Baltimore Ravens: What the Ravens Can Learn from Super Bowl Champion Giants

Two weeks after a heartbreaking loss, the Baltimore Ravens can take some solace in a Patriots loss, but the sting of getting so close still hurts.

Still, the Ravens can become stronger through this, and it begins with paying close attention to the two teams in the Super Bowl.

The final score is a little deceiving, because both the Giants and the Patriots found success moving the ball through the air. Both teams successfully used short, high-percentage passes to consistently move the ball and extend drives.

This is something the Ravens struggled with all year. They have no short passing game to speak of, and they struggle mightily keeping drives going. In the games the Ravens lost this year, they were often forced off the field quickly, tiring out their vaunted defense in the process.

The Giants and the Patriots, though, played at a high level throughout the game, and the Giants were especially excellent at holding on to the football.

The Giants held on to the football by throwing it. Not long ago, ball control offenses were forced to run the ball effectively, passing only to pick up a conversion or catch a defense off guard. Now, the best offenses pass the ball to keep the chains moving.

Rule changes account for some of this, but the reality is that offenses are more intricate than ever before, and teams have changed their mentality on passing the football. The best offenses, and those that control the ball, feature a variety of weapons that ensure that no one player can be keyed on by defenses.

The reason the Ravens lost to the Patriots was because they didn't have the weapons to compete. The reason the Giants beat the Patriots was because their offensive playmakers were dynamic, while the Patriots' weren't.

The Ravens can't hope to see Joe Flacco succeed with a mediocre cast of receivers, they can't hope to field a dynamic offense without dynamic playmakers and they certainly can't hope to win a Super Bowl without serious improvements to their offense.

This is much easier said than done, but the benefits would be enormous. First and most obvious, an improved passing game would lead to improved point totals. Second, the Ravens would be better able to avoid costly three-and-outs, which tire out the defense. Third, the Ravens would be able to better preserve their best weapon, Ray Rice, who is wasted the many times the Ravens run him into a wall of defenders.

In fact, Ray Rice would benefit most of all from a dynamic passing game. Some will read this article as an attack on the Ravens' running game, but an improved passing game would make Rice much more effective. Rice's best year as a pro came in 2009, when he received only 254 carries. With fewer, smarter touches, Rice could be much more effective and have a much longer career.

Also, a strong running game and a strong passing game are not mutually exclusive. The NFL's best passing offense, the New Orleans Saints, also featured the sixth-best rushing attack. Note that the Saints ran the ball for more yardage on fewer attempts than the Ravens.

The Ravens need to realize that there is no such thing as having too many weapons. Every year, the Ravens should look to add a new weapon. The Saints and the Packers had incredible offensive production in 2010, and they still took offensive skill position players within the first two rounds of the NFL draft in 2011. The Giants, meanwhile, found a star in Victor Cruz.

Thankfully, Ozzie Newsome sees the game changing. He has taken baby steps towards improving the Ravens receiving corps, and he has made some bold moves to bolster the passing game as a whole. Now is the time to truly attack. The Ravens need to make this offseason the year of passing. Give Flacco no excuses, and give Cam Cameron no excuses.

The Ravens' three yards and a cloud of dust style has been left behind by most of the NFL. The road to a championship is clear, and it comes through the air.