The Raven’s have had an eventful off season with the signing of new players and the releasing of some familiar names.  With all of the trading going on amongst NFL teams, the Ravens rank among the highest in terms of salary cap room. Some of the new faces to the team are: Spencer Adkins (OLB), D.J. Bryant (LB), Tori Gurely (WR), Antoine McClain (G), Lonyae Miller (RB), Swanson Miller (DT), David Mims (T), Alex Silvestro (TE), Reggie Stephens (C), Steve Watson (TE/FB), Marcus Spears (DT), Elvis Dumerville (OLB).

The Ravens also have released numerous members from last year’s Super Bowl team including: Ed Reed (S), Bernard Pollard (S), Brendan Ayanbadejo (LB), Danelle Ellerbe (LB), Anquan Boldin (WR), and Paul Kruger (DE/OLB) to name a few.  Three Ravens, Ray Lewis (LB), Matt Birk (C), and Bobbie Williams (G), have decided to hang up their cleats and retire.  With all of those big name losses, look for the Ravens to make more quality moves in free agency and also pick up draft picks that are ready to make an impact on the team immediately.

What do you think this means for the Ravens? Will they be as great as last year or will they need a few rebuilding years?

Super Bowl XLVII was one of the most exciting games I’ve watched all season. The Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers definitely showed up and put on a show for the world. In the first half the Ravens shined, leaving the score at half time 21-6. The Second half is where it got interesting. Jacoby Jones, of the Ravens, returned the kick off in the first play back for 108 yards, scoring another touchdown for the Ravens, and tying the Super Bowl record for that many yards returned on a kick-off at a Superbowl. What happened next was something no one saw coming- a surge in the lights caused the players to sit out for roughly thirty minutes before resuming the game. The 49ers showed up ready to fight back, finally catching up to the Ravens, tailing them by only five points by the end of the fourth quarter. In the last seconds of the game the Ravens called a safety, adding two more points the the 49ers score, but wasting enough time to make sure they clinched the Lombardi trophy; and they did.

Here’s a more in depth insight of how the game went:

Offense:

Joe Flacco put on a show and led the Ravens to victory.  The Super Bowl MVP was 22 for 33 passing with 287 yards and three touchdowns.  Flacco has had a very impressive post season throwing 11 touchdowns with zero interceptions.  Anquan Boldin led the receiving core with six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.  Jacoby Jones had a spectacular 56 yard touchdown catch and Dennis Pitta had four receptions and one touchdown.  Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce combined for 92 yards rushing and all together the offense amassed 388 yards of offense.

Defense:

The Ravens Defense was able to keep it together and stop the 49ers second half rally.  Danelle Ellerby led the team with nine total tackles and Ray Lewis added seven more tackles to his stats.  The defensive line had a great game for the Ravens.  Paul Kruger sacked Colin Kaepernick two times and Arthur Jones sacked him once as well.  That kind of pressure made Keapernick a little quicker to throw the ball, sometimes erratically and once for an interception by Ed Reed.  All together the defense played great and defended the “Pistol” offense very well.

Special Teams:

Jacoby Jones was sensational for the special teams unit.  To begin the second half, Jones returned the kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown.  He also had some nice punt returns, helping to set up the Ravens offense in good position.  Justin Tucker was a perfect two for two on the day with field goals and zero for one on fake field goals.  In the first half, Coach John Harbaugh called for a fake field goal in which Tucker received a direct snap and was to out run the defense to the left side of the field.  Things didn’t go as planned and Tucker was unable to reach the first down marker.  All together the special teams unit had a great day and was a big reason the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

Now, it’s time to sit back and watch the Ravens and 49ers start their rebuilding and restructuring processes for next season. The Ravens might be the best this season, but they’re going to have to get better if they want to stay on top next season.

Super Bowl XLVII is officially here! The Baltimore Ravens and the San Fransisco 49ers will head into to battle tonight at 6:30 PM ET. This game will be an interesting one, for it is not only a fight between teams but a battle between brothers. Jim Harbaugh, head coach of the 49ers, is up against tough competition- his older brother, John, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Don’t worry, their parents have this figured out- they have a jersey that is half 49ers and half Ravens!

