About Steve Hasler

March 29, 1984. Steve Häsler was attending college in Gambier, Ohio when the phone rang in his dorm room. His parents were calling with disturbing news – our beloved Colts had poured the entire organization into Mayflower vans and left town. For the next four autumns, Steve was forced to watch football with Browns fans, unsympathetic to the plight of losing a hometown team. By 1987 he was back in Baltimore, working in advertising, and attending the Towson Fourth of July every year just to hear the Baltimore Colts Marching Band play the old fight song as they waddled by. It made his mother cry every year. And yes, he called his old Ohio roommates back in 1995 just to make sure they heard the news that he once again he was going to have a team to root for. Steve has been opining on all things Ravens pretty much since the invention of message boards. You may know him as Shas.

Ravens Report Card: Ravens 48 Jaguars 17

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Steve Hasler

On a Monday night last October a national TV audience watched the Ravens embarrass themselves in Jacksonville, losing a 12-7 shocker to a poorly regarded Jaguars team. Revenge certainly was not a factor in this preseason rematch. The goal for the Ravens was simply to work the starters for more than a half together, and perhaps improve on scoring from inside the red zone, something the starting offense has struggled with in the preseason. They accomplished both, and maybe a bit of revenge nonetheless in piling up the most points … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Lions 27 Ravens 12

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Steve Hasler

Detroit Lions wideout Calvin Johnson is good – good enough to be an NFL video game cover boy. As we saw Friday night, he’s also good enough to torch Ravens cornerbacks, who for the second straight weeks struggled in coverage. A week ago the Falcons relied on three-step drops and quick slants for easy connections in front of sagging Ravens defenders. This week Johnson simply ran past, through and over Ravens corners Cary Williams and Jimmy Smith while averaging 22 yards on five catches and a touchdown in less than … Continue reading →

Ravens Report Card: Baltimore Ravens 31, Atlanta Falcons 17

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Steve Hasler

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August 9, 2012 A win is a win. Except when that win is a preseason win. Yes, the Ravens left Atlanta on the winning end of a 31-17 score. But the scoreboard hides many truths about where this team stands as it embarks on the 2012 season. The starters looked thoroughly sloppy, falling behind 14-0 early into the second quarter. Head coach John Harbaugh looked thoroughly disgusted, and a little worn out, as he spectated from the sidelines. His Ravens could have easily found themselves down 21-0 if not for … Continue reading →

Ravens draft history, Part 3 – The Harbaugh era

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Steve Hasler

This is Part 3 of a three-part series examining the history of the Baltimore Ravens’ strategy and results in the NFL Draft. If you missed Parts 1 and 2, click here and here. In Part 3, we look at the Ravens’ drafts to date under head coach John Harbaugh. 2008 The Ravens held the eighth pick. Perhaps it was time for a payback for 2003, back when the Jags grabbed Leftwich and put the Ravens into their own five years of QB hell. The Ravens traded pick #8 and got … Continue reading →

Ravens draft history, Part 2 – The Billick era

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Steve Hasler

This is Part 2 of a three-part series examining the history of the Baltimore Ravens’ strategy and results in the NFL Draft. If you missed Part 1, click here. In Part 2, we look at the Ravens’ drafts under head coach Brian Billick. 1999 The Ravens again have the tenth pick and again they stand pat to draft a cornerback, this one having much better value than Starks – Chris McAlister. McAlister was selected three picks after the Redskins took Champ Bailey, a future Hall of Famer at the same … Continue reading →

Trade up? Trade down? Stand pat? A Ravens draft history (Part 1)

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Steve Hasler

This is Part 1 of a three-part series examining the history of the Baltimore Ravens’ strategy and results in the NFL Draft. In this installment, the early years of the Ravens are discussed, through the 1998 draft. Every year about this time we debate what the Ravens should do in the upcoming draft: hold onto their first round draft pick to take the best player who falls to them? Use extra picks to move up in the first round and grab a can’t-miss player? Fall back a few spots to … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Patriots 23, Ravens 20

