Ravens About To Make A Bunch Of Cuts

Although NFL teams can't make cuts till Thursday at 4pm there are already pretty sound reports that the Ravens are going to be making some serious changes to there roster.

The Ravens are expected to cut Willis McGahee, Kelly Gregg, Derrick Mason, and Todd Heap. McGahee isn't a surprise at all he is going to make over 6 million next year, and really just isn't worth it at all, especially since Ray Rice is the obvious #1 back.

Although Mason is getting older (37) he is still coming off a pretty productive year (61 passes for 802 yards and seven touchdowns), but with Boldin on the roster the Ravens needed to find a way to save some money.

Heap is also still productive (five touchdowns, 40 receptions and 599 yards last season), but he has a hard time staying on the field. As for Gregg, he is scheduled to make over $3 million, but most people think there is a good chance the Ravens resign him.

The Ravens were getting a bit older, so I can understand the changeover, but I do think this could hurt them next year. McGahee sucks, but Mason and Heap have been good players for this team and they could miss that production. It will be interesting to see who steps up and picks up the slack.

Fuck the Whole Pick By Pick, The Draft Is Tomorrow

DP's Picks:
24. NO: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
25. Sea: Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
26. Balt: Brandon Harris, CB, Miami
27. Atl: Bruce Carter, OLB, UNC
28. NE: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
29. Chi: Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pitt
30. NYJ: Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor
31. Pitt: Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida
32. GB: Marcus Cannon, OL, TCU

BMack's Picks:
24. NO: Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona
Fills the need at DE for the Saints, and adds a good pass rusher to a team that really needs one.

25. Sea: Jake Locker, QB, Washington
I like Mallet a lot, but with all the questions surrounding being a booze bag and what not I think Seattle takes a pass. I also like Locker a lot and if Seattle can bring back Matt Hasselbeck for one more year I think he could be real good.

26. Balt: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
Ravens need to improve thier defensive backfield, and Smith could end up being the 2nd best CB in this draft.

27. Atl: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
Was projected to be a top 15 pick last year, but dropped in this years rankings (nerve damage/5 less sack then 2010), could be a steal this late in the first round.

28. NE: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
Dude is huge (6-foot-8 319 pounds), and the Patriots could be very thin on the OL depending on what happens with the CBA/free agency.

29. Chi: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
The Bears have to find a way to protect Cutler, this is a good start,

30. NYJ: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
Big, strong pass rusher is exactly what the Jets need, but what makes him special is he is great against the run.

31. Pitt: Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
Not a sexy pick, but lets be honest the Steelers have to find a way to protect Big Ben.

32. GB: Justin Houston, LB, Georgia
Gives the Packers another OLB pass rushing option other then just Matthews. Houston is also versitle, and could eventually be a DE, another need for the Packers.

TOP 25 UNDER 25 - #13 RAY RICE

RAY RICE - Running Back, Baltimore Ravens

This diminutive speedster has planted himself among the elite running backs in the NFL after two great seasons in the NFL and helping his franchise regain some prominence among Super Bowl contenders.

Rice first began to catch the eye of football fans as a true freshman back at Rutgers University - generally a dreadful college football program. He finished the year with more than 1,000 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns. In his sophomore year he helped Rutgers to a #12 ranking at season's end and rushed for 1,794 yards, a school record. The Scarlet Knights won the Texas Bowl that year for their first bowl win in school history and Rice was the game MVP. Entering '07 Rice was considered a Heisman candidate. Though he didn't win the award he had a tremendous season that included another bowl winning MVP performance with 280 yards rushing against Ball State. Rice left Rutgers for the NFL following his junior season.

Taken in the 2nd round by the Baltimore Ravens, Rice was thrown into the mix quickly. He made his first start in his first game as a pro but would share time with Willis McGahee as Baltimore eased him into the #1 back role. In 2009, however, he won the starting gig outright in the pre-season and set the tone for the year with a 108 yard performance in week 1. He was voted to his first pro-bowl in 2009 and finished with 1,339 yards and 7 touchdowns. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry that year, but was also a viable threat catching the ball as he had 702 receiving yards and just about averaged a first down per reception.

