Bleacher Report - Articles by Jon Gallo

Rags to Riches: Jameel McClain Has Gone From Homeless Shelter to the NFL

Jon Gallo — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:51:44 -0400

For Jameel McClain, a second-year linebacker, surviving in the NFL pales in comparison to what he’s already endured to earn a spot with the Ravens. As a 9-year-old growing up in Philadelphia, he spent a year living in a homeless shelter before playing for Syracuse.

Here are my 20 questions for McClain:

1. Please describe the homeless shelter in which you resided.

2. What were the accommodations, including the beds, like?

3. Since you were surviving as much as living, did you dream about playing in the NFL at night?

4. How much to you think about being homeless today?

5. How did being homeless shape you into who you are today? You’ve already endured more than many players in the league.

6. Do you ever visit Baltimore-area shelters to meet with those in need?

7. Why did you sign as an undrafted free agent with the Ravens before the 2008 season. The Ravens had plenty of standout linebackers. Don’t you think you would have had a better chance making another team?

8. Specifically, which veteran players have mentored you, and what advice have they given you in which you learned the most?

9. With the departure of Bart Scott to the Jets, the right inside linebacker position is open. Why do you feel this is your best chance to make the starting lineup?

10. At Syracuse, you played more at a defensive end. What’s been the hardest part of transitioning to linebacker?

11. You and Tavares Gooden, a third-round draft pick out of Miami in 2008, are competing for Scott’s spot. What’s your relationship with Gooden?

12. You’ll make about $385,000 this year. But since you’re a free agent next year, do you feel this is the best opportunity to prove you’re worthy of earning millions? Scott signed a $48 million contract with the Jets.

13. You were the only undrafted free agent to make the team last year. What made you standout? Specifically, what did you do that the others didn’t to earn a roster spot?

14. What did you buy with the first paycheck you received from the Ravens?

15. It’s common for players to praise God after a good play. Given everything that’s happening in the world today, do you think God cares who wins a football game?

16. You’ve been in Baltimore for over a year now. What’s the best part of living in Baltimore and what’s the most undesirable?

17. You boxed in Golden Gloves Tournaments throughout grade school. Do you plan to return to the ring after football?

18. You received your first boxing trunks from Joe Frazier. Describe your relationship with him.

19. What’s your role as a local spokesman for the Salvation Army?

20. Where do you find your inspiration?

Harbaugh: "We're Still the Ravens, Right?"

Jon Gallo — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:28:43 -0400

For the Ravens, it’s a simple equation.

They’ve combined one of the league’s best defenses with a relentless rushing attack and a productive quarterback to equal success in the National Football League.

It certainly worked last year when the Ravens transformed into a squad that was a victory away from the Super Bowl after winning just five games in 2007.

It’s also a formula the Ravens believe can get them to the game’s biggest stage this year—even if their defense is going to be run by Greg Mattison, who has just one season of NFL coaching experience.

“We’re still the Ravens, right?” Coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re always trying to get better. I think even with the guys who have been here in the past, we see differences. Individual players have improved; the scheme has improved.”

Last season, the Ravens won more games than any team in league history that had a first-year head coach and a rookie quarterback (Joe Flacco). They used the simple scheme of running the ball to control the clock to back a defense that held the opposition to an average of just 15.2 points per game, third-fewest in the NFL.

So don’t expect the Ravens to change much of their playbook, though Harbaugh had to replace Rex Ryan, one of the league’s top defensive coordinators, who was hired as head coach by the New York Jets.

Mattison was the team’s linebackers coach last year, but arrived in Baltimore having worked as a successful defensive coordinator at college powers Michigan, Notre Dame, and most recently, Florida, where he won a national title in 2006.

“Greg is a guy that I have full trust and belief in, and not just because of his track record,” Harbaugh said. “He's been successful at every stop, but the job he did this year with our guys, I think he established himself as a premier coach in the NFL.”

Mattison takes over a defense that emerged as one of the league’s best since Ryan replaced Mike Nolan after he was hired as head coach by San Francisco in 2004. In the past four seasons, the Ravens never finished lower than sixth in yards allowed.