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Steve Hasler

Left Out. REARVIEW MIRROR – AFC CHAMPIONSHIP NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 23, BALTIMORE RAVENS 20 January 22, 2012 And then it was over, just like that. The Baltimore Ravens battled the New England Patriots back and forth for sixty minutes of football, but came away losers, 23-20, after botching two chances to win or put the game into overtime in the waning moments. The CBS broadcast crew pointed their cameras to the losing sidelines, slowly panning the faces of disbelieving Ravens players, blinking skyward, stunned, trying to grasp reality. They had … Continue reading →

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF REPORT CARD: Ravens 20, Texans 13

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR — AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS BALTIMORE RAVENS 20, HOUSTON TEXANS 13 JANUARY 15, 2012 Ravens head coach John Harbaugh patrolled the locker room afterwards, soaking in his team’s 20-13 home playoff win against the Houston Texans. WBAL-radio color analyst Stan White stopped him to ask if he was concerned his team didn’t match the Texans’ performance on the stat sheet. In response, Harbaugh quoted the immortal words of former Eagles coach Herm Edwards. “You play to win the game.” Indeed. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win, one … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 24, Bengals 16

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR BALTIMORE RAVENS VS CINCINNATI BENGALS January 1, 2012 The Baltimore Ravens’ 24-16 margin of victory at the Cincinnati Bengals was not a comfortable win. After jumping on the Bengals 17-3 at the half, the Ravens’ lead in the game, and their grasp on first place in the AFC North standings, was hanging by a thread. The Bengals’ Mike Nugent had just punched a 46-yard field goal through a fierce wind at the start of the fourth quarter to pull within 17-13. After the Ravens’ offense stalled at their … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 20, Browns 14

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Steve Hasler

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BALTIMORE RAVENS 20, CLEVELAND BROWNS 14 DECEMBER 24, 2011 There is one undeniable fact about the Ravens’ Christmas Eve home win against the Cleveland Browns. The 20-14 victory gave Baltimore a 5-0 record atop the division, and protected their stake to a number-two seed and an opening-round bye in the playoffs. Beyond these facts, there is plenty of room to debate what this team really is. Until next week’s New Year’s Day season finale in Cincinnati, the optimists will sit at one end of the bar, and the pessimists at … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Chargers 34, Ravens 14

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Steve Hasler

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REARVIEW MIRROR SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 34, BALTIMORE RAVENS 14 December 18, 2011 When the mighty fall, they fall hard. Earlier in the day the Baltimore Ravens learned they were guaranteed a trip to the playoffs, thanks to a loss by the New York Jets. But rather than being buoyed by the news, the Ravens seemed to be sunk by it, losing to the San Diego Chargers 34-14. The same Oakland loss that pushed Baltimore into the playoffs had also given the surging Chargers – one-time losers of six straight – … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 24, Colts 10

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR BALTIMORE RAVENS 24, INDIANPOLIS 10 DECEMBER 11, 2011 Any Baltimore football fan over the age of 45 once rooted hard for the horseshoe. That was, until they felt the unthinkable sting of seeing their beloved Colts bolt to Indianapolis. And then they endured the indignity of their adopted team, the Baltimore Ravens, losing the last eight contests to those Colts, including a gut wrenching 15-9 playoff loss in 2006. So for the Ravens to finally beat the Colts Sunday, 24-10, it had to be an enthralling moment for … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 24, Browns 10

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR BALTIMORE RAVENS 24, CLEVELAND BROWNS 10 December 4, 2011 Admit it, you were nervous. Your Ravens were on the road, facing a Browns opponent they were supposed to beat. It was coming on the heels of a ten-day layover, after an emotional, national TV, Thanksgiving Day win in the Harbaugh Bowl. And their leader, Ray Lewis was again waving a towel and stalking the sidelines. This had been the perfect formula for previous disappointment, with all three Baltimore losses this season coming on the road, to inferior opponents … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 16, 49ers 6

