What exactly is wrong with the Ravens and some thoughts on Brett Favre
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If I told you back in August that the Ravens would have to squeak out a win with Kyle Boller bailing out the defense, you would probably try to have me committed to a psych ward. Well, that’s exactly what happened and it’s time for people to get off of Kyle Boller’s back. On Sunday, it looked like Kyle Boller might have turned the corner. Being a back-up for a few years was exactly what this guy needed. Hold a clipboard, learn everything about the system, stop tap dancing in the backfield and just relax. As a back-up, the pressure is completely off of him, so his anxiety level is way down and he can rely on his talent. He marched the offense down the field and threw perfect passes in the final two minutes of a game that they had to win. He did what all good quarterbacks do: he protected the football, made plays, and put his team in a position to win. Sorry, Boller Bashers, but when McNair retires, this guy is going to fill his shoes. And he should. Boller went 5-for-5 for 32 yards on the final drive, converting two third downs and putting the Ravens within range for Mr. Automatic, Matt Stover.
After watching him win yet another game for the purple faithful, it’s time to seal Stover’s envelope for his induction in Canton, whenever he does decide to retire. Sunday marked the 13 th time in his career that he kicked a game winning field goal. In the same game, he also moved to 5 th all time on the NFL scoring list. I was at the game, and when Bruce Cunningham announced it over the PA system, over 71,000 fans gave him a standing ovation that lasted almost the entire commercial break. Granted, it’s very difficult to get into the Hall of Fame as a kicker, but this guy deserves it just as much as Morten Andersen.
Who would have thought that defense of all things would be the primary concern for this Ravens team going into week 4? The cause for this concern has been unfairly placed on the secondary, because the pass rush is the cornerstone of Rex Ryan’s aggressive defensive scheme. Aside from a few missed tackles (what team doesn’t miss a tackle every now and then?), the secondary, especially Chris McAlister, has played well.
As is always the case NFL, sacks and interceptions go hand in hand. Nickelback Corey Ivy leads the team in sacks with two. Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs both have goose-eggs in the sack category. Those are some blinding stats, but the most unbelievable statistic is that the defensive backfield has only had one interception. Don’t believe that an effective pass rush leads to interceptions? Through three games, the New Orleans Saints currently have zero sacks and one interception, placing them last in the league in sacks and second to last in interceptions. On the other hand, the Detroit Lions have 8 sacks and 6 interceptions, top three in the league in both categories. The 4 th quarter collapses these past two weeks can be attributed to a conservative offensive scheme in the 3 rd quarter, and the lack of an effective pass rush. Memo to Trevor Pryce: hurry back.
The conservative offensive game plan is something that this team needs to change, especially in the 2 nd half. The Ravens, for whatever reason, are having some trouble stretching the field on offense. With weapons like Todd Heap and Demetrius Williams, they should be throwing the ball deep a lot more than they have been. Not just to score points, but to keep the defense honest. Last year, Steve McNair led the league in passer rating when throwing the ball over 35 yards down the field, so what’s the problem? It’s time to wake up and realize that you simply cannot win championships with a lack of a deep passing game.
It’s wait-and-see time for Raven’s fans. They need to get healthy and the coaching staff and the players need to make the necessary adjustments. Good news is, they almost always do. And, please, don’t hit the panic button in week 3. I’ve heard a lot of people upset, but the bottom line is we won the game.
Side note: Brett Favre is playing like he’s 25 years old again. The Packers beat a good San Diego Chargers team on Sunday in Green Bay behind a record-tying performance from #4. Brett Favre tied Dan Marino's touchdown record with a touchdown pass to Greg Jennings for the go-ahead score with just over two minutes remaining in the 4 th quarter, putting him at 420 touchdown passes for his career. Favre had his 60th career game with three touchdowns, and his 38th career game winning drive. Sunday also marked the second game in a row that Favre threw three touchdown passes. When he retires, it’s going to be hard to argue against Brett Favre as the best quarterback of all time. We’re watching history every time he takes the field, so whether you like the Packers or not, appreciate what Brett Favre is doing out there.