The Ravens allowed 261 yards per game last year, which only trailed Pittsburgh (237). The Ravens, however, led the league with 34 takeaways and three players recorded at least 100 tackles: Ray Lewis, Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs.

“You have to be an attacking defense,” Mattison said. “Obviously, that’s been the M.O. of the defense here for years. In looking at what we do defensively, we don’t plan on changing a great deal. It’s not broken, by any means.”

Vic Fangio, who spent the past three seasons as special assistant to the head coach, was promoted to linebackers coach. Fangio, who has coached for 24 seasons in the NFL, has served as defensive coordinator for three teams—Panthers, Colts and Texans—for a total of 11 years.

Offensively, the Ravens signed Kelley Washington to bolster one of the league’s worst receiving units. At 35, Derrick Mason still is the team’s unquestioned leader after making 80 catches for 1,037 yards and five touchdowns.

Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams—the team’s next best receivers—collectively made 54 receptions for 875 yards and four touchdowns.

Washington, who has caught 20 passes for 219 and a pair of touchdowns the past three seasons combined, also will contend for a roster spot with Yamon Figurs and Marcus Smith—a duo who combined for one catch last year.

“We’re playing chess here—this isn’t checkers—and I understand that,” said Cam Cameron, the team’s offensive coordinator. We have to give our players more tools, scheme-wise, to work with. And then we’ve got to master the fundamentals of those plays.”

Harbaugh added: "We have good players playing wide receiver. I guess people can write and believe what they want, but watch them play."

Last year, the receivers were overshadowed by a rushing game that had a league-high 592 carries, making it clear that Flacco didn't need to throw the ball frequently for the Ravens to be successful.

When Flacco threw the ball at least 30 times last season, the Ravens went 0-4. But when he threw fewer than 30 times, they were 13-2.

"We’ve done everything we can possibly do since last January to improve every part of our team," Harbaugh said. "To me, we’re as far along as we could possibly be today. It’s not complex."

The Baltimore Ravens Hope To Have Learned from the Past

Jon Gallo — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:46:49 -0400

The Ravens are facing an opponent much more daunting than any team they’ll play this season: history.

It’s an opponent the Ravens know all too well, as the past has shown they stumble mightily when entering a season with Super Bowl-sized expectations.

Want proof? The team hasn’t made consecutive playoff appearances since the turn of the century and hasn’t posted back-to-back winning seasons in five years. The Ravens followed their 13-3 season in 2006 with a disastrous, 5-11 campaign in 2007 before rebounding to go 11-5 last season.

The Ravens likely will field a squad this fall that’s nearly identical to the one that came within a win of making the Super Bowl, as 20 of 22 starters are expected to return to a team that won seven of its final nine games last season.

"When you do have a team like what we had this past year, and you bring them together the way [coach John Harbaugh] did, everything wasn’t always pretty, but it turned out the way it was supposed to be," linebacker Ray Lewis said. "We trusted each other as men."

It appears Baltimore has many of the requirements needed to rekindle the magic of 2001, when the Ravens forever captured the city’s heart by winning Super Bowl XXXV.

A good coach? Check. Harbaugh made the city forget Brian Billick—the winningest coach in Baltimore football history—in less than a year.

A good quarterback? Check. Joe Flacco, who threw for 2,971 yards, ended his first season by throwing for 13 touchdowns against five interceptions in his last 11 regular season games before becoming the first rookie quarterback to win two road playoff games.

A great running attack? Check. The Ravens were fourth in rushing offense (148.5 yards per game) and first in time of possession (33:22) last year. They also were the only team to boast a 900-yard rusher (Le'Ron McClain), a 600-yard rusher (Willis McGahee), and a 450-yard rusher (Ray Rice).

A great defense? Check. The Ravens were second in total defense last year (261 yards per game) and have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 35 straight games.

Safety Ed Reed led the league with nine interceptions, and Lewis posted 117 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions en route to his 10th Pro Bowl last season.

"We didn’t know what we were going to get out of Joe Flacco and our offense, and I quite honestly thought if we went 5-11 that Ray might take less money to go somewhere else where he can win a championship," said Steve Bisciotti, the team’s owner, regarding the $44.5 million contract Lewis signed during the offseason.

