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.

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Chiefs

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Get ahead in the pitch count In honor of the Baltimore Orioles’ first postseason berth in 15 (long) years, we use a baseball reference for winning the down-and-distance battle. For the Ravens to succeed on Sunday, they need to keep the Kansas City rushers from teeing off in third-and-long situations. Specifically, pass rushers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston form a formidable duo that can bend the edge. The tackle duo of Michael Oher and Kelechi Osmele struggled against Cleveland’s duo of Juqua Parker and Jabaal Sheard. If the … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens v. Browns

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Five yards and a cloud of dust For the Ravens, it’s all about first down productivity. When they establish a five-yard gain or greater, they are on track with their no-huddle attack. If it’s three yards or less, the down-and-distance battle becomes a struggle, and they lose offensive rhythm. Against New England, the Ravens were able to consistently gain four or five yards on first down, giving them incredible flexibility to stay unpredictable with their attack. First down offense will remain critical against Cleveland, as the Ravens must … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Patriots vs. Ravens

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Wear out the Big Boys One of New England’s primary weaknesses has turned into a major strength: run defense. The Patriots’ revamped front seven is big, physical, and gap savvy. Led by the ferocious Vince Wilfork, the Patriots boast a big front that has built on its solid performance in the AFCC against Ray Rice a year ago. However, it remains to be seen if this group can keep up with the fast-paced attack that the Ravens could present on Sunday night. This is a perfect opportunity for … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens at Eagles

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. The Counter Punch Against a befuddled Cincinnati defense, the Ravens used a dizzying combination of first down pass/run plays to keep the Bengals tame. First down pass plays involved a steady diet of run-action, while the run consisted of well-timed traps and draws. The run-action consisted of a biting play-fake from Flacco, and hard pulling action from the offensive line. The Ravens faked the off-tackle slant run and had the Bengals—so worried about Rice—baited too far upfield. While run-action opened up the passing game for the Ravens against … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Bengals at Ravens

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. The Need for Speed The suspense is killing Ravens fans and observers. Will the Ravens unveil a fast-break style offense on Monday Night Football? Or will offensive coordinator Cam Cameron fall back into his proverbial first down handoff relapse with Ray Rice? The answer should be the no huddle, but with Cameron, it’s always a tricky question. For months, the Ravens have prepped to install an offense tailored around No.1 gunslinger Joe Flacco – and the Bengals are the perfect test. Cincinnati comes into this game limping in … Continue reading →

Upshaw adds to Ravens’ pass rush wave

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

With the selection of Courtney Upshaw, the Ravens went from a dry well of edge rushers at the SAM position to a potential overflow. Upshaw adds to a group that already features Paul Kruger, Albert McClellan and Michael McaAdoo. In fact, the addition of Upshaw could give the team enough flexibility to continue featuring McClellan at ILB. Getting back to Upshaw, the Ravens accomplished a few things with his selection. One, they were able to largely offset the loss of Jarret Johnson. The impact of Johnson — who has been … Continue reading →

An ideal reunion

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reported that the Ravens made a modest, one-year offer to C/G Jason Brown. If Brown — who has other options to weigh — accepts the offer, it could be an ideal reunion for both sides. Brown is coming off a disappointing stint with St. Louis. With a one-year deal, he would have a chance to redeem himself for a better contact in 2013. Moreover, coming back to Baltimore would be a prime opportunity in a familiar setting. For the Ravens, Browns presents a viable replacement … Continue reading →

Moâ€™ Money, Moâ€™ Problems

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

The past few weeks haven’t been kind to former NFL star and current NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp. First, the potential Hall of Fame defensive tackle came under fire for baselessly accusing former Saint Jeremy Shockey for “ being the rat” in the New Orleans bounty scandal. Now Sapp is under fire for a different reason – he’s broke and owes people money. According to CNNSI, Sapp has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida. A player who was once among the top paid defensive players in the game has … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Patriots

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Ball Control Offense To beat Brady, you might be better off not facing him at all. For the Ravens, the mission will be to hog the ball to win the time of possession (TOP) battle and keep the Golden Boy off the field. Much has been made of how the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to “out-Brady” the Patriots’ offense by mixing controlled passes with some power runs. The result was the Steelers controlling TOP for 39 minutes. In that game, Roethlisberger was masterful and hit on a lot … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Texans vs. Ravens

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Isolate the outside backers Although much of the focus of Houston’s pass rush has turned to their down linemen, the edge rushers – Connor Barwin and Brooks Reed – can’t be overlooked. The Ravens should not only look to neutralize these two backers, but to attack them. Barwin and Reed are athletic, but they are better moving forward than backward. The Ravens have the right personnel to isolate these two defenders in space, forcing them to drop and run. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron should look to use some … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Bengals

