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The Ravens totally dominated this football game, but the Saints got a couple of garbage TDs to make it look closer than it was. Steve McNair completed 17 of 23 passes for 159 yards and 2 TDs, he also carried the ball 5 times for 23 yards and a TD. Jamal Lewis was very busy, carrying the ball 31 times for 109 yards (3.5 ypc). Derrick Mason caught 6 passes for 67 yards. TE Todd Heap caught 3 passes for 47 yards and a TD. WR Clarence Moore caught 2 passes for 1 yard and a TD.
The Ravens gave up alot of cheap yards in the 4th quarter, but the defense played great. Rookie DB Ronnie Prude had a tackle, defensed 2 passes and intercepted a pass that he returned 12 yards for a TD. Rookie safety Dawan Landry had 2 tackles and 2 interceptions, one of which he returned 12 yards for a TD. The Ravens stopped the Saints running game cold, allowing only 35 yards rushing on 14 carries (2.5 ypc). The Saints completed 24 of 46 passes for 368 net yards passing.
The Ravens are averaging 18.3 points per game, but the defense has been setting up alot of short fields for the offense. The Ravens are only averaging 94.3 yards rushing per game and 3.5 yards per carry. The Ravens passing game has been nothing to write home about either, averaging 177.3 net yards passing and completing 56.0% of their passes. We’ll see if Brian Billick can get anything out of this unit now that he’s calling the plays.
The Ravens defense is one of the best in the NFL. The Ravens are only allowing 11.5 points per game so far this season. The defense suffocates the oppositions running game, only allowing 71.2 yards rushing per game and 2.7 yards per carry. The Ravens secondary has been decent, allowing 180.8 net yards passing and 55.0% completions.
The Ravens and the Saints have been huge surprises in the NFL so far this season. This should be a very interesting game.
Who knows what the Ravens will do on offense with Billick now calling the plays. I look for the Ravens to try to power the ball in the running game against the Saints. The Saints defense is having a rough time stopping the run, allowing 119.7 yards rushing per game and 4.9 yards per carry. Look for Jamal Lewis (352 yards rushing) to have a big game. As soon as the Saints defense creeps up, look for the Ravens to take a few shots down the field to Derrick Mason (23 rec, 310 yards) and Mark Clayton (25 rec, 287 yards). TE Todd Heap will give the safeties and linebackers of the Saints a rough time.
Look for the Saints to mix it up on offense to try to keep the Ravens defense off-balance. Deuce McAllister (444 yards rushing) and Reggie Bush (196 yards rushing) have done well this season, but the Ravens defense is only allowing 71.2 yards rushing and 2.7 yards per carry…..so every yard will be a tough one. The Saints O-Line has only allowed 6 sacks this season, but they will have to play well this week against the aggressive blitzing tactics that the Ravens employ that already has 19 sacks!  When Brees does have time, he will have to be careful throwing the ball downfield, because the Ravens already have 11 INTs.Â
It’s hard for me to pick a winner in this game, but the SuperDome has been a magical place for the Saints….so I think they have a little edge in this game.
The Ravens have lost two games in a row and the offense hasn’t looked good. With Billick now calling the plays, he could use the extra time to re-evaluate the offense. The Ravens are only averaging 94.3 yards rushing per game and 3.5 yards per carry. They need to either get Jamal Lewis going or let Mike Anderson and/or Musa Smith have a shot as the main running back. The Ravens also could use the extra time to work on their passing attack which has been shooting blanks so far this season. The Ravens are only completing 56.0% of their passes for 177.3 net yards passing per game. Steve McNair needs to do a better job throwing the football, because the receivers are there for a productive passing game.
The Ravens defense has been sharp this season. The Ravens are only allowing 11.5 points per game. The Ravens are shutting down the opposition’s running game allowing only 71.2 yards rushing per game and 2.7 yards per carry. The Ravens have done well against the pass too, allowing 180.8 yards per game and 55.0% completions.
