Well, after two weeks our Cowboys sit at 2-0. Well nice, these two wins have been so full of mistakes, fans are not excited. We will get to that later. For now, lets look at some of the new pieces the Cowboys have added to hopefully make the jump to a contender
Additions
1. Landon Collins- In what was a blockbuster trade, Dallas aquired star strong safety from their divison rival Giants. This was a move to ensure there was a long term answer at the safety position. Collins (24 years old) was due for a new contract and Dallas showed their commitment by signing Collins to a 4 year contract. Collins should make an immediate impact on a Dallas defense that is expected to improve greatly compared to 2018.
2. Zach Miller- With the retirment of future hall of famer Jason Witten, Dallas had a whole that needed to be addressed sooner rather than later. They did so by signing Miller to a one year contract, which is expected to be Miller's last. We last saw miller in a Chicago jersey when his knee exploded on monday night football. Though he is not as athletic, he has recovered and is expected to be a valuable target and run blocker for the Dallas offense.
3. Zach Allen- Dallas picked Allen up through The Remains supplemental draft. Allen was an unbeleivable run stopping end at Boston College. Dallas has begun the process of switiching him to tackle. Allen is a wild card, a thick boy, and above all, another young piece to a already stout defense.
4. Jalen Hurd- Dallas picked hurd up from the Eagles practice squad. This is the addition that excites coaches most. Hurd, before playing receiver at Baylor, was one of the best running backs in the country playing for Tennessee. Hurd is expected to play receiver for Dallas. He has a lot of work to do on his route running and catching skills but he still has elite open field moves.
First Two Weeks
Week 1- Dallas travled to Carolina and was out performed from the get go. Dallas found themselves trailing 17-3 at the end of the first. What followed was a comeback that saw the game tied at the end of the third quarter. The game looked more like a Big 12 football game more so than a NFL opening week game. Dallas came back to win 44-34. Dak Prescott finished the game 18/28 for 277 yards with 2 touchdowns. He also threw an early interception and seemed to not really be in the zone.Ezekiel Elliott WENT OFF for 182 and two touchdowns. This is what is expected of someone like Zeke but this was impressive. Rookies took over the receiving game, Jalen Hurd went for 95 yards and Michael Gallup went for 102 and 2 touchdowns. Outside of this, Demarcus Lawerence put up a three sack game and seemed to just be a step above anyone on the Carolina line.
Week 2- In a home opener for the Cowboys, all eyes were on Dak as the Rival New York Giants came to town. He answered by looking like he had some fucked up disability that prevented him from using his brain and instead using all of his energy to shit all over his white pants. Like I have seen bad quarterback play, but I would of rather seen a make a wish kid behind that line instead of Dak "Im a downy" Prescott. After a fucking pathetic 3 quarters Jason "clap clap clap" Garrett put Trevor Knight in the game. Yeah thats right, the non coke addicted Texas A&M bust who is currently jerking himself off on the bench of some AAF bullshit team. Anyways, Knight came in and threw a fucking touchdown on his first pass. He did this while Dak ate a whole box of Crayola Crayons on the bench while listneing to Kids Bop 15. Knight did throw a single pick, but it was on a 50/50 ball that could of went either way. At least he didnt answer by licking the Microsoft Tablet like Dak did. Long story short, Demarcus Lawerence came to play and recorded five sacks and Dallas won 16-5. After the game, Dak was seen being pulled on a Red Ryder wagon wearing a buzz lightyear shirt and holding a balloon. All signs point to Dallas trading Dak for a fucking Ham Sandwhich.
Fans are hopeful that Dallas' offensive woes can be fixed and keep the momentum into the weeks to come. Thanks for reading. I hope to see yall again. and above all
FUCK DAK
Well after three games the Ravens are undefeated. Without a kickoff return with 30 seconds remaining the Ravens would of started at 0-1. Then the Eagles showed the Ravens what a serious defense looks like. But somehow, someway Lamar Jackson carried his battered comrades out of battle with another W. It took until week three for the superbowl high to down and the Ravens to click. They came out on top 40-27. Here are our takeaways,
1. Lamar Jackson is more athletic this year than last- Lamar threw for 252 yards, and FIVE touchdowns. He did throw an interception shortly before half but outside of that, he looked unstoppable. What made this a career day was the fact he rushed for 83 yards and on two carries had an easy touchdown but slid to run more clock. Lamar is no doubt faster in his third year and his arm looks to be improving as well.