Rice helped the Ravens to a playoff victory on the road against New England in the 2009 playoffs. Pats fans will painfully remember his 84 yard TD scamper on the Ravens first play of the game - the 2nd longest run in playoff history.

2010 was a bit of a regression for Rice, as his numbers took a hit due to some changes in the Ravens' game plan this past season. The addition of Anquan Boldin and the development of Joe Flacco led to more of a passing attack and less focus on getting Ray the ball. He finished with 15 less receptions and wasn't able to get the same production on the ground. The predictability of their rushing offense and the fact that he wasn't sneaking up on anyone this season were both factors in the loss of production for Rice. For his sake, and theirs, the Ravens may want to think about getting back to a game plan that includes more touches for the talented young back, in particular getting him the ball more in space which is where he does his real damage.

Rice loses some value in the fantasy realm because he doesn't score a ton of touchdowns, or get a ton of goal line carries, but he is a dual-threat weapon in the back field and I doubt there are many touchdown drives in Baltimore that Rice isn't a huge part of.

Plus, when he does get in the end zone he makes it count with great celebrations like this......which is based on the greatest internet dance craze of all time...

Despite the regression he still finished with over 1,200 yards rushing and played in all 16 games, proving very durable - an underrated asset for NFL running backs. At just 24 years old Ray Rice looks to have a very promising NFL career ahead of him.

Divisional Round Breakdown

Ravens at Steelers

Arguably the two toughest teams in the NFL will square off at Heinz field in Pittsburgh, at 4:30 Saturday afternoon. No two teams have the familiarity that these two divisional foes share. Just three points have decided five out of the last seven meetings between the two AFC north powerhouses.

The Steelers have not lost a game at Heinz field in nearly a month. It is a difficult place to play on a warm September afternoon, it is exponentially more difficult in January when the stakes are high and the temperature drops to chilling lows. However, Baltimore is not afraid of cold weather, nor the confines of Heinz field. Having defeated the Steelers at Heinz already this season (albeit without Roethlisberger). The Ravens face a much more challenging task this time around, beat Big Ben in Pittsburgh… Something they have not done since 2006.

The Steelers love to get Rashard Mendenhall going early and often. The third year running back out of Illinois has certainly proven worthy of his first round selection back in 2008. Mendenhall rushed for nearly 1,3000 yards and scored 13 touchdowns this season. What makes him so dynamic is his ability run inside and out. He can power through defenders to pick up tough yardage as well as bust out a big play that can shift momentum in a heartbeat. Stopping Mendenhall will be a difficult task for the Baltimore front seven.

Even if the Ravens can contain Mendenhall, they still have to deal with a plethora of options that Roethlisberger has it his disposal. Chief among them, speedy receiver, Mike Wallace. Wallace led Pittsburgh in receptions, targets, receiving yards and touchdowns this season. The most staggering statistic for Wallace is his 21 yards per catch average, the highest in the NFL (min. 50 rec.). He had 26 catches for 20+ yards this season. Translation, once he gets the ball in the open field… Look out. Aside from Wallace, Baltimore has to find some way to deny Roethlisberger’s security blanket, tight end Heath Miller, from getting the ball on third down. Miller was held in check in the most recent meeting between these two teams (1 reception, 9 yards). Also, feisty receiver, Hines Ward, cannot be overlooked in this game. He’s a killer when the game is on the line and always seems to bring his level of play up a notch in big games.

Defensively, the Steelers have to force Joe Flacco to beat them. Their top priority will be to limit running back, Ray Rice. Rice was stymied in their last matchup, netting just 50 all purpose yards. While Rice is able to bring quickness to the Baltimore backfield, veteran Willis Mcgahee, can bring the boom. Mcgahee looked very impressive in a limited role against Kansas City last weekend. He’s the perfect change of pace back for Baltimore offense. The Steelers get a huge boost with the return of All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu. Considered one of the biggest game changers in all the NFL, Polamalu knows how to step it up in the post season. As always when these two teams play, whichever defense makes the big play typically wins the game. With big time players like Polamalu and linebackers, Lamarr Woodley and James Harrison, Baltimore knows that one turnover could cost them the game.

