The Ravens had their best blocking day of the year against the Browns.  There were no sacks or QHs allowed by the offensive line and just 3 penetrations/pressures.  There were no offensive penalties.  Both guards pulled exceptionally well and the line provided Flacco ample time and space on 12 of 20 drop backs.

The 2010 version of the offensive line remains a strength, even in its current configuration.  Oher has been plagued with penalties and had difficulty pass blocking, but he remains an effective run blocker.  What’s killing the Ravens is the run blocking they are getting from TE and, more specifically, Ed Dickson.  He’s a pure receiver and should create matchup problems when split wide, but he is not a blocker in any sense.  Not every team can have a veteran like Alge Crumpler who is a significant blocking presence, but there is a mess of other journeymen who can provide some small contribution as blockers while maintaining an actual receiving threat in the game.  While Todd Heap is not a good run blocker, he contributes something as a pass blocker.

The other significant issue has been the injury to Le’Ron McClain.  Early this season and last season, the Ravens lined up McClain both in the backfield and at TE.  He contributed something as a blocker wherever they put him.  He was playing well again this season until the injury vs. the Bucs.  Since returning, he hasn’t been the same player.

The Ravens had 57 offensive snaps (excluding 1 kneel):

Oher:  Michael had only a single negative play (Q3, 14:30) when he and Chester split a pressure that forced Flacco to run.  That resulted in 13 yards and a first down.  He missed 7 blocks (6 runs, 1 pass).  We make a note on each missed block scored and the words that showed up twice each were “fell” and “shed”.  Scoring:  49 blocks, 7 missed, 1/2 pressure, 48 points (.84 per play).

Grubbs:  The Browns 3-4 offered regular chances for Grubbs to make a block in level 2.  He did so 14 times which is largest total I can recall scoring.  Ben also connected on all 5 of his pulls.  Grubbs and Birk split responsibility for the pressure that eventually resulted in Flacco’s run out of bounds for a 5-yard sack (Q4, 10:13).  That ball should have been unloaded for an incomplete, so I scored it only as a pressure against  the linemen.  Scoring:  55 blocks, 1 missed, 1/2 penetration, 54 points (.95 per play).

Birk:  Matt was working on a perfect game into Q4.  Then he was shed on a run block and later shared the pressure mentioned above with Grubbs (Q4, 10:13).  The Browns have been giving most of the running-down NT snaps to Ahtyba Rubin and saving Shawn Rogers for 23-25 snaps per game.  He’s been held to just 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks this season in his first year as a non-starter.  Rubin was Birk’s primary assignment on Sunday.  Scoring:  55 blocks, 1 missed, 1/2 penetration, 54 points (.95 per play).

Chester:   After a 2 for 7 game pulling versus the Saints, Chester went 7 for 8 versus the Browns.  He had 4 blocks in level 2.  His only negative play was the pressure shared with Oher (Q3, 14:30).  Scoring:  54 blocks, 2 missed, 1/2 pressure, 53 points (.93 per play).

Yanda:  Marshal was beaten by a spin move (Q2, 7:10), but recovered nicely to push his man past Flacco as he ran right for 4 yards.  Several times on Sunday he could be seen blocking to the whistle and creating frustration for the Browns.  Scoring:  56 blocks, 1 missed, 55 points (.98 per play).

Moll:  Tony was inserted for 5 snaps in the 6-man line.  On 3rd and 1 (Q3, 10:26) he was beaten outside causing Rice to be stalled for no gain.  This is a case where Moll probably deserves a worse score since he was the primary reason 3rd and 1 failed, but he gets a 0 since the play resulted in no gain as opposed to a loss.  We again saw exclusively Moll in the 6-man line and no Cousins.  Scoring:  4 blocks, 1 missed, 4 points (.80 per play). 

Other Offensive Notes:

·         One of the reasons the Ravens were able to beat the Browns pressure with numbers was the number of eligible receivers kept in to block.  On 3 separate occasions, they had 3 set blockers and 6 other times they had 2.  Those 9 plays resulted in 6 ATS attempts.   

·         Of 12 times with ample time and space (ATS), Flacco completed 7 of 12 passes for 71 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT.  It was his worst performance of the year without pressure despite the fact that 5 of those 12 were 6-man blitzes that were held off.  Sheldon Brown came on a blind-side corner blitz (Q3, 4:34).  I scored that as ATS since he didn’t violate the space in front of Flacco and did not get to him for 3 seconds.  The flea flicker (Q2, 8:02) also came with ATS despite the fact that Marcus Benard registered a QH.  Stallworth denied Ward an interception on that play.

·         On 8 dropbacks without ATS, Flacco completed 5 of 7 passes for 31 gross yards (26 net) and 1 sack for -5 (3.3 YPP).  He did not have a TD or interception.

How did the Ravens’ linemen do in terms of the Pro Bowl?  Here are my opinions on the 5:

·         Oher is the 3rd alternate.  I’d say he’s between the 9th and 11th best LT in the AFC.  For the rest of this season, I’d take him over Jared Veldheer (Oak), Eugene Monroe (Jax), Charlie Johnson (Ind), Demetrius Bell (Buf), and anyone Pittsburgh has to offer.  Then it gets tougher.  Is he better than Michael Roos (Ten) who was playing well 2 years ago, but now appears to be in decline?  Duane Brown (Hou) is a 3rd year player who is greatly improved, but that’s starting from a base of awful.  In the long run, I think some of Oher’s problems are correctable (particularly the penalties), but his alternate designation this season is undeserved.

·         Grubbs is the AFC’s 1st alternate at Guard.  That’s just about right.  Unlike most other folks I have no problem with Mankins returning, playing almost as well as ever for 8 games and getting a spot.

·         The Ravens do not list Matt Birk as an alternate of any sort.  That’s surprising.   I don’t think he’s had as good a year as he did in 2009, but he’s still been solid.  With 6 selections in the NFC, it’s difficult to see why he was excluded.

·         Chester is not an alternate and doesn’t deserve to play in a Pro Bowl.  There are, nonetheless, a number of teams that would upgrade themselves considerably by having Chris Chester as their RG.  Sometimes you will see someone say that a player is “playing at the replacement level”.  That’s a term originated by Bill James which people use as it relates to football with different meanings.  In the purest sense, it’s the level of talent that is available on the street late in the season.  Let’s call that the “Adam Terry” (or “Brian Mattison” if you prefer) definition.  Since the trade deadline comes early in the NFL, it sometimes means the level of talent available for a draft pick at that point.  That could be Randy Moss, so I don’t find that definition useful.  The version I like is the player who is on the margin of being cut in training camp due to a surplus of talent at that position.  A deal is often worked out for such players for a conditional 7th round pick or another player of similar status.  We’ll call that the “Tony Moll” definition.  What’s the point of all this?  Chris Chester is well above the replacement level.  He’s an average NFL guard.  If he’s not starting, he one of the best interior line backups in the game.

·         Marshal Yanda got hosed.  He’s not listed as an alternate when he should be a selection at RT based on the season he’s had.  It is nice to hear that someone like Peter King is fighting for him.  Want a compromise?  Make him a Pro Bowl selection at guard.  He’s playing tackle because the team is forced to play him there and has done so very well.  He was even more dominant as a guard and the AFC has very few top-shelf guards.