Baltimore Ravens Grades For Week One: It Ain’t Pretty

Sep 7, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Wallace Gillberry (95) to end their final drive at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Offense: D

I may be a bit bitter about the offense, and most of the blame actually goes to the play calling (more on that in a bit).  But the players failed to execute just as much as Gary Kubiak failed to make proper adjustments as the game wore on.  Bernard Pierce, hyped up as a potential starter for the rest of the season, failed miserably by racking up 6 carries for 14 yards (2.3 avg) before he lost a fumble and was benched for good.

And that may have been the best coaching decision made all day, as Justin Forsett came out looking like the best runner on the team.  He managed 11 carries for 70 yards (6.4 avg) with a touchdown on the ground, adding five catches for 28 yards in the air on six targets.  Forsett was picking up chunks of yards and moving the chains, so why did he only get 11 carries?

The wide receivers played a downright terrible game.  A total of nine drops, with four coming from Steve Smith alone, killed drive after drive while Kubiak stubbornly decided to keep throwing.  Smith somewhat redeemed himself later, securing an 80 yard touchdown catch that put the Ravens ahead for roughly 48 seconds before A.J. Green scored a 77 yarder of his own.

Next: Defense