About Dev Panchwagh

Dev Panchwagh is a versatile analyst who breaks down the Xs and Os of the game and has been a columnist/analyst for Ravens24x7.com since the summer of 2004. In his regular season column Battle Plans, Dev highlights the Ravens' keys to success against each upcoming opponent. Dev started modestly as a sports journalist, but his contributions to sports talk radio were noticed, leading to duties as a regular columnist for the Scouts.com network before joining RSR. It would be very difficult to find his rare combination of youthfulness, knowledge and insight in all facets of football anywhere else. Fortunately, Dev brings it here each and every week.

Bet on the Ravens being better in 2013

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

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I’m not a betting man, but here’s a tip: Take the 30-1 odds that Vegas has listed for the Ravens winning the Super Bowl and run with it. Don’t even think twice about it. The reality is that those are the best odds that you’re going to get for any legitimate Super Bowl contender, let alone the defending champs. The Ravens continue to get questioned by the odds makers and the media who conduct daily dissections of a group of former players who have been “whacked” (if you’re a fan … Continue reading →

Brown Adds Missing Dimension to Defense

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

In the NFL, if speed kills, then slow leads to a fast death. With so many offenses showing read-option looks and spread formations while becoming more pass-happy overall, inside linebackers have to be able to cover a lot of ground. Although brute force is still needed in certain situations, the days of thumpers being able to stay on the field without being exposed are dwindling. Last year, the Ravens paid the price for not having enough athleticism on the field. Being able to defend stretch runs, iso patterns against tight … Continue reading →

Huff on Ravens Radar Screen Again

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

Remember when the Ravens drafted Haloti Ngata as their first-round pick before the season? Although he was highly coveted by the Baltimore brass, he wasn’t the only player they had their eye on near the top of the draft. Safety Michael Huff was billed as a blue-chip safety coming out of Texas. At the time, the Ravens needed a safety alongside of Ed Reed. They also needed a young corner that could eventually fill the shoes of Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle. Huff was someone the front office liked a … Continue reading →

Dumervil Addition Means Positive Subtraction for Suggs & Ngata

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

Now that Elvis has officially entered the building (I only have one more day left to use that catchphrase), the fun begins for defensive coordinator Dean Pees. He’ll have to figure out which players to rotate in and out of his lineup, especially when the defense is in its sub packages. Dumervil is yet another addition to the front line along with defensive ends Chris Canty and Marcus Spears. This is arguably the deepest front that Baltimore has had since the 2006 team. In that year, the Ravens fielded Trevor … Continue reading →

Rest Assured There is a Plan in Baltimore

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

In the Dark Knight, there is an unforgettable scene in which the Joker explains his view of anarchy to Harvey Dent. He explains that when people expect something to take place – no matter how heinous in nature – order is still maintained among the masses. But when events take place on the fly, chaos ensues. Right now, it seems to some Ravens observers that chaos is in full effect in Baltimore as it was in Gotham City. It’s as if the general manager Ozzie Newsome has lost his mind. … Continue reading →

BATTLE PLANS: Super Bowl XLVII

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Carve Up the Middle The 49ers are not an exotic defense that moves around. Coached by former Ravens’ assistant coach Vic Fangio, the San Francisco defense will stay stationary at the snap and normally show a two-deep coverage shell on the back end. A big reason for why the 49ers stay in zone is to let their ILBs cover the middle of the field. Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman have the speed and quickness to stay with receivers on inside routes, and they … Continue reading →

Ravens Offense Has Finally Arrived

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

The construction process started in 2007, under Brian Billick’s regime. For the first time in their history, the front office used a first-round pick on an interior lineman. Little did anyone know that at the time, the selection of offensive guard Ben Grubbs would start something special on the “other side of the ball” in Baltimore. Grubbs was joined by Marshall Yanda in the third-round. With a supplemental pick, the Ravens drafted talented yet underachieving left tackle Jared Gaither. This new group of linemen was selected to ease the transition … Continue reading →

BATTLE PLANS: AFC Championship rematch

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. This is a Rice Game In the 2009 playoffs, Ray Rice shocked the Patriots with a handoff on the first play of the game that went 83 yards into the end zone. The Ravens never looked back, going on to clobber New England 33-14 in Gillette Stadium. Since then, Bill Belichick has focused his attention on stopping Rice. The three-time Pro Bowler’s production over the next three games has dipped, as he’s averaged 85 yards on the ground per game. Given Joe Flacco’s … Continue reading →

BATTLE PLANS: Ravens vs. Broncos playoff edition

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Stay on Top of the Down and Distance When the Ravens faced Denver in Week 15, they were absolutely dominated on first down in the first half of the game. Out of eight drives, the Ravens plodded to an average of 2.6 yards. Of those first downs, six were runs and two passes went to fullback Vonta Leach in the flats—not exactly the most aggressive game plan. Suffice it to say, the Ravens’ miserable first down performance was a decisive factor for five … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Colts