"So to me, I’m happy for both things. I’m happy Ray is here, but I’m happy that we produced a team that gave him the confidence that he could win a championship here."

The only changes in personnel will be Tavares Gooden or Jameel McClain replacing Bart Scott, who signed with the Jets, at right inside linebacker and Domonique Foxworth likely replacing Frank Walker at right cornerback.

But the Ravens’ two weaknesses could prove their downfall and send them to their third losing season in the past five years.

The first is the most glaring: The Ravens' offensive line, which shifted between adequate and porous throughout the season, is a major area of concern.

The Ravens’ depth at quarterback—Troy Smith and John Beck—is terrible, so it's imperative the unit protects Flacco.

There were times when tackle Jared Gaither and guard Ben Grubbs dominated the line of scrimmage, enabling McClain and McGahee to grind out victories and take pressure off Flacco. But there were other times—namely in losses to the Giants, Steelers, and Colts—when the unit was shredded.

It became apparent that the team’s lack of depth, which was caused by a season-ending injury to guard Marshal Yanda and the struggles of linemen Chris Chester and Oniel Cousins, enabled the Ravens to be exploited at the point of attack.

The Ravens addressed this problem by drafting Michael Oher, a 6'9", 305-lb. tackle from Ole Miss, in the first round. He should push to start at right tackle and eventually could be moved to left tackle to become the next Jonathan Ogden, a certain Hall of Famer who retired before last season.

"I used to watch Walter Jones a lot and Orlando Pace and Jonathan Ogden, too," Oher said. "I always tried to do what those guys did. It seemed like they were getting it done pretty good, so I tried to do it the same."

And then there’s the kicking game. There’s been one constant since the Ravens arrived from Cleveland in 1996: Matt Stover.

The 18-year veteran has made 462 of 555 of his field goal attempts, making him the third-most accurate kicker in league history. He went 27-of-33 on field goals and hasn’t missed an extra point since 1996—an NFL-record 389 straight.

He ranks fifth all-time in scoring, and his 1,944 points are the most any player has scored for a single franchise in league history.

But here’s Stover’s problem; his leg is weakening. He hasn’t made a 50-yard field goal since 2006, and his longest last year was 47. He did, however, make what turned out to be a game-winning 43-yard field goal against the Titans in the playoffs last year.

The Ravens believe Stover’s stay in Baltimore is over. They didn’t offer him a contract, choosing to go with second-year player Steve Hauschka, last year’s kickoff specialist who caught the team’s attention by making a 54-yarder against Houston.

He’ll be opposed by Graham Gano, an undrafted rookie from Florida State who was college football’s best kicker last year. Gano made 24-of-26 field goal attempts and led the nation in field goals per game (2.18); he also had five successful attempts from at least 50 yards.

"[Graham] had something like 18 in a row out there, and we won ball games," said Florida State coach Bobby Bowden. "He gave us field position all year and during the Champs Bowl, that was a great example of field position."

Northern Exposure: When Seeking NFL's Best Division, Look at AFC North

Jon Gallo — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:59:27 -0400

Two Super Bowl titles, six playoff appearances, nine postseason victories, and the league’s two best defenses.

The AFC North’s accomplishments the past four years are unmatched by any division - and it’s not even close considering the 2008 AFC Championship Game was the third meeting between the Steelers and Ravens last season.

The NFC South? It’s impressive that all four teams finished at least 8-8 last year, but how did the playoffs turn out for the Falcons and Panthers?

The NFC North? Until Jay Cutler’s arrival in Chicago, the Big 12 had better quarterback play than the Vikings, Bears, and Lions.

The AFC South? Its two playoff teams had two quick exits.

The AFC East? How long has it been since the Bills, Dolphins, or Jets won a playoff game?

And the AFC West? I’m surprised the Raiders’ mascot doesn’t wear two eye patches to avoid seeing his team's appalling play, and with the way the Broncos and Chiefs play defense, the league should ban them from national television.

But as the AFC North, largely behind the play of the Steelers and Ravens, has separated itself from the rest of the NFL, the competitiveness within the division has made it much harder for each team to make the playoffs.

It comes down to simple math: The easiest way for a team to make the playoffs is by winning its division, which means each team has a 25 percent chance of qualifying for the postseason.