The Ravens have rattled off four consecutive wins, all by 10 points or less. This is their type of game. They tend to excel in the physical, low scoring type of contests. For Baltimore, it all starts on defense.

With perhaps the best front seven in football, the Ravens were able to hold opponents to 94 rushing yards per game this season, good for 5th in the NFL. Up front, Haloti Ngata has elevated his play and is now considered among the elite defensive linemen in the league. Behind him, All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis, who faced criticism earlier this year with regards to his age and perhaps having lost a step. The critics were answered when Lewis turned in one of his best seasons in recent years netting his 12th pro bowl appearance. In the final layer of defense, ball hawk Ed Reed leads a young secondary.

Despite just 4 losses on the season, the Ravens defense has cost them several times this season. They allowed Matt Ryan and the Falcons to come back in the fourth quarter despite Atlanta having only 1:14 seconds on the clock for their final possession. They also allowed 10 unanswered points against Pittsburgh, giving up their 4 point lead in the fourth quarter. A month ago, they surrendered 15 fourth quarter points to the hapless Houston Texans before returning an interception for a touchdown in overtime to save face. These are mistakes that they cannot afford to make against a polished Steelers team.

Offensively, they need to establish a ground game. In two games this season Ray Rice has been effectively shut down by Pittsburgh. It is imperative to get him going early and use Mcgahee (as I mentioned earlier) to change the pace. Once they are able to pick up first downs on the ground, it opens the play action game. The Ravens are an elite play action team and are nearly impossible to stop once they get going.

The addition of Anquan Boldin has certainly paid dividends for the Baltimore’s passing game. Putting a superstar wide receiver on the opposite side of the sure handed Derek Mason allows Baltimore to throw the ball down the field. Something they have been trying to do since they drafted big-armed quarterback, Joe Flacco, two years ago.

After a so-so start, Flacco turned it on December posting a 7/2 touchdown to interception ratio. He finished the season with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He set career highs in touchdown passes, passing yards, and quarterback rating. For the Ravens to win, Flacco will need to play mistake free football and avoid interceptions and strip sacks at all costs.

Look for a low scoring hard fought battle between two very physical teams. This is a great way to start off the divisional round, and hopefully will set the tone for the entire slate of games this weekend. Expect both defenses to play major roles in their teams’ success. Despite the Ravens inability to beat the Steelers at home with Roethlisberger at the helm, it seems as though they have all the right weapons to pull off the upset. Anquan Boldin is going to come up big in the clutch and the Ravens will be the first team into the conference championship Saturday evening.

Ravens 24 Steelers 23

Patriots 23, Ravens 20 (OT)

Fun fact, the tickets for yesterday's Patriots games, which were mailed to season-ticket holders many months ago, featured an image of Randy Moss.

It was hard not to have flashbacks of 2003 and 2004 yesterday. Looking back at the Pats' historic (and still unmatched) 21 game win streak, you see lots of weird scores. 9-3, 12-0, even a 23-20 overtime win at Houston.

It wasn't pretty. Then again, we've been bitching about this team falling short in the 4th quarter. So let's enjoy them dominating the final phase of the game. The Pats held the Ravens to 31 yards in the 4th.

The Patriots' offense also wasn't pretty. Neither was it ugly. Danny Woodhead amassed 115 yards of offense. Deion Branch caught 9 passes for 98 yards and a score. While that was going on, BJG Ellis had a Maroneylike 20 yards on 10 carries. Brady's numbers were also unimpressive.

The defense came up with the big plays. Unlike the last 20 or 30 games, they were able to stop the opposing offense on 3rd downs. Baltimore only converted 5 of 16 3rd downs. The Ravens were held to 99 yards on the ground (2.9 per carry).



