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WEEK 8 IN REVIEW |
| Pre Game Analysis: |
Ravens hoping for repeat
performance The date was December 5, 1999. The 4-7 Baltimore Ravens, fresh off of another heartbreaking loss to Jacksonville, were hosting the 9-2, playoff bound Tennessee Titans. On one glorious afternoon, the Ravens, at long last, had put it all together. It took until game #12 but Baltimore would finally beat a winning team. And oh, how they beat them. 17 unanswered points in the 4th quarter. Tony Banks threw for 332 yards and 4 touchdowns. Jermaine Lewis, Qadry Ismail and Patrick Johnson each had long touchdown receptions. Priest Holmes ran for 100 yards. It was a coming out party for the struggling Ravens' offense and they would roll on to victory over the next 3 weeks. What is different this time around? Execution, or the lack thereof. Some call it being snakebit. With the exception of two games, Tony Banks has either flat out missed wide open receivers or has put the ball right into their hands, only to have it dropped. The Ravens, despite appearances, are right at the doorstep. Once inside, there is no turning back.
Week 8
Predictions:
(open dates: Green Bay, N.Y. Giants, San Diego) |
Ravens hoping to be offensive At home, team looks to cure scoring woes Touchdown Baltimore! Ah, the words we've longed to hear. When the Ravens take the field on Sunday, it will be nearly a month since the the team last crossed the goal line. A startling statistic for any NFL team, much less one with a 5-2 record and one half-game off of the divison lead. Even more startling is the fact that the Ravens possess so many potent weapons on offense. The acquisitions of Shannon Sharpe, Ben Coates, Sam Gash, Travis Taylor and Jamal Lewis almost seemed to ensure a formidable offensive force in 2000. So what has happened? Simple: Lack of execution. Last week's game against the Redskins was a study in a team defeating themselves. On a first-and-goal at the Washington 1 yard line, Tony Banks was intercepted in the end zone. On a later play, on which cornerback Darrell Green had fallen down, injured, Banks overthrew a wide open Jermaine Lewis, with the ball sailing well out of bounds. That is twice that Ravens' fans were cheated out of hearing "Touchdown Baltimore" but more importantly, 14 points that were never to be and a gift-wrapped victory in a huge game that would go unopened. For all of the complicated schemes and plays that must reside in Brian Billick's laptop computer, the Ravens have simply failed at the basics: Throw the ball. Catch the ball. No computer will solve this dilemma, much to Billick's chargrin. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed that sure-handed Qadry Ismail could have dropped such a perfectly placed ball enroute to an automatic touchdown a few weeks back. This is "day 1 of training camp" stuff. It is contagious, this lack of concentration. So too, however, is the reverse. It all starts with Tony Banks. See the wide open receiver and throw the ball to him. Receivers, catch it, then run. It is taught every day in Pee-Wee football. The Ravens' offense is knocking on success's door. This is the week in which the call must be answered. [more] Banks:
Lost on the road Elton John may have nailed this a long time
ago.... |
| Post Game Analysis: |
Still no paydirt Endzone remains a mirage for
Ravens Despite out-first downing Tennesse, 24 to 7 and outgaining them, 368 yards to 191, the Ravens fell prey to the Titans 14-6 at PSINet Stadium. In an effort that pushed the Baltimore fans' patience to the limit, Tony Banks continued to self-destruct in clutch situations. On a third-and-goal play early in the game, Banks fumbled the snap from center and the Ravens had to settle for a field goal. In the third quarter, Banks fell apart. After throwing 3 interceptions, Brian Billick pulled the struggling QB in favor of backup Trent Dilfer. Despite Dilfer's fire and enthusiasm, Baltimore still could not manage to cross the goal line. A last-minute completion to Qadry Ismail was ruled out of the endzone, leaving the Ravens with perhaps their most frustrating loss to date. Week 8 Scores: |
Ravens turn tables Team hopeful of TD's from Mr. T.D.
Final score: Titans 14, Ravens 6 |
Speaking of turntables, the Ravens
situation is reminiscent of the old Steve Martin "Google-o-Phonic
stereo" bit. After building his stereo up to a
ridiculous 1,000-speaker system and still not impressed
with the sound quality, the “Wild & Crazy Guy"
concludes: "Hey....maybe it's the needle". For
all of the offensive weapons that the Ravens took great
pains to gather in the off-season, they have failed to
score a touchdown in 5 of their 8 games this year. Were
it not for a stellar defense, this season would already
be marked as one of the most disappointing in Baltimore
sports history. This touchdown-less streak is the type of
stuff that Jay Leno feeds upon.....easy prey for David
Letterman's "Top Ten List" writers, etc. Not
exactly what Brian Billick and Ozzie Newsome had in mind
when they drafted Jamal Lewis & Travis Taylor and
signed free agents Shannon Sharpe, Ben Coates and Sam
Gash. This week, Billick has determined that the "needle"
may indeed be the problem. Having bent over backwards in
an effort to give Tony Banks an opportunity to work out
of his 4-game "funk", the head coach decided
that it was time to cut his losses. What a pity. Banks
seems to be able to move the Ravens up and down the field
at will. That is, until the team reaches the magical area
called the red zone. For whatever reason or reasons, Tony
transforms into a blundering fool, mishandling snaps from
center, forcing the ball into interceptions and flat out
missing wide-open receivers. It is an amazing
transformation to watch, actually. Regardless, the Ravens
have too much at stake to sit by and idly hope for
different results from the same situations. In some
circles, that is the very definition of "Crazy".
Hence the switch to Trent Dilfer for this week's matchup
with Pittsburgh, a team with similar struggles at
quarterback. Dilfer, if nothing else, bring some
improvisational skills and a fire-in-the-eyes demeanor to
the table. Perhaps it is just what the Ravens need at
this juncture. The shame of the situation is that the
Baltimore Ravens are but a few bone-headed, self-defeating
plays from being a 7-1 team, with back-to-back wins over
Super Bowl contenders and the talk of the NFL. This team,
as many have believed since training camp, needs a
quarterback who can perform merely adequately, while
avoiding the big blunder….everything else is there.
Dilfer, assuming that he can keep his emotions in check
and simply take what is given to him, may just be the man.