What an emotional roller coaster we just rode! (Glad it wasn’t one where they take pictures halfway through and catch you in the worse possible transitional face you could make)
First it was 7-0 Browns fast. Then 14. Then 20????
Then slowly but surely, the Ravens got back in this one, with a 20-12 halftime deficit. After receiving the ball at the start of the second half, the Ravens worked back within one.
Fast forward to the 4th quarter with the Ravens up 25-20, the Browns and gimpy McCown worked their way down the field for a game-winning TD… only to see C.J. Mosley crash the party. Ravens win 25-20 in an embarrassment of a game for the Browns home opener at the Factory of Sadness.
While the ‘W’ is stellar, let’s look at those grades.
Quarterback: B-
Joe Flacco (25/45, 300 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT) gave us a bit of a Jekyl and Hyde game today. While Joe nailed some major throws in key spots (see literally every pass to Pitta, a nice bullet to Smitty down the sideline, and BOTH Wallace TDs), he also gave us some questionable throws into tight coverage (nearly everything in Joe Haden‘s direction), he under threw Breshad Perriman on THREE occasions, and again had trouble getting rid of the ball when under duress in a few instances.
My 2 cents: I think Joe Flacco is playing extremely tentatively with last year’s injury planted in the fore front of his head. He’s not planting, he’s coming up short on his throws, and he’s not moving in the pocket. We’ve seen Joe be great. This is NOT our Joe.
With that said, take away a few drops (T-West, Forsett, Moore) and a few penalties (two drive killers on illegal shifts), and suddenly, Joe’s stats look MUCH better.
Offensive Line: C-
As much as we can blame Joe for his poor play, we can also put some of the onus on the Offensive Line. Struggling to block on run plays to the outside, and giving Joe limited time doesn’t help the offense sustain drives, to say the least. I feel like Joe was under duress most of the day, and that’s against a defense that couldn’t pressure Eagles rookie QB Carson Wentz last week at all.
So what was their saving grace?
0 sacks today. Yes, he was hit a few times, and pressured a few more, but he remained upright, and was able to come back from a 20-0 deficit along the way. Plenty of growth and this line needs to figure out how to gel FAST.
Running Backs: C-
Isaiah Crowell‘s early long TD run (85 yards) topped the entire Ravens running game all day (80 yards). Again, Justin Forsett and Terrance West combined for a lowly 25 carries, 79 yards (3.3 ypc) while dropping a few big passes along the way.
In short, this team direly needs Kenneth Dixon back from injury. Forsett is showing his age, West isn’t a lead back, and neither are helping in the pass game, where both backs dropped easy 1st down catches.
Expect to see Buck Allen back in the lineup next week.
Wide Receivers: B-
More drops – Chris Moore with the first big one on a would-be TD that ended up being a punt on the drive – but Mike Wallace kept doing Mike Wallace things and grabbed his 2nd & 3rd TDs of the season.
Breshad Perriman had a few catches today (2/32) but was also under thrown by Flacco three times in the game. His biggest play was actually a near interception break up in the 4th quarter that could have cost the Ravens the game. Kudos BP!
Steve Smith Sr. also had himself a quiet 62-yard game as well, making a great catch down the sideline with the Ravens down 20-19, helping the team grab the lead on that particular drive.
But where was Kamar Aiken?
Tight Ends: A
Dennis Pitta hasn’t skipped a beat, has he? Six for 66 in the first half, ending with nine catches for 102 yards!
Crockett Gillmore (1/22) stopped by for a catch and a cup of coffee, while Maxx Williams is doing his best ’15 Breshad Perriman act (when’s the last time you saw him?)
Defensive Line: B
The best of the bunch on this side of the ball. Constantly applying pressure to Josh McCown, the Ravens managed three sacks (18 yards lost) by Timmy Jernigan, Brent Urban and stellar Rookie Michael Pierce. McCown was hit hard, and often. Not only McCown, but the Ravens front made their way into the backfield in the running game, running up five tackles for loss by the D-Line as well.
My biggest issue was the Ravens inability to seal the deal: they pummeled McCown in the first half leading to his shoulder injury, but once he came back in with the ailment? It’s as if they let up. Only a few hits in the second half, when they could have easily seen Cody Kessler by the 4th quarter.
Linebackers: B-
Good, not great game by the linebackers. Terrell Suggs still looks hesitant, and the Ravens could really use him at full speed right now. C.J. Mosley had himself a game with two tackles for losses… oh, and some late game interception to seal the victory.
Speaking of interceptions…
Secondary: C–
DOUBLE MINUS ON THE C. Should have been a D grade, but Eric Weddle‘s first pick as a Raven saved them from that embarrassment.
What happened to Shareece Wright this week? It’s like he reverted to his 2015 early edition. He got picked apart like Lardarius Webb used to when he played corner. It was downright embarrassing to see McCown heave up a ball while getting hit… only to see Corey Coleman wiiiide open in the end zone. Coleman actually destroyed Wright most of the day, and the Ravens got lucky he didn’t do more damage…
Special Teams: A-
Game-winning field goal for Tucker? CHECK!
Another 50+ yard field goal for Tucker too? CHECK!
Devin Hester with a 48-yard return? CHECK!
Rookie Tavon Young with a blocked extra point, returned for a two-point conversion? CHECK!
Special Teams pressure leading to a missed field goal by the Browns late in a close game? CHECK!
The only downside for me was a major miss by Sam Koch early in the game to pin the Browns inside the 10 (prior to Crowell’s 85-yard TD run). Koch shanked it a bit and it ended up far out of bounds, called at the 15. I remember the days Koch used to hit those inside the 10 easily. The shank seems to be a weekly occurrence now…
TEAM GRADE: Horseshoe up the ‘A’
Look… you take the ‘W’ and look forward to next week. Last week, we said this team has plenty of new faces that need to learn to mesh. Rookies on the O-Line, Weddle in the secondary, Perriman and Moore at wideout, Pitta back in the mix…there’s plenty of gelling to be done. It’s only Week 2. Take the 2-0 record, and run with it!