Each division is constructed as a hierarchy; the difference in the AFC North is there’s more space separating the squads. Last year, the Steelers won 12 games in the regular season and the Ravens posted 11. Meanwhile, Cleveland and Cincinnati each had four victories.

The Ravens’ 11 victories would have been good enough to claim the AFC East or West, yet because they are grouped with the league’s best team (Pittsburgh), they were at a disadvantage. As soon as the Ravens lost to the Steelers in Week 15, it was clear they were only going to make the postseason as a wild card.

"Hate is a strong word. I think it is more a respect thing," said Ravens safety Ed Reed when asked his feelings of the Steelers. "They know we play hard, and we know they play hard. It would be something if one of those guys or one of us said we didn’t respect them, because it would be a lie. At the end of the day, I believe that both teams are true fans of football and know that in our conference, we’re going to play football regardless of anything."

But what happened in 2008 doesn’t necessarily indicate what will happen in 2009. The additions by the division’s teams has strengthened the group, making it tougher for each to achieve separation. Let's take a look at the future for each of these franchises:

Pittsburgh Steelers

At 27, Ben Roethlisberger is the youngest quarterback to win two Super Bowls and has the luxury of the league’s top-ranked defense (237 yards allowed per game), which features linebacker James Harrison, the reigning Defensive Most Valuable Player, linebacker James Farrior and safety Troy Polamalu.

The running game should receive a boost with the return of Rashard Mendenhall, a first-round pick in 2008 who broke his shoulder against the Ravens in Week Four, causing him to spend the rest of the season on injured reserve.

Cleveland Browns

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: A coach by the name of Eric Mangini takes over a struggling team and voila! He gets them into the postseason in his first season. Don’t be surprised if the same magic Mangini used on the Jets in 2006 works in Cleveland.

After all, Cleveland was expected to win the division last year after soaring to 10 wins in 2007 before a series of injuries decimated the depth chart. One of the team’s best defensive players, end Robaire Smith, was sidelined 14 games. Quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn each suffered injuries that forced Ken Dorsey into the starting lineup. Now, Cleveland has one of the best quarterback tandems in the league.

And what about Braylon Edwards? He can’t possibly be as bad this fall after dropping a league-leading 16 passes last season.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals’ 2008 season can be summarized by one number: 84. That’s how many games were missed by injured starters in a league in which the average was 39. The Bengals’ number easily surpassed that of Cleveland (43), Pittsburgh (53) and Baltimore (64).

Quarterback Carson Palmer missed 12 games, which was a major reason why the team went 4-11-1 and scored a league-low 204 points. But a healthy Palmer should thrive against a schedule which features just six games against teams that made the playoffs last year.

Carson will need to find a new favorite target after T.J. Houshmandzadeh (904 yards, 4 TDs) signed with Seattle, but he still has (at least at this moment) Chad Johnson (504 yards, 4 TD).

The signing of free agent defensive lineman Tank Johnson from Dallas and the drafting of standout Southern Cal linebacker Ray Malaga and Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson should improve a defensive unit that allowed 22 points per game last year.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens didn’t sign a top-flight receiver or a big-name defensive player to complement the re-signing of Ray Lewis ($44.5 million over seven years) or compensate for the loss of Bart Scott ($48 million over six years) to the Jets in free agency. They didn’t even offer a contract Matt Stover, one of the best kickers in NFL history.

But the Ravens made three key additions that could be the difference from contending for a wild card or supplanting the Steelers, who went 3-0 against Baltimore last year.

The Ravens acquired center Matt Birk ($12 million over three years), a six-time Pro Bowler, from the Vikings to replace Jason Brown, who, along with quarterback Kyle Boller, signed with the Rams.

The arrival of Birk, along with first-round pick Michael Oher, is integral to the growth of quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco played well as rookie, but he often was hurried into making poor throws, as his starting offensive line gave up 17 sacks (6.5 by right guard Ben Grubbs alone).

The signing of free agent cornerback Domonique Foxworth solidifies a weakness at the spot once manned by Chris McAlister or Frank Walker.

"When you see the moves, whether it’s Birk to Foxworth, it excites you," Lewis said. "Whatever it is, if you bring in one or two pieces, that makes us better."