the way ref’s cheat the Baltimore Ravens on their own home field is remarkable. something really has to be done about that. Its not billick or the offense or definitly not the defense. its the whole NFL as a whole someone has to see all well maybe’s thats a touch down or maybe its a good field goal or even after so many reviews after plays that a sometimes maybe call would be answered in the ravens favor. some body please help the Ravens stop corporate NFL stop the cheating.

With a 4-5 record with a tough schedule upcoming and no improvement in the offense for the past 2 weeks, even a switch to Kyle Boller won’t change a thing. The logical thing to do is to pack it up for the season and look towards next. I know the players will have none of it, especially on defense, but realistically, there is no way to save this season. We aren’t a playoff team at all. The offense is so bad, it’s more worse than previous seasons despite more player talent. We also are in salary cap trouble after this season so the window has closed to win with the current roster. So how do we fix this? Well, here’s my extravagant solution that won’t but should happen.

1. See what Kyle Boller (and maybe even Troy Smith) can do. I don’t think Boller or Smith will show that they can make this offense any better but it’s worth a shot. McNair is playing like a fan that was pulled out of the stands to make an emergency start. He can’t hold onto the ball and can’t/won’t throw it beyond 10 yards. Boller will show his usual flashes but he won’t look like a franchise QB. Smith might show some stuff from the Ohio State days but I highly doubt he’s the QB of the future.
2. Fire Brian Billick. Sure, he did well last season. But his coaching ability has severely regressed this year. I doubt he is willing to give up his offensive coordinator duties. If he does, I would still fire him. His stubbornness this season has cost the Ravens a lot of winning opportunities. Everything he tries simply fails.

3. Promote Rex Ryan to head coach. Let’s face it. Defense is the heart of this team. It’s time a defensive coordinator head coached this team. The so-called “offensive genius” obviously did not work. If defense is the identity of this team, then it really is time to go to a defensive coordinator as head coach. A run first offense doesn’t hire Mike Martz to be their offensive coordinator so why have we stuck with an offensive head coach for so long when defense has been why we win games?

4. Hire a real offensive coordinator. There are plenty of better offensive playcallers than Brian Billick. Hell, a defensive coordinator could call better offensive plays than Billick. If I were Newsome, I would look to get one from the college ranks instead of looking for a positions coach.

5. Promote a positions coach to defensive coordinator or hire Ron Rivera. Ron Rivera could be a HEAD COACH candidate but right now he’s LB coach for the Chargers. Look at the Bears D last year and look at it this year. Rivera knows his D and would be the perfect successor to Ryan. An interesting perspective may be Rex hiring his brother who currently coaches at Oakland. But any of the positions coaches right now are fully capable of being the D coordinator.

6. Cut dead salaries. Steve McNair, Samari Rolle, Jon Ogden (let him retire), Trevor Pryce (a bit costly), Mike Anderson, Jarret Johnson, and Derrick Mason. None of them are BAD players (except for McNair) but none are worth the roster spot because younger guys are more than ready to take over.

7. Offer the other veterans the option for a trade, release, or the option to stay. This is more for just Ray Lewis but it can apply to other vets. It may be time that the defense is built around someone other than Ray Lewis. I know Ray wants to win but that simply won’t happen in the next few years. I really can’t imagine a defense without him there but it’s time to let him move on. Make the team nucleus be Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, Bart Scott, Willis McGahee, Todd Heap, and Mark Clayton.
7. Don’t spend in FA. This might sound absurd to a lot of you but we’re not one player away from winning unless that player is Derek Anderson who would cost us draft picks anyway. No quarterback on the market is worth paying good money for. Culpepper could be given a shot but I can’t see him doing any better than what he’s done in Oakland. We don’t need offensive or defensive starters.

8. Draft a top QB prospect. Top QB prospect does not mean use the 1st round pick on one. It means one of the top 5 prospects. Brian Brohm, Matt Ryan, Andre Woodson, Colt Brennan, and Chad Henne would be my top 5 in that order. Brohm and Brennan may be system QBs but they have shown the ability to be true quarterbacks with a complete passing game.
9. Draft a WR, DE, CB. None of these have to be immediate starters. Just 3rd stringers that can contribute and start for the future. Although spending a 1st round pick on one would be smart too.

