Last Year:
If you like the board game Tri-Bond, a pastime where competitors find the common link between three seemingly unrelated clues, then have a go at this one: the WNBA, Big Brother 5, and the 2003 AFC North. If your prediction phonetically resembled ?morose outfits that pitifully tag one of their members as a victor? then chalk a feckless point under your name. While being sold in the same package as the WNBA and Big Brother 5 dishonors anyone?s status, the Baltimore Ravens should not be ashamed of their division-winning season, even if they were in the worst grouping in the NFL. General Brian Billick made the decision to present freshman Kyle Boller with the starting quarterback position from week one and like so many others in their inaugural season, Boller agonized to grasp the game. After a 5-5 start, and the absence of the heralded on-field offensive director of football operations due to injury, the Ravens found a guiding stroke of luck in the form of a referee?s mea culpa to steal a non-deserving win from the Seattle Seahawks. That triumph, combined with the magical season-long performance by Jamal Lewis, helped the Ravens play like butter, as they concluded the regular season on a 4-1 roll. The Ravens will look to carryover their potent running game and their intimidating defense to 2004, while adding an improved Kyle Boller. If all goes well, playoffs should within squawking distance.
What we Learned from Last Year:
Bette Midler?s Grammy award winning track ?Wind Beneath My Wings? inspires us all to ?Fly higher than an eagle? and reach for elevated goals, and though the Raven is not known as a bird that reaches the same heights as the Eagle, it was clear that Jamal Lewis, and Baltimore?s 3rd ranked defense were truly the wind beneath this team?s wings. So the song continually replays as Baltimore once again found a low-profile quarterback to ? in Bette?s words - never have sunlight on his face, to always walk a step behind, and to be a beautiful smile without a name while the rush offense and muscular defense take all the glory. Observing ?From a Distance?, the image of this team has not changed since their Super Bowl days and last year was not atypical. Jamal Lewis penciled his name in history with his 2066 yards while breathing for a Raven?s offense that would have suffocated if forced to depend on their dead last passing game. Baltimore used a number of talent-deficient quarterbacks such as untried Kyle Boller, practice squad wannabe Chris Redman, and journeyman Anthony Wright who all resembled inconsistent preceding starters Trent Dilfer, Tony Banks, and Jeff Blake. Theoretically Boller is supposed to be the chosen one to break this line of shoddy quarterback play and CBS is still waiting for The Amazing Race to become the next Survivor but both wishes may never come to fruition. Whether Kyle was trying to impress, or simply studying the game, he never broke the lofty fifty-eight percent completion barrier which for a rookie is OK, but for a sophomore will be distressing. Jamal Lewis on the other hand felt no stress burning opponents early and often and jogging with the best offensive line in front of him sure didn?t hinder his success. Not only was Jamal used as the Raven?s foremost scoring weapon, but he was also utilized to play possession keep away from opponents in order to facilitate his own defense?s processes. While J. Lewis sent league-wide tremors on one side of the ball, R. Lewis instilled shivers into players lined up facing him. With a few less than household names surrounding Ray Ray, reliable participations from Terrell Suggs (12 SCK, 1 INT), Gary Baxter (3 INT, 1 SCK), Tony Weaver (5 SCK, 2 FUMR), and Ed Hartwell (93 TKL, 3 SCK, 1 INT) were much appreciated.
A Pro Bowl tight end, an invisible receiving corps, and all they needed was some error-free quarterback play and this team could have convinced customs agents that they were the 2001 Baltimore Ravens. I guess you don?t have to read the next paragraph do ya?
What Has Changed?:
It?s true, first choices are not always the best ones made. The casting crew of Indiana Jones originally singled out Tom Selleck to play the role of the protagonist in the 1981 film but as plans fell through Harrison Ford was called to sub in, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While that particular dilemma had a happy ending, it?s hard for the Ravens to pantomime pleasure as their wide-receiver of choice Terrell Owens snubbed Baltimore and stranded the team to act content with Kevin Johnson. Management sacrificed this year?s first-round draft pick to acquire Kyle Boller the year before, and furthermore were rivered out of their main targeted free agent Terrell Owens, which resulted in zero influential roster modifications. The most notable addition occurred on the sidelines as former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel has been recruited to mold Kyle Boller. Regrettably for Kyle, team officials have said that Fassel has put whispers into Billick?s ears about personal uncertainties in regards to Boller being ?the man?. While I agree, the Ravens need limited contributions from him, particularly in the turnover category, to be successful. Jake Delhomme?s numbers from last year are far from impressive (59.2%, 19 TD, 16 INT, 80.6 QB Rating) and Trent Dilfer?s statistics from the year 2000 are even less striking (59.3%, 12 TD, 11 INT, 76.6 QB rating) but with a lot of assistance encasing Boller, similar figures are all the Ravens will call for. The running game and defense are Super Bowl caliber, and if the Raven?s can masquerade Boller as a modest, yet intelligent QB, this team is underestimated by enough opponents to make a run for the Bowl.
