As usual in the preseason, the final score of the Redskins game didn't matter as much as what happened when the regulars played.  And, with the exception of the special teams and the Ravens’ run defense, it was clear from Saturday night’s exhibition before a partially-filled FedEx Field that the Ravens have some work to do.  It was not a performance that inspired boundless optimism in this fan, particularly when you look at the defense.  Too early for Studs and Duds; here’s another take.

WHAT I LIKED

Special Teams Play:  OK, most teams in the preseason don’t try stunt plays such as the fake punt in the 2nd quarter, but this is stuff you can’t run in practice and then hope it works in real-game situations.  You have to try it against a real opponent once in a while.  It made the 11 PM highlights, but everyone seemed to gloss over an important fact:  Haruki Nakamura is back, all the way back. His slip and dip, cutback-laced run showed us that he’s completely recovered from that crushing leg injury he suffered in Cleveland last year.  Good thing….given the state of the defensive backfield, we’ll need him for more than special team play this year.

Rush Defense:  The Skins gained 25 yards the entire game.  The “D” was so good it may cost a couple of Redskin running backs their jobs.

Pass Rush:  The D line and linebackers had good pressure on the quarterbacks all night, although I give props to Donovan McNabb for his surprising agility.  Terrell Suggs is a MONSTER.  He didn’t just take 1st round pick Trent Williams to school, he took him to Kindergarten. 

With strong second half performances, rookie wide out David Reed and 2nd year LB Jason Phillips may just have saved their jobs – at least for a couple of weeks.  Anything that makes the cut down list harder on the coaches is good for the team.  Let’s see what they do on Saturday night.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

Pass Defense:  I have to divide this into two miserable categories; the defensive backfield who can’t cover the wide receivers, and the linebackers who can’t cover the tight ends and backs or perhaps not even a corpse with a blanket.  In the middle of the 1st quarter I told a fellow Ravens fan that I was hearing the phrase “looks like a blown coverage to me” from the broadcast crew far, far too often. 

The defensive backfield lapses are almost explainable: At this stage of the preseason we are playing people who are 3rd or 4th on most depth charts. 

I can equally dismiss the linebackers in two sentences:  They look like they belong on the ABC series LOST.  Because that’s what they are in pass coverage.

The Passing Game and the O – Line:  I can put these two together because the success of one utterly depends on the other.  From being a position of strength when training camp opened, the offensive line has become a position of worry.  Too may people are hurt.  The nature of starting right tackle Jared Gaither’s injury seems to change on a daily basis.  His nominal backup, Oniel Cousins, has a concussion and David Hale has a bruised tailbone (how do you get one of those, by the way?)

This, in turn, affected the passing game in which Joe Flacco didn’t look the least bit comfortable.  He completed what I would consider only one “quality” pass all game, and that to Anquan Boldin.  Yes, Marc Bolger looked much better, but he was operating against the Redskins’ scrubs, including serial cry baby Albert Haynesworth. 

If the Special Teams can pull a rabbit - of sorts - out its hat in an exhibition game, so can the offense.  Where were the slants, the across-the-middle plays we’re been told to expect?  I don’t want to wait until September 13th against the Jets to find out if this stuff works.

Around the League - Fran’s Football Tweets (most more than 140 characters)

Jim Brown, arguably the – No!  Without argument, the greatest Cleveland Brown player of all time will not participate in the club's inaugural Ring of Honor ceremony at the Browns home opener on Sept. 19th.  This profound snub speaks to the suddenly icy relations between the franchise and its greatest player.  Brown, who had been extremely visible and almost a franchise spokesperson since the franchise returned to Cleveland, was an executive adviser to ownership complete with a six-figure salary – until he had his title removed by team president Mike Holmgren in January.  Holmgren offered a reduced role for Brown, along with a pay cut, but Brown declined.  No JB in the BROH?  Wow.  The dysfunction on the Mistake by the Lake continues.

The 18 game season is coming, sooner or later, like it or not, but I don’t think it’s going to be good for the league.  When Ray Lewis, who rarely says anything controversial, strongly argues against the change it gives the fans an accurate gauge of how unpopular this move is with the players. 

Roger Goodell got in his licks by twisting what the fans want to his (the owners) advantage.  He says that fans “don’t want 4 preseason football games.  They tell me that all the time.”  Uh, let’s clarify that, Rog.  What we really want is to not pay regular season ticket prices for the 2 preseason games we are made to buy.  

To be honest, I’d rather pay for meaningless games then see the Ravens’ locker room turn into a hospital triage ward every December and January.  Is there a happy medium some where?  I think not.  See below.

Fran’s Odds of a NFL Stoppage in 2011:  95%.  I see no movement, no agreement between the parties, not even on minor issues.  All I see is position-staking.  I think the owners are spoiling for a fight to get back what Paul Tagliabue gave the players in the last contract.  (Note:  This is a moving target and will be adjusted as the season and post-season labor drama evolves).

Quality QB Backup = Marc Bulger.  Maybe the best we’ve ever had.

Non-Football Tweet of the Week

S.I. NFL writer Peter King has a lot of fans (allegedly), but I think he’s a gossip-mongering twiddle-twaddle.  He’s in Baltimore last week and all he can write about is how, while walking downtown, he was hit up for 5 bucks by a panhandler.  Twice.  By the same panhandler.  His MMQB columns are full of this stuff.  Stay in Boston, Peter, and write about your beloved Patriots. 

THIS SATURDAY

Eli’s coming, but who’s he bringing with him besides the 17 stitches in his forehead?  Since the Giants slew the previously undefeated Patriots in SB 42 in one of the biggest Super Bowl upsets ever (we won’t mention the BIGGEST one, will we?) the Giants roster has undergone a lot of changes, particularly on defense.  Their two-headed monster of a running game is also gone.  So what can we expect?

·         Expect the starters on both sides to play well into the 3rd quarter.  This is what makes this exhibition game so attractive.  It’s almost regular season.

·         Expect the Ravens to open up the passing game and I’ll be disappointed if they don’t.

·         Expect Eli and the gang to air it out against the Ravens defense.  Look for Hakeem Nicks, Kevin Boss, and Steve Smith to have big nights.

Nevertheless, I expect the Purple and Black defense to rise to the occasion and the offense to do just enough to carry the day, so I can lord it over my Giant-loving in-laws for the next year.