You just knew that it was coming. After another dismantling of another NFC division leader, the Ravens are again media darlings. From Good Morning Football to Get Up to First Take and all podcasts in between, John Harbaugh & Co. have emerged as the NFL team to beat.
Here at home on a local level, many qualify the nationwide burst of accolades in part, because there’s a lack of trust. Some fans don’t want to completely invest their emotional energy in the team due to a fear of disappointment. I see it on social media regularly. The Ravens’ lack of consistency and their propensity to let winnable games get away, hover like a dark cloud, and keep doubt alive. If not for the losses to the Colts and later the Steelers, both games during which the Ravens snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, the team would be a perfect (9-0) and capture the attention of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the league’s last undefeated champion.
Each season has ebbs and flows. Each season, unexpected obstacles arise, and adversity rears its ugly head. The best teams with the best leaders overcome the challenges and figure out ways to win. The Ravens have already weathered injuries. They’ve battled through the growing pains of a brand-new offense. The team is trending in the right direction.
Over the course of the next 9 days the Ravens will host two division rivals. It’s a tall task yet a manageable one. This week the Ravens are 6-point favorites over the Browns. A few days later, they’re likely to be slight home favorites over Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Take care of business, advance to (9-2) and then enjoy the mini-bye before heading to LA to take on the Chargers.
And if you’re still feeling doubt, still not ready to fully embrace the momentum because of the debacles against Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, keep in mind that those bitter pills motivate the team. The hangover of those failures are vivid reminders to not let the same happen again.
Something special is happening…
The Jackpot
Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft is looking like a home run for the Baltimore Ravens and GM Eric DeCosta. Kyle Hamilton is developing into a unique weapon that DC Mike Macdonald can use in any number of ways with success while Tyler Linderbaum is becoming not only one of the league’s best centers, but also one of its most consistent blockers in pass protection. He’s the top-rated pass blocker among centers per PFF and is a Top 10 pass blocker amongst all offensive linemen.
EDC essentially landed the top of class at two positions that don’t often carry first-round value. Hamilton and Linderbaum have and will continue to prove otherwise despite the highly redundant and twisted narrative of a local afternoon sports talker who was once a Red Sox fan but changed his mind and once an “NFL Insider” on CBS until they changed THEIR mind, who shall remain nameless.
Linderbaum with an epic 2-for-1 on the move. Watch what he does to 56 initially, then down the field pic.twitter.com/NzFfH09Gm4
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) November 6, 2023
Man, I wish Kyle Hamilton would make some plays, amirite!? pic.twitter.com/E4ItCI7K8r
— Cole Jackson (@ColeJacksonFB) November 7, 2023
The Blind Side
Anyone concerned about Ronnie Stanley? There have been times recently when he’s played to the form we’re accustomed to. Then there are other times when he makes me miss Michael Oher. Ronnie needs to get it together. Strip sacks on his watch like the one on Sunday vs. the Seahawks can’t happen in the postseason. They can’t even happen this week when the Ravens host the Browns. There’s this guy they have named Myles Garrett. Heard of him?
For those wondering, it is unlikely that the Ravens can move on from Stanley in 2024. His cap number is just too overwhelming. The Ravens would save $8.3M against the cap but they’d eat $17.8M, plus they’d have to competently replace Ronnie. Maybe it’s time to draft a tackle and prepare for a succession plan in 2025 when the dead money is just $6.7M and the cap savings are $20M. Or maybe Stanley will rediscover his form and play out his contract in Pro Bowl-worthy style.
Decisions, Decisions
Geno Stone is balling out. He leads the NFL with 6 interceptions and possesses a nose for the ball. It has been said that if you want to find “26” on the field, find the ball.
Stone is an unrestricted free agent in 2024 and he’s clearly building a case to be paid – WELL. And then there’s Marcus Williams and his $18.7M cap charge in 2024. Williams has missed exactly half of the games during which he’s been a Raven. When he’s played he’s been very good. But we all know the tried and true cliché about ability and availability.
With all of the offseason decisions that lie ahead for EDC, keeping Stone in Baltimore will be quite a challenge.
Here’s to Marcus Williams hopeful return next week. Last year Marcus signed a 5 yr, $70M contract with the #Ravens, including a $37M GTD. Today will mark the 13th reg season game out a possible 26 in B’more that he’s missed. pic.twitter.com/q9TipqOx6u
— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) November 5, 2023
Flag Football
Last night I happened to stumble upon a tweet that featured an interview with former Baltimore Colts QB Bert Jones. The video was done prior to a game at Memorial Stadium eventually won by the Colts. I remember being at that November 6, 1978 game. It inspired me to do a search to see if I could locate any of the highlights. You can find it HERE.