Though Jamal Lewis? productivity came as a pleasant surprise last season, the same cannot be thought about his off-the-field cocaine production. I guess it shouldn?t come as such a Sharapova to us because prior to this season, one out of every three running backs who surpassed 2000-yards rushing in one season were alleged felons. Now that ghastly number leaps to 50%. Maybe this is that blessing in disguise the Ravens were deprived of when Owens cold-shouldered the team because prior to Baltimore?s last Super Bowl season, they also had a valuable performer indicted as a felon. According to my books, the Ravens are one-for-one (and are up to bat currently) in Super Bowl championship seasons when a key player is arraigned for a serious offense. How?s that for foreshadowing?
O/U 8.5:
Because of Pittsburgh?s and Cleveland?s avoidance of their porous offensive lines, Baltimore?s path to the playoffs is that much more trouble-free in this division. On top of that, Cincinnati is going with a barefoot rookie quarterback, which in the long run is wise, but Baltimore may benefit when the teams meet in week three as Carson Palmer may still be in the process of wetting his feet. The rest of their schedule includes: KC, @WAS, BUF, @PHI, @NYJ, DAL, @NE, NYG, @IND, and MIA. If Anthony Wright shepherded this team to the playoffs, is it that much more of an additional stretch to see this team there with Boller?
Fantasy Sleeper:
Looking for a sleeper on this team is hard to find due to the excessive amount of extremism. We all know Jamal Lewis, Todd Heap, and the Raven?s defense will be selected before bedtime, so the sleeper concept does not pertain to them. On the other hand Kyle Boller, even if consistent, will always be handing the ball off first, and then passing. Not only does that reduce his value, but it does not bode well for wide receivers Travis Taylor, and Kevin Johnson. Drafting players low on the depth chart and praying for injuries is a lethal combination for your fantasy team, but just a little FYI, Chester Taylor is the hushed running back that sits pretty behind Jamal Lewis.
If you like the board game Tri-Bond, a pastime where competitors find the common link between three seemingly unrelated clues, then have a go at this one: the WNBA, Big Brother 5, and the 2003 AFC North. If your prediction phonetically resembled ?morose outfits that pitifully tag one of their members as a victor? then chalk a feckless point under your name. While being sold in the same package as the WNBA and Big Brother 5 dishonors anyone?s status, the Baltimore Ravens should not be ashamed of their division-winning season, even if they were in the worst grouping in the NFL. General Brian Billick made the decision to present freshman Kyle Boller with the starting quarterback position from week one and like so many others in their inaugural season, Boller agonized to grasp the game. After a 5-5 start, and the absence of the heralded on-field offensive director of football operations due to injury, the Ravens found a guiding stroke of luck in the form of a referee?s mea culpa to steal a non-deserving win from the Seattle Seahawks. That triumph, combined with the magical season-long performance by Jamal Lewis, helped the Ravens play like butter, as they concluded the regular season on a 4-1 roll. The Ravens will look to carryover their potent running game and their intimidating defense to 2004, while adding an improved Kyle Boller. If all goes well, playoffs should within squawking distance.
What we Learned from Last Year:
Bette Midler?s Grammy award winning track ?Wind Beneath My Wings? inspires us all to ?Fly higher than an eagle? and reach for elevated goals, and though the Raven is not known as a bird that reaches the same heights as the Eagle, it was clear that Jamal Lewis, and Baltimore?s 3rd ranked defense were truly the wind beneath this team?s wings. So the song continually replays as Baltimore once again found a low-profile quarterback to ? in Bette?s words - never have sunlight on his face, to always walk a step behind, and to be a beautiful smile without a name while the rush offense and muscular defense take all the glory. Observing ?From a Distance?, the image of this team has not changed since their Super Bowl days and last year was not atypical. Jamal Lewis penciled his name in history with his 2066 yards while breathing for a Raven?s offense that would have suffocated if forced to depend on their dead last passing game. Baltimore used a number of talent-deficient quarterbacks such as untried Kyle Boller, practice squad wannabe Chris Redman, and journeyman Anthony Wright who all resembled inconsistent preceding starters Trent Dilfer, Tony Banks, and Jeff Blake. Theoretically Boller is supposed to be the chosen one to break this line of shoddy quarterback play and CBS is still waiting for The Amazing Race to become the next Survivor but both wishes may never come to fruition. Whether Kyle was trying to impress, or simply studying the game, he never broke the lofty fifty-eight percent completion barrier which for a rookie is OK, but for a sophomore will be distressing. Jamal Lewis on the other hand felt no stress burning opponents early and often and jogging with the best offensive line in front of him sure didn?t hinder his success. Not only was Jamal used as the Raven?s foremost scoring weapon, but he was also utilized to play possession keep away from opponents in order to facilitate his own defense?s processes. While J. Lewis sent league-wide tremors on one side of the ball, R. Lewis instilled shivers into players lined up facing him. With a few less than household names surrounding Ray Ray, reliable participations from Terrell Suggs (12 SCK, 1 INT), Gary Baxter (3 INT, 1 SCK), Tony Weaver (5 SCK, 2 FUMR), and Ed Hartwell (93 TKL, 3 SCK, 1 INT) were much appreciated.