2.Joe Flacco is still alive???- Midway through the fourth long time starting QB Joe Flacco came into the game. He threw one pass, for 8 yards and then for some awful reason decided to audible to a read option where he picked up one yard on the ground. Joe is expected to retire after this season and we might see more of him as the year goes.
3. The defensive line has improved- The Ravens came into week three only with 4 sacks. Against the Browns the Ravens seemed to run a lot more pressure at Derek Carr and forced him to make some very poor decisions. The Ravens also racked up five sacks and seemed to hurt Carr Multiple times throughout the game. I hope this trend can continue.
4.Marlon Humphrey is the best corner in the league(DONT @ ME)- Humphrey has three picks in as many weeks and seems to be all over the field. He has allowed 2 catches in 15 targets. Marlon has really stepped up this year and has become a true lock down corner.
With that being said the Ravens still have a lot in front of them. We are praying for another week 4 victory but we shall see. Thank you all again from us at the Raven Wire. We have some BIG NEWS COMING!
After a year that will go down as the best season in history, the Ravens now have to keep pushing forward. The team's off season was a complete and utter disaster. First and foremost, after the superbowl victory John Harbaugh decided he would retire from NFL Coaching and join his brother Jim at Michigan. This is what started the downhill slope that this off season became. Right after Harbaugh announced his retirement, future hall of famer Eric Weddle announced his retirement as well. Weddle played his final year in Baltimore as a role player in the run defense. This left a MAJOR hole in the defense. Outside of these two departures, the Ravens roster remained the same.
After not a single sign in free agency, the focus shifted to finding a new head coach. In a suprising move, the Ravens hired the ex FSU coach Willie Taggart. Taggart was 5-7 at FSU but is known as a players coach. At FSU he was known as a Run heavy, multiple defense focused play caller. This scheme is much different than the spread, 3-4 attacking schemes ran in baltimore. With a quarterback like Lamar Jackson, coming off an MVP season there is NO reason to change the playbook that drastically. This move would bite the Ravens in week one.
On the bright side, the Ravens finished construction of their new stadium in Baltimore. Which is a pebble compared to the huge worry this offseason created for the fans.
Next came the draft, where the Ravens only selected in the 1st round and in the last three rounds.
1st Round - Parker Taylor DT from Tenessee was the first selection by Baltimore. This came by no suprise, Parker was expected to be a top 15 pick and the Ravens pulled the trigger on him with the last pick in the draft. In three seasons at Tenessee Parker was a force on the inside and outside of the defenive line. His juinor year he racked up 12 sacks and was dominant on the line of scrimmage. Scouts project that Parker will play both inside and outside on a pro bowl filled defense.
5th Round - Tyler Hudson FS from New Mexico ST was the 5th round choice by the Ravens. Hudson is a project, he is a quick 6'3 safety with the ball skills to see the field. He however is nowhere near ready to get reps in the regular season.
6th Round - Spencer Donnelly WR from USF was hands down the worst pick in the draft. Donnelly ran one of the worst 40s we have seen in a very long time for a skills player. He has some size but is very raw and I do not expect him to see much action.
Mr. Irrelevant- Who the FUCK cares. The Ravens drafted another TE, that makes 8 in two years... EIGHT. He wont make the roster. End of story.
The Ravens have a lot to prove and honestly, I am worried. There are a lot of holes and we will learn just how good Lamar Jackson really is this season. Thank yall for joining us on the Raven Wire again
(P.S. We aplogize for our absense, after becoming the highest rated news platform for the Ravens we went on the largest coke bender you could ever imgiaine. But we are back now, and a little sniffley as you might imagine.)
Welcome back to the second season of the Raven Wire. After a rather dissapointing preason the Ravens are poised to continue their dominance of the past season after making some very lucrative trades and signings in the offseason. Today we will look at some of the moves made by the orginization and then have a quick overview of the offense, defense and speical teams. Lets dive in!
