AFTER FURTHER REVIEW…
It’s been said often that the character of a man isn’t determined by how he handles success but instead, by how he handles adversity. The same can be said of organizations.
2014 has been quite a year for the Baltimore Ravens – a tumultuous one both on and off the field. From the owner down through the head of security it has challenged the club’s intestinal fortitude and their collective ability to navigate the obstacles of some rather severe adversity.
No matter how you look at it, no matter what you think of the team’s postseason chances, given their journey that was the year 2014, when the dust settles, you have to sit back and tip your hat to Steve Bisciotti’s franchise. What they endured could have crippled less capable teams.
The Ravens may or may not be successful during the playoffs. But a team with so many players on IR (18), a team that dealt with four arrests including a public relations nightmare triggered by the behavior of a high profile player, win or lose during the postseason, they remain winners and have at the very least strengthened their organizational foundation upon which they can build more winning teams for years to come.
Here’s a look back at the 2014 regular season…
HIGHS
• The season’s first win against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers during the inaugural CBS broadcast of Thursday Night Football. The Ravens dominated the game after the Steelers first possession winning 26-6.
• In Tampa Joe Flacco threw for 4 first quarter touchdowns while thrashing the Bucs 48-17. It was an unforgettable offensive performance, the likes of which we’ve never seen from a Ravens offense.
• On Monday Night Football Joe Flacco was able to match and surpass the performance of the accomplished gunslinger Drew Brees in New Orleans by the score of 34-27.
• After a sluggish 1 ½ quarters the Ravens offense snapped out of their slumber and took control of a very important game with wild card implications in Miami, knocking off the Dolphins 28-13.
• Again plagued by an extremely sluggish start that carried through three quarters, the Ravens awoke with a vengeance, storming back for 17 unanswered fourth quarter points on the heels of 249 yards of offense in the final frame to secure a 20-10 victory and their 6th playoff berth in 7 seasons.
LOWS
• Two long pass plays, both very defendable cost the Ravens two losses to the Cincinnati Bengals – one to AJ Green who was “covered” by the departed Chykie Brown and the other to Mohammed Sanu who hauled in a Hail Mary in front of an apparently dizzy Terrence Brooks.
• The Ravens fell to the Colts 20-13 in a building that seems to put their offense into vapor lock. The game was a winnable one but clearly impacted by James Hurst’s horrific play at left tackle subbing for the injured Eugene Monroe.
• During training camp Jimmy Smith was the best Ravens player on either side of the ball – bar none! His season-ending injury was huge and cost the Ravens no less than two games in the standings.
• When the Ravens are leading by 10 points in the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium it usually spells doom for opponents. Not on November 30 when the Ravens fell to Philip Rivers and the Chargers in heartbreaking fashion 34-33.
• In Houston, the Texans’ defense could have left the field and the Ravens offense would have gone 3-and-out. They were horrific as Joe Flacco had arguably his worst day as a pro, out-dueled by Case Keenum who just a few days prior was in a deer hunting tree stand.
* The arrests during the spring and summer and the organizational black-eye stemming from the Ray Rice domestic violence case.
SURPRISES
• We thought CJ Mosley was a solid, albeit unspectacular choice in the 2014 NFL Draft. When it was all said and done comparisons to Ray Lewis surfaced, and justifiably so.
• Back in 2011 when he was a 5th round pick, Pernell McPhee played like a rookie who should have gone higher in the draft. This season he played like a Pro Bowler and became a dominant, versatile, disruptive force for Dean Pees’ defense.
• With over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 8 TD’s, Justin Forsett was the perfect, economical choice to fit Gary Kubiak’s offense.
• The Ravens offensive line in 2013 was without a doubt the team’s Achilles’ heel. In 2014 Juan Castillo’s unit was among the league’s best.
• During the offseason many pondered who the Ravens might bring in to play right tackle when all along they had a guy who would be among the best right tackles in the NFL – Rick Wagner. He was the 3rd highest ranked RT in the league per Pro Football Focus (“PFF”).
DISAPPOINTMENTS
• Lardarius Webb history of injuries has derailed what looked like a promising career. Word is he is as healthy as he’s been in quite awhile. He’s currently Pro Football Focus’ 78th ranked corner and QB’s enjoy a 96.3 passer rating when targeting him. His contract suggests better play – much better.
• During the offseason many believed the Ravens would lose LT Eugene Monroe in free agency. But the former Jaguar barely got a sniff from other teams and the Ravens were able to offer him a cap friendly deal that averages $7.5M, 12th highest among left tackles. Unfortunately Monroe’s play was well below average.
• Matt Elam was supposed to be an in-the-box kind of safety yet he was among league leaders in percentage of missed tackles v. tackles. Quarterbacks enjoyed a passer rating of 128.4 when targeting the second-year former No. 1 pick. If it walks like a bust and quacks like a bust…
• The Ravens moved up in the second round during the 2013 NFL Draft to select Arthur Brown and despite being healthy throughout 2014 he was not on the field for a single defensive play this season and dressed for just 4 of 16 games.
• During his career, Bernard Pierce’s running style has been compared to that of Arian Foster. When Kubiak arrived from Houston most expected it to be a great fit for Pierce. It wasn’t. Pierce has carried the ball only 93 times and his play can be characterized as uninspired.
STUDS
• Elvis Dumervil
• CJ Mosley
• Terrell Suggs
• Pernell McPhee
• Daryl Smith
• Marshall Yanda
• Rick Wagner
• Kelechi Osemele
• Justin Forsett
DUDS
• Matt Elam
• Arthur Brown
• Bernard Pierce
• Chykie Brown
That’s the 2014 regular season.
Now it’s on to January football and the postseason where the slate has been wiped clean and fresh starts abound. What has happened up to now doesn’t have any bearing on what happens going forward. We’ve seen it happen time and again.
Think back to 2012 when in December the Ravens were waxed by the Broncos in Baltimore 34-17. And it wasn’t even THAT close. A few weeks later the Mile High Miracle happened.
Anything and everything can and does happen in the playoffs.
What’s in the rearview mirror can stay there.
It’s time to bring on the Steelers!