Have fun ripping this apart or give me your thoughts. There obviously needs to be a complete reverse ship in the direction the franchise is going. The old players just aren’t getting it done anymore. A top 10 pick looks a lot more likely than being in any talk for the playoffs. If Newsome does it correctly, and you know he will, this team will be able to contend in 2-3 years. It’s just a matter of whether the franchise is willing. Look at the Cleveland Browns. Drafted Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards, and Joe Thomas over years. Now they’re winning games. It won’t take quite that long to rebuild this team but a rebuild is necessary unless we want to continue having a old, mediocre team for 1-2 more years and then turn into the NFL laughingstock like the Dolphins are right now.

Hello Raven Fan’s let’s doing an honest look at our team. We were a super Bowl Contender in the pre season media. Well how fortunes can change. We have an outstanding defense. The offence is pathetic, predictable, and not productive. There are problems with the line, problems with quarterback and the so called Mercedes in the backfield is a Hyundai. On defense the secondary is scary; the look in the eyes of the ravens DB’s last night reminded me of the Iraqi air force after the first gulf war.  See an American warplane any where and the look of sheer and utter Terror. Time for a change the First draft choicer may be ours

Every Ravens fans letter to the front office should begin with something along the lines of…

“To Whom It May Concern:

Please sign a real offensive coordinator.”

Brian Billick may have been a offensive genius at Minnesota but these are different days. In Minnesota, he at least had explosive weapons. In the 1998 season, the one after Billick was hired, he had Randall Cunningham throwing to Cris Carter and Randy Moss with Robert Smith in the backfield. It seems that Billick thinks that he has those weapons in Baltimore.

With his knack to call throwing plays two out of every three plays, he has created a predictable and inept offense. What good is it to be able to move the ball downfield just to have to punt it or kick just a field goal?
I think it begins with his belief that Steve McNair is still the MVP Steve McNair. The story could obviously be less true. McNair has no deep arm strength which is allowing defenses to key in within a 15 yard box. By being able to stack the box for pass plays, shutting down run plays also becomes significantly easier. The fact that McNair can only throw 10-15 yard strikes accurately is something Billick chooses to ignore. Every time McNair has tried to go downfield, the pass has been inaccurate or led to an interception. If Billick were playing Kyle Boller, he could call more of those plays, as Boller has been impressive with his passes downfield in the limited action this season. This isn’t a call for Boller to start but if Billick is going to continue to call deep passes, Boller should at least be the one making those passes.

The next problem is Billick’s playcalling in short yard situations. Billick has called pass plays on those plays so often, it has become predictable that he will pass, just like how it is predictable that most teams will run. When you do it so many times, it becomes predictable. I’m not sure if he’s realized it yet but he’s fooling absolutely no one. Billick is the only offensive playcaller that would call so many pass plays when in the red zone.

Speaking of red zone playcalling, Billick has really blown those too. Again, he tries to go for the element of surprise but it’s become predictable what he will do. He tries to take a shot in the end zone on first down, attempts a run play, and then takes another deep shot on third down. Any smart defense will pick up on these tendencies and adjust their personnel accordingly. What makes it worse is that McNair does not have the ability to execute these plays. His passes are missing his receivers completely.

How come we’re not running more this year? Last year, we still used an inept Jamal Lewis to balance the offensive attack. Willis McGahee has proven that he is a playmaker. Did Billick see those runs he’s had against the Jets and the Browns? He’s proven that he’s got great vision and patience in the backfield but Billick refuses to use him early. How do you soften a defense for a pass when you never run the ball early? McGahee needs to get 25 carries a year. He won’t wear down like Jamal did last year when a healthy Musa Smith and Mike Anderson can also make plays if he’s tired in a game. Willis has shown he knows when he needs to be pulled and when he can stay in. It’s absolutely inexcusable that McGahee does not have one rushing touchdown all year. What happened to the run first offense? No team can win without using their running game.