Watching the highlights of that game reminded me of a few things, not the least of which is the game’s physicality and how different it was once played.
🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/x90krXTsPz
— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) November 6, 2023
The following video featuring Pat Ricard is also worthy of note. When I saw that Project Pat was fined $21,694 (where do they get the fines with such specificity?), I thought it was a joke. Watch No. 42. Watch what he does. This is textbook play from a fullback. A highly desirable effort. What in God’s name is wrong with what he did that triggered the NFL’s pencil pushers to get out their little meter maid ticket book and stroke one for Ricard?
The #NFL gets more ridiculous weekly! https://t.co/p7unpzR3QH
— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) November 5, 2023
Kyle Boller II?
If the Jets think they can hold serve until Aaron Rodgers makes his planned miraculous recovery from a torn Achilles, to borrow from Judas Priest, they’ve got another thing coming.
Zach Wilson is a mistake waiting to happen and in so many ways, arm strength, accuracy (or lack thereof), limited game awareness, draft status and even looks, he’s a dead ringer for Kyle Boller. But should Rodgers make that comeback, and hopefully he does, how long will he remain upright behind that sieve of an offensive line?
These two are so similar. pic.twitter.com/uSNUGaUMbz
— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) November 7, 2023
C-Mac
It was nice to see the Ravens honor Chris McAlister at The Bank on Sunday as the featured Legend of The Game. The accolades suggest that the team and C-Mac have repaired a challenged relationship.
C-Mac was a stud who didn’t respect himself or the game enough to realize his full potential. Years ago, I wrote about the reasons for the fallout. I even discussed C-Mac with Kelly Gregg who spoke so highly of McAlister’s potential, even calling him the best player that he played with as a Raven. That is high praise given that Kelly played with Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata.
Time has a way of changing things. Rich athletes coddled throughout their lives because of their athleticism can fall into the trap of believing they’re untouchable. But reality can be cruel and it can teach a lesson. Hopefully they’ve been learned by C-Mac. Hopefully the Ravens are convinced that he’s matured and that he now carries himself with honor. Enough honor to earn his place in the Ravens Ring of Honor.
Here’s to you Chris McAlister!
Chris McAlister today’s Legend of the Game‼️@MarriottBonvoy pic.twitter.com/4LD0U33Zor
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 5, 2023
6 Responses
The enthusiasm waxes and wanes from game to game, but the real test will come in the postseason where they are a dismal 1-3 since Lamar took the reins of the offense! All the season wins, not to mention the 25 consecutive preseason wins, look good on a resume, but it’s the postseason that counts most in the final analysis…..
I was at the game that night too Nov 8 1978. So many rule changes and new formations have altered the game. Now some dinosaurs argue that rules changes and formation changes from the 30s- to 60s changed the game too. It did. Change is inevitable. I prefer the QB over center and the old school rules of the 70s. Funny how a guy like Kilmer who never threw a spiral and had the form of a high schooler was such a good QB in the league then. His grit was incredible and George Allen saw it and went out and got him. He wouldn’t even get an invite to the combine today. Bert would have been a multiple MVP qb in todays NFL shotgun and pistol and his shoulder surgery would have been an in and out procedure no problemo. Belichick was on the Colts then as some kind of assistant used to say for years Bert had the best arm he ever saw . I don’t know if he still maintains that?
For me I understand people who have the wait and see approach with this team because they do have that identity of playing up to and down to level of their opponents. And they have a roster full of HUNGRY LIONS!!! Players counted out, semi retired, slept on, media sold their stock before the season etc. And for me it’s about keeping that Urgency on full throttle and DAWG Mode on 100! I don’t care about mid season praise or anything bc you drop 1 game and they’ll call you frauds. So keep that HUNGRY LION Mode on 100!! That’s fueling this team right now and ride it to a SB
I remember that Monday night game in 1978. The video didn’t show it, but the Colts’ 2nd TD was a bomb to Roger Carr. Jones got hit hard on his bum shoulder and the sight of him coming off the field holding his arm in pain stays with me. Obviously he finished the game and won it on the late TD. That was a hell of a QB.
I trust the Ravens will make it to the playoffs if they are healthy. Losing 2 or 3 games a year because of lack of focus or a Harbs bonehead time management are expected. It is the playoffs that I have no trust in with Lamar as QB. It isn’t the same trust I had when Flacco was the QB. Of course my expectations of Flacco were the opposite in the regular season, he was just average.
The refs with their ticky tacky calls and the stupid fines are putting an exclamation point on where the NFL has been heading for years.
Forgot to comment on CMac. He was the best corner ever to play in Baltimore including the former team in blue. He had that Bubba Smith mentality and never took the game seriously. Darn shame.