Baltimore Ravens: 3 Signs That Ray Rice Won't Slow Down in 2012

Once again, Ray Rice finds himself on the short list of premier backs in the NFL.

Some analysts, though, are a little down on Rice. The Ravens' offensive line is a big question mark, and Rice now has a big contract that could limit his motivation.

These concerns are unfounded, however. Rice is still a monster, and he will prove it once again this season. Here are three reasons why.

Less Pressure Thanks to an Improved Deep Passing Game

Maybe the biggest hurdle for Ray Rice last year was the lack of an elite passing game to take pressure off of him.

While the passing game may not be elite, the Ravens made several speedy additions that should keep safeties from keeping up toward the line of scrimmage.

First of all, Torrey Smith is even faster than last year after a full offseason and a return to full health. That alone should be enough to scare defenses.

The additions of Jacoby Jones and Deonte Thompson should also play a role. Jones looks to be the third receiver, while Thompson burst onto the scene to become a likely contributor at receiver. If the Ravens chose to field Smith, Jones and Thompson together, no defense could handle that level of speed.

That should help Rice find a lot more room to run. Defenses keyed on him last year, yet Rice still managed to be productive. Just imagine what he can do with some room to run.

Better Play-Calling and Audibles at the Line

Maligned offensive coordinator Cam Cameron is back for another year. Ravens fans were often frustrated with his vanilla play-calling and apparent lack of chemistry with Joe Flacco, and his return was a question mark after the AFC championship game.

Cameron is back, though, but this time, there is reason for optimism.

First of all, Cameron can afford to be more aggressive now that he has some speed in his receiving corps. Cameron prefers a vertical passing game, but he never had the personnel to run one effectively in Baltimore. He finally has the required speed at receiver, which should be helpful.

Second, Flacco will be given more and more opportunities to audible and control the offense more effectively.

These responsibilities have grown over the years for Flacco, yet he remained one of the more confined quarterbacks in the NFL last year in terms of ability to call his own plays.

This season, though, Flacco will have plenty of freedom to call things as he sees fit. This can only help Rice, as the offense will be more flexible in finding holes in the defense.

While this could cut down on Rice's carries somewhat, it will also limit the amount of times Rice is stuffed for a loss. That can only help Rice's yards-per-carry stat, as well as his longevity.

Consistency

The past three years, Ray Rice has rushed for 1,339, 1,220 and 1,364 yards, respectively. That level of consistency is what keeps him mentioned among the best backs in the NFL.

He also has just four fumbles over the past three seasons. Over that span, he has racked up 852 carries.

These numbers prove that Rice is a constant in the Ravens offense.

His game is about more than just numbers, though. When the offense needs a spark, the Ravens rely on Ray Rice to break off a big run or pick up a key first down through the air. He often succeeds.

What makes Rice so consistent is the type of person he is. One of the true good guys in the NFL, Rice is always involved with various charitable causes.

He is also supremely motivated. With his teammates relying on him so much, he works his tail off to ensure he never lets them down.

Once again, Rice is motivated to carry the offense. With his motivation, combined with what should be a smaller load for him to carry, should keep Rice humming in 2012.