Baltimore Ravens Report Card at the Quarter Pole

For the third consecutive year, and sixth time in franchise history, the Baltimore Ravens have reached the quarter mark of the season with a 3-1 record.

After winning three of their first four games, in 1997, 2000, '01, '09 and '10 the Ravens failed to make the playoffs in only the 97' season. In 1997 under Ted Marchibroda, the Ravens were 3-3 after six games, but lost five of their last 11 to finish with a 6-9-1 record.

The odds are good that head coach John Harbaugh and his team will not repeat such a feat. The Ravens seem like a good bet to return to the postseason for a franchise record fourth consecutive year.

This would also be a Baltimore professional football record. Currently the Ravens are tied with the Baltimore Colts of 1975, 76, and 77 as the only professional football teams in the Charm City to make three straight post season trips.

In fact, let's take this one step further. The great Baltimore Orioles teams of the late 1960's and early 1970's, made five playoff appearances in six seasons, and three straight trips to the World Series (69,70,71).

However, they did not make more than three consecutive trips to the the post season during that span. This would be a first for the die-hard sports fans of Baltimore that supported the Baltimore Colts, and now the Ravens and Orioles.

Like every team in the NFL, the Ravens have their fair share of question marks and many of them need to be answered if Baltimore is to make their eighth postseason trip in franchise history a super successful one.

Baltimore has staked their claim as one of the top teams in the AFC, and quite possibly the NFL. They have already dismantled two recent conference powerhouses. The Ravens crushed the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-7 in Week 1, and this past Sunday night they took their former teacher to school as the Ravens defense manhandled Rex Ryan and his Jets in a nationally televised 34-17 whipping.

However, the Ravens are not the well-oiled machine that is the Green Bay Packers at this point. Baltimore lacks consistent play in a few key areas, and must stop taking steps backwards after moving forward the week before. The Ravens could be ready to do what the Packers did last season, but it will not be easy.

Head coach John Harbaugh and his staff  have plenty to work on as the Ravens enter their bye week. Here are the grades for each unit after four games of the 2011 season.

Offensive Line: Better Than Expected and Ravens Fans Better Be Thankful

Although the Ravens offensive line has not played together for any length of time prior to the start of the season, they are still the most experienced offensive line in the NFL. Baltimore's O-line currently has 500 combined career starts for the two guards, two tackles and center so far this season.

The opening day line of Bryant McKinnie, Ben Grubbs, Matt Birk, Marshall Yanda and Michael Oher has a combined 32 years of NFL experience, and has participated in 12 Pro Bowls. Throw in Andre Gurode, who's played great filling in for the injured Grubbs, and you can add five more Pro Bowls.

That is the most of any unit in the NFL, and is undoubtedly the reason they have come together so quickly.

Despite being sacked more through four games this season than last season, Ravens QB Joe Flacco has had, at times, substantial protection in the pocket. The Ravens have allowed eight sacks of their quarterback, which is tied for 17th in the league, and allowed him to be hit an additional 23 times, which is 10th.

However, the true measure of this unit’s success is clearly visible in the Ravens rushing attack. Compared to this time last season, Baltimore's ground game has improved immensely. Last year through four games, the Ravens averaged just 84 yards per game. Through four games this year, the Ravens are the eighth-best rushing attack in the NFL. With a little fewer than 124 yards per game, Ray Rice and Ricky Williams and are averaging almost 41 more yards per contest than last season.

The Ravens are wearing down opponents in the fourth quarter. Their average margin of victory during their first three wins last season was just 3.6 points. This season, the Ravens are averaging an even 25 points per whipping of their opponents.

Granted, the Ravens defense scored three touchdowns during the win over the Jets on Sunday night, but the Ravens offense, and notably the rushing attack, slowed down the type of game the Jets under Rex Ryan have been known to get back into and sometimes win. Baltimore ran 32 offensive plays in the second half not counting punts and the three Flacco kneel-downs to finish the contest.

They ran the ball on 26 of those plays for 86 yards, chewing up valuable yards and clock time. The Ravens held a time of possession advantage of 15:04 over the Jets on Sunday night.

