Expectations are both good and bad. Set them too high and you are a sitting duck for disappointment. Ratchet them down and you might be pleasantly surprised.
We all had high expectations for the Ravens 2015 season. On the heels of a near fourth AFC Championship Game appearance in 7 seasons during the 2014 season, the Ravens promised to fix a secondary that cost them that opportunity.
And we thought they did.
But they didn’t and ultimately disappointment set it. The celebration of the Ravens 20th season was greeted by a resounding thud. Expectations were shot down in flames.
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So in the spirit of expectations on an individual basis, considering what we expected from players and whether or not they performed to the level of their respective contracts, here is the season ending Good, Bad, Ugly & The Megan Fox.
THE GOOD
If you predicted that Kamar Aiken would haul in 75 balls for 944 yards and 5 TD’s, would you please accompany me to Vegas? Aiken contributions were in part the byproduct of injuries but when given an opportunity, particularly during the last 9 games of the seasons when he tallied 56/673/3 (which projects to 100/1196/4 over a full season), Aiken and his $585,000 salary clearly earned the title of a “Poor Man’s Anquan Boldin”…Steve Smith, Sr.’s productivity when healthy belies his age and he showed no signs of declining skills. He put up this stat line 46/670/3 in 6 games (considering he missed the second half of two games in which he played) and that projected over a full season would result in a staggering 123 catches for 1,787 yards and 8 TD’s. Senior’s pay this year was $3M, the same as in 2016.
When Crockett Gillmore was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 draft most responded, “Who?” His physicality, size and ability to pick up YAC earned him the nickname of Gronk-Lite…Rookies Maxx Williams and Nick Boyle show promise and combined with Gillmore they represent one of the more promising TE posses in the NFL…Kyle Juszczyk is an underutilized weapon who is developing into a versatile fullback. Surprisingly he had 41 catches for 321 yards and 4 TD’s. Maybe one day he’ll get a few carries…Kelechi Osemele was a standout offensive lineman, particularly at guard but showed versatility with above average play at left tackle. He’s earned his next paycheck, one that will probably be signed by someone not named Steve Bisciotti…
Elvis Dumervil didn’t put up the stats that he did in 2014, but the effort was tremendous and he was a leader throughout…Will Hill faded at the end of the season but was the best DB on the team in 2015…CJ Mosley was solid albeit not as productive as his rookie campaign…Daryl Smith, like his namesake Steve has defied Father Time although that resistance was helped in part by situational substitutions on 3rd down…Brandon Williams is knocking on the door of Pro Bowl status. Maybe the Ravens will extend him before he becomes a UFA. But I’m not holding my breath. Time and again they’ve missed those windows of opportunity…Timmy Jernigan you’ve got game and you could be a shining star assuming maturity steps up and taps you on the shoulder.
Heading into the season the Ravens had question marks surrounding the position of return specialist. Who would replace Jacoby Jones? They still might not have a permanent answer but give S/T Coordinator Jerry Rosburg credit for finding safety in numbers. The Ravens were the league’s 7th best team returning kicks and 3rd best returning punts. Sam Koch and his capable coverage team netted the 2nd best punting average (42.9) and they pinned opponents inside the twenty, 29 times, 9th best in the NFL. Justin Tucker was second in touchbacks with an 85.1% success rate, an impressive feat given he plays in a cold weather division. Led by Tucker the Ravens were one of 5 teams to hit 100% of PAT’s.
THE BAD
Yes Joe Flacco lost his best WR and RB to season ending injuries and yes his life was endangered anytime James Hurst stepped in at left tackle, but handsomely paid franchise quarterbacks have to be more productive than 14 TD’s and 12 INT’s in 10 games. His disappointing efforts against the Broncos, 49ers and Rams were particularly troubling… Matt Schaub had starts against the Browns and Dolphins
and still only managed a QB rating of 76.0 including 2 pick-sixes. The Ravens finally found a former Texan who didn’t work out…The Ravens can tout Lorenzo Taliaferro’s ability all they want but until he shows availability he’s just another underachiever. In his 2 seasons with the Ravens he has dressed just 16 times with 81 carries…Another player who shows promise but can’t stay out of the trainer’s room is Michael Campanaro. If the Ravens are serious about upgrading the WR position in the offseason Camp could be on the outside looking in…Nick Boyle’s suspension for performance enhancing substances (we hear it wasn’t Viagra) will define him for awhile…Eugene Monroe doesn’t seem to love football all that much but he probably LOVES that paycheck. Unless he turns it around, 2016 is likely to be his last season as a Raven.
Carl Davis was a preseason star. Unfortunately that star faded during the regular season and he was inactive for 3 games and registered just 11 tackles on the season…Who is the real Jimmy Smith? He hardly played like a shutdown corner and was outplayed by 49ers castoff Shareece Wright who was the Ravens best corner in 2015. That’s probably not the way the Ravens front office drew it up during the spring…Terrence Brooks’ inability to earn his way on to the field in his second season was a major disappointment. He’s shaping up to be a bust…Asa Jackson was given plenty of opportunity to deliver on the promise that his physical skills suggested. It’s safe to say his nickname isn’t Domino’s because A-Jax never delivered…Justin Tucker’s accuracy fell dramatically. He finished tied for 21st in FGA accuracy with 82%.
THE UGLY
Call him a turnstile, a matador or a Ravens garden spinner – whatever fits, but one thing that doesn’t fit at left tackle for Juan Castillo’s unit is James Hurst. He was a disaster. Why it took the Ravens so long to figure out that the team was better with KO at left tackle is mind-blowing…Marlon Brown, whatever happened to
you? When he took the field he looked dazed and confused. The lights were on but nobody was home.
Kendrick Lewis has nice hair. It all goes downhill from there. He was brought on to be the Ravens centerfielder but the guy couldn’t catch a cold and couldn’t cover a corpse with a blanket. Yet another former Texan who tanked in Charm City. Might this be a trend Ryan Mallett?…We’ve heard the Ravens talk about him like he would be the next Navarro Bowman. We probably would have been happy if Arthur Brown even came close to the accomplishments of Josh Bynes. Good luck Arthur, wherever you go…Blown leads by a defense that just could never come up big in the clutch when the season was still meaningful. Dean Pees, you are on notice…Ravens had the third most penalty yards in the NFL. That has to be a reflection on the coaching staff.
THE MEGAN FOX FOR THE 2015 SEASON
We talked about expectations. Sometimes when you set them high, you set yourself up for disappointment. When you set them low and surpass them, it can be a rush. But when you set them high and still surpass them, that’s excellence. Such performances are delivered by talented overachievers – a rare breed.
Like death and taxes, we’ve come to expect outstanding seasons from the Ravens best player and he delivers time and time again.
Here’s to you Marshal Yanda!
And here’s to a 2016 that exceeds expectations.
