Sep 11, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; A Baltimore Ravens fan wears a Ray Rice jersey into the stadium prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers 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 discuss Ray Rice’s impending appeal of his punishment, try to find out where Arthur Brown went, look at the latest Raven’s stock watch, and review some players who are racking up numbers after two weeks.
Ray Rice to appeal indefinite suspension?
We’re not going to drown you in an endless sea of Ray Rice stories, because you can get that elsewhere. But we will report that Rice and the NFLPA are expected to appeal his indefinite suspension, and for good reason. While it is very unlikely that anything changes with Rice’s suspension, the union does not want to set a precedent with this case.
for Ray Rice appeal of indefinite suspension article of cba governing 'one punishment' expected to be prominent part of argument
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 14, 2014
This is a scary situation for players, as it means that anyone guilty of violating a league policy could see their punishment change down the road if new evidence is introduced. While it’s something that isn’t you won’t see happen in a court of law (double jeopardy), it also isn’t something that the NFLPA or the players want to happen either. It will be very interesting to see how the appeal plays out, even if Rice has a slim chance of returning to the field any time soon.
Sending out the Arthur Brown search team
Linebacker Arthur Brown has been on the inactive list for two weeks in a row now, one year after he was a second round selection in the draft. And that is because the Ravens are stacked at linebacker, Brown doesn’t play special teams, and this year’s first rounder, C.J. Mosley, has the starting job locked down.
No wonder other teams have reportedly called the Ravens with trade offers. But the Ravens, so far, don’t seem to be interested in giving up on a talented young player, even though they don’t need him right now. Brown hasn’t displayed the consistency on the field that he needs to gain playing time, and until he does we will continue to see his name on the inactive list weekly.
Ravens players racking up numbers after two weeks
The Ravens haven’t exactly been juggernauts on offense through the first two weeks of the season, but there are some stats to take note of. Bernard Pierce’s 96 yards against the Steelers were the most he has posted in a single game since 2012 against the Giants (123). Justin Forsett has been a picture of efficiency, posting a stellar 6.6 yards per carry while toting the ball 19 times for 126 yards.
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As a team, the Ravens are on a torrid pace for rushing success. They have posted 251 yards on the ground on 56 carries, which puts them on pace for 2,008 yards on the season. The last time this team exceeded 2,000 yards rushing in a season was 2009, with the dynamic duo of Ray Rice and Willis McGahee.
Ravens stock watch update
Jamison Hensley has posted his week two Raven’s stock watch over at ESPN, which documents not only players on the rise or fall, but certain aspects of the team as well. The offensive line is trending upward after only allowing 3 sacks on Joe Flacco through 96 dropbacks. The aforementioned ground game is trending up, as is the red zone defense which has been holding the opposition to a lot of field goal attempts.
Some players who have seen their stock decline include Torrey Smith and Lardarius Webb. T. Smith has been a bit of an afterthought in the offense while Steve Smith leads the team in receiving, while Webb’s health is still a big question mark. Torrey Smith is actually fifth on the team in catches, a trend that isn’t likely to continue. Meanwhile, Webb’s salary cap hit is the fifth highest on the team while he continues to ride the bench with back spasms.