There were shades of 03-04, as the big defensive plays came from random guys like Jermaine Cunningham. That being said, the Ravens' offense is hardly dynamic. The Ravens run, and not amazingly so. Their passing offense is mediocre and simple. Even the Pats' secondary can handle it.

Also, the Patriots were at home, where they haven't lost a regular season game since 2008. Also, the Patriots were coming out of a bye week. 2002 was the last time they lost after a bye week. They had two weeks to prepare for Baltimore. The Ravens only had a week, and all their film of the Pats' offense was less relevant, as the gameplan would be much different without Moss.

But I look at the NFL standings, and the Patriots are right at the top. They have the 2nd best record in a League loaded with mediocrity. 12 teams are either at .500, or one game above or below. These games, and ultimately the season, will be decided by the slimmest of margins. The teams that can make big plays, avoid stupid penalties (Meriweather, that's you), will be the team that goes the furthest.

Patriots at the 2-4 Chargers next week.



-The Commodore

Ed Reed Ready To Go Week 7

From everything I am reading it sounds like the Ravens defense is going to be getting a lot better week 7.

"I think he'll be ready to go," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "Obviously, you never know until the guy gets out there and starting practicing. But based on the way he's moving around now, I don't see any way he won't be ready to go."

Ed Reed is still one of the best safeties in the league, and with the Ravens already starting to play at a high level this team is going to be scary going down the stretch. Steelers vs. Ravens is something everyone is going to be talking about the rest of the year, because they are by far the best two teams in that division.

At leas the Patriots won't have to deal with him this week.

2010 NFL Previews: Baltimore Ravens

KEY ADDITIONS
Player, Pos., 2009 Team
Anquan Boldin, WR, Arizona
Marc Bulger, QB, St. Louis
Shayne Graham, K, Cincinnati
Ken Hamlin, S, Dallas
Cory Redding, DE, Seattle
Donte’ Stallworth, WR, Cleveland
KEY LOSSES
Player, Pos., 2010 Team
Justin Bannan, DT, Denver
Dwan Edwards, DE, Buffalo
L.J. Smith, TE, Free agent
Adam Terry, OT, Indianapolis
Kelley Washington, WR, Free agent

BALTIMORE IN THE DRAFT
Rd., Player, Pos., Ht., Wt., College
2. Sergio Kindle, OLB, 6-3, 250, Texas
2. Terrence Cody, DT, 6-4, 360, Alabama
3. Ed Dickson, TE, 6-4, 250, Oregon
4. Dennis Pitta, TE, 6-4, 245, BYU
5. David Reed, WR, 6-0, 190, Utah
5. Arthur Jones, DT, 6-3, 305, Syracuse
6. Ramon Harewood, OT, 6-6, 340, Morehouse

Offense:
Joe Flacco finally has some pressure to do something this year in a normally run happy Ravens team. They have good runningbacks in Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. Ray Rice had a coming out party last year with 1,339 rushing yards and caught 78 passes for another 702 yards, giving him 2,041 yards from scrimmage to rank second in the NFL behind Chris Johnson. And then they have touchdown vulture Willis McGahee, and great FB LeRon McClain. I like their wide receivers also Anquan Boldin is now without Larry Fitzgerald and should be able to prosper, and then they have the veteran Derrick Mason. Todd Heap will be a fantasy disappointment but is a good player on the field.

Defense:
Baltimores defense is always scary. As long as they have Ray Lewis and Ed Reed this team should be good. Ed Reed is dinged up but he should be fine. Their defensive line is anchored by pro Bowl tackle Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg, but they also drafted Mt. Cody who should be good to step in. Their linebackers are led by Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. Their only weakness could be defensive backs who lost Foxworth and Fabian Washington.

Overall:
Solid team, if the offense clicks it should be scary. 10-6

Terrence Cody Flunks Physical

In the least shocking news of the day...

