On The Glide Path

After a grinding stint where the Ravens played 5 of 6 games on the road, I know that M&T Bank Stadium was a welcome sight to our purple and black road warriors.  They sure played like it!  After the drubbing the Ravens received last week at the hands of the Giants, I knew we could take the Eagles but I thought it would be a much closer game. And in reality, it was.  While the Black Birds beat the Dirty Birds by 29 points, it’s easy for fans to forget that this was a boring, punt for punt game that was 12-7 at the end of the 3rd quarter.  I was squirming for the better part of the game and it had nothing to do with the cold.  I really didn’t relax until Mark Clayton caught that quick slant for a touchdown.  Here are my Studs and Duds as I saw them from Section 134.

STUDS

Joe Flacco:  If you go by the stats, Joe had a below-average game.  Let’s face it, 12 for 26 doesn’t light anybody’s fire.  Most evaluators have given Natty Joe a grade of “C” for the game and that seems about right.  But….given that he was under considerable pressure for a majority of the contest and the running game wasn’t working on 8 cylinders, Flacco the Unflappable did OK.  He didn’t have an interception and threw two TDs.  That pass to Mark Clayton was a great read.  I’ve been looking for that slant-in for 9 years!

The Ravens Offensive Line was under siege for most of the game and gave up 3 sacks.  However, since they were playing without Adam Terry for much of the game and Jared Gaither played basically with one arm, the line continued to grind it out until the Ravens gained control of the game in the 4^th quarter.  There was even a David Hale sighting.  All in all, it was a gritty performance by all against the league’s 8^th best defense. 

The Defensive Backfield had their best game of 2008 by far.  They had 4 picks and had the Eagle receivers covered like blankets.  Of course it helps that McNabb and Kolb have nobody special to throw to.  Two of the picks were Ed Reed classics.  He definitely has a way of weaving through traffic and, If not for that stupid lateral near the Eagle goal line, I would give Reed his own Personal Stud pace here.

The Front Seven controlled the line of scrimmage and put pressure on McNabb and Kolb all day.  Trevor Pryce and Ray Lewis were particularly effective.  Jarret Johnson made a nice acrobatic catch of that McNabb fumble/interception.  The Unsung Stud comes through again.

Stud in Waiting:  It’s got to be Jameel McClain.  First, that end zone sack of Oakland’s JaMarcus Russell then a blocked punt yesterday, both for safeties.  Where do Ozzie and Eric find these guys?

DUDS

Special Teams:  I’m getting tired of writing this every week.  Quintin Demps’ 100 yard kick-off return went right past my seat.  Demps was never touched during his return and the blocking lanes were so wide I could have driven my truck through them.  Something’s wrong here.  Special Teams were a Harbaugh strength in Philadelphia and they stink here.  It sounds all too familiar as in Brian Billick and his Raven offense, and Marvin Lewis and his Bengal defense.  What gives?  Do we miss Gary Stills that much as Aaron Wilson suggests?

Ed Reed:  What was with that dumb forward lateral at the 6 yard line?  It could have cost us a touchdown.  Come on, Ed, you know better!

Thanks to Andy Reid for benching Donavan McNabb.  I’ll take a second year quarterback with 9 professional passes under his belt over a 10 year, 2-time Pro Bowler any time.

Non-Football Dud:  MTA Light Rail.  Anyone who took mass transit from the north or south (like I did) yesterday knows what I’m talking about. 

NEWS & NOTES:

Matt Cassel is going to be a very rich young man, starting next March.  I don’t know if it’s the Belichick system or his natural ability, but we’re looking at the next multi-millionaire quarterback.

Resume Update:  Get them ready, here’s your short list …Rod Marinelli, Tom Cable, Jim Haslett, Herman Edwards, Norv Turner, and the dynamic ex-Patriot duo of Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis.  Just how do you lose to a 20 point underdog, on Senior Day, at home?

Is the Brady Quinn experiment over already?