Baltimore Sports Post

The Ravens are not the same team they were at the beginning of the season, but it’s hard to say they’ve improved.  In reality most of the problems they had early in the season are not the same problems now.  Early in the season it was about how the team started slow.  Middle of the season the issue was the conservative offense including too many check downs to the running backs and tight ends.  Lately it’s been the stagnant running game and allowing too many sacks.  The one issue that has been an issue the entire season is holding onto leads late in the game.  The Ravens have given up 8 leads in the 4th quarter, but still only lost 4 of those 8 games.

In retrospect, I think the most troubling problem lately is the issue protecting the QB.  I’d rather go back to the offense that seemed overloaded with check downs instead of the rash of sacks we’ve seen lately.  I’ll admit I was getting frustrated with the check downs, but as a fan it’s not always obvious why a game plays out the way it does.  I think the Ravens knew they had some holes in their offensive pass protection and played it safe.  It makes a lot of sense in hindsight especially after watching teams throw the kitchen sink at the Ravens with success the past few weeks including the Steelers setting up their winning TD with a strip sack.

Trying to forget the heartbreaking loss to the Steelers, I decided to look back at the season now that we’re at the 3/4 pole.  Before the season starts I look at the entire schedule (as most fans do) and start penciling in wins and losses… I had them losing at Bengals, at Steelers, at Patriots and at Falcons, so I suppose I should be satisfied with the 8-4 record since it’s basically what I had expected.  The Bengals loss stings looking back at it and I had the Steelers wins and losses flip flopped home and road.

Another interesting thing to point out is the Ravens have played all of the “elite” teams in AFC and the team with the best record in the NFC on the road (Steelers obviously home and away) and finish 2-2 in those road games and held a lead in all of those games in the 4th quarter.  That at least shows promise in the Ravens in that if they get their act together they will be dangerous in the playoffs even if they make it as a wildcard and have to face these teams on the road.