Billick’s late game playcalling has also been horrendous late in games. What offensive coordinator in the NFL will call 6 pass plays when their team is in goal line situations? What coordinator would call a pass play when their team is trying to save a lead? First off, there is no need to attempt more than 1 pass play in an ENTIRE goal line situation. Let alone in 2 opportunities, calling a pass play 6 times with a quarterback that has a knack for throwing off his back foot. Second, why pass at all late when ahead? At worst, you take 1:20 off the clock with one possession. When there’s only 3 minutes left on the clock, taking off close to half is a lot of time for the opposing team to lose? Burning just over 30 seconds is bad strategy.

Sure, one can say that Billick has at least taken chances. But do you keep taking chances if they aren’t working at all? You can play the slots for awhile but when you’re down 10 grand, it’s time to change your game. None of his risks have paid off at all. Until one does, he should call maybe one or two risks a game. Plus, a little creativity is needed. Don’t confuse creativity and taking risks. Taking a risk for the Ravens is simply passing downfield. Creativity involves reverses, RB/WR passes, odd formations, hook and laterals to end the half, plays to that sort. After all, if Billick is a genius, why can’t he devise brilliant plays? 5 yard pass attempt after 5 yard pass attempt obviously hasn’t gotten the team anywhere.

As to my solution, I think it’s time to hire a real offensive coordinator. Or at least allow Rick Nueheisal to call plays. There’s no specific name I have on my wish list outside of Boise State’s Chris Petersen but right now, any offensive coordinator is a better option than keeping Billick as the playcaller.

-Andy C.

Are the Ravens in trouble?

is was a team expected to challenge for a superbowl and now sit at 2-2 on the year.

Are things going to get worse or get better?

You won a Super Bowl in 2000 with an amazing team.  You beat my Steelers big time this year…twice.  You were by far the best team in the division AND the best team on the field today.  However, your arrogance cost you, and you lost to a team wearing a uniform that you may have recognized. 

The Baltimore Colts were one of the greatest franchises ever, but they left the town with the “highest STD per capita rate in the nation” in the middle of the night, never to return…until today.  How does it feel to get beat by team named the Colts, in Baltimore?  Has there ever been a bigger kick in the nuts/slap in the face? 

Way to run your mouth all week about your defense and forget that you have NO offense.  You kicked our ass this year, but there is NOTHING that I can say that will ever make you feel worse than losing at home, in Baltimore, to the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS!

In a totally dominating effort the Baltimore Ravens have swept their biggest rivals in their two meetings this year. And with a little help from the Colts they have taken the #2 seed and it looks like they will keep it and get the bye during the playoffs.

This whole game was controlled by the Ravens, beginning with a perfect 35-yard TD pass to Clayton by McNair and ending with Jamal Lewis’ 9th touchdown of the year. The Steelers had won five out of six and needed this victory, but the Ravens just destroyed their playoff hopes. In the two games against the Ravens this year, the Steelers have scored 7 points and Roethlisberger has been sacked 14 times. Pittsburgh just couldn’t get anything started and if not for some dumb errors on the Ravens’ part, this game wouldn’t have been as close as the 31-7 score indicates.

Clayton, Williams and Wilcox each got a touchdown in one of Steve McNair’s most productive game as a Raven. Now, with the offense playing very well together and the defense better than ever, the Ravens are prepared to finish off their schedule against Buffalo and make a run to the Super Bowl.

As a die-hard Ravens fan, even before their existence in Baltimore, I now publicly submit the following e-mail written by me to the Ravens ticket office upon hearing that the recent lottery for post season tickets eliminated me and my corporation completely as live participants at any of those games. I sent this e-mail early on the morning on 12/22/06 and received a call later that day from a Ravens ticket vendor who was kind and gently offered his sympathetic understanding for this gross injustice to me, after which, quickly changed his solemn tone, and in a celebratory manner, proudly offered the ”Gridiron Grill!” special seating package for me, my employees, and my family.  

Please read this e-mail to determine if the Ravens, after benefiting from collective loyalties for so many years, are giving any consideration to a segment of the root level fan base while in the act of distributing (or not) their rare and ONLY tangible offering back to them. It is rumored, however, that Ticket Masters is currently selling an abundance post-season seats at a premium (of course). Were they more fortunate than PSL owners, like myself, in this equitable lottery? Is any of this fair, and most importantly, legal?  

