Replacing Owen Daniels, Crockett Gillmore Ready to Rock

Oct 19, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Owen Daniels (81) spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to Lunchtime Links, where we round up all the latest Ravens news from around the web for your convenient consumption.  Today we ponder how the Ravens will replace Owen Daniels, Crockett Gillmore is ready to rock, Bernard Pierce isn’t frustrated, the secondary is opening up possibilities, and the Ravens are relentless this season.

Replacing Owen Daniels: Who Steps Up?

"The loss of tight end Owen Daniels couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time.The Baltimore Ravens are playing for first place in the AFC North and are going against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that has been repeatedly beaten by tight ends.Over the past three weeks, the Bengals have allowed tight ends to average 121 yards receiving and score four touchdowns. In the season opener, Daniels and Dennis Pitta combined for 14 catches for 117 yards against the Bengals."

Crockett Gillmore is Ready to Rock

"Gillmore has played in every game , increasing his workload to 43 snaps against the Falcons when he caught one pass for 13 yards. This will be his first NFL start.“I’ve prepared to be the guy since the first day I was here,” Gillmore said. “I’ve been following around those guys, Owen and Dennis. So, they’ve given me a great opportunity to step in their shoes and do what I can do. I’m next man up. I’m going to just keep blocking and help out the passing game.”"

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Bernard Pierce isn’t Frustrated

"And now that Pierce is getting closer to 100 percent, he is getting an inconsistent workload as the backup to Justin Forsett, currently fourth in the NFL with 503 rushing yards.“It’s not frustrating,” said Pierce, who has rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns on 55 carries. “I went down, missed two weeks, and the two weeks that I was absent, [Forsett] had two great performances. He keeps coming in and performing, week in and week out. You can’t take it from him. When my number is called, I just go out there and go.”"

Going Home Keeps Pernell McPhee Hungry

"It was a school night when teenage Pernell McPhee was walking across town in the projects of Pahokee, Fla. with his homeboy around 3 a.m.Suddenly, McPhee’s grandma burst out of a house and started yelling. She was drunk, says McPhee, and didn’t know her grandson could see and hear her.But she said something that night, something so awful that it changed McPhee’s life. Even now he couldn’t bring himself to repeat it."

Improving Secondary Opens up Options

"After Elvis Dumervil sacked Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on fourth down last Sunday, the outside linebacker came to the Ravens bench and thanked each of the defensive backs.Their coverage had made Ryan pump fake twice and ultimately allowed Dumervil time to shed his block for the sack.The question of what came first – the chicken of the egg – can be applied to NFL defenses. Is a stout pass rush helping the secondary cover for less time? Or is good coverage helping the pass rush reach its target?"

Analyzing the Impact of Rookie Class

"One of the more underrated reasons why the Baltimore Ravens are in first place in the AFC North is the immediate contributions made by their young players.The Ravens’ rookies have played a total of 1,295 snaps in the first seven games of the season. That ranks as the eighth-most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Of those seven teams ahead of the Ravens, only two (the Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers) drafted after the Ravens in the 2014 draft."

Ravens are “Relentless” in 2014

"John Harbaugh stepped to the podium for his Monday press conference less than 24 hours after the Ravens dismantled the Falcons, 29-7, at M&T Bank Stadium.He wore a gray T-shirt that said this on the front:​4 FIGHTSEVERY DAYOn the back, were these words:​US VS. THEMDIVISION FROM WITHINCOMPLACENCY​FATIGUE"

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