TJ Houshmandzadeh Signs With Baltimore: What It Means For Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens just got a little more potent with the signing of TJ Houshmandzadeh today.

Adding the former Seahawk and Bengal will go a long way towards making Baltimore a contender for a Super Bowl this winter. This is after the Ravens traded for Anquan Boldin in the offseason to help out Joe Flacco under center.

Now that Baltimore has added yet another weapon to its growing arsenal, here are 10 ways this signing has impacted the Ravens and the NFL picture.

#10: Best Wide Outs in Football

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BALTIMORE - AUGUST 28: Anquan Boldin #81 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a touchdown against the New York Giants at M&T Bank Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens lead the Giants 17-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Can you name a team with three wide outs better than Baltimore's now?

Nope, didn't think so.

With Housh, Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason, the Ravens have a trio of receivers that will strike fear into opposing defenses. I'm not sure there's a team out there that can come close to stopping Baltimore. Sorry Jets fans.

Baltimore can now spread teams out and pick them apart, not many teams in football can say that. The Ravens are going to be able to dictate the pace of the game on both sides of the ball and that's a scary thought.

#9: Derrick Mason = Third WR

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FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 10: Derrick Mason #85 of the Baltimore Ravens smiles on the field against the New England Patriots during the 2010 AFC wild-card playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 10, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Ravens won 33-14. (

For most of Derrick Mason's career, he's been the top dog.

In Tennessee, where he made his name, Mason led the team in catches and yards year after year before his release. Mason continued that trend in Baltimore and has continued to be quiet yet effective with the Ravens.

With Housh's addition to the roster, Mason will slide down another notch but I don't think his production will suffer at all, in fact a possession receiver like Mason should thrive in this situation.

Mason's going to get single cover and he's going to eat up the underneath routes and get a lot of checkdowns. I've always liked Derrick Mason and I think a lot of people are going to start hearing his name.

#8: Todd Heap Is Back

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BALTIMORE - AUGUST 28: Todd Heap #86 of the Baltimore Ravens scores a touchdown against the New York Giants at M&T Bank Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens lead the Giants 17-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

From 2005-2007, you'd be hard pressed to have found a better tight end than Todd Heap.

Two 70+ catch seasons, over 1600 yards and 13 touchdowns were racked up in those two seasons before Heap's production dipped before a bit of a resurgence this past season.

With three big targets out on the field, Heap's going to be able to use his size and strength to find the holes in the coverage and get a lot of looks from Joe Flacco.

I think Heap is going to have a breakout season with this new Ravens offense and will be a great safety valve for Baltimore's offense.

#7: Running Lanes Galore

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BALTIMORE - AUGUST 28: Ray Rice #27 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball against the New York Giants at M&T Bank Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens lead the Giants 17-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

After almost 1400 yards rushing, Ray Rice has a lot of extra help on offense, and those big targets are going to help him exponentially.

Baltimore is going to be able to put teams into so many different looks that Rice should get plenty of running lanes against opposing defenses.

The Ravens are a multi-dimensional team now and they're going to be able to strike from every angle with force. Ray Rice had a monster year last year, he's going to have another this year and I think vault himself up to Top-3 in terms of running backs.

#6: Joe Flacco's Growth Acclerated

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BALTIMORE - AUGUST 28: Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball against the New York Giants at M&T Bank Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens lead the Giants 17-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Nothing helps out a young quarterback's development like a plethora of targets at his disposal.

With the additions of Housh and Boldin, it's really time for Flacco to step up and lead this team. Yes, he threw for over 3600 yards and 21 touchdowns last year, but he's not the most trustworthy quarterback ever and I don't believe Ravens fans totally trust him either.

But now the onus is on Flacco to really make things happen because if this team struggles, it's going to be his fault. I like him a lot, but this year is going to go a long way towards Flacco's development.

He has a lot to prove and it's yet to be seen if he's Super Bowl material.

#5: Less Pressure On The Defense

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INDIANAPOLIS - JANUARY 16: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts in the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Lucas Oli Stadium on January 16, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts defeated the Rav

For years in Baltimore, the entire team has been focused around the defense.

The only reason the Ravens won their Super Bowl was because their defense was so stingy. It certainly wasn't because of Trent Dilfer and Brandon Stokley, that's for sure.

Baltimore has had one of the best defenses in football for years and this year, the pressure is not on them to do it all for the Ravens. Now, Ray Lewis and company can loosen up and just play football.

I think the Ravens defense will play better because of this and make Baltimore a better team. Let's be honest, the Ravens are a scary, scary football team and adding an offense to this defense is a nightmare for opposing teams.

#4: Housh Back To Prominence

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SEATTLE - AUGUST 14: Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh #84 of the Seattle Seahawks rushes during the preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Qwest Field on August 14, 2010 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Things really haven't been the same for Housh since 2007 when he caught 112 passes for 1142 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Since then, his numbers have dropped and he has seven total touchdowns the past two seasons and has 171 catches during that time span. Sure, some of that can be blamed on the teams he played on, especially Seattle, who is just a mess of an organization with an aging quarterback and no running game to speak of.

Now we'll really see if TJ has anything in the tank or if he's just over the hill. If he can't produce with Boldin and Mason across from him and Ray Rice in the backfield, something's wrong.

However, I think Housh is going to have a great year, even if he won't put up 2007 numbers because let's be honest, the ball is really going to be spread around in Baltimore.

#3: AFC North Favorites

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BALTIMORE - AUGUST 28: Ray Rice #27 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball against Jonathan Goff #54 of the New York Giants at M&T Bank Stadium on August 28, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens lead the Giants 17-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images

Sorry Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but you're going to be fighting for a Wild Card spot.

Pittsburgh's going to be without Ben Roethlisberger for four games to start the season and I'm not sold on the Bengals.

I think Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens are both over the hill and talk a much bigger game than either will ever back up on the field.

No one's talking about how mediocre Carson Palmer's been in recent years either. Has anyone been cut more slack for playing below expectations than Palmer? I don't think so.

Baltimore is just deadly on both sides of the ball and is by far the favorite in the North.

#2: Make Or Break For Harbaugh

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ST. LOUIS - SEPTEMBER 2: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens looks on from the sideline against the St. Louis Rams during an NFL preseason game at the Edward Jones Dome on September 2, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams beat the Ravens 27

After an 11-5 season and an appearance in the AFC Championship game in his first season, John Harbaugh followed it up with a 9-7 season and another playoff appearance.

Not bad for a first two years as a head coach but this is where we really see how good of a coach Harbaugh really is.

He's got to get it done this year. He has to. There's no way around it. With a team this stacked and with expectations as high as they are in Baltimore, he needs to take this team to a bye and a deep playoff run. If not, I question his ability to coach a this level.

Sure, he may get you some winning seasons, but I want Super Bowls and this is a team that can get there. Harbaugh has a lot to prove this year.

#1: Super Bowl or Bust

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LANDOVER, MD - AUGUST 21: Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens throws a pass during the preseason game as he is hit by Brian Orakpo #98 of the Washington Redskins at FedExField on August 21, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images

In my opinion, the Baltimore Ravens are the favorites in the AFC and anything less than a trip to the Super Bowl is unacceptable.

I don't think the Jets are as good as people are making them out to be. Let's be real, they got into the playoffs because Peyton Manning let them and happened to get hot once they get there. I don't think lightning will strike twice for New York this year.

The Colts are a big threat, yes, but I like Baltimore's team, there aren't many, if any weaknesses on this team and people are expecting a lot from them. This team cannot flame out and disappoint. I'm expecting big things from Baltimore and that includes a trip to Dallas for the Super Bowl.