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Pass from power sets It’s clear that without receiver Anquan Boldin in the lineup, the Baltimore passing game is in a state of flux. Moreover, with the potential loss of guard Marshall Yanda as well, the pass protection could be in serious question against a formidable front seven. To overcome these issues, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron must look to pass from predominant run-heavy fronts. Showing the Bengals run-action, only to pass off the fake could be the most effective move to slow down the Cincinnati rush and … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Browns vs. Ravens

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Motion Evans With the impending loss of receiver Anquan Boldin, it’s time for offensive coordinator Cam Cameron to dust off Lee Evans and put him to work. The burner from Buffalo has yet to make a mark due to injury, but he has enough left in the gas tank to help the Ravens down the stretch. Evans and the rest of the pass-catchers will have their work cut out for them against a Cleveland pass defense that has been unbreakable all year. Still, with the potential focus … Continue reading →

BATTLE PLANS: Ravens v. Chargers

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Baltimore_Ravens_v_San_Diego_Chargers_fi-2G-72iPHl

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Chargers Offense 1. Misdirection running game Over the past four games, the Ravens have built the type of complete ground attack that the front office wanted to see on the field since the offseason. Specifically, the Ravens have dialed up a running game that goes inside and outside, off an assortment of run designs. The Chargers rank eighth in overall defense but they are only 23rd against the run and haven’t proven that they can maintain their gap integrity. The Ravens movement, especially with the fullback … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens v. Colts

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Double down Regardless of their record, the Indianapolis pass-rushing duo of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis is still lethal. The offensive game plan should begin with devising effective blocking schemes to bottle up arguably the best rush duo of the last decade. This is a game that will call for a lot of two-tight sets. By keeping tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta on the line – even if they don’t stay in to block – Freeney and Mathis won’t have a direct launch path to … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Browns

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Don’t press Quarterback Joe Flacco’s patience will be tested on Sunday. The Browns play a more conservative scheme than what Flacco has seen from other defenses this season. They are not nearly as exotic and keep their safeties back, which is a big reason for why they are ranked first in pass defense. The Browns try to generate a rush using their line and sparingly using their backers. Although they haven’t exactly generated a consistent rush (22 sacks), they’ve been able to force quarterbacks to hold the ball … Continue reading →

BATTLE PLANS: Ravens v. 49ers

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Alex_Smith_San_Francisco_49ers_v_San_Diego_RI-Y6P_Vp_gl

Offense 1. Quick screens and draws The Ravens were able to tap back into their screen game against the Bengals, with varying success. However, when they were able to hit on a play, it went for a first down. Against a fairly aggressive San Francisco front seven, screens and draws to Rice might be the best way to get him the ball. The 49ers are the best in the league against the run, so using Rice to run straight ahead will be a tough proposition. On the other hand, … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Bengals vs. Ravens

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Return of the jump ball Against the giant Seattle cornerbacks, the Baltimore receivers were mostly ineffective. The same high-traffic catches that receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith have made all year along the sidelines weren’t in play. There should be better chances for these two pass catchers to operate against veteran cornerbacks Nate Clements and Kelly Jennings. If the Bengals use more man coverage on the outside – which defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has been known to do against Baltimore — Boldin and Smith will have the height … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens vs. Seahawks

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Fast start After two big wins against the Steelers and the Texans, the Ravens took to the road against inferior opponents and fell apart. Now, with a third such opportunity looming in Seattle, it’s imperative that the offense is ready to start fast. This is a prime opportunity for the passing offense to get a rhythm established against a Seattle pass defense and a pass rush that is subpar. Even entering the noise of the Seattle stadium, quarterback Joe Flacco should be able to engineer an effective hurry-up … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Ravens @ Steelers

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Rice the decoy In Week One, Ray Rice was king of the jungle. He was a force in the passing game and running game, and the Pittsburgh defenders had a hard time keeping him contained. One has to believe that legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will have a scheme to bottle up Rice. In a game like this, it’s quite possible that Rice could open things up for his offensive teammates. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron should fake the ball to Rice on pitches and play-fakes, getting the Pittsburgh … Continue reading →

Battle Plans: Cardinals vs. Ravens

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Dev Panchwagh

Offense 1. Two-tight end sets It would behoove offensive coordinator Cam Cameron to make use of his talented, second-year tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. Both of these players were pegged to be a big part of a reformed passing attack. Instead, the two pass catchers have been nothing short of disappointing. Neither player has been used correctly in the offense. For example, Dickson is a space player who can fight for jump balls and outrun defensive backs downfield. Much of the routes he runs are over the middle, … Continue reading →