Looking Ahead: the Ravens’ 2008 Season
Next week the Ravens begin training camp in earnest. It’s about freaking time. While I love the Orioles and the game of baseball, it still seems a great injustice that the football season only lasts from September to January while baseball goes on for what seems like FOREVER.
Which brings me to training camp: the appetizer to the season ahead. All training camps begin with questions, but this year, the Ravens camp opens as almost a total mystery. John Harbaugh, Cam Cameron and pretty much the whole team all have giant question marks floating above their heads. My biggest worry is the offensive line, which took a seven-foot, three hundred-plus pound loss with the retirement of Jonathan Ogden. At the end of last season, to call the O-line shaky was a compliment. Let’s hope they grew up a lot during the offseason.
At the time that I am writing this the only major contractual issue is that franchised Terrell Suggs still does not have a deal in place, which could prohibit him from practicing. Joe Flacco made the wise move to sign on the dotted line as of Thursday, July 17.
Suggs is young enough and good enough that the Ravens need to seriously consider keeping him in Baltimore as long as he is able to walk on the field. He has shown his intentions and desire to remain a Raven earlier in the summer by attending workouts and publicly endorsing new coach Jim Harbaugh. When Ray Lewis leaves (this is his last year as a Raven, one way or another) there will be a large void that needs to be filled and Terrell Suggs could be the man for the job. He is extremely bright and an amazing athlete. This is a career-defining year for him and he knows it. This is the season where he can step up, take on a leadership role, learn all that he can from Lewis and prove once and for all to the Ravens fans and management that he is a marquis player and deserves to be paid like one.
To Joe Flacco: Smart move. It’s five years for a ton of money. Way more than any Delaware athlete has made in the history of Delaware athletes. It’s not like you were a Heisman winner at Ohio State. Don’t believe the hype. Yes you are a big guy and supposedly bright, but big guys fall hard and you have never seen the speed of an NFL secondary. You may be putting that degree you wrapped up this summer to use before you know it.
I’m not going to get into the whole “who will start under center this year” debate just yet, although I would love to hear what you folks think. Unless an old guy from Mississippi starts asking about the availability of the Ravens #4 jersey, I am going to let training camp get under way before I throw in my two cents.
My biggest hope for this training camp is that Harbaugh keeps to his word and toughens this team up. No more hotel Billick. I also hope that Cam Cameron left his losing ways in Miami and has figured out how to use the limited arsenal he has here in B-More. He had Ronnie Brown on the right track at the beginning of last season and I think he could get Willis McGahee over the hump and on his way to being a premiere back.
Finally, I want this team to walk away from camp healthy. Work ’em hard, but please, Harbaugh, don’t hurt ’em. This means you, Todd Heap. With Sypniewski done for the year we need you to hang in there more than ever. I don’t expect Daniel Wilcox to have a breakout year. Now Lee Vickers on the other hand … just kidding.
I’m excited. I like change and the Ravens are chock full of it this year. At the moment I’m optimistic. I can’t wait to watch football again and I can’t wait to see what this new season and pretty much new team brings. It can’t be worse than last year … right?
honestly my football blood isn’t bubbling yet. i will say that i like what i’m hearing and seeing though.
honestly i think the thing i’m the most excited about is what willis and ray rice could do together in a cam cameron offense. they could be awesome.
prediction for the afc north as much as it pains me:
pittsburgh 10-6
cleveland 8-8
bmore 7-9
cincy 7-9
i wouldn’t be surprised at all if the whole division battled all year though and all ended up around .500 as many of the “experts” are predicting.
the ravens have one hell of a tough schedule too. colts, titans, jags, cowboys, skins, giants all made the playoffs, and our division opponents too. I think if anything this year is going to be fun to watch. we may lose some tight games, but i dont think it will be as depressing as last year. what was it, 10 straight losses? i’m saying 7-9, maybe 8-8, but only becausr of the strength of schedule.
the offense should be up to the level we have strived for for so long, but all the defensive starters are returning. I just hope that the secondary doesnt become toast again this year, and can keep us in some ball games with these tough opponents
Some rambling-
The new coaching staff intrigues me
I feel this O-line could really gel in the next year or too
If Flacco is given a fair chance to win the starting job, I seriously don’t see him failing.
Boller vs. Smith – I feel the people who are pushing for Smith are doing it just because they’re sick and tired of Boller. Let’s be honest, Troy Smith has STARTED 2 NFL GAMES. He could be a good QB, especially with the leadership qualities he possesses, but I seriously don’t see him being a difference maker at the position this season. Boller on the other hand, has much more experience, and with a new OC and offense, who knows? Stranger things have happened. Even then, I still see Smith having the edge between the two.
We must have a better outside pass rush. Pryce being healthy will help, but Barnes could have a breakout year. I also want to see how Cody and Burgess could factor in IF THEY CAN STAY HEALTHY…lol
Special teams must be better this year. If Figurs can’t get over his horrible hands, PUSH RICE.
The TE situation really worries me. Sypniewski is no Todd Heap, but he was a serviceable guy last season. Wilcox is still hurt last time I heard, and Heap being a leading receiver this season does nothing to help his injury proneness.
Mason will be Mason, but Clayton and Demetrius Williams MUST step up. We’ve seen what Clayton is capable of with the dominant YAC stats he put up prior to last season. Let’s hope the rumors of Clayton being banged up all season last year were true. Williams is our only “big” WR. He must stay healthy.
I’m pushing for troy smith for 2 reasons. 1, i dont want to see flacco tossed to the wolves like boller was as a rookie. 2, you start boller, and the 1st incomplete pass he throws, or 1st sack, or pick or fumble, the crowd will be chanting “Troy,” or “Flaaaaaaaaa-coooooo”
Kyle has gone through enough fan bashing over the past few years, dont open it up to him again.
Should Boller look abosolutly phenominal in camp(and not spend half the time dribbling footballs like he usually did at the billick resort)and troy and joe are not up to par, then maybe he starts week one. But Troy is smarter, mobile, and more deserving of the job. Anyone that says hes too small, are you telling me the OL at Ohio State was full of guys much smaller than our line.
I’d even go so far to say drop him to 3rd on the chart, and if a team suffers serious injury to a star QB early, trade him for maybe a CB, and sign Vinny Testeverde as the 3rd QB.(thats stretching it).
I’m sure which ever QB coach Harbaugh picks to be #1 will the one that legitmatly won the job, Boller or not. Not because hes the coaches favorite.