A Pro Bowl tight end, an invisible receiving corps, and all they needed was some error-free quarterback play and this team could have convinced customs agents that they were the 2001 Baltimore Ravens. I guess you don?t have to read the next paragraph do ya?
What Has Changed?:
It?s true, first choices are not always the best ones made. The casting crew of Indiana Jones originally singled out Tom Selleck to play the role of the protagonist in the 1981 film but as plans fell through Harrison Ford was called to sub in, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While that particular dilemma had a happy ending, it?s hard for the Ravens to pantomime pleasure as their wide-receiver of choice Terrell Owens snubbed Baltimore and stranded the team to act content with Kevin Johnson. Management sacrificed this year?s first-round draft pick to acquire Kyle Boller the year before, and furthermore were rivered out of their main targeted free agent Terrell Owens, which resulted in zero influential roster modifications. The most notable addition occurred on the sidelines as former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel has been recruited to mold Kyle Boller. Regrettably for Kyle, team officials have said that Fassel has put whispers into Billick?s ears about personal uncertainties in regards to Boller being ?the man?. While I agree, the Ravens need limited contributions from him, particularly in the turnover category, to be successful. Jake Delhomme?s numbers from last year are far from impressive (59.2%, 19 TD, 16 INT, 80.6 QB Rating) and Trent Dilfer?s statistics from the year 2000 are even less striking (59.3%, 12 TD, 11 INT, 76.6 QB rating) but with a lot of assistance encasing Boller, similar figures are all the Ravens will call for. The running game and defense are Super Bowl caliber, and if the Raven?s can masquerade Boller as a modest, yet intelligent QB, this team is underestimated by enough opponents to make a run for the Bowl.
Though Jamal Lewis? productivity came as a pleasant surprise last season, the same cannot be thought about his off-the-field cocaine production. I guess it shouldn?t come as such a Sharapova to us because prior to this season, one out of every three running backs who surpassed 2000-yards rushing in one season were alleged felons. Now that ghastly number leaps to 50%. Maybe this is that blessing in disguise the Ravens were deprived of when Owens cold-shouldered the team because prior to Baltimore?s last Super Bowl season, they also had a valuable performer indicted as a felon. According to my books, the Ravens are one-for-one (and are up to bat currently) in Super Bowl championship seasons when a key player is arraigned for a serious offense. How?s that for foreshadowing?
O/U 8.5:
Because of Pittsburgh?s and Cleveland?s avoidance of their porous offensive lines, Baltimore?s path to the playoffs is that much more trouble-free in this division. On top of that, Cincinnati is going with a barefoot rookie quarterback, which in the long run is wise, but Baltimore may benefit when the teams meet in week three as Carson Palmer may still be in the process of wetting his feet. The rest of their schedule includes: KC, @WAS, BUF, @PHI, @NYJ, DAL, @NE, NYG, @IND, and MIA. If Anthony Wright shepherded this team to the playoffs, is it that much more of an additional stretch to see this team there with Boller?
Fantasy Sleeper:
Looking for a sleeper on this team is hard to find due to the excessive amount of extremism. We all know Jamal Lewis, Todd Heap, and the Raven?s defense will be selected before bedtime, so the sleeper concept does not pertain to them. On the other hand Kyle Boller, even if consistent, will always be handing the ball off first, and then passing. Not only does that reduce his value, but it does not bode well for wide receivers Travis Taylor, and Kevin Johnson. Drafting players low on the depth chart and praying for injuries is a lethal combination for your fantasy team, but just a little FYI, Chester Taylor is the hushed running back that sits pretty behind Jamal Lewis.
