Subscribe to our newsletter

PRESEASON RECAP: Ravens v. Chiefs

Share
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Reading Time: 3 minutes

There’s something painful about a preseason game. Things just never seem to flow properly. It’s a time for adjustment, fine tuning, dress rehearsals and sound checks. It’s even that way for the fans. WBAL interviewed some folks in the tailgate lots and some dude was on camera saying, “I think we can go 11-4 or 12-3.”

Hello, the lockout didn’t shorten the season.

If they could only shorten these preseason games!

THE GOOD: Tyrod Taylor is a playmaker and he is growing seemingly on a daily basis. Behind an offensive line that relatively speaking would make Swiss Cheese look like an inpenetrable levy, Taylor somehow managed to make chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what. He might not be your prototypical No. 2 QB but he absolutely is a guy you want on your football team. Word to Troy Smith apologists – this guy is already better than the former Raven and Heisman Trophy winner…Ray Rice ran with purpose and it’s easy to see how he and FB Vonta Leach will soon become the Ravens’ answer to Batman & Robin…Jalen Parmele and Anthony Allen also attacked the Chiefs’ defense with some very determined running…Back to Vonta Leach – what a load! Hey Brandon Siler, the license plate of the vehicle that trucked you was MD License Plate 44…Oniel Cousins actually played decently at right guard in support of the running game…Ramon Harewood had a plus effort as well at left tackle v. the Chiefs’ crash test dummies…Props to Jah Reid who was workmanlike and played nearly the entire game…Terrence Cody was a force in limited action as was Haloti Ngata.

David Reed made a nice catch despite tight coverage for a 41 yard pick up. He just seems to have that special ability to make plays…Jameel McClain was solid filling in for Ray Lewis while Dannell Ellerbe showed what he’s capable of when prepared and focused…Pernell McPhee may prove to be the best value pick of the 2011 draft class. The heavy handed LB keeps showing up on tape…Sergio Kindle is another player who seems to have that ability to be impactful, nearly blocking 2 punts…Cary Williams despite giving up the Chiefs only TD in single coverage deep in the red zone continued his solid play. No wonder the Ravens opted not to pay Josh Wilson nearly $5M/season…DT Bryan Hall had a sack and he’s had a productive summer. Keep an eye out for this sleeper…Haruki Nakamura continues to push to play beside Ed Reed. He’s beginning to separate from Tom Zbikowski who has been rather stealth. That said Bernard Pollard does stand in his way.

THE BAD: If Joe Flacco was a pitcher, we’d say he didn’t have command of the strike zone against the Chiefs. He was often high and wide with his throws and he never really seemed to develop a rhythm. As if we need proof that the rhythm skipped a beat or three, he took the field for a highly uneventful series in the third quarter and managed to move the offense 3 yards in 3 plays before getting the hook…Michael Oher is still in a funk. The team should be worried more about left tackle than right tackle…Special teams struggled for the majority of the game and they lost the battle for field position. Sam Koch eventually overcame a sluggish start to rally with a couple of late second half bombs…Terrell Suggs looked like he went through the motions, failing to contain Le’Ron McClain on a screen pass.

THE UGLY: The second team offensive line looked like they would have struggled in pass protection whether they were facing the Kansas City Chiefs or Archbishop Curley High School….Lardarius Webb looked sloppy and clueless as a punt returner. He fumbled away his first return costing the team 3 points and his presence of mind as a returner leaves much to be desired…Jason Phillips played like his shoes were tied together. He is pretty much worthless as a pass defender and fell once while untouched and dropping into his zone on one pass play…Anquan Boldin may need to update his eye prescription. His effort on a nicely thrown deep post by Flacco in the first quarter was weak. It almost looked like he never picked the ball up. Then in the second quarter he whiffed on a well placed ball from Flacco on a third and 15 which looked to be good for a first down…WBAL’s broadcasts are so minor league. Other than a BAL production, the last time I watched a game WITHOUT the yellow first down line was probably back in 1984. Seriously! And Qadry Ismail, he’s just flat out embarrassing. Can’t someone give him a job on QVC promoting vegetable slicers?

THE MEGAN FOX: In his Ravens debut Lee Evans validated the wildly supported opinion that Ozzie Newsome fleeced the Bills when he obtained the speedy receiver for a fourth round pick. Evans had 3 catches (all for first downs) for 68 yards – a very successful outing given the growing pains of practice earlier in the week. Welcome aboard Lee!

 

Don’t Miss Anything at RSR. Subscribe Here!
Latest posts
Join our newsletter and get 20% discount
Promotion nulla vitae elit libero a pharetra augue