Trades
Two New Evans- Throughout the season any fan could see the Ravens had receivers that could catch the football. The issue was there was a huge lack of explosiveness. This made way for the Ravens to go out and get a receiver. The Ravens planned on taking a receiver with the 27th pick in the draft. This changed when the Buccs approached the Ravens offering Evans in exchange for some draft picks. The Ravens saw the power of having a top 10 receiver. Paired with rookie standout Jaleel Scott, these two have been called the twin trees. Evans stands at 6'5 and Scott at 6'6. This makes the Ravens receiver core the tallest in the NFL. Along with picking up Mike Evans, the Ravens traded veteran pass rusher Terrell Suggs for 2nd year safety out of Texas A&M Justin Evans. Evans is a fast hard hitting safety who is poised to be the replacement for Eric Weddle. Only time will tell who gets the week 1 start against the 49ers, but long story short, the Evans' could be game changing for the franchise.
Andrew Norwell- After the retirement of Richie incognito, the Ravens had a huge hole in the interior of the offensive line. The Ravens front office saw this hole as a threat to the devlopment of Lamar Jackson. During the draft the Ravens reached out to the Jaguars to inquire about their star left guard Andrew Norwell. The Jaguars (Who drafted the massive guard out of Idaho Denard Manning) saw this as a chance to get younger and moved the #1 ranked interior guard in the league. The Jaguars received Baltimore's 2nd round draft picks for the 2019 and 2020. This move allowed Joe Thuney to move to center. When it is all said and done, the Ravens turned a potential hinderment into a homerun.
Signings
T.J. Yeldon- After the departure of Alex Collins the Ravens needed another back, Baltimore moved to sign fourth year man Yeldon. At 6'1 223 pounds he is a perfect match to franchise back Tevin Coleman, I would not be suprised to see Yeldon getting a fair amount of carries and a lot more dual back sets this season.
Beau Allen- The Ravens lost four defensive lineman to free agency, the Ravens responded by signing nose tackle Beau Allen. Allen fits perfect into Baltimores defense, he is a monster of a man who can plug a whole and put some pressure on the Quarterback. Coming off a right knee injury Beau has plenty to prove and show that he can come in when the Ravens have a goaline stand or a simple 4-3 defensive set. Only time will tell, but personally we think this is a huge signing.
Maurice Alexander- In a suprising move, the Ravens cut journeyman Anthony Levine. This left a whole at safety and espeically in the linebacker sub package. The Ravens once again come through. Alexander stands at 6'1 and 225 pounds, with speed of a corner and power of a mike, Alexander is going to be huge not only in replacing Levine but also on special teams.
Offense, Defense, Special Teams
Offense- This year is once again all about Lamar Jackson and his progression as a passer. Lamar has to limit turnovers and find his receivers. He has weapons everywhere. We know he can run the ball, this season however teams will be keying on the run which will force Lamar to pass more. If he can bridge the gap, he has the capability of having a Vick like season. Alongside Jackson, if Coleman can have another 1,000 yard season, Baltimore will be deadly.
Defense- There are a lot of new names on the field this season. We are hoping to see Mosley dominate like last year but we also have to be realistic and 10+ picks by a mike is hard. This season the key to success will be the pass rush. The defensive backfield is athletic enough to make plays, but it will come down to the pass rush to force quarterbacks to make mistakes. We are predicting another top 5 year for the defense.
Special Teams- This will come down to up and coming returner KD Cannon to limit mistakes. He has the capability of making a pro bowl, it just requires him to be smart. Tucker won't miss and outside of that, limit offensive turnovers and cause defensive turnovers. Thats the name of the game.
Thank you for reading this edition of the Raven Wire and we hope to see you again after the Ravens host the 49ers in the season opener!
GO RAVENS!
Well the season came and went, the Ravens had the best record they have had in years, and yet they left fans dissapointed. With a Divisonal Round exit against the New England Patriots the fans want to know "What's Next?" Well that we don't know here at the Raven Wire. What we can do is look at the facts. Lets dive right into it.
The Winners
Lamar "HOLY FUCK RUN" Jackson- Lamar had a great year, he won rookie of the year and seriously played awesome. At the end of the year he did have a slight interception problem. We saw the upside the Ravens saw when they traded up for Jackson. But for the love of God SIT IN THE POCKET AND MAKE THE EASY THROW. Jackson spent more time running than he did passing the ball. We are expecting great things from him going forward.