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Tip Count In a playoff game full of reunions, one of the biggest chess matches takes place between Baltimore offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell and Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano. Recognizing and exploiting Pagano’s defensive tendencies will be a big factor in whether the offense is able to have an efficient day. While Pagano was a masterful schemer in Baltimore, one of the biggest flaws in his blitz attack was that defenders would sometimes tip their blitz look too early and the opposing quarterback would adjust … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Bengals

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. All Part of the “Plan” The strategy for how to handle the starters for this game has been debated at length all week long. One thing is certain: The offense will and should get plenty of work, especially in the first half of the game. The threat of injury should not affect the coaches’ mindset that this unit needs to build off their sterling performance from a week ago. Last week, the offense looked just as they did back when they ran the Bengals off the … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Giants vs. Ravens

Posted on December 22, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Fast-Track the Running Game Against a struggling Giants defense, the Ravens offense has to find a way to open it up. However, that doesn’t mean that they have to pass the ball out of these more open sets and formations. Using Ray Rice out of single back sets and getting him involved in the draw/delay game is a way to puncture the New York rush and keep the offense humming at a fast pace. It might help Rice as well to see a less condensed … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Broncos vs. Ravens

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Hog the Ball It’s time to reestablish the no-huddle attack—and win the time of possession battle at the same time. With a new pulse on offense, the time is perfect to use the short passing game and mix of well-timed runs to drain the clock and keep Peyton Manning on the sidelines. Moreover, by staying in the same formation without substituting, the Ravens will have a chance to wear down a defensive front that feeds off its speed and playmaking ability. What’s the biggest key to keeping … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens @ Redskins

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Control the Blitzkrieg The biggest staple of Washington’s defense is their all-out blitz game. The Redskins will show a lot of aggressive looks – at times showing Cover 0 where there is no safety help over the top. In other instances, they will bluff the blitz and have the hovering A gap blitzers fan out to clog the inside passing lanes. For Joe Flacco to be successful, he’ll need an assortment of quick-hitting blitz beaters at his disposal. The ball must be out of his hand quickly and … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens v. Steelers (Part II)

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Motion Mr. Smith Last Sunday, the Ravens continued to beat their heads against a brick wall by chucking the ball to Torrey Smith on deep routes. Just as the Steelers did the week prior, the Chargers used the sidelines to their advantage, and made it extremely difficult for Joe Flacco to fit the ball in tight windows. Once Smith started moving around and ran more underneath routes, he became a factor in the passing game. Smith has proven that he is more than a “9” route runner. He … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Chargers

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Work the Middle There is a good chance San Diego will take a page out of Pittsburgh’s book by compressing their coverage on outside routes. Specifically, if they invert the coverage like Pittsburgh did –keep the corner deep and bring the safety underneath—it’ll be extremely tough for Joe Flacco to find Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones outside the hashes. The Ravens’ answer was to use short dump offs to Ray Rice over the middle. But with Rice, the routes can be limited to small 4 or 5 yard … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Steelers

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

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Offense 1. Crossover Dick LeBeau uses every blitz combination in the book and he definitely saves something extra for obvious passing situations. More often than not, he’ll dial up a few cross dog blitzes where his inside backers will split the A gaps. In anticipating LeBeau’s tendency to use the inside blitz, the Ravens will need to have an assortment of crossers in the pipeline. The Ravens have had success in the past using slants against the Pittsburgh corners and that should be a featured route as well. In addition, … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Raiders

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. A Sprinkle of Rice Won’t Do Last Sunday, the Ravens got Ray Rice going again in the offense, but the overall consistency was still lacking, especially in the second half. Once Cleveland started stacking the box with eight defenders, the running game stalled and there were no adjustments. Instead, the team kept pounding the middle with Rice instead of working the ball off tackle or varying their rush alignments. Against an Oakland rush defense that is reeling, it’s not only imperative to get Rice the ball, but to … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Browns

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Manufacture Separation The Baltimore receivers have been struggling against press coverage. Everyone knows it. Even after an impressive performance against Dallas’ formidable corners, the Texans didn’t back off and the receivers came back down to earth. At this point, it will take scheme to break these receivers open against tight coverage. With corner Joe Haden back in the lineup, the Browns will pack some additional bite on the back end. This is a game in which motioning receivers and using bunch route formations should help receivers uncover … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Baltimore Ravens v. Houston Texans

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Double Wattage No 3-4 DE has been as dynamic a rusher as Houston’s J.J. Watt. What makes Watt so special is that he has the power to drive through blockers, and electric burst to get around them. Watt is so good that teams are not only devoting a double team inside, but a third blocker—either a back or tight end—to help chip block. The Ravens will need to take the same approach against Watt. They will need to lean on two blockers to keep Watt at bay … Continue reading →