Joe Flacco has by all expectations exceeded his billing when plucked as the Ravens‘ heir apparent at starting quarterback.  A relative unknown to mainstream fans when selected out of the University of Delaware with the 18^th pick in the 2008 Draft, the Ravens thrust Flacco into the starting role, as incumbent starter Kyle Boller suffered a season ending injury.  To the surprise of pundits across the country, Flacco, along with Matt Ryan of the Falcons accomplished the improbably by leading their respective squads to post season berths as rookie quarterbacks, with first year head coaches to boot.  Though not putting up mind-blowing numbers in his first NFL year under center, Flacco maximized the team’s efficiency by committing few turnovers and relying on a run heavy offense mixed with dominant defensive play.  Overall, Flacco connected on 60% of his passes for 2,971 yards as rookie, striking for 14 scores next to just 12 picks.  Flacco surprised the league with his mobility at 6’6’’, scrambling for another 180 yards, including a 38-yard rushing TD in his professional debut.  Season 2 saw more of the same, with Flacco needing to only post competent totals to ensure the Raven’s success.  In his sophomore season, Flacco improved his numbers noticeably, increasing his completion percentage to 63% despite throwing 70+ more passes in an increasingly airborne offense.  His yardage total rose to 3,613, while tagging on an extra 7 passing TDs and mirroring his low interception total, bringing his 2009 TD:INT ration to 21:12. Read more »

3.     Pittsburgh Steelers (2009: 9-7) – With Big Ben suspended, the Steelers look to get off to a rocky start.  Still, it’s never wise to count the Steelers out, proven to be the division’s most reliable winners over the past decade.  This simply may not be the Steelers’ year however as Hines Ward turned 34 this off-season and Santonio Holmes has landed in ‘green’-er pastures with the Jets.  Rookie receiver out of Ole Miss, Mike Wallace, showed some signs of promise but with a QB transition midseason inevitable, it may prove difficult to get the offense clicking until it’ too late.  Perhaps the true fate of the Steelers upcoming season lies out of their hands entirely.  Commissioner Roger Goodell has hinted in recent weeks that he may be willing to reduce Roethlisberger’s suspension from its current 6 game span to begin the season, pending good behavior of course.  The quarterback who has now matched his Super Bowl rings with sexually charged scandals (currently sitting at 2 apiece), has “been doing what he’s been asked to do and frankly more,” according to Goodell, with many speculating the suspension could be cut to 4 games.  With Byron Leftwich at the helm, a speedy return is essential to maintain any reasonable shot at post season aspirations.  Some Pittsburgh faithful cling to tempered hope based on Leftwich’s solid back-up performance spelling Roethlisberger in the 2008 season.  Such foolish optimists need only ask Atlanta, Jacksonville and Tampa fans how a Leftwich-led team turns out. Read more »

Looking ahead to what should be an interesting season for the Ravens and their AFC North rivals, 2010 finds new faces in some cities and familiar foes noticeably absent from others.  Here is a look at how the year could play out as we enter preseason play.

1. Baltimore Ravens (2009 season: 9-7) – Having leaned heavily on the run game over the course of Flacco’s first 2 years, the Ravens look ready to expand their playbook, and with the acquisition of Anquan Boldin certainly have the personnel in place to do so.  Running back Ray Rice is a major contributor to the passing game out of the backfield and should help to take some stress of Flacco as he is called to throw the ball much more in his 3^rd year.  The defense may take a step back this year as the secondary has been decimated by injury in recent weeks.  Still, the North as a whole doesn’t have a team to match up with the Ravens at this juncture. Read more »

Who is the fastest NFL receiver ever to 300 receptions? How about 500? For too many years now, Anquan Boldin has simply been the other guy.  Lost in Larry Fitzgerald’s monstrous shadow, both in terms of on field performance and physical stature, Boldin has enjoyed both the perks and frustrations of serving as the #2 receiver in one of the NFL’s most feared passing attacks.  In the season before Fitzgerald’s arrival, Boldin entered as a rookie with a chip on his shoulder, passed over for the first 53 picks due to concerns regarding his lackluster 4.71 40 time.   It took all of a week to send 30 teams into instant regret, setting a rookie-debut receiving record with 217 yards in the opener.  Boldin would go on to tally 101 receptions for 1377 yards and 8 TDs on his way to earning a spot on the Pro Bowl roster, the only rookie to make the trip to Hawaii.  The following year, Boldin went down with injury and was limited to just 10 games, while Larry Fitzgerald made his professional debut.  Even while healthy Boldin would see his endzone targets rapidly decrease in favor of the 6’3’’ Fitzgerald, who hauled in 8 scores his rookie season, compared to just 1 for Boldin.  Though 2005 saw both receivers eclipse 100 receptions and 1,400 yards (only the 3^rd duo in NFL history to eclipse the receptions century mark), the season marked arguably the last time in which Boldin and Fitz were shown equal favor by the organization. Read more »

It could be argued Ray Rice took his biggest step forward already.  After all, the 2009-2010 season saw the second year back out of Rutgers carry the ball an additional 147 times, while increasing his yards per carry by over a full yard (from 4.2 to 5.3) and registering 7 scores on the ground, the first 7 of his career.  Through the air, Rice also made quantum leaps, hauling in an additional 45 passes, 78 in total, on his way to an impressive 702 yards receiving out of the backfield.  So why then, would any level headed football analyst call for more out of the Ravens’ young running back? Read more »