Sorry I’ve been slow this week, things have been busy, and will also be busy tomorrow, so there will be no live blog, sadly. Steve at Dawg Pound Daily, FanSided’s Browns blog, asked to do a Q&A with me about tomorrow’s game, so here are my responses to his questions. I sent him a few questions, he hasn’t responded yet.
Q: The Ravens currently have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and Joe Flacco obviously has a lot to do with that success. What adjustments has he made in his second season to improve upon that impressive rookie campaign?
A: The one obvious difference you can see in Flacco is his poise in the pocket, meaning he gained more confidence in his offensive line and his receivers since last season. He stands tall in the pocket, and doesn’t jump around as much as he did last year. With that said, the main reason he is playing so well is because of the stellar blocking the offensive line has provided him with the first two games of the season.
Q: It seems that Willis McGahee is back and healthy for now, so what exactly is the Ravens’ game plan on the ground against the Browns? How can we expect to see both McGahee and Ray Rice utilized?
You will probably see the running backs used in the same way again tomorrow, with Ray Rice getting the bulk of the carries, many of which will be up the middle, or off tackle, and McGahee getting a high amount of touches in the passing game, and taking the ball outside a bit more. Don’t forget about bruising fullback LeRon McClain, who will be used in goal line situations.
Q: Ray Lewis has been playing football since the dawn of time. What can you see in him this season that makes you think he’s still “got it?”
It seems like Ray Lewis will never be just an average linebacker. No matter how old he’s getting, he’s still one of the best in the league. This season, he has been getting pumped up every play, he’s been running hard and he’s been hitting just as hard as ever. The complete package is still there, and it doesn’t look like it will let up anytime soon.
Q: With the Browns offense struggling as much as it has, what can Brady Quinn and company expect from the Ravens defense on Sunday? Who are some names to remember for the Ravens on Sunday?
Quinn & Co. can expect many, many blitz packages, ball hawking safeties and a high-speed game. Haloti Ngata will abuse the offensive line, opening up holes for blitzing linebackers to crash through. Look out for Dawan Landry, Ed Reed’s counterpart at safety. He has been great so far this season.
Q: If the Browns are going to pull an upset in Baltimore, what exactly is the team going to have to do (besides execute the fundamentals which, for the Browns, seems hard enough at times)?
The only possible way the Browns will win is if they pressure Joe Flacco so much that he spends 3 quarters of the game on the ground. That has been the main reason the offense has been clicking so well. It also helps if Brady Quinn were to throw for about 600 yards, because James Davis isn’t even going to come close to being the first 100-yard rusher in over a season against the Ravens defense. (Editor’s note: Nothing wrong with a little smack talk on a fan blog, right?)
The Ebony Bird is up for an award for best Ravens blog. More details coming soon. Joe is also participating in a weekly NFL recap on FanSided.com. Check out the first edition here.