This unit has overcome a lot in a very short period. Even more so when you consider that the only lineman who played at his starting spot for more than one game in the preseason was guard Ben Grubbs, and he has been out of the lineup, injured the past two weeks with bad ligaments in his toe.

Bryant McKinnie, Ben Grubbs (when healthy), Matt Birk, Marshall Yanda, Michael Oher and Andre Gurode filling in for Grubbs have more than done their part. This is a veteran group that is more than capable of opening holes all the way to Indianapolis this year.

This is a good line, and once this unit gets a few more games under their belt, the Ravens offense could be scary-good running the football. The only reason the unit does not get an A is the bad penalties it has taken at times. The Ravens front five must cut down on the untimely false starts and
holds.

Offensive Line: B

Running Backs: Led by Rice, Each Player Has a Role and Performs It Well

I will argue this point until the cows come home: Ray Rice is the heart and soul of the Ravens offense. How Rice performs each week in the Ravens offense determines what Baltimore can and cannot do. He is as valuable to the Ravens as Marshall Faulk was to the Rams.

I'm not saying Rice is as good as Faulk; I'm simply saying that he is just as valuable to Baltimore as Faulk was to St. Louis.

What Rice does each week and how he does it is vital to the Ravens. So far, Rice has been the team’s MVP. With 539 yards, Rice is fifth in the NFL in total yards from scrimmage. His four touchdowns are tied at the same spot with seven other players.

Rice makes the Ravens offense go, and the teams that figure out how to take Rice out of the game plan will more than likely beat the Ravens this year. Look no further than the loss to the Titans.

While many people talk about how much the Ravens do not miss Todd Heap, Derrick Mason and LeRon McClain, what they should be talking about is how much better they are with Vonta Leach at fullback.

The man is a beast and could not care less if he ever gets a carry. All Leach does is destroy linebackers with bone-crushing blocks, as he opens up holes—big ones for that matter—for Williams and Rice. Here is the part that endears him to the blue-collar fans of Baltimore, he loves doing it and knows it's why he was brought here.

Leach is a better blocker than McClain and even though McClain was a bit more versatile in the backfield, Leach is a lot less of a headache to the coaching staff. He will never lobby for more carries, or any, nor will he ask a teammate to wear a T-shirt that says "Give Vonta the ball.”

Speaking of Ricky Williams, he is not the touchdown machine that Willis McGahee was, but the Ravens do not need him to be. He has done his job well, coming in and allowing Rice to catch his breath. Williams has picked up good hard yards this year and if he can stay healthy for 16 games, may even have a 100-yard game or two left in his legs.

This unit rushed for 170 yards against the Steelers, and over 100 yards against the Jets. Say what you will about both defenses and their recent troubles, but both were focused on stopping the Ravens rushing attack and both failed.

The Ravens are running the ball as good as they have at any time under John Harbaugh, and this unit deserves a solid A.

Running Backs: A

Wide Receivers: Is Lack of Success Their Fault?

The Ravens receivers have, with the exception of one game, been a slight disappointment this season. However, based on the inconsistent play of the quarterback, it may not be entirely their fault.

The top Ravens receiver on the NFL rankings for receiving yardage is Anquan Boldin at No. 48. Although running back Ray Rice is actually the Ravens' leading receiver with 242 yards, Boldin is the top wide receiver with 222 yards.

That is only 55 yards per game for a receiver who is used to averaging close to 75 yards per contest throughout his career. The Ravens receiving corps is still very much a work in progress. The biggest boost for the unit came in Week 3 during the Ravens' blowout win over the 0-4 St. Louis Rams.

Rookie Torrey Smith caught his first three passes of his NFL career, and all were for touchdowns. The former University of Maryland star had himself a day, as he caught five Flacco passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns (74, 41 and 18).

Smith was filling in for the injured Lee Evans, who hurt his ankle in Week 2 against the Titans. Evans sat against the Rams and was again on the sidelines for Sunday's game versus the Jets.

Besides Smith's big day, the Ravens' young tight ends, Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, continue to make GM Ozzie Newsome look good in his decision to cut Todd Heap. Both have combined for 21 catches and 263 yards. Dickson, who has most of the catches and yards, has made several acrobatic grabs and has kept several drives alive for his team.