Tevin Coleman- The early season trade paid off wonderfully for the Ravens. Coleman went for over 1100 yards and averaged nearly 4.5 yards a carry. Coleman was also signed long term, the Ravens finally have a great back.
Mark Andrews- Mr Consistent himself, he was by far the biggest target for Jackson and eclipsed over 800 yards in his first season. The only thing missing from him is the red zone threat. This is what we are hoping for in the coming year.
Jaleel Scott- Scott was the leading receiver for Jackson and the big body seemed to come down with everything. In his first season Scott dominated.
THE ENTIRE DEFENSE- There is not a single player who we can say did not play well, Judon, Mosley, Etc. Awesome defenisve season for the Ravens.
The Losers
Alex Collins- The workhorse from the previous season was out worked by Tevin Coleman and saw his carries fall to only 49. This was enough for the Ravens to let him walk in the offseason. Its sad to see him go (Not really) we hope the best.
John Brown- Another player the Ravens let walk, Brown just did not live up to the hype he was given. He only had six receptions and a single touchdown. It is just sad to see a big name leave, but if the stats arent packed, then how can the Ravens pack his pockets.
Hayden Hurst- Losing the starting Job really hurt Hurst (haha) he was a reliable #2 Tight End for the Ravens but really was not worth the early pick the Ravens spent on him. We are hoping year two will allow Hurst to really perform.
The Offseason Additions
With free agency not over we can only really talk about the blockbuster trade the Ravens made with the Bucs. Obviously the Ravens wanted another receiver and they made a move to get Mike Evans. This can be a game changer for the devlopment of Lamar Jackson. Evans is a top 10 receiver and has the capability to do it all. Along with Mike Evans, the Ravens also received Justin Evans. This makes us think the Ravens are planning to slow Eric Weddle's snaps and allow him to teach Justin Evans to be a pro bowler. The Ravens want to compete and the Draft Wednesday night will really be big for the team. The question remains, who will they draft.
Thank you for joining us on the last episode of the Raven Wire for the season. We will see you all again week one of the offseason.
Welcome back to the Raven Wire, this afternoon we are gonna talk about the beatdown the Ravens put on the Steelers.
This was the 3rd shutout of the year, the defense did nothing short of dominate. CJ Mosley continued to do what he has done all year, he had two sacks and another pick to match the NFL single season record, however right before the Half he went down with an ankle injury. It did not look bad but we wont be suprised if Mosley misses some games. He will be the difference maker in the Playoffs. Stepping in Mosley's place was the rookie out of UCLA Kenny Young. Young finished the day with 8 tackles, 2 sacks and a interception that he returned for 57 yards. Young is very athletic but didn't seem to show the same fire Mosley has had all season. Marlon Humphrey and Eric Weddle both stripped Antonio Brown. To make things worse, Big Ben was thrashed throughout the game, he was sacked 7 times by the Baltimore defense. At one point Ben was hit by the old workhorse Terrell Suggs and was evaluated for a concussion. Defensively the Baltimore Ravens did excatly what they have done all year.
Offensively, OH MY GOD, every single Rookie played a career game. Lamar Jackson 21/27 for 424 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception off a deflected ball off a lineman's helmet. Tevin Coleman had a quiet day, he ran one in but only went for 70 yards on 16 carries. Jaleel Dark Horse Scott went for 142 and one touchdown on 7 receptions. He was also stopped on the one yard line after a 45 yard recpetion. Scott has shown that not only can he play on the NFL stage but can dominate one of the best defenses in the NFL. Another Rookie, Mark Andrews went for 158 yards. He has become a secret weapon for Lamar Jackson and has the speed to burn linebackers. Hayden Hurst also caught his first NFL touchdown. Long story short, Lamar bounced back and showed he is the Rookie of the Year.
The Ravens have a Bye next week then return home to play the Bengals who are ready to take down the #1 team.
Thank you for joining the Raven Wire
Good morning and welcome to the Raven Wire. Today we are doing something a little different however, we will talk about the game but the focus of today’s show is we have a two special guests, later in the show we will be talking to Lamar Jackson and Tevin Coleman. They will talk about the teams success and what needs to happen to keep it going.