As a Ravens fan I am so proud of how far this team has come this season. I couldn’t be more excited that they are in the greatest game of the season! Here’s what to keep your eyes out on during the game. (Don’t forget about those infamous Super Bowl commercials, too!)

Offense:

The Raven’s offense needs to be firing on all cylinders this Sunday.  Joe Flacco needs to continue his great playoff performance thus far.  He has 8 touchdowns and no interceptions this post season, watch for him to make smart choices and take shots when he has to.  A good running game will help Flacco in the Super Bowl.  If Ray Rice can be a serious threat to the 49ers, it will not only take some pressure off of Flacco, it will also open up more passing lanes when the linebackers are flowing downhill expecting the run.  The Raven’s haven’t comparatively passed as much as their foe’s this season, so they need to make every opportunity count.  Watch for key Receivers Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, and Tight End Dennis Pitta to be key factors in the game.

Defense:

Ray Lewis will certainly have the defense ready to play come kickoff time.  A vital reason for some of the 49ers recent success is the mobility of Quarteback Colin Kaepernick.  The defensive line needs to contain Kaepernick and make him stay in the pocket.  The more he scrambles the more time it gives for their receivers to get open, slowly tearing the Defense apart.  Containing Kaepernick will help the Safties and Cornerbacks guard the 49er receivers.  Expect big plays out of Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and the hard hitting Bernard Pollard.

Special Teams:

A couple big kick returns have been made against the Ravens in the Special Teams phase of the game.  Big returns are a huge momentum swing in a game and could mean the difference between a win and a loss.  The Ravens have to excellent kick coverage against the 49ers.  Being that the game is inside, Justin Tucker will most likely kick all kickoffs out of the back of the endzone, but watch for Punter Sam Koch to kick his punts especially high to try and force a fair catch and let his teammates run down and have good coverage on the kick.  Also watch for Justin Tucker’s field goal attempts.  This is the biggest game the rookie has ever been in  and the Ravens need all the points they can get.

It’s bound to be a great game. It probably won’t be a relaxing game, but it will definitely be a great show. Cheers to the Ravens!

The last time the Ravens made a Superbowl I was ten and to be honest I’m not even sure if I remember watching it. Thankfully, they’ve done it again, and this time I won’t miss it for the world or forget about it for the years to come. Sunday’s game was definitely one to remember. From the nail clinching plays to surpassing those dang “Pats” the Ravens came in and completed their task- seek revenge from the Patriots.

Here’s an overview of the game:

Offense:

After a slow start in the first half, the Ravens offense came out and put on a show.  Joe Flacco was 21/36 on his passing, completing for 240 yards and three touchdowns.  He was named the player of the game afterwards.  Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce gained a combined 100 yards for the offense.  Anquan Boldin had a big night for the Ravens, snagging two impressive touchdowns and contributing 60 yards for the offense.  Torrey Smith and Dennis Pitta were also a big part.  Pitta had five receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown, and Smith had four catches for 69 yards.

Defense:

The Ravens defense played a great game and held the Patriots pointless in the second half.  The incredible Ray Lewis again led the team in tackles for the fourth week in a row, accumulating a total of 14 this game.  Bernard Pollard had his presence felt by the Patriots.  Pollard had several big hits during the game, one of which knocked Patriots running back Stevan Ridley out and simultaneously forced a fumble which the Ravens recovered.  Cory Williams and Danelle Ellerby both had key interceptions late in the game to seal the victory over the Patriots.

Special Teams:

It was a solid day for the Special Teams.  All phases did a great job covering the kicks and blocking for returners.  The only mishap that needs to be corrected is punt coverage.  The Patriots were able to get a 28 yard punt return in, setting their offense past the 50 yard line.  This could really hurt the Ravens Defense and it’s an issue that needs to be corrected.  Justin Tucker had a solid game tacking on four extra points and kicking off for the Ravens.