Baltimore Ravens second-round draft pick Terrence Cody has failed his conditioning test and was not permitted to participate in the team's first training camp practice. The 360-pound defensive tackle out of Alabama signed a three-year contract Monday and arrived at McDaniel College eager to launch his NFL career. But after flunking his physical, he was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP).

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, "When he passes the conditioning test, he'll practice (CBS)."

This dude is huge, and I don't care he failed this. he will eventually pass, and he will be taking up a lot of space in the middle of that field. The Ravens have to be excited at the thought of Ray Lewis having more room to move around with this guy taking up attention in the middle of the field.

Still, it's been a tough couple of weeks for the Ravens. Their other draft pick (Kindle) is out with a fractured skull after falling down a flight of stairs at his home, and will most likely miss most (if not all) of training camp, which is never good as a rookie. I still expect the Ravens to be a very dangerous team this year and they are my favorite to win the AFC North.

Ed Reed Goes Off On Ravens

Ed Reed is going to miss at least the first 6 weeks of the NFL season due to injury, but the story doesn't end there. Ed Reed is not happy with his current contract, and he is voicing his displeasure to the media...

"I haven't had the support from the other side as you think has been there," Reed said. "If I don't say it now, it won't ever get said. It's like a marriage. There are going to be disagreements.

"You got to work with that person. When it starts to get too much, you got to pull back: 'Is it worth it? or should I take a pay cut and be on another team?"

The word I got was, 'We're comfortable with where we're at,'" Reed said. "Yes, you would be comfortable with the plays that I'm making on the field and paying me what you're paying me. ... There are six, seven players in front of me at my position [in terms of money] that I honestly wouldn't let hold my jock, and I don't even wear one.'"

Yea, cool Ed Reed, but you're also 32 and hurt. On top of that you have 3 years left on your deal. There is no reason the Ravens should give him another penny. Yes, he has done a ton for this organization, but it is also a business, and he signed that contract. Also, what a terrible time to go off about this. Reed might miss the entire season and he is going to sit there and yell at the Ravens about how much he is making???

That deserves a big C'MON MAN!

Why Not?

Why not watch a 1st person view of getting hit in the nuts by a football thrown by Joe Flacco?

Now I Love The Ravens' Owner

Can't say there are many Owners that are not running Boston teams that I like (except maybe Mark Cuban). Well that changed today, as the Ravens owner (Steve Bisciotti) ripped the Yankees (for no reason at all)...

"If I'm a Yankees fan, I'm upset we're not winning 130 games with the roster that they have and the money that they pay out. I think it's a disgrace they only beat the average team by 10 games in the standings with three times the money. I'd fire that GM. You don't need a GM. All you have to do is buy the last Cy Young Award winner every year."

Hahaha, why do I love this so much? Because it isn't coming from a Sox fan. Sox fans really don't have too much right to complain about salaries since they are always in the top 10 (though they are not #2 anymore every year). This guy is probably an Orioles fan, and how fucking annoying would it be if the Sox and Yankees just kept restocking their team with high end players?

Anyways, I have said I believe there should be a salary cap (and minimum) in baseball, because there are teams every year that just have no shot.

Ravens Hire Dean Pees

I tried coming up with a play on words for the headline but my brain is mush today. Something with appeasement or pissed off, there are too many possibilities for me to focus properly.

Anyway, the Ravens have hired the former Patriot D-Coordinator to be their LB Coach. Pees was the LB Coach up here until being promoted to coordinator.

I'm not surprised. Did the Patriots defense seem coordinated to anyone? Pees seems like a guy that can help out veterans, specifically at linebacker (he'll have Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs down there), but struggled to coach younger players.

To be fair to Pees, he was handed the keys to a poorly constructed and unfurnished house. He had an inexperienced defensive backfield, a below average LB Corps, and the unit had just lost its biggest leaders (Bruschi, Harrison, Seymour).