Yesterday afternoon the Ravens beat the Titans. The game looked just like the past 3, complete offensive domination moving the ball at will. What was different however was this was the first game in 3 games the Ravens have allowed a single point. The defense played well, CJ Mosley continued his Defensive MVP case with his 10th interception and 5th sack on the season. The only worry we have is Michael Pierce went down in the 3rd and didn’t return to the game. The Ravens believe he might have a torn pectoral but time will tell. Offensively, Lamar Jackson and Tevin Coleman dominated, and oh yeah, Jaleel Money Scott caught another touchdown. Lamar did throw two interceptions but both were tipped so we take them with a grain of salt. Tevin went for 125 (3rd game in a row) and the offensive line played like All pros making holes at will against a good Titans defense.
Lets welcome to the show the two heads of the offense, Lamar Jackson and Tevin Coleman.
So let’s get into it,
Lamar, how is the NFL experience so far,
“First and foremost thank you for having me but to answer your question, the NFL has been a dream come true, I came into the league with question marks around my skill at the Quarterback position and here we are on this monster win streak. I’m not saying by any means this is because of me, I have an amazing support staff, coaches, Offensive lineman, Receivers and T (Coleman) here who take the weight off my shoulders.”
Its amazing to see a guy who many thought wouldn’t go in the draft early to be drafted by a team who has a questionable Elite Quarterback, beat him out and the get the week 1 nod and have the success you have.
Okay Tevin, you were traded before week one to the Ravens who paid highly for you, how has Baltimore been for you?
”You know, I went into the front office in Atlanta and told them I wanted to be traded. I loved Atlanta, I built a house there, a life There, but it’s my contract year, and I wanted to be somewhere that would have faith in me to be a 3 down back. It’s hard to get motivated to play in a place that you don’t know if they will throw anything at you to stay. When I was told Baltimore made an offer I got excited, young QB, Offensive line who brought in 3 guys who could very well make a pro bowl in their first year here and coaches who want to pound the rock. I love it here, I love the fans, I want to finish my career here.”
I assume you will, after your debut the Ravens offered you a long term deal. This shows they want you.
So we know y’all dont have a lot more time but Lamar, looking forward what can the Ravens do to continue to win?
”It starts with defense, we have the best defense in the league and our guys know it. They come out with a swagger that “yeah we are gonna beat you on every play” and they play like it. They want to cause turnovers and shut teams out. They want it more than they want to push their stats. We have CJ (Mosley) who has dominated every week, he has picked The ball off more times than any linebacker through 5 weeks. We have the Beard (Eric Weddle) who scares receivers to death. And we have T sizzle (Terrel Suggs) who for the first time in his career has played both coverage and rushing responsibilities. And offensively we play our game, we pound the rock, let Tevin do his thing and then take what the defense gives us. Jaleel has played phenomenal and has given me an outlet anytime I need it. Crabtree who is always open no matter what. And two tight ends that love blocking as much as they do catching the ball. With how many times our defense makes stops, it’s up to us to execute.”
Way to put it, I couldn’t agree more. I want to thank y’all two for joining us this morning and good luck, I hope to talk to y’all again soon.
And thank you for listening to the Raven Wire this morning. We will be back tomorrow to recap the Ravens game against a phenomal Saints team.
Welcome back to the Raven Wire,
After a dominating defense performance, the Ravens moved to 3-0 after a 37-0 victory over the Broncos. This is the second shutout the Ravens have completed. What seperates this shutout from the 17-0 win over the bills is the offense showed up. As always, we will highlight a few players and talk the what went well and what is left to improve on.
CJ Mosley- Week after week Mosley has proven he is a true DPOTY candidate. He racked up two interceptions and a force fumble. The only thing Mosley didn't perform well in was the run game, he just was a step slow on the outside runs. Other than that, he dominated the entire game.
Corners- Every starting corner got an interception. They proved that they will not be taken advantage of on 50/50 balls. They showed they are athletic and their youth will not be something to hold them back.
Tevin Coleman- Coleman needed a breakout game, he was traded right before the week 1 game and was very limited in his runs due to not knowing the playbook. However, against the Broncos, Coleman exploded for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He was also valuable in the option run, he became a huge screen to allow Lamar Jackson to take off and show off his ball running capability.