The Ravens fired offensive co-ordinator Jim Fassel on Tuesday and Head Coach Brian Billick will serve as his own offensive co-ordinator. Billick is under fire to make the playoffs….or he will be fired at the end of the season. The Ravens offense hasn’t produced very well this season. The Ravens are only averaging 271.7 yards per game and 18.3 points.
The linebackers for the Ravens have been making big plays all over the playing field. MLB Ray Lewis is having his best season in a long time. The defensive tackles are doing a good job keeping him clean and he’s responding with a big season so far. Lewis has made 50 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. OLB Bart Scott has been dominating from his post on the edge. Scott already has 45 tackles, 5 sacks and has recovered a fumble. The other OLB, Adalius Thomas has been good so far too. Thomas has 34 tackles, 5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery.
The Ravens are getting a good pass rush from the linebackers and they have dominated on run defense, as the Ravens are holding their opponents to 71.2 yards per game rushing and 2.7 yards per carry.
The Ravens just waited to long to get going on offense. Steve McNair was knocked out early in the game with a neck injury and did not return. McNair completed 2 of 4 passes for 4 yards and an interception. Kyle Boller replaced him and played quite well. Boller completed 17 of 31 passes for 226 yards with 3 TDs and 1 INT. Boller also ran the ball 6 times for 27 yards (4.5 ypc). Jamal Lewis didn’t get to run the ball much, because the Ravens were playing catch up. Lewis carried the ball 9 times for 41 yards (4.6 ypc). WR Mark Clayton had a fantastic game, catching 5 passes for 101 yards and 2 TDs. TE Todd Heap caught 5 passes for 55 yards and a TD.
The Ravens were hitting hard, but they gave up a lot of yards passing. MLB Ray Lewis had 9 tackles and recovered a fumble. OLB Adalius Thomas had 6 tackles, a sack and defensed a pass. CB Chris McAllister had 6 tackles and an interception. The Panthers tried to run the ball, but couldn’t! The Ravens held the Panthers to 58 yards rushing on 30 carries (1.9 ypc). The Panthers shredded the Ravens secondary. The Panthers completed 24 of 39 passes for 356 net yards thru the air.
This loss hurt in more ways than one. It would be hard to believe the Ravens competing for the division title if Kyle Boller starts too many games.
The Ravens have been waiting for Clarence Moore to do something for a couple of years now and got sick of waiting for him. The Ravens cut him earlier today. Rookie Demetrius Williams and Devard Darling will battle it out for Moore’s old spot.
The Panthers come into this game needing to protect the football against the greedy Ravens defense. To do that, they will need to have some semblence of a running game. DeShaun Foster has been good this season (373 rushing yards), but he’ll have to go alone against the Ravens because DeAngelo Williams is out for this game. If the Panthers can be effective running the ball (Ravens allow only 73.8 yards rushing per game and 2.9 yards per carry), then the pass rush of the Ravens will have to slow down a little bit. The Ravens already have 18 sacks and 9 interceptions this season and have held opposing QBs to a 52.0 QB rating. If given time, Delhomme should be able to get the ball to Keyshawn Johnson (27 rec, 373 yards) and Steve Smith (23 rec, 261 yards). Smith has to catch the ball when it hits his hands this week, because the Ravens defense won’t give them alot of opportunities to score.
The Ravens prefer to run the football, but it hasn’t worked out to well for them this season. The Ravens have only averaged 97.2 yards rushing per game and 3.5 yards per carry. That is hard to believe with Jamal Lewis, Mike Anderson and Musa Smith at running back. Nevertheless, look for the Ravens to come out running with Jamal Lewis (311 rushing yards) to start the game. If the Ravens get the running game going (the Panthers allow 122.0 yards rushing per game) then Steve McNair can run some play-action passes and take a few shots deep to his buddy Derrick Mason (23 rec, 310 yards). The linebackers and safeties of the Panthers will be challenged by TE Todd Heap who has already caught 22 passes for 180 yards with 3 TDs. McNair can be forced into mistakes if the Panthers bring the heat, and you know Julius Peppers will be in his grill a few times on Sunday.
This should be a great football game. I think the QB that makes the least mistakes wins this football game.
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