-The Commodore

Breakdowns Of Today's Games

Saints vs Arizona
Everyone is talking offense on this one. The Saint and Cardinals both have extremely potent offenses, but have weird defenses. The Saints defense has been good verse the pass, but awful against the run. Luckily for them, Arizona is a pass happy team. New Orleans has lost their last three games (basically resting their players) and everyone is up in arms about their lack of a meaningful game in the past month. However, I don't think it will matter at all. All year, their secondary has been banged up including Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper. With time to rest, it will help the Saints out more than hurting them. What will hurt them is loss of Charles Grant their great defensive end, with their rush defense being terrible already this loss could mean a lot.

As for Arizona, they have a potent pass offense, but their rushing tandem of Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells is pathetic. Sure they have "potential" but that only takes you so far. So the game will be on the shoulders of everyones new "golden boy" Kurt Warner. I hate to admit it, but he is good, and should probably be in the Hall of Fame. But with Anquan Bolden being out that leaves Steve Breaston as the counterpart to Larry Fitzgerald. We all know he is a good replacement, but with the speed in the Saints secondary, the Bolden loss could be fatal. Their defense also seems to pep up around playoff time as well. Last week, the flood gates opened and they were passed all over, I see the same thing happening again.

The Saints and Drew Brees is too good to be shut down, and with the lack of pressure Arizona gets this could be a long game for the Cardinals. The Saints defense is what it is, but it comes up real big when needed. They have had several big plays on defense especially from Darren Sharper and Jonathan Vilma. That will be the game right their in my eyes, and I see the Saints making a big plat on defense and the Cardinals not.

Saints 42-28

Ravens vs Indy

Like New Orleans, the Colts stopped caring during the season once they clinched a bye and home field throughout. This won't hurt them either, but will hurt them is the Ravens rushing offense. The Ravens blueprint is easy to figure out (running the ball, controlling the clock, playing stout defense), but stopping them is another thing. ray rice has been playing out of his mind, and Willis mcgahee has spurts of greatness. However, i see this game as a shootout and that doesn't bode well for the Ravens. Flacco isn't ready to win a game in a crucial situation and when Baltimore is down 14 points, they will struggle.

Indy 35- 21

33 Baltimore, 14 New England

This might my favorite post I have ever had the pleasure of writing, because it seals the end of a "dynasty". The Patriots came into the game as the favorites even with the loss of Wes Welker, and got out played, out muscled, out defensed, ran over and left for dead as Baltimore jogged off the field as the victors.

The obvious problem that the Patriots had against the Ravens was the running game that amassed 234 rushing yards and the normally stable Tom Brady looked like Jamarcus Russell. You knew the patriots were in trouble from the first drive of the game when when Ray Rice scampered for a 83 yard run. Then on the next Patriots possession Tom Terrific fumbled the ball and Baltimore scored again on the run. By the end of the first quarter the Ravens were up 24-0, and the Patriots couldn't overcome that.

I have to give credit to Baltimore's defense too that was able to hold the potent New England offense to an awful game. The New England stars stat lines were like this:
Brady: 23-42 for 154 yds 2TDs, 3 Ints, and 1 fumble lost
Moss: 5 rec for 48 yds
Edelman: 6 red for 44 yds and 2 TDs
Faulk: 14 carries for 52 yards
That is pretty impressive for the Ravens defense.

But let's get to the elephant in the room here. The Patriots will never win another Superbowl if they keep up all this throwing and abandon the running game. I know the league now favors a pass heavy attack, but 3 out of 4 teams that won this weekend won it with defense and a strong running game. What the Patriots need to do is get a running back and commit to him, and fix their defense. I know that's a lot easier said than done especially with Vince Wilfork being a free agent. The arrogance should be humbled from their head coach and they should go back to the formula when they won it with your Antoine Smiths and Corey Dillon's.

Anyways, Fuck the Patriots and pull up a seat next to the Steelers on the couch. I'll let Edwin Hawkins take us into the next post:

33 Ravens, 14 Pats

Dynasty over.

I'm 0-3 on playoff predictions thus far. C'mon Packers

Much more tomorrow.

