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Baltimore Ravens 2011 Fantasy Football Stars:… |
The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2011 season with a 12-4 record, earning themselves a first round bye in the playoffs. The Ravens dominated their AFC North counterparts, winning all six games, including their games with future possible playoff opponents, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. In terms of fantasy stars, the Ravens had several, but who are the biggest surprise and disappointments, and which star can say they were the Ravens 2011 fantasy MVP? MVP – Ray Rice The fourth-year back from Rutgers continues to improve each season and is now known as one of the best running backs in the NFL. He accumulated more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage this season and scored 15 touchdowns. On the ground, he rushed for 1,364 yards, while he made 76 receptions for 704 yards. It was his third straight season of rushing for more than 1,200 yards and earning more than 550 in the passing game. He is an easy one of the top three running backs off the board, especially in PPR leagues. Biggest Surprise – Torrey Smith The rookie from Maryland had a solid season, lining up opposite of Anquan Boldin. He made 50 catches for 841 yards and scored seven touchdowns. With other rookie studs like Victory Cruz, A.J. Green and Julio Jones getting all the notoriety, Smith constantly had solid performances without getting the same recognition. That is something that will change, especially if he has a great run in the playoffs. As a second-round draft pick, Smith wasn’t expected to be the second receiver, but an injury to Lee Evans forced him to that role and it is a spot he will not be moving from anytime soon. Biggest Disappointment – Joe Flacco While Flacco still had a solid season, throwing for 3,610 yards and 20 touchdowns, he could have done a lot more for this offense. He threw 12 interceptions and lost six fumbles and continues to struggle to improve his game from when he burst onto the pro scene in 2008. A year ago, he had the best season of his career, but failed to live up to the expectations his past success have made for him. With their stellar defense and Rice controlling the offense, Flacco doesn’t necessarily need to do more, but if he wants to hear his name mentioned with the best, he needs to. For a closer look at All-Injury teams for all major fantasy positions and biggest stars and busts from each NFL team, click here. More from this contributor: LeSean McCoy is Top Fantasy Running Back in 2011 Backup Running Backs to make Splash in 2011 Don’t Give up on These Players too Early Drafting Individual Defensive Players? Top 2011 Fantasy Football Rookies Hobson Lopes has been playing fantasy football for more than 10 years and can be followed on Twitter @HobsonLopes. Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content. Leave your comments on the news below. Posted in 1, Anquan Boldin, baltimore-ravens, Joe Flacco, Lee Evans, Ray Rice | Comments Off
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Baltimore Ravens hang on to AFC North lead after… |
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith had a simple view of Saturday’s game.
“Well, this week we won,” he said. “At the end of the day, that’s all that matters. We know there are things that we have to improve upon. We have shown we can do it. It’s just a matter of us being consistent.” The Ravens escaped Christmas Eve with a 20-14 win over the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. In doing so, Baltimore had its second consecutive lackluster game – the Browns had an opportunity to take a late lead – following last week’s 34-14 loss to the Chargers. “I don’t know if it is a concern, but obviously you do want to play better,” wide receiver Lee Evans said. “At the end of the day, you do have to find a way to win 
Cleveland Browns free safety Mike Adams (20) gets tangled with Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith as Smith goes up for a catch in the first half of Saturday’s game in Baltimore. Cleveland was charged with a pass interference penalty on the play (AP PHOTO – NICK WASS) games. We were able to do that today, and we can build on that. Next week, our job is just to win one more.” The Ravens (11-4) head into next week’s road game against the Bengals needing either a win or a Pittsburgh Steelers loss to win the AFC North. Doing so would allow the Ravens to play host to their first home playoff game since 2006 and would give them a first-round bye. They finish the regular season 8-0 at home, the first time they’ve been perfect at home. “(Having a home playoff game is) Big, man,” Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We want a chance at winning, and you’ve got a better chance to do it when you’re at home. And our fans, like I said, I consider myself to be a player of the people, and we are our best team when we’re in M&T and our fans are rocking. So, we definitely need a home playoff game by any means necessary.” The Ravens appeared ready for a home playoff game when Lardarius Webb intercepted Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace to give his team the ball at their 36-yard line. The first offensive play resulted in a 60-yard pass interference penalty that put the Ravens at the Browns’ 4-yard line. Three plays later, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco hit tight end Ed Dickson for a 5-yard touchdown and an eventual 7-0 lead. Just 5 minutes and 48 seconds into the game, the Ravens had a big defensive play and a lead. Shayne Graham made a 48-yard field goal about nine minutes later to give the Ravens a 10-0 lead. The Ravens signed Graham earlier in the week because Billy Cundiff has an injured calf. Graham added a 43-yard field goal with 5:54 remaining in the third quarter. “I thought (his performance) was good, especially on the field goals and the extra points,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He did a nice job of knocking it between the poles. It’s not easy to do that, coming into a new operation.” The Ravens scored again slightly more than six minutes into the second quarter on a 42-yard touchdown reception by Ray Rice that gave them a 17-0 lead. “I saw man coverage from the get go,” he said. “I said, ‘If I get a step on him, I got him.’ There is only one negative in that play, and that is if the safety plays it. So, it’s either the ball is on you fast or it’s a home run.” After Graham’s field goal made the score 20-0, the Browns began their comeback. Their first points came on an 84-yard return punt for a touchdown by Josh Cribbs with 3:07 remaining in the third quarter.The punt return for a touchdown was the second allowed by the Ravens this season, tying a franchise record. The other came Oct. 30 by the Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson. “We wanted to pin the ball over on the left sideline and we didn’t,” Harbaugh said. “We kicked (Cribbs) a ball that we don’t kick very often, and I think when you give a returner like that an opportunity like that in space, in those kinds of conditions, he made us pay for it. “It was not good coverage, it was not a good punt, and we have to do better than that. That’s really what got them back in the game.” Wallace hit tight end Evan Moore for a 6-yard touchdown with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 20-14. Needing a touchdown to take the lead, the Browns received the ball at their 27-yard line less than two minutes later. The Browns drove to their 45-yard line, but couldn’t convert a fourth-and-5 pass by Wallace. Baltimore needed one “Oh my gosh” play to ice the game. Facing fourth-and-2 with 1:57 left, the Ravens were able to draw an encroachment penalty against Browns defensive lineman Phil Taylor as the play clock ticked toward zero. So, was there a play called? “Come on, you guys can figure it out,” Flacco said. “The play clock was at two seconds, and we hadn’t snapped the ball yet. It works sometimes, I guess. We got them. John (Harbaugh) was like, ‘There’s no way they jump.’” Flacco kneeled on the next three plays to end the game and lead the Ravens into their regular-season finale against the Bengals. All four of their losses have come on the road. “Big game next week,” Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. “It’s no secret. It’s up to us to go out and finish what we’re trying to finish.” Leave your comments on the news below. Posted in 1, baltimore-ravens, Cleveland Browns, Ed Dickson, Joe Flacco, John Harbaugh, Josh Cribbs, Lardarius Webb, Lee Evans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Ray Lewis, Ray Rice | Comments Off
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Baltimore Ravens Wide Receiver Boldin to Miss Two… |
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver “He will be back for the playoffs, whichever round we have The Ravens (10-4) have clinched a playoff spot and are tied Boldin, the team’s leading wide receiver with 887 yards on “We’ve got two tight ends that are really good, so we’re To contact the reporter on this story: To contact the editor responsible for this story:
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Ravens to Lose Anquan Boldin for Final Two Games:… |
If the Baltimore Ravens are going to finally break through and win their division, they are going to have to do it without their best wide receiver. The Ravens will lose Anquan Boldin for the final two games as a result of torn cartilage in his knee. This is a significant loss for a team that is looking to win their division and earn a playoff bye. The Ravens are currently 10-4 and tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers atop the AFC North. The Ravens have the tiebreaker but won’t have an easy time winning the final two games. For an offense that is already less than stellar, this is a tough loss for the Ravens. Boldin will have minor surgery to repair the torn cartilage. While surgery on the knee is usually really serious, Boldin shouldn’t require an extensive coverage. In fact, he is expected to return for the playoffs. Apparently, the injury has been lingering and it was decided that now was the best time to get everything fixed. Baltimore did not disclose which knee was injured. However, the team did announce that Boldin will be ready for the playoffs. That is a good thing for this team, but it could make winning the division difficult. Boldin has 57 catches and was on track for a 1,000 yard receiving season. He is one of the best threats in the Baltimore passing game. Without him, Lee Evans should get more action in the final two games. Baltimore still has Joe Flacco and Ray Rice so they should still be able to move the ball. However, losing a receiver like Boldin at this point in the season can’t be easy. Baltimore has played seven playoff games in the past three seasons and all of them have been on the road. This team knows more than any other how important it is to get a home playoff game. The Ravens were on track for that until they lost to the San Diego Chargers. They still control their destiny. If they beat the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals in the final two weeks, they will win their division and earn a bye. They are still good enough to do that. However, losing Boldin is definitely a blow. Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content. What do you guys think about this. Posted in 1, Anquan Boldin, baltimore-ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Joe Flacco, Lee Evans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Ray Rice, San Diego Chargers | Comments Off
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Tony Grossi’s scouting report on the Baltimore… |
TONY GROSSI SCOUTS THE BALTIMORE RAVENS Kickoff: Browns at Ravens, Saturday 1 p.m. in M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore. Record: 10-4. Most recent game: Lost to Chargers, 34-14, Dec. 18, in San Diego. Coach: John Harbaugh, 46-23, fourth year. Series record: Ravens lead, 18-7. Most recent meeting: Ravens won, 24-10, Dec. 4 in Cleveland. League rankings: Offense is 15th overall (16th rushing, 16th passing), defense is third (second rushing, fifth passing) and turnover differential is plus-1. Offensive overview Despite having all the pieces, they still aren’t able to push the pedal to floor and score like the elite offenses. They’ve gone four games in a row without scoring more than 24 points — hitting that figure in wins over the Browns and Colts, but scoring only 30 combined against the 49ers and Chargers. This inconsistency might only be a concern to them in the postseason when they get hooked up in a scoring duel with the likes of New England and Houston, or New Orleans or Green Bay in the Big Game. Otherwise, they can win by handing off and throwing to Ray Rice and dumping to tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta and receiver Anquan Boldin. The long game to rookie Torrey Smith and, some day, Lee Evans, is what may put them over the top. Defensive overview If they don’t get pass pressure, they are as vulnerable as any defense. In their four losses, they have registered only five sacks. The Chargers took command early by hitting them with quick passes and screens. The pressure was lacking even though they finally got linebacker Ray Lewis back after missing several games with turf toe. Their cast of characters is well-known and widely feared — tackle Haloti Ngata, rush linebackers Terrell Suggs and Jarret Johnson, safety Ed Reed. Bernard Pollard has been an enforcer at strong safety. The cornerback position suffered when Lardarius Webb was reduced to nickel duty. Rookie Jimmy Smith was picked on in his first NFL start. Special teams overview Kicker Billy Cundiff is 27-of-36 in field goals with a long of 51 yards. He has missed three of his past five attempts, and his nine misses match the league’s most. Despite Cundiff’s 42 touchbacks, the Ravens are only 29th in average drive start after kickoffs — which means they give up some healthy returns when Cundiff doesn’t boot it out of the end zone. Punter Sam Koch is 10th in gross average (46.6 yards) and 12th in net (39.7). David Reed is back on kick returns after losing the job earlier because of fumbles. Webb hit the Browns with a 68-yard punt return but is hobbled. Players to watch Running back Ray Rice: His record 204 yards rushing in the first meeting vaulted him up the NFL leaderboard. He’s now fifth with 1,086 yards and 10 TDs on the ground, and added two among his team- high 71 receptions. Linebacker Terrell Suggs: He was kept fairly at bay in the first meeting, netting only one sack. His 13 lead the AFC and tie for fifth in the NFL. Safety Ed Reed: Three of his eight career interception returns for touchdowns have come against the Browns. He, too, was relatively quiet in the first meeting. Injury report PK Cundiff (calf) has played but not practiced the past two weeks. CB Webb (toe) was limited all week but played in nickel. Small world Among the many players, coaches and executives who formerly worked or played for the Browns are: General Manager Ozzie Newsome, senior personnel assistant George Kokinis, defensive line coach Clarence Brooks, defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, director of pro personnel Vince Newsome, vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty, assistant special teams coach Marwan Maalouf and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg. . . . Receiver Lee Evans attended Bedford High School. . . . Safety Haruki Nakamura is a Cleveland native who attended St. Edward High School. . . . Scout Jack Glowik is a Cleveland native who attended Benedictine High School. . . . Linebackers coach Dean Pees is a former head coach at Kent State. That’s all the news for today. Posted in 1, Anquan Boldin, baltimore-ravens, David Reed, Dennis Pitta, Ed Dickson, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata, Jarret Johnson, John Harbaugh, Lardarius Webb, Lee Evans, Ray Lewis, Ray Rice, Sam Koch | Comments Off
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