And Ngata doesn't apparently need to be in a contract year for it to show up on the field every week, either.

I don't know who's "better" but I will say that the vaunted Haynesworth takes plays off...a lot. In the Ravens game Grubbs dominated Haynesworth. I was there, I watched the trenches, that's what happened. (go watch the game film, Mike. It'll give you something real to talk about.) having been beaten Haynesworth gave up and wasn't a factor. Even Warren Sapp commented on this in evaluating the game for Inside the NFL. I've never seen Ngata do that, even in that Giants game where he got pushed around pretty good inside. That's what makes Ngata the better player in my book.

Pete,
I don't necessarily agree. Ngata is asked to do a lot more that Haynesworth. I don't see Haynesworth lining up at the Mike or dropping back in pass coverage. Sure he may not be in the backfield all the time but he isn't asked to. I'll take Ngata any day because with his athleticism and flexibility his durability is going to be much better long term.

Ngata is more versitile and doesn't step on peoples heads.

Haynesworth's technique is certainly far superior to Ngata when it comes to stomping the heads of helmetless players resulting in five game suspensions.

I agree Mike. Ngata really needs an interception in the end zone or something like that. THAT would prove him to be a better DT.

yea but what makes ngata better is that he has 2 ints. I dont understand this one Mike, from what i see ngata gets enough pressure on the qb to force 4 picks in a playoff game

You kno what Mike your completely right because Albert Haynesworth can drop into pass coverage too right??? No

Are you nuts?? Haynesworth almost never ventures outside the hash marks, Ngata goes sideline to sideline. "Collapsing the pocket" is what big (less athletic) guys that can't pursue like Ngata Have to do to be effective. How many times has Haynesworth been asked to drop back into pass protection? How many interseptions does he have? While Haynesworth is "collapsing pockets" Ngatais taking out two, sometimes three blockers so that another player can get the sack. And do we want to compare athleticism? I don't think so. Give me Ngata over Haynesworth or Adams. He can do more things. By the way, If you actually watch any games, you may see how the linebackers blast through the holes that Ngata opens up like an offensive takle to throw running backs for losses. A player can run around a "collapsed pocket", but they cannot run when all avenues are blocked. Keep your fat pocket collapsers, I'll take the added dimensions, flexibility, and defensive options a true athlete affords.
On another note, on your column about the Ravens not wanting to meet the Colts or Pats in the playoffs, what team are you watching? I have been watching a team that would be chomping at the bit for an opportunity to make there mark by beating the teams they lost to during the regular season. Maybe you are the kind of competitor who doesn't mind a cheap win, I don't believe these guys, from the owner on down roll that way. I'd be willing to bet they would love another shot at the Giants in the Super Bowl. But maybe you're right, if that happened, they might just cower in the locker room. Try coming back from your reality break next time before you write your next column.

If Haynesworth is better , you'll have to prove it to me . If you have a choice which would you want on your team . I'll take Ngata anytime for my tackle . He does things that are super human and if you match them in a 100 yd. run , Ngata would win it 9 out of ten times .

Actually... for once i agree with Mike. For Ngata to become all world, that is the one facet to his game he needs to improve on. He doesnt get many sacks, but that is probably because he gets double teamed most of the time, by the opposing interior lineman. If he could push the middle of the pocket, and force the quaterback to move, it would greatly improve the overall effectiveness of the front four.

The Ravens get to the quaterback, mostly with exotic blitzes, from the linebackers and safeties. Think how much better the pass defense could be if you didnt have to blitz those guys as much, and they dropped into coverage. They arent able to just rely on the front four to do the job, which is one area Kelly Gregg will help next year, when he returns. Its also a major difference between this years squad and the 2000 defense.

I would say that Pryce is the player that gets double teamed the most on our d-line. He would have at least 9 sacks if he wasn't held and doubled so much. I have seen him held so bad its pathetic, he was a player that the refs really screwed over this year.

Come on people, it would be pretty dull if every article Preston wrote was gushing over the Ravens.

Aaron,

These comparisons are pointless.

Haynesworth has 4 more seasons on him, an eternity on the NFL. Ngata and Haynesworth have different strengths and weaknesses. As others have pointed out, Ngata has different responsibilities from Haynesworth. If Ryan had Haynesworth, he would have designed a different defense. Lets see what Ryan's defenses look like when he gets his new job.

Preston is just being a columnist when he criticises Ngata for playing the scheme his coaches have given him.
.

Ngata's had three years compared to Haynesworth's seven, doesn't exactly sound fair to me Preston. And you know before 07, all I heard was how inconsistent and tempermental Haynesworth was so I definitely think the contract year helped step up his game. Not degrading his play but Ngata seems to have given consistent effort and improves every year since he was drafted.

With all due respect,Mike crossed a line with the mentioning of how to beat the Ravens earlier this week.Nevertheless,I'll forgive his obnoxious informative comments like a man and agree that Albert can assert himself like an all pro when he feels like it most games.However, Haoli is asked to do different things in more schemes,in my opinion,and I would'nt want to battle this player a whole game.His pass rush is'nt up to the same par as Albert's but he can sure feel the rush of a linebacker wizzing by on a moments notice,I bet you.

shame on you , mike preston.you picked the titans over the ravens.the ravens have confidence.you don't.