Ravens QB Joe Flacco has found nine different pass-catchers in the Ravens offense, however, one of them has not been the Ravens' other rookie wideout, Tandon Doss.

It will be interesting to see how offensive coordinator Cam Cameron uses his receivers once Evans returns after the bye. He did not look great prior to the injury, so let us hope during the bye week he and Flacco can get some work in.

With Evans and Boldin split wide and Smith in the slot, the Ravens have a legitimate chance to create huge headaches for many secondaries. Ravens fans have not had a triple-threat in the receiving corps since the late '90s, when Michael (hehe) Jackson, Derek Alexander and another former Terrapin, Jermaine Lewis, posed a similar threat to teams.

This unit has been average, and except for Smith's big day in St. Louis, below average at times. The tight ends, notably Ed Dickson, help the grade along but it is no better than a C, with a plus at times headed into the bye week.

Receivers: C+

Quarterback: Still Waiting for That Next Step To Occur

This was supposed to be the year the Ravens offense transitioned to the arm of quarterback Joe Flacco. The Ravens have tried to force the reins into the hands of the fourth-year signal-caller, but for the most part, Flacco has been unsuccessful in the attempt.

This may not necessarily be a bad thing for the Ravens. As Flacco's troubles continued, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who would have normally stuck with his QB, seemed to have a vision quest on Sunday and quickly abandoned the passing game in the second half. Maybe Cameron finally realized that the key to stopping his offense was not shutting down Joe Cool, but Ray Rice.

This is not a knock on Flacco, but maybe the Ravens should concentrate on making Flacco a great game manager, who is capable of carrying a drive or two, instead of putting the pressure of the offense on his shoulders and watching him fail to deliver the goods every other week.

Flacco may have the arm, and maybe even a better arm than some of the elite quarterbacks in the league, but he simply does not possess the tools or quarterbacking ability of Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.

Flacco can be a generic version of Philip Rivers, or even Ben Roethlisberger, and Ravens fans should be good with that. This type of Flacco is more than capable of helping the Ravens win a Super Bowl, but the Flacco you see right now is probably good for another second-round loss in the playoffs, maybe a conference championship game, but not a Super Bowl victory.

So far this season, Flacco has completed fewer than half of his passes (49.3 percent), which is 11.7 percent below his career average. Although Flacco appears to have more confidence, that apparently means a more reckless Flacco. No. 5 has been careless with his passes at bad times this season, and all three of his interceptions were a result of bad throws by him, as opposed to bad routes by the receivers.

He has shown flashes of brilliance this year (Pittsburgh and St. Louis), but his inconsistency has quickly turned brilliance into head-scratching poor play at times (Tennessee and NY Jets).

Flacco’s inconsistency is not just game-to-game, as it was last season, but now appears to be quarter-to-quarter this season. On Sunday night, Joe was cool, calm and great in the first quarter. He was fantastic on 3rd-and-long, and converted three of those plays that led to 10 points and a 17-7 Ravens lead.

Flacco found every open receiver, while completing 8-of-17 passes for 142 yards.

As good as he was in the first quarter, was as bad as he was in the second and in almost identical situations with the same defensive looks coming at him. He was anything but cool, as he went 0-for-10, took a sack and threw an interception that was returned 35 yards for a touchdown.

The interception occurred on 3rd-and-11, as Flacco threw 12 straight incompletions at one point and did not complete a pass in the second or third quarter. He finished the game 10-of-31 for 163 yards, one lost fumble, one pick-six and a passer rating of 37.4.

He has had two great games, and two horrible ones; that computes to an average grade. However, considering where Flacco is supposed to be at this point, he gets the minus.

Quarterback: C-

Defensive Backs: Playing Surprisingly Well Despite Injuries and Inexperience

Like the offensive line, the Ravens secondary was very much in question to start the season. Also like the offensive line, they have more than held their own in helping this team to another 3-1 start.

Led by Ed Reed, and battling through many injuries to key personnel, the Ravens are seventh-best in the NFL against the pass. 

The injuries have forced GM Ozzie Newsome to add a player at the cornerback position. 