How The Patriots Win Without Welker

The Patriots have had a tough road all season with injuries, and it only got worse this weekend with Wes Welker going down. It will be very tough for the Patriots to overcome this, but it is possible.

First, the Patriots need a much more balanced offense. When the Patriots were rolling over the past couple of weeks they had a balanced rush and pass attack. This means getting guys like Taylor, Morris, and Maroney rolling. This will help take some of the pressure off Brady, while making the safeties creep in, and hopefully freeing up Randy Moss down field.

Next, the Patriots need Edelman to step up in a big way. He is very similar to Welker, in the way that he can run those middle routes and WR screens. You can't expect the same production, but he can do enough to keep the defense honest.

Other players are going to step up for the Patriots also. We know Watson has the talent, and his speed needs to be utilized against all linebackers that might be covering him.

In the end the Ravens are not the same defense they were in years past, and the Patriots (at home) can win this game if they can control the ball (with the running game, and short passes). The Patriots are not a strong defensive team, but they should have enough to make Flacco's life hard (especially if Wilfork and Warren are healthy).

Ray Rice Hates Lambeau Field

"Many folks have referred to Lambeau Field as the "Mecca" of professional football. ESPN.com's Bill Simmons even went on a pilgrimage with Lambeau as the destination in 2006. Well, there's one person who isn't that impressed, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. Speaking to the press after the game, Rice said, "to be honest with you, it was just Lambeau Field. I didn't see anything special. They put us in the middle of nowhere and it's not a real exciting place. Everything about this place is terrible, to be honest with you (ESPN)."

Well Rice, there is history there. The Packers are one of the most storied franchises in football, and this field has been there throughout most of that history. I am not going to get all pissy about this, but it seems a tad unnecessary. You just lost, Rice personally played like shit, and all you got to say after the game is that you were not impressed by the field? Sweet Rice, why don't you go learn how to step up in a big game?

Suggs Out For Season?

"The Ravens are still fuming over Browns quarterback Brady Quinn's hit on Ravens linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs during the Ravens' 16-0 win on Monday night -- a hit that could cost Suggs significant playing time. Quinn threw a chop block at Suggs after an interception in the third quarter, rolling into his right knee. The Carroll County Times reported Wednesday that Suggs has a slight tear of his MCL. But his agent, Gary Wichard, fears Suggs could miss the rest of the season. Suggs was initially diagnosed with a sprained knee.

"You just don't do that," San Diego Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips told ESPN's First Take on Wednesday, saying Quinn should be fined $50,000 (ESPN)."

The Ravens have every right to be upset about this. If this was done to a QB the player would be thrown under the bus. It will be interesting to see if the NFL does anything, but from the sound of it the damage might have already been done with Suggs being out for the season. Overall I don't think it matters the Ravens are frauds. Their defense isn't what it used to be and their offense isn't good enough to compensate.

Hauschka To Be Cut?

"In a move that will please copy editors and fans of 1970s arena rock, the Baltimore Ravens might be making a change from Steven Hauschka to Mike Nugent at placekicker. In comments to the Carroll County Times, Ravens coach John Harbaugh declined to issue a vote of confidence in favor of Hauschka, who missed a 38-yarder in the fourth quarter on Sunday that would've cut the Bengals' lead to one score (ESPN)."

I would love to stick up for the Needham kid, but to be honest I am surprised he hasn't already been cut. He has missed some clutch kicks, and the Ravens really need a reliable kicker. I don't think his career is over, because he has a hell of a leg, but I do think his time with the Ravens is coming to a close (maybe even this week).

Dwayne Bowe To Ravens?

"According to the Baltimore Sun, there has been speculation that the Ravens would send a second- and fifth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. Bowe has caught at least 70 passes in his first two seasons and has scored 15 career touchdowns (Sportsline)."

This would be interesting. I don't know why the Chiefs would do this deal, but it would be a steal for the Ravens. You add a WR like that and Flacco's life becomes a lot easier. Flacco is already having a hell of a season and the Ravens could be a top 5 team in the NFL if they added a talent like Bowe (though I question their defense).