Lamar Jackson- Jackson had a hell of a game, there is not much else to say. He threw for 205 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 37 yards and one touchdown on one read option. Jackson played smart with the football not throwing any passes that could be picked off. He put the ball where only his receivers could get it.
Jaleel Scott- Scott has become a huge bright spot for the Ravens. Against the Broncos, Scott went 113 yards and a touchdown. The suprising part was he outran Bradley Roby on a simple post. Scott who has been featured on multiple articles and seems to be a Gem for the Ravens. He has shown the capability to not only catch jump balls but be able to take the top off a defense and score.
We are extremely excited for this team, We at the Raven Wire want to personally thank you for reading!
Welcome back to the Ravens Wire, today we are going to go into the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Yes, the Ravens are 2-0 but both games were very sloppy. A child could tell you that there is a large amount of inexpereince on both sides of the ball. However, there are some bright spots, and I mean BRIGHT. Lets dive in,
The Good
CJ Mosley- Coming into the season Mosley knew he was the leader on the defensive side of the ball, the start that he has had is unbeleivable. He is going into week 3 with 5 interceptions and two touchdowns. He has also been a force in the run defense allowing less than 3 yards per carry. Mosley is showing that he is the real deal and can be a huge difference maker. As long as he stays healthy he is going to be a force in the AFC.
Mark Andrews- The rookie out of Oklahoma is no stranger to the deep ball. At Oklahoma 60% of his recpetions were over 30 yards. In the first two weeks he is leading the Ravens in receiving yards with 147. On paper this is not something to be proud of, but this rookie has shown not only he can beat out first round pick Hayden Hurst, but moreover he can be a major contributer in the young Ravens offense.
Jaleel Scott- Another rookie, Scott has dominated corners through the past two weeks. He has been targeted 14 times, coming down with 13. The fourth round pick out of New Mexico State has shown promise to be a starting receiver for the Ravens. The only worry we have for Scott is he just doesn't look very fast. For what he lacks in speed, he makes up for in jumping ability and the strength to come down with the football. Next week he will have his first test against a speedy corner in Bradley Roby. If Scott has a good game he may become the go-to guy for the Ravens.
The Bad
Hayden Hurst- Let it be known, we loved the Hurst pick in the first round, he was a very athletic pass catcher who wasn't scared to get his hands dirty in the run game. However, through two weeks he has 2 receptions for 13 yards. The man just cannot find the same seperation that Andrews has found. He has down decent in the run game but nothing like his counterpart. Something has to change for Hurst, he is becoming a decloy more so than a pass catcher. The Ravens might have a bust on their hands.
The Pass Rush- The Ravens have some serious talent on the Defensive line, there is no doubt about that. Then you add in Suggs and Judon and you have a team who should put up video game numbers. This has not been the case, the Ravens have only sacked the quarterback twice in two weeks. This is something that has to be fixed if the Ravens want to shoot their shot in the post season. The Ravens are always steps behind the quarterback, they just need to get their a little bit faster and they have a shot. I would not be suprised if the Ravens make a move before the trade deadline for a high value pass rusher.
The Ugly
Lamar Jackson- Let it be knwon, Lamar has played VERY well in the past two weeks. He has thrown for 500 yards and four touchdowns. He has also rushed for another 164 yards and four more touchdowns. The issue Lamar is facing is the turnovers, he has thrown five interceptions and has fumbled the ball four times. Lamar is very young and just getting comfortable in his throwing motion, however he HAS to start becoming consistent and keeping the turnovers down. By doing so he will make the already great Ravens defense that much better. All but one of Lamar's interceptions have come on passes over 25 yards. The Ravens have to figure out a way for him to learn how to throw the deep ball, that or just remove it entirely.
The Run Game- The problem is not with backs Tevin Coleman or Alex Collins, the problem lies with the play calling. The Ravens have not ran the ball enough. They have two very taleneted backs who can and will make a huge difference. By running the ball more, the Ravens will avoid 3rd and 7+ and thus allow Lamar to throw short routes and just let him play his game. The Ravens HAVE to start running the ball and they will keep the turnovers down.