Hello,  

My name is Adam and I have been a PSL owner since the team first arrived in Baltimore from Cleveland. I have paid my accounts in full and on time during that entire period. In the past, I had requested the maximum allowable post season tickets on both of my accounts every year the Ravens were eligible for post-season. I accepted all terms and delivered all payments for those tickets, as well. In some cases, these payments exceeded my balance due for the following season’s tickets. Most importantly, I financially supported a team in 1993, which at that time did not exist, by depositing funds in an escrow account with 3,500 others in an effort to help entice an owner or even the NFL in their consideration of expanding the league into Baltimore. After a disappointing result of the expansion drive, I continued to support our governor and the stadium authority’s efforts in bringing a team to Baltimore by leaving the escrowed funds in place along with only 446 others.  

I did these things because I strongly desired a professional team to represent Baltimore and also hoped that if we were successful, I would be given at least SOME consideration from the ticket office in the event this imaginary team became successful.  

This brings me to the purpose of this e-mail and may explain why I am so confused about recent events. My two PSL accounts each received e-mails yesterday from the Baltimore Ravens ticket office indicating that “…unfortunately we are unable to fulfill your request for post-season tickets”. I was struck by the realization that my select employees and family members can no longer count on attending ANY playoff games with the Baltimore Ravens at the end of this regular season. I find it hard to believe that the combination of the extra order forms, which offered the potential of purchasing up to 20 additional Club level (preference) down to end zone (last option) tickets for each game, yielded no extra tickets. To put this in perspective, a fair lottery would provide my two accounts 10x or 1000% greater chance of winning over an applicant that requests just 2 tickets. Since one of my accounts are located on the Club level, which are *weighted heavier during a ticket lottery (*specifically stated in Ravens ticket literature), there stands almost no chance that a fair lottery would produce zero (0) tickets for the applicant. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened! One must wonder what rules truly govern this supposedly fair and equal process. I am now forced call up and question my history and support for this team since it is becoming painfully obvious that my heart is being pried away from my beloved team by a shiny money clip that is attached to the clammy hands of an unseen force. Should I choose to dry swallow and continue supporting this team throughout the playoffs, a dark cloud begins to form if the Ravens continue to win because a similar event, also touted as “equitable”, will arrive in the form of a Superbowl lottery. As a once proud fan, how am I really expected to act about all of this nonsense when cheering them on means that I also applaud borderline immoral practices?  

I can only hope that a big mistake has happened and that it may be rectified before it is too late for me as a fan. As the Ravens began locking up the playoffs, I began making, what appeared to be, realistic commitments to my friends, my family, and my employees because even if my first option was unavailable, a downgrade to the end zone would still be a nice gift on Christmas to the people that I love.  

It is important to know where I stand as a fan of the Ravens, so can you please help me and make some sense of all of this? God bless you and Happy Holidays to you and yours. I look forward to hearing from you soon!  

Adam Preller  

Since 1999-2000, the Ravens have been a running team that tried to just not make any mistakes and let the defense win the games. But now is the time to change all of that. Jamal Lewis has been averaging below four yards per carry which is not good at all. The strength of this team is in their passing game. The o-line is doing a great job protecting the QB and have given up almost half the sacks that they have the last two years and they have plenty of good receiving options in Heap, Mason, Clayton, Williams, Wilcox and even Lewis out of the backfield. Since the firing of Fassell as the OC of the team, the offense has been running much more smoothly and McNair has been almost perfect. The Ravens have some speedy receivers like Williams and Clayton who can stretch the field and they have some guys with good hands who can do well with shorter routes. The Ravens are passing some more than before, they almost have three receivers with 60+ catches, but I think they need to take more chances, throw more and throw longer passes. It would make the offense work better and I don’t see a guy like McNair making too many mistakes, and even if he does, the Ravens have arguably the best defense is the league and they will get the ball back. If they pass more it will boost the offense and give them a better chance at winning a Super Bowl this year.

Well hopefully anyway.  Heading to Pittsburgh for the only time this season, the Ravens are gonna need Mcnair if they want to put a beating on the Steelers like they did earlier in the season.  The Steelers have won 3 straight since then though and are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive, so this week might be a tad closer then you’d normally expect.

They are going to need another big performance out of Jamal Lewis, who rushed for 100 yard plus, and added a touchdown.   This should be one of the better and more physical games of the season however.