It was a good day in Baltimore Sunday night. I don’t think it has completely set in that we’re playing IN THE SUPERBOWL! The Ravens will be facing NFC Champions, the San Fransisco 49ers. They will have a bye week before playing in New Orleans on February 3.

]]> http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2013/01/21/ravens-saught-revenge-head-to-the-superbowl/feed/ 0 http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2013/01/20/ravens-seeking-revenge-in-repeat-afc-battle/ http://www.prosportsblogging.com/2013/01/20/ravens-seeking-revenge-in-repeat-afc-battle/#comments Sun, 20 Jan 2013 16:36:02 +0000 Brandie http://www.prosportsblogging.com/?p=97781
It’s one of those days when you wake up with mixed feelings. Being a die hard Ravens fan I am excited to see how we perform tonight but I’m also angry with our AFC match up. AGAIN? (Wasn’t that enough pain to suffer last year for a few years?) Two days short of a year [...]]]>

It’s one of those days when you wake up with mixed feelings. Being a die hard Ravens fan I am excited to see how we perform tonight but I’m also angry with our AFC match up. AGAIN? (Wasn’t that enough pain to suffer last year for a few years?) Two days short of a year ago the Ravens lost 23-20 to those dang ol’ “Pats”, this year though, we’re seeking revenge.

The Ravens proved themselves this season already to the Patriots in week three, 31-30. (Let’s hope tonight’s game isn’t that close!) In that game, Joe Flacco threw for 382 yards, completing 28 out of 39 attempts and had three touchdowns. Ray Rice rushed for 101 yards, completing one touchdown. Torrey Smith received six for 127 yards and two touchdowns. And the game winning token we have for this season’s AFC Championship, Justin Tucker, has been close to perfect all season.

If the Ravens needed any more motivation for tonight, other than the revenge of last year’s AFC Championship game, it could be Ray Lewis. Potentially the last game in his career, you know the team is “hyped” up and ready to give a show for their loved ones, their fans, and their teammates. They want this more than anything. They want that Superbowl, and they’re out to get it. Expect tonight’s game to be a full-fledged battle. The Ravens aren’t backing down- and neither are the Patriots.

Here’s what to watch for for tonight:

Offense:

The offense needs to give Flacco time, they need to be able to protect him in the pocket comfortably so he can make smart moves and complete big plays. Watch for Ray Rice and Torrey Smith to be yet again key players. Every game they have played big roles in the Ravens have had success. Also, keep your eyes on Anquan Boldin and Jacoby Jones.

Defense:

Ray Lewis. Keep your eyes on Ray Lewis. “You always have to know where 52 is” Brady stated earlier this week. (Well, at least he’s ready for him, right?) Watch for Lewis to be quicker than ever, and completing more tackles than ever. He’s had a massive amount of tackles in the past two weeks he’s been back, watch for him to make even more tonight. Watch for Ed Reed to be on his toes looking for interceptions.

Special Teams:

If there’s one person who’s potentially feeling the stress of last year’s game it’s rookie kicker, Justin Tucker. We all remember the missed kick from Cundiff, how could we forget? Luckily for the Ravens there’s a new man in town, an almost flawless kicker, who the Ravens trust and believe can carry the weight on his shoulders and do so successfully. Watch for Justin Tucker to stay cool, calm, and collected. He’s a performer and I would trust my game on him if I were the Ravens.

It’s going to be a great game tonight. Get your jersey’s on, grab your beers, and tune in tonight at 6:30 PM Eastern Time.

What an exciting game the Ravens played on Saturday afternoon against the Denver Broncos. The Ravens shocked the non-believers, beating Denver 38-35- thanks to their rookie kicker, Justin Tucker in double overtime.

Here’s what we saw:

Offense:

Joe Flacco had one of his best career playoff game performances.  Flacco completed 18 of his 34 passes for 331 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Torrey Smith caught two touchdowns and had 98 yards receiving.  Jacoby Jones had a 70 yard touchdown reception.  Ray Rice showed why he is one of the best running backs in the NFL.  Rice ran for 131 yards and 1 touchdown, averaging over 4 yards a carry.  A lot of credit goes to the offensive line for the phenomenal offensive performance by the Ravens.  The O-Line only allowed 1 sack during the game, offering Flacco plenty of time to read the defense.

