It’s hard to believe that on Thursday Week 7 of the NFL season will be underway. In many ways it feels like the 2014 campaign just kicked off.
It could be that the success of the Orioles has been a pleasant distraction. Maybe we’ve taken our eye off the football for a bit. Perhaps the pleasant weather has kept us in summer mode just a bit longer.
Or it’s possible that the Ravens haven’t yet defined who they are and we’re waiting for an identity to emerge – one we can confidently get behind and move forward with – one that carries a collective swagger that is a trademark of our fandom.
Yesterday while listening to Sirius/XM NFL Radio former league exec Bill Polian said that generally speaking, a sampling size consisting of six games is substantive enough to shape opinions about the identities of teams moving forward in the 2014 season.
But is that true for the 2014 Baltimore Ravens?
Offensively the Ravens, as many predicted, will play off the success of their running game. Coordinator Gary Kubiak has a resume steeped in offenses possessing the ability to run the football. When the Ravens have done that this season, they’ve enjoyed success. Get away from it and they’ve posted less than memorable performances.
Defensively the Ravens seem to employ a strategy that enables them to hold serve. They don’t take many chances and at times they struggle to get off the field on third down. Coordinator Dean Pees’ unit ranks 17th in the league in third down defense.
There’s still a bit of that “bend-don’t-break” mentality, yet certainly understandable.
But when you consider the team’s 2014 body of work you get the feeling that they aren’t yet the team they are capable of being. And for this edition of the Baltimore Ravens six games just might not be a good enough sampling size.
Joe Flacco appears to be growing more and more comfortable in Kubiak’s offense. His attention to detail is noticeable. His ball handling skills have improved markedly while his footwork is as clean as it has ever been. The offensive line, while not at full strength, is getting it done. During the team’s four wins they’ve run the football effectively and during those game Flacco has not been sacked. Not once!
That’s not a coincidence.
Last season the Ravens were the 32nd ranked team in the all-important category of average yards per rushing attempt. This season they rank 6th.
An offensive identity is beginning to take shape but it’s not quite there.
On the flip side of the ball the Ravens have had to cover up their weak link – the secondary. Pees has been forced to mask his defense’s vulnerabilities at times with basic coverages while limiting his risk taking. But now that Lardarius Webb is working himself back into playing shape; Terrence Brooks is gaining experience; and Will Hill is set to return from his suspension, Pees may be more willing to take on risk and get after the quarterback in an assortment of ways.
Young players like CJ Mosley and Brandon Williams are improving with each game. Chris Canty and Tim Jernigan will return soon and bolster Defensive Line Coach Clarence Brooks’ rotations. Matt Elam could find a home in the strong safety role helping to mitigate the secondary’s lapses that have led to big plays surrendered.
Is Polian right?
Is six games a sufficient enough body of work to gauge NFL teams?
Generally speaking, yes!
Yet for the Baltimore Ravens the preface to the book that is the 2014 season is a bit longer than usual, a bit longer than 6 games.
The identity that they never found in 2013 is shaping up this season. The Ravens only need to believe in it, embrace it and consistently commit to it.
We’ve seen it before with teams that get better as the season goes on. The momentum gathers and suddenly they catch lightning in a bottle.
The 2014 Baltimore Ravens are beginning to have that vibe about them.
Look out NFL!