With Domonique Foxworth (knee) now on season-ending injured reserve, and Jimmy Smith (ankle) and Chris Carr (hamstring) having missed time, the Ravens announced that they have signed former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Bryan McCann to a two-year deal

The Ravens also have injuries at safety, with Tom Zbikowski sustaining a concussion in the Ravens' 34-17 victory over the Jets on Sunday and Haruki Nakamura (knee) remaining out.

Despite these injuries, Baltimore is tied for sixth in the NFL with six interceptions, and has not allowed a play longer than 42 yards this season. This is a testament to a secondary that was supposed to be the Achilles heel of the defense.

As was evident on the first play of the game Sunday night, defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano continues to bring pressure from the corners, showing faith in the his young corners Cary Williams, and Lardarius Webb. The Ravens did have a hiccup during their loss to the Titans in Week 2. Tennessee QB Matt Hasselbeck threw for 358 yards, but in their three wins, the Ravens have allowed opposing QBs an average of 163 passing yards.

Mark Sanchez could muster just 112 yards during Sunday's loss.

This unit will only get better as players return from injury. The Baltimore secondary could be part of a defense that is scary once the middle part of the schedule comes around. 

Despite the poor effort in Nashville, the Ravens secondary, with all of the injuries they have overcome, deserves a very solid B.

Defensive Backs: B

Linebackers: Still Heart and Soul of Great Unit

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Sure, the Ravens are going to be a team that is led by their offense and not their defense in 2011. In the words of my teenage daughters, "Whatever!"

The Ravens defense has the makings of becoming a very special unit this year. It will be hard for any Ravens defense to duplicate the 2000 season, but this unit has only surrendered 142 more yards through four games than did the 2000 squad at this point of the season.

What this year's version is doing at a pace that exceeds the 2000 defense is creating turnovers. They have 14 through four games compared to 10 in '00. Not only are the Ravens creating turnovers but after scoring three defensive touchdowns Sunday, they have four defensive TDs in the last five quarters. 

Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano's unit has one more TD than the Jacksonville Jaguars have scored all season. 

Ray Lewis and the linebacking corps have always led the Ravens defense. This year is no different. Through four games, the Ravens trail only the Titans for fewest points allowed at 14.3 per game, are third in the NFL in rushing defense (72.5 yards) and tied for seventh in pass defense (212). They are third in overall yards surrendered with a little fewer than 285 per game.

Lewis is still the best middle linebacker in the NFL, and yes, I said the best. It is not out of the question to think it's possible that Lewis could win his third Defensive Player of the Year award.

He leads the team in tackles with 26, has one interception, two forced fumbles and one sack so far this season. The fact that Lewis can still over-pursue a play because of his energy and passion for the game is amazing after 16 years in the NFL.

If former Raven Bart Scott is the mad-backer, then Ravens OLB Terrell Suggs, who is quietly having another great season with four sacks in four games, should be known as the mad pass-rusher. Suggs also has two forced fumbles and one interception to match his sack total.

Jameel McClain is starting to play much better in coverage and Jarrett Johnson is showing much improved play. Both are much more physical in their presence this season. 

Sergio Kindle was active for the first time this year on Sunday night and by the end of the season should be a contributor in the rotation. This unit has performed as expected, and as always, leads the way with an A.

Linebackers: A

Defensive Line

It is funny to look back and see that pre-draft criticism of both Haloti Ngata and Terrence Cody was similar, in that scouts claimed each was prone to take plays off.

Hardly, and you would be hard-pressed to find any opposing interior offensive lineman, running back or quarterback that would concur with that statement. Ngata is a beast, and Cody is very quickly becoming one. Both occupy a large amount of space freeing up the linebackers, or Ray Lewis, to cut off plays and make tackles.

I do hate making comparisons to the 2000 Ravens defense, but it is tough not to mention defensive linemen Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams when talking about that unit. Both were two of biggest contributors on the Super Bowl-winning defense.

Some may disagree, but I would say that Ngata and Cody could be better than Adams and the Goose.

Neither Adams nor Siragusa could apply pressure to the passer the way these can when asked to do so, and there is no doubt that both are just as disruptive, if not more, to the opposition's running game as the duo back in 2000.

