Feb 22, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome speaks at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports
When things go wrong, we must find someone to shoulder the blame. In the case of the Baltimore Ravens, things have gone horribly wrong. After spending the offseason as potential Super Bowl contenders and never undergoing a losing season under head coach John Harbaugh, how is this team 2-6?
The answer, of course, is complex. But that isn’t going to stop the media and the fans from trying to point fingers. Lately, those fingers have pointed in the direction of Harbaugh, and even long time general manager Ozzie Newsome.
Yes, the same Ozzie Newsome who has been widely praised for years as one of the best in the NFL. The same Ozzie that fans have historically worship like he was some sort of prophet. And like a lot of good stories, those who loved him most have turned on him at the first sign of failure.
But is the criticism justified? The Ravens spent last offseason watching the majority of their prized free agents walk away for big bucks. Many questioned how they could let these big time players leave so easily, but true Ravens fans have seen it many times before.
So how are those “prized” free agents doing with their new teams after eight weeks?
Torrey Smith – 16 receptions for 342 yards, 2 touchdowns.
Owen Daniels – 17 receptions for 129 yards, 2 touchdowns.
Jacoby Jones – 0 catches, failed to make a special teams impact, released by the Chargers this week.
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Haloti Ngata has been basically invisible in Detroit (when healthy), as have other overpaid former Ravens like Arthur Jones. The one exception is probably Pernell McPhee, who has had a great run with the Bears so far this season, racking up 5 sacks and thriving as a full time player. With Terrell Suggs out, the Ravens would probably love to have that one back.
Ozzie isn’t completely absolved for the current state of the franchise, of course. He’s had some draft misses in recent years, most notably Matt Elam and Arthur Jones. Recent free agent signings like Kyle Arrington and Kendrick Lewis haven’t panned out as expected.
But Ozzie’s bad choices are far outweighed by his good ones. Most NFL franchises would kill to have the success rate that he has had over the years, as they would kill to have the Ravens’ consistent success on the field, year after year.
It all sounds like a case of bad apples from a fan base that has been spoiled for the better part of 20 years. The Ravens were bound to have a bad season at some point in the John Harbaugh era, and this appears to be that inevitable regression.
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So before you start blaming Ozzie and Harbaugh for everything, just think about how bad things could be. You could be a fan of a dysfunctional franchise that seems to throw darts during the draft and one that changes out its leadership you change your pants (*Browns, cough cough*).
But instead, you’re a fan of a franchise that has been so successful for so long that it’s fans don’t know what to do when it isn’t.