All in all, we are 2-0, its really hard to complain. The Ravens look like a different team than they did the previous year. Let's pray they keep the momentum going and take an early season lead.
Thank you guys again for reading the Ravens Wire this week, we will see you all soon after the Ravens take on the Broncos
Week one of the preseason is over for Baltimore and to say the hopes are high for this team is an understatment. The Ravens routed the Rams 40-7 last night in what seemed to be a showcase of the drafting talent of the orginization. The real issue however, is that with this being preseason, is this what we should expect? Can the Ravens bring glory back to a city that wants nothing more than deep passes and hard hits? Today on the Raven Wire we are going to examine the first game of the 2018 Ravens and take a look at some of the players who shined.
Lamar Jackson
When the Ravens took Jackson they were hoping for a QB who could dominate teams like Michael Vick used to in Atlanta. By no means are these players remotely on the same skill level. However, Jackson is a project that might be better than the combine showed.
Jackson started the entire game going for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns with a signular interception. Jackson did not seem scared to air it out and seemed decently comfortable sitting in the pocket. What took us by suprise was the amount of designed QB runs the Ravens ran. Jackson ran the ball 13 times going for 145 yards and one touchdown. This statline puts him at 422 all purpose yards with 4 touchdowns.
It will be interesting to see what the Ravens do at the QB 1 position. Lamar has talent but he is a Raw project.
Jaleel Scott
This was the true suprise for us, Scott went for 109 and 2 touchdowns on 8 receptions. He just looked stronger than anyone on the field and took care of business.
The 23 year old rookie out of New Mexico State was drafted in the fourth round by the Ravens. In 2017 he recored 1,079 yards and nine touchdowns, earning himself a first-team all conference selection. His entire college career can be summed up in one play, against Arizona State he had a one handed catch that is one of the best catches we have ever seen. (View it here ) Scott may have earned himself a roster spot last night and we are excited to see what he can do.
Tight End Play
Rookies Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst split snaps last night and both looked awesome. Andrews played wonderful in the run game making some seriously impressive blocks while going for 24 yards. In the first quarter Andrews was streaking down the field and Jackson missed the throw which would of been an easy 70 yard touchdown. At 6'6 Andrews is an all purpose TE who I can see taking the starting job from the Ravens first pick in the draft, Hurst. Hurst want for 35 yards and one touchdown. Don't get it misunderstood, Hurst can play, but the question is if he is ready to start at the NFL level. Overall no complaints from the tight end group.
Defense
Turnovers, turnovers turnovers. The ravens caused five turnovers last night on four interceptions and one fumble. Marlon Humphrey made a one handed interception that he returned for a touchdown. Anthony Levine SR had two interceptions and a forced fumble. He should of had closer to four interceptions but he just could not control the ball while coming to the ground. Rookie Anthony Averett played well allowing no receptions on 11 targets. Averett was a monster for Alabama and single handly shut down Georgia's passing game in the National Championship. His highlights can be found HERE
Overall the Ravens looked good, but with many holes on both sides of the ball this Ravens team can be taken advantage of. Their success will come down strictly to how the rookies play in Baltimore. This is a team who could easily go 12-4 or 4-12. They have the talent, but will the youth be too strong for the Ravens to finish the game. We are expecting big things from the rookies and the fast paced offense. Lets pray the Ravens can return glory to the city who loves their football team more than anyone can imagine.
With the 2016-2017 presason due to start today, it is time for us to take a look at some of the offseason moves the Bucs have made.
New Faces
Coach Warlord- Coach Warlord was the Defensive Cordinator at Michigan from 2010-2016. Under Warlord, the Wolverines only allowed 3403 yards, this ranked Michigan as the number 1 defense in the country. Warlord created one of the best Tampa 2 Schemes in recent history. After the 27-30 loss against Ohio State, Warlord broke the news that he had job offers from multiple NFL teams. However, on February 6th, the buccaneers broke the news that they had hired Warlord. Only time will tell if Warlord's collegiate success will translate to the NFC South.
Vernon Hargreaves III- In the 2016 Draft the Buccaneers Drafted Hargreaves out of Florida as the #11 pick in the Draft. Through three years at Florida, Hargreaves totaled 11 interceptions and 121 tackles. There is no question in Hargreaves talent, but with the departure of Brent Grimes, he is expected to be the #1 corner, the question remains with his lack of expereince will he be able to cover superstar receivers.