Ngata is the leader up front and his speed and timing is sick for a man his size.

The Ravens appear headed for another top-five finish in run defense, as Baltimore's trench players simply allow no space between the tackles for opposing running backs.

The Ravens are once again showing why they are considered one of the best drafting teams in the league. They have depth and talent along the D-line in rookie Pernell McPhee, and second-year man Arthur Jones. Both have played and contributed valuable minutes, combining for 10 tackles and one sack.

It is hard not to give this unit any grade other than an A.

Defensive Line: A

Special Teams: Consistency Is the Key, and Ravens Have It on Special Teams

Although I would still like to use my plant foot on Billy Cundiff for not kicking the ball out of the end zone Sunday night, you have to be pleased with the overall play of the Ravens special teams.

Former special teams coach and now Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has assured everyone that will listen that he was not happy with Joe McKnight’s kickoff return for a TD Sunday night, and vowed to correct the problem that led to it.

The Ravens special teams have punted well, kicked off well and despite missing two field goals, seem as confident as ever to convert failed touchdowns into three points when necessary. They even scored a two-point conversion on the Steelers after lining up to kick the extra point. 

If there is one complaint, I wish Ed Reed were sitting on the bench during all punts. 

Special Teams: B (two missed field goals and a run back)

Coaching and Overall Grade

The Ravens coaching staff has done a great job adapting to all of the changes in the personnel. Especially when you consider that with a limited amount of time to prepare for the season, and after cutting veteran players, the team was more than ready to play Week 1.

This also includes signing players late, and having them ready to go and contribute immediately as many have. The offensive line and secondary have overachieved and should only get better.

True, the Ravens suffered a huge letdown in Week 2, but have since won two in a row in dominating fashion. Baltimore appears to be heading to their fourth consecutive postseason.

Head coach John Harbaugh seems more like a player-friendly coach than during his past three seasons. That may have something to do with the fact that this team is built in Harbaugh’s mold.

The Ravens are physical, tough and play to the whistle. Although they still have penalty troubles at times, the Ravens are well-disciplined football team that plays 60 minutes of fundamentally sound football every week until the final gun.

Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano is a clear upgrade over his predecessor, Greg Mattson. Mattison was not as aggressive as Pagano has shown he is willing to be, and you can throw out the theory that Mattison wanted to protect a broken or less experienced secondary last season and blitzed less because of it.

Although it was missing Ed Reed for the first six games, Mattison’s secondary was actually better than the one Pagano has started the 2011 season with.

Pagano has the Ravens back on track in both creating turnovers and sacking the quarterback. Last season the Ravens sacked the QB a franchise-low 27 times, but have already sacked opposing QBs 11 times this season and are on pace to for 44 this season.

The offense continues to be an anomaly for Cam Cameron, and at times, his play-calling reflects that. Like his quarterback, Cameron has been great and equally as bad during the first four games. However, the Ravens are putting up points in bunches and averaging 29.8 points per game. However, if you deduct the five defensive touchdowns, that average drops to 22.7 for the offense.

Cameron needs to get Flacco to play at a more consistent level.

The Ravens offense must improve on third down. They are currently ranked 14th in the NFL, converting 37 percent of the time. If Cameron eventually figures out that Ray Rice is the heart and soul of the offense, he may opt to run Rice a little more on first and second down, instead of dropping Flacco back in the shotgun on 2nd-and-6.

It is tough to argue with results, especially when the wins have been this dominating and your team has won three of their first four games. Like all teams in the NFL, the Ravens have issues, but in my mind they are the best team in the AFC after four games.

If Baltimore can beat the Andrea Johnson-less Houston Texans in two weeks, then they could be favored in all but two of their remaining games. As I see it, and as it stands right now, only inconsistent play at the quarterback position, as well as not being able to stay healthy, will prevent the Ravens from playing in the Super Bowl this year.

Of course, this could all change in five weeks when the first-half report card comes out, but for right now, the Ravens coaching staff deserves an A-.

The overall team grade is pulled down by the inconsistent play of the offense, but a very good B- definitely gives the Ravens a chance to peak and grow with 12 games remaining on their schedule.

Overall grade through the first four games: B-