Mike Preston is not a Baltimore fan or a Raven fan, he just happens to work for the Baltimore Sun. I've always questioned the motive behind some of his writings and the timeliness of some of his articles have been suspect. With the Ravens making a playoff run, he writes an article about how to beat the Ravens, and now he wants to let us know that Haynesworth is better than Ngata........bcos that is what Ravens fans are worried about this week. Cut the nonsense mike, we figured you out long ago.

Ngata is the more disruptive force out of these two. He is also the better athlete. He is there to keep guys from getting in Ray's way, and he does it to perfection. He's nasty and he's young. It's suicide to try to run right at him. Furthermore, the Raven's wanted him to improve on his pass rush, and he has gotten better. It's ridiculous he didn't make the pro bowl. I have to disagree with you on this one, Mike.

HAYNESWORTH will absolutely destroy Flacco! HA HA HA! It's gonna be great... sitting there watching it happen over...and over....and over....and over...and over!

Stilll going!

This is ridiculous. Ngata plays in a 3/4 and is asked to stop the run and take up blockers.haynesworth plays in a 4/3 and is asked to rush the pasher. Mike, you are such a hater. Its like comparing Joey porters sack totals to Ray lewis. They are both linebackers but are asked to do different things.

Ravens Insider: 10 yr pro Peyton Manning is better than rookie Joe Flacco. More brilliant analysis out of Mike Preston

Adams was great. He was brought in with 5 other players for a run at the Superbowl in '00. Modell's time was running out and they need it quick. It worked. Without him or Sharpe, Dilfer, Coates, the fullback Gash - we needed them all. But for this team for now I'll take Nagta. In fact I did take Nagta on one of my Ravens jerseys. That's the one I proudly wear. He a Raven and hopefully for a long time.

Mike Preston you are CORRECT! I have been trying to tell these people about Ngata all season---the man does not even know how to rush the qb. He stands straight up and throws hands at his blocker and teams have stopped double-teaming him on pass plays. He rarely gets across the line of scrimmage on pass plays. Just because you're in a 3-4(and the Ravens don't ppay a true 3-4 anyway) does'nt mean you don't play the pass.

Tony you took the words right out of my mouth. I was surprised no one had mentioned the formations before you did.

DT in the 3-4 is totally different from the 4-3 and that has a lot to do with it. Ya know who else was a DT in the 4-3? Thats right. Sam Adams.

If we switched to the 4-3 next year (maybe we lose a backer and put Gregg and Ngata in the middle with Bannan and Pryce on the ends) I guarantee Ngata becomes a different player.

Mike,

You're correct, and while Ngata doesn't collapse the pocket like Haynesworth i suspect with the ravens blitzing style that him isn't asked to nearly as much. Haynesworth also commits a lot more stupid penlties. Given the choice between the 2, i'll take the non-rage-a-holic Ngata (along with the big pro-bowl snub on his shoulder).

A note about offensive planning for Saturday as well. I strongly feel that the ravens should use a lot of no huddle in the first half to keep Haynesworth and Vandenbosch on the field unable to rotate out. As you know both are coming back off month long injuries and will have had minimal practice and early doses of no huddle could make them appear out of game shape, or expose them as trying to come back from injuries early.

bonus points if they use the no huddle with an unbalanced line over Kearse to contain him. double bonus points if they have Neal and McClain running counter traps and sweeps even pulling the opposite guard around that big jumbo unbalanced line.

Those 2 DT's don't want that type of game their first afternoon back. you do that in the 1st half and they'll be getting no pressure up the gut when Flacco goes playaction in the 2nd half.

Hey, everybody... don't you realize that Mike is really a closet Ravens fan?! After all, he's just spouting all this non-sense to fire the Ravens up. Didn't you see the other Sun article this week about R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

Thanks Hans and Tony for sharing your football knowledge. What you say makes perfect sense. We all love Nagata because he's 1 hell of a player, as is the whole Raven organization this year. Go Ravens !

You know , you'd think since I wear a Ravens Ngata jersey that I would know how to spell NGATA. Sorry for the above misspelled posts.

Hey murfpike?were you talking about Flacco playing Big Al in Madden 2008 or something,because the last time I checked,Haynesworth had 0 sacks,and you can read it and weep,over and over and over.GO Ravens!As far as Haloti,I'll take him over Haynesworth anyday.Big Al is a one dimensional player who takes stupid penalties and often takes plays off.Given all our injuries on the defensive side of the ball,both before and during the game,I'll take the 13-10 victory every time.And Flacco showed more poise than Collins,figure that out.Yes he only completed 11 of 22,but at critical times,and there should have been at least two illegal contact or pass interference calls.And we had at least three drops.Win the Super Bowl,Habaugh,we know who the better coach is.And who was the most undisciplined team out there yesterday?Not the Ravens for a change.

Yeah, and if your helmet comes off he spikes your head. Haynesworth didn't move Jason Brown on Sunday, at least in the passing game.