NEWS
The one game that was circled on everyone’s schedule at the start of the season was the Baltimore Ravens traveling to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second to last week.
Everyone knew the game would have serious playoff implications and probably decide the division champion.
Interestingly enough, things haven’t exactly played out as expected for the teams that met in last year’s AFC championship game.
The Ravens have been up and down all year long while the Steelers lost five straight to lose all playoff hopes.
That said, this game still has major playoff implications, as both teams have their sights still set on a wild card berth.
Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 9:24 am by steve
The Baltimore Ravens will have to play the remainder of the season without rookie cornerback Lardarius Webb.
Webb tore his ACL while playing special teams near the end of the third quarter against the Chicago Bears.
The rookie slowly worked his way into the lineup this season, first seeing time as the kick returner.
He then earned a starting job after a season-ending ACL injury cost the team cornerback Fabian Washington.
The third-round pick is a player the team is very high on and believe can become a shutdown corner.
Friday, December 25, 2009 at 10:08 am by steve
The Baltimore Ravens got off to a quick start and really turned things up in the second half en route to a 31-7 win over the Chicago Bears.
Quarterback Joe Flacco tied a career high with four touchdowns passes, throwing two of those to tight end Todd Heap.
Derrick Mason moved into 15th places on the all-time list for receptions and also hauled in a score.
The Ravens defense forced six turnovers thanks to some very sloppy ball security by the Bears and poor throws from quarterback Jay Cutler.
The win moves the Ravens one step closer to the playoffs, and they are actually now the No. 5 seed if the playoffs were to start today.
Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 11:44 am by steve
The Baltimore Ravens have ruled wide receiver Mark Clayton out for the second straight game because of a hamstring injury suffered in the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Due to Clayton’s injury, wideout Demetrius Williams has seen increased playing time.
Williams, a former third-round draft pick, has always had an intriguing blend of size and speed that would seem to make him a big-play target in the passing game.
However, injuries have slowed his development, and rumors around the Ravens complex indicated head coach John Harbaugh is not pleased with his practice habits and he is in the doghouse.
He has made strides of late, drawing a few pass interference penalties in the end zone during the past two games that resulted in points for the Ravens.
Williams does not lack for confidence and believes that he is just starting to show that he is worthy of more playing time. A free agent at the end of the season, Williams is running out of time to convince the Ravens that they should re-sign him.
Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 1:50 pm by steve
The Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears game scheduled for 1 p.m. has been moved back to 4:15 because of a big Nor’easter dumping a lot of snow on the area.
The move was announced after urging from Baltimore City officials to start the game later so as to allow crews more time to clear the streets and sidewalks for safety reasons.
It should also help bring in a larger crowd. Had the game started as planned at 1 p.m., most residents would probably still be busy trying to dig out from all of the snow.
The snow shouldn’t have any effect on the play on the field as the precipitation will stop falling well before gametime and the surface will be plowed free of the white stuff.
It’s a big game for the Ravens, who would take control of the final wild card spot with a victory.
at 8:22 am by steve
The Baltimore Ravens made quick work of the Detroit Lions in a 48-3 rout.
The Ravens did get off to their customary slow start, but this time managed to get things going toward the end of the first quarter as opposed to sometime after halftime.
Baltimore jumped out to a 20-3 lead by halftime as running back Ray Rice ran wild against a Lions defense that looked like it had already decided to call it a season.
Rice was absolutely dominant in the first half, rumbling for well over 150 yards. Had the score not quickly gotten out of hand in the second half, Rice could broken the single-game NFL rushing record.
The defense was solid and had a few interceptions, but don’t get carried away, the Ravens were in no way challenged at all by this hapless Lions team that put forth a pathetic effort.
The Ravens continue their playoff drive next week with a home game against the Chicago Bears in what could be a big snowstorm.
Friday, December 18, 2009 at 5:34 pm by steve
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has received a restraining order from a judge to stay away from his fiancee.
Suggs is accused of getting into a heated argument with his fiancee over two tickets to a game that she requested.
The linebacker was mad because she would not explain to him who would be receiving the tickets.
He is accused of grabbing her and throwing her onto the ground and then threatening to pour bleach on her.
He was said to have accidentally spilled some, and it got on both his fiancee and young son.
Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 9:35 am by steve
The Baltimore Ravens got off to yet another slow start and it cost them again in a 27-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
The Ravens held strong in the first quarter but found themselves trailing 17-0 at halftime.
The team finally got things going midway through the fourth quarter and eventually cut the deficit to three.
However, after a Green Bay touchdown, Joe Flacco made a huge mistake by lofting a ball across the field into the end zone. The resulting interception pretty much ended any chance of a comeback.
The loss severely hurts Baltimore’s chance of a playoff berth. It’s almost certain that they would have to win their final four games to reach the postseason.
Friday, December 11, 2009 at 3:58 pm by steve
The Ravens entered Monday night 6-5, and with the Steelers having just been upset by the Oakland Raiders yesterday, Baltimore had a great chance to put itself in the driver’s seat for the AFC wild card race.
Instead, Green Bay’s 3-4 defense gave QB Joe Flacco nightmares, as the Packers romped to a 27-14 victory over the Ravens on Monday Night Football.
The game was a complete mess for both teams, as the teams combined for 23 penalties for 310 yards – second most ever in an NFL game.
The Ravens’ young stars appeared confounded by the Packers defense, as Flacco had a terrible game, only throwing for 137 yards while being picked off three times. RB Ray Rice, who had been a near-guarantee to achieve 100 yards from scrimmage on a weekly basis, only rushed for 54 yards and caught three passes for 17 yards, along with a fumble.
“You can’t give them the ball,” Rice said. “I gave it to them. We’ll get it corrected.”
The Ravens were called for five pass interference penalties, the most in one game since the New York Giants in 2001. Safety Ed Reed sat out with hip and ankle injuries, and the rest of the defense could not respond, allowing Packers QB Aaron Rodgers to torch them for 263 yards and three touchdowns.
“We’ve got plenty to be encouraged about,” Harbaugh said. “We’re in a tight race for the wild card, we are every bit in it. Everybody, they’ll say what they’ll say. It’s a week-to-week proposition in this league.”
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 9:11 pm by bryan
The Baltimore Ravens’ defense has been the linchpin of the team’s success for over a decade. The Ravens might have just seen their latest star in the making, as rookie Paul Kruger picked Steelers QB Dennis Dixon off in overtime to set up the Ravens’ game-winning field goal in their 20-17 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday.
“To be a part of that victory is huge for me,” said Kruger, a rookie playing in only his fourth game. “It was a designed blitz. I was the dropper. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.”
After going three straight games without a touchdown, Ravens QB Joe Flacco righted the ship, going 23 of 35 for 289 yards and a touchdown.
“You have to be ready to play 60 minutes. Today we played more than that,” Flacco said. “It feels good. It’s what we needed. Against these guys, it’s even bigger.”
RB Ray Rice was his typical incredible self, as he gained over 150 yards from scrimmage (88 rushing, 67 receiving on five catches), single-handedly keeping the Ravens alive in the game by converting a fourth-and-5 catch-and-run into a 44-yard first down.
The Ravens waited for Dixon, a third-string QB, to make a mistake all day… and when he finally did in overtime, they were ready and waiting.
The win moves the Ravens to 6-5, keeping them very much still alive in the playoff race.
Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 12:49 am by bryan