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Steve Hasler

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BALTIMORE RAVENS 16, SAN FRANCISCO 6 November 24, 2011 Two very good defenses met on Thanksgiving night in Baltimore, in front of an emotionally charged home crowd and a well-fed national television audience. You could have predicted the low-scoring, close result and maybe even the 16-6 win for Baltimore over the visiting 49ers. After all, the Ravens had lost just once at home in the last 16 games. And the 9-1 Niners were crossing three time zones on a short week’s rest. But in an era of high-flying offensive football, … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 31, Bengals 24

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR BALTIMORE RAVENS 31 CINCINNATI BENGALS 24 NOVEMBER 20, 2011 When two of the league’s top-five defenses clash, you don’t expect an offensive shootout, even when the Ravens entered this game without their defensive leader, Ray Lewis, sidelined with turf toe. But offense is what we got in a 31-24 Ravens victory over the Cincinnati Bengals that featured 867 total yards from scrimmage and 36 first downs between the two teams. Despite this production, neither defense played particularly poorly. The Bengals’ rookie quarterback Andy Dalton was fearless standing in … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Seahawks 22, Ravens 17

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Steve Hasler

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 22, BALTIMORE RAVENS 17 NOVEMBER 13, 2011 What in the world do you make of the Baltimore Ravens? In a virtual replay of a week-seven loss to the lousy Jacksonville Jaguars the Ravens did it again. Once again they let down their guard after an emotional win to drop a game to another lousy team – the Seattle Seahawks, 22-17. Same problems, same ugly result. They got beat by a bad offensive team because they started slowly on offense themselves, coughed up turnovers, three of them, surrendered field … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 23, Steelers 20

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR BALTIMORE RAVENS 23, PITTSBURGH STEELERS 20 November 6, 2011 Second chances. This game was littered with them. And in the last seconds the Baltimore Ravens capitalized on one final chance, as Torrey Smith hauled in a 26-yard touchdown from Joe Flacco to cap off a 92-yard, two-minute drill and finally pull away from their Pittsburgh Steelers with a 23-20 win. It redeemed Smith, who struggled to hold on to Flacco passes throughout the game, including a would-be winning touchdown catch five plays earlier. For Flacco, it was a … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 30, Cardinals 27

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR BALTIMORE RAVENS 30, ARIZONA CARDINALS 27 OCTOBER 30, 2011 Frustrating means to a satisfying end With self-inflicted mistakes piling up throughout a frustrating first half of play, the Baltimore Ravens found themselves in a bewildering hole, losing 24-3 to the visiting Arizona Cardinals. Against most opponents it would have meant, game over. But this was a Cardinals team that came into town on a five-game losing streak, with a defense that could not match the talent level the Ravens had faced six days prior in Jacksonville. So the … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Jaguars 12, Ravens 7

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 12, BALTIMORE RAVENS 7 OCTOBER 24, 2011 There was a point in history when the Jacksonville Jaguars dominated the Baltimore Ravens. Badly. So badly, that the Ravens franchise began 0-8 against their one-time divisional rival. But that was then. That was before the Ravens reeled off six wins in the next seven contests against the downtrodden Jags, who came into this nationally telecast contest with a five-game losing streak that had firmly placed their head coach and former Ravens linebacker coach Jack DelRio firmly on the … Continue reading →

RAVENS REPORT CARD: Ravens 29, Texans 14

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Steve Hasler

REARVIEW MIRROR BALTIMORE RAVENS 29, HOUSTON TEXANS 14 October 16, 2011 Credit the Houston Texans for coming into Baltimore and throwing everything they had at the Ravens, even without their top players on both sides of the ball – the injured Mario Williams and Andre Johnson. While the Texans played the Ravens tight for nearly three quarters, in the end the Ravens had too much talent for the Texans to match, and rode the home field advantage to a 29-14 win, outscoring Houston 19-7 in the second half. Both the … Continue reading →