Defense:

The Ravens defensive unit had a good game.  They forced two interceptions, both snagged by Corey Graham.  Captain and defensive leader Ray Lewis led the team with 17 total tackles.  Terrell Suggs had a great game as well, accumulating 2 sacks and forcing Peyton Manning to get rid of the ball faster than normal.  Pernell McPhee also sacked Manning.

Special Teams:

It was an overall rough day for the special teams unit.  Both the punt coverage and kickoff coverage were a big letdown, both allowing a Broncos touchdown.  The Ravens will have to improve their special teams play if they have any dream of winning any more games.  One bright spot in the special teams was Justin Tucker’s game winning, double overtime field goal.

The Ravens will head to Foxborough next Sunday to take on the Patriots at 6:30 ET. Yes, this is a repeat of last year’s AFC game, expect the Ravens to come out seeking revenge.

It’s a big day in Denver, Colorado. The Ravens and the Broncos are preparing for what could be their toughest game of the season. Here’s what to look for today:

Offense:

The Raven’s offense has been playing well in recent weeks and will need to continue to do so to move on past the high powered Broncos.  This is a week where Ray Rice really needs to show up and perform well as well as his back up, Bernard Pierce.  By setting up the run early with Pierce and Rice, Flacco will be able to pass more effectively later on.  All in all the entire offensive unit needs to perform at a high level to move past the Broncos.

Defense:

With Peyton Manning in control of the Bronco offense, the Raven’s secondary will have their work cut out for them.  Expect a lot of stunts and blitzes by the defense to try and throw Manning off his game and to pressure him and make him get rid of the ball faster.  Expect Ray Lewis to have a big impact on the game like last week.   The future hall of famer will be fired up and ready to go as usual.

Special Teams:

The Special Teams for the Raven’s have the ability to tremendously help out the offense and defense.  The Raven’s punter, Sam Koch, is one of the League’s best at pinning his punts deep in enemy territory.  This is very helpful to the defense, as are big kick returns by Jacoby Jones.  The more yards Jones gains on special teams, the shorter the distance Flacco and the offense have to travel to get to the end zone.  Look out for a few pressure kicks for rookie kicker Justin Tucker as well.  This is the time of year when kickers cannot miss!

Don’t miss this game tonight at 4:30 ET!

What an exciting day for Baltimore on Sunday! The team and fans where full of emotion as Ray Lewis snuck out of the tunnel for his one last showing at M&T Bank Stadium. That wasn’t the only emotional factor for Baltimore players, the returning players welcomed Chuck Pagano back onto the field, happy to see him doing well.

The Ravens advanced to the next round in the playoffs, beating the Colts 34-9. Here’s an overview of what happened Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium!

Offense:

Joe Flacco and the Baltimore offense had a great game Sunday.  Flacco completed 12 of his 23 passes for 282 yards and 2 touchdowns.  The majority of those passing yards went to veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who had 145 yards receiving on 5 catches.  Bernard Pierce and Ray Rice teamed up running the ball to gain the offense a combined 173 yards on the ground.  The rookie, Pierce, had 103 yards, a tremendous first playoff game for the young running back.

Defense:

With the return of Ray Lewis to lead the defense, Baltimore shut down the Colt’s offense.  The Ravens held rookie quarterback Andrew Luck to 282 yards passing on 28 completions and 1 interception by Cary Williams.  The defense never let Luck get comfortable in the game, causing him to make fast decisions and miss throws.  Ray Lewis led the team with 13 total tackles, 9 solo and 4 assisted.

Special Teams:

All units of the special teams had a good game.  Jacoby Jones set up the offense nicely with one 34 yard punt return.  Justin Tucker hit a 23 yard field goal right off the bat to give some momentum to the Ravens.  Overall a good game for the special teams.

The Ravens will face off with Denver this Saturday at 4:30 PM in Denver.