Noah Spence- Noah Spence was the 2nd round pick out of Eastern Kentucky. His juinor year he transfered to Eastern Kentucky and played outside linebacker in a 3-4 stack defense. In his lone season in Kentucky Spence racked up 63 tackles and 11.5 Sacks. Spence is expected to play end in Warlord's tampa 2 defense.
Ronnie Stanley- In a suprising move the Buccs sent Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson and Donovan Smith to the Ravens for the 6th overall draft pick Ronnie Stanley out of Notre Dame and a 3rd round Pick. Stanley started two years for Blue and Gold and was considered the best Offensive tackle in the Draft. He is expected to start as the blindside tackle for Winston.
Derrick Henry- With the departure of Doug Martin in Stanley trade, there was a hole at the running back position. The buccs in turn sent Brent Grimes and a third round pick to the Titans in exchange for Henry. Derrick Henry was one of the best running backs Alabama has ever had. In his hesiman season he totaled 2219 yards with 28 touchdowns. Henry at 6'3 238 pounds makes him one of the Largest backs in the league. There is no doubt with the new additions to the offensive line Henry is poised for a large season. Henry is expected to share snaps with second year back Charles Sims.
Jack Mewhort- In another shocking move the Buccs sent Starting Defenive Tackle Gerald Mccoy and Starting Right Guard J.R. Sweezy to the Colts for their 1st round pick and Jack Mewhort. Mewhort has played two seasons for the colts where he truly shined. In the 2014 Draft Mewhort put up 28 Reps on the bench press. There is no doubt in Mewhorts Talent. he is nearly guranteed to start at Left guard for the Bucs.
Biggest Questions
Will Winston Improve? With this being Winston's second season, this is a crucial year for him to improve to avoid a sophmore slump. The only problem he will face will be the loss of Vincent Jackson. With a revamped offensive line it is up to Winston to carry the Bucs passing game.
Can the Defense hold? The Bucs lost Gerald Mccoy and Brent Grimes in the offseason. The Run defense will have to be owned by the Linebackers. With Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David the Bucs seem to be in good hands. However the pass defense seems to be the most suspect part of the defense. The Corner back position is lacking, but hopefully not too terribly.
Can Henry's Success translate to the Pro Level? Henry is a large back who can not only run defenders over but can also outrun most Linebackers. He has the talent to be an early favorite for the Offenive rookie of the year. One thing he has to fix is his blocking skill and cathching skills.
Thank you for reading and as always Go get em' bucs!
This week the Texans had a flight to North Carolina to take on the Panthers. Not only did the Texans start off slow, they ended slow. They never got the ball moving and could not make a stop on defense the entrie game. Rookies Jameis Winston, Todd Gurley and Eric Rowe could not live up to their week one glory in the 17-24 loss.
Winston (15-25 247yds 1TD 1INT) could not get the ball into any of his playmakers hands at the right time. Winston started to heat up in the fourth quarter throwing for over 150 yards and throwing his first touchdown pass to Rookie Receiver Ty Montgomery. Winston has room to improve and with the addition of Left Tackle Jake Matthews, Winston has everything around ahim to build a legacy in Houston.
Gurley was more of a threat in the pass game than in the run game coming up with 93 receiving yards. Gurley just seemed to have a off night. The defense keyed on him the entire night and Gurley just could not find a open lane. However he still managed to maintain 6.1 yards per carry. Gurley currently leads the rookies in rushing yards.
Rowe had a matchup agaisnt Willie Snead. Rowe's lack of pro experince really showed getting beat deep three times allowing Snead to rack up 145 yards and a Touchdown. Rowe came off last week having a pick six in his first game as a NFL corner, this looked as if it might gave him a small ego, however, after the embarassment by the Panthers, don't be suprised if Rowe steps up.
The Texans have a lot to work on. Next week they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. in Houston.
Highlights from week 2- https://youtu.be/NM7ncSfKdfs
The Texans and Chiefs game was a shootout! If anyone would like to see it come check it out!
In their rookie games Jameis Winston and Todd Gurley made their impact felt with a 20-27 victory