Last week the Ravens lost to the Bengals 23-17, here is an overview of what occurred and how the team played:

It was more of a rest week for the guaranteed playoff bound AFC champions. Ray Rice and Joe Flacco were only allowed to play the first two series of the game while veteran Ed Reed sat out the entire game. The Ravens needed to rest these key players to make a solid run in the playoffs. It was smart of the coaches to decide this, making sure to prevent injuries that could have occurred.

Offense:

With Flacco only playing two series, second year quarterback Tyrod Taylor was in control for the Raven’s offense.   Taylor was 15 for 25, throwing for 149 yards and 1 interception.  Rookie Bernard Pierce had the majority of touches at running back, carrying 22 times for 89 yards.  Tyrod Taylor was the team’s second best rusher of the game, racking up 65 yards on only 9 carries.  Both Taylor and Anthony Allen had rushing touchdowns in the game.  All together the offense racked up 352 yards on offense, a good number of yards compared to what the offense has been putting up in previous games.

Defense:

The Raven’s defense only allowed the Bengals to rack up 189 net yards on Sunday.  They also held them to only 1 offense touchdown during the game and 3 field goals.  The defense was also limiting their veteran players in order to rest them for the playoffs. Overall it was a great day for the defense players.

Special Teams:

The special teams unit for Baltimore had a pretty solid day.  Every phase executed their jobs with nothing overly exciting happening.  The only mishap on the day was Justin Tucker’s missed field goal attempt from 45 yards out.  This was one of the few field goal misses Tucker has had this season. He later redeemed himself by making an attempt from 49 yards out.

 This week’s playoff game will be an important deciding factor for the Ravens. They will be facing the Colts on Sunday at 1 PM. Luckily, the Ravens have home field advantage, playing at M&T Bank Stadium. The two teams are closely tied together through Colts head coach Chuck Pagano coming from the Ravens and Ravens Offensive Coordinator Jim Caldwell coming from the Colts.  The men from both sides know each other very well and it should turn out to be a great game. If the Ravens come out and play like they were playing in the beginning of the season they should have no problem defeating the Colts and moving on to the next stage in the playoffs.

Offense:

The Ravens will have to rely on the arm and decision making abilities of Joe Flacco to lead them to victory against the Colts.  If the Joe Flacco from week 16, who easily defeated the Giants, shows up, a victory should be in the works.  Look out for the explosiveness of Ray Rice to help out the offense as well.

Defense:

Turnovers will be a key statistic in this game.  The young Andrew Luck has had 17 turnovers this season.  Veteran safety Ed Reed will definitely be on the lookout to increase Luck’s turnover rate.  To help Reed out with that, the defensive line needs to put a lot of pressure on Luck and force him to make quick decisions.

Special Teams:

The entire special teams unit needs to outperform the Colt’s special teams.  This phase of the game can and will be a decisive factor of which team comes out on top.  Watch for Jacoby Jones to make an impact on kick returns and rookie kicker, Justin Tucker, to add points for the offense.

It should be an exciting game against the Colts!

The Ravens redeemed themselves on Sunday against the Giants. (Finally!) Not only did the Ravens win, they won by a landslide! With the final score of 14-33 the Ravens can begin to feel confident that they are on their way to being back on track. Here’s a quick overview of how the game went:

Offense:

Flacco had one of his best performances of the year, completing 25 of 36 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns. Rice, Pitta, Smith and Boldin all had over 50 yards of receiving. Bernard Pierce and Ray Rice both had over 100 yards rushing, 123 yards and 103 yards, respectively. Jim Caldwell led the Ravens offense to 533 net yards of offense.

Defense:

Baltimore’s defense did a great job of rushing Eli Manning. They accumulated 3 sacks on Manning and limited his impact on the game. Ed Reed had a few big hits during the game, intimidating the Giants receivers. Overall, it was a very balanced team effort to get the job done on defense.

Special Teams:

Justin Tucker had yet another great game. The rookie from Texas has continually proven himself week in and week out. He was a perfect 4 for 4, connecting from 23, 21, 30, and 29. He has been a great addition to the team and will only get better.