Sunday, November 4, 2007

Ravens Report-Week 9

Ravens Report

The Ravens got beat by the Bills, 19-14. Both backup QBs (Ravens QB Kyle Boller, Bills QB Trent Edwards) got the start. Bills K Rian Lindell hit three field goals in the first half to make the score 9-0 at the half. Then, former Bills RB Willis McGahee was welcomed back with a 46-yard touchdown run to make it 9-7. After a field goal from Lindell and a touchdown from RB Marshawn Lynch, the score was 19-7. The Ravens tried to come back with a 15-yard touchdown pass fro Boller to WR Derrick Mason. Unfortunately, the Ravens couldn’t get the ball back and they lost a well-fought game. One of the key factors of this loss was the 11 penalties against the Ravens, there were only three against the Bills.

Next week the Ravens will face their arch rival, the Steelers, on Monday Night Football in Pittsburgh. This game will decide who has the lead in the AFC North (see full description on bottom of Standings). These two teams are considered one of the biggest rivals in the NFL. Last year the Ravens swept their season series with the Steelers and the Steelers were outscored 58-7! This should be a though test for the Ravens offense against the best ranked defense in football. Also, the Ravens are ranked second in the league in run defense, which should help against Steelers star RB Willie Parker. Also, the Ravens should get a big boost on defense, with the return of DL Trevor Pryce. The Steelers offense is one of the best in the league, with QB Ben Roethlisberger leading the way. The main receiving problem will be against one of the best WRs in the league, Hines Ward, who caught two touchdowns last week against the Bengals. This should be a great game, but I think the Steelers will win, 23-14.

Suggestion: Last week I said that we weren’t scoring enough touchdowns. But against Buffalo, we only scored touchdowns, and did not kick any field goals. In order to win, the Ravens need to mix these together.

Key Matchups for Ravens vs. Steelers

Ravens LB Ray Lewis vs. Steelers Willie Parker

Ravens LB Bart Scott vs. Steelers Heath Miller

Ravens S Ed Reed vs. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (if I spelt it wrong I don’t care).

Ravens WR Derrick Mason vs. Steelers CB Deshea Townsend

Ravens RB Willis McGahee vs. Steelers LB James Farrior

Ravens QB Steve McNair vs. Steelers S Troy Polamalu

Injury Report

Ravens

Player- Injury- Status

TE Daniel Wilcox- Foot- OUT

TE Todd Heap- Thigh- QST

CB Chris McAlister- Knee- DBT

LB Antwan Barnes- Thigh- PRB

C Mike Flynn- Knee- PRB

DT Trevor Pryce- Wrist- PRB

TE Quinn Sypnewski- Knee- PRB

T Adam Terry- Ankle- PRB

QB Steve McNair- Groin/Back- PRB

T Jared Gaither- Ankle- QST

CB Samari Rolle- DNP- QST

K Matt Stover- Right Thigh- PRB

Steelers

Player- Injury- Status

S Ryan Clark- Spleen- OUT

WR Santonio Holmes- Quad- QST

RB Dan Kreider- Ankle- QST

DE Aaron Smith- Knee- DBT

T Marvel Smith- COACH DECISION

TE Jerame Tuman- Back- OUT

WR Hines Ward- COACH DECISION

G Alan Faneca- Back- PRB

PRB-Probable

QST-Questionable

DBT-Doubtful

AFC North Standings

Team- W- L- GB

Steelers 5- 2- 0.0

Ravens 4- 3- 1.0

Browns 4- 3- 1.0

Bengals 2- 5- 3.0

AFC North Outlook: If the Ravens beat the Steelers on Monday night, and the Browns beat Seahawks in Cleveland, the Steelers, Ravens and Browns would be tied for the division. But, if the Steelers and Browns win, they will be tied for first place. If only the Steelers win, they have a two game lead on the Browns and Ravens. If the Ravens are the only one that wins, they will be tied with the Steelers for the division lead. The Bengals play the Bills in Buffalo.

That’s it for this week’s Ravens Report, I’m Max Buchdahl, let’s go kick Pittsburgh’s butt’s!

1 comment:

UnkaSteve said...

The old guy with the weak heart I told you about, well, we don’t have to worry about him any longer. He’s dead. But I mean it would’ve been OK. I mean his family understands that victory must have it’s sacrifices. BUT WE LOST. His last words were, “I can’t go through this again.”
I listened to the game on the radio driving back from Cumberland, so I don’t know how the game was called on TV, but the radio guys on 1090am, I don’t understand what they were looking at. They kept remarking how Boller has shown the ‘doubters’ what he can do. What he can do!? NOTHING is what he can do. They got so excited when he finally got a first down in the Red Zone, meanwhile both times he flubbed it. Every other time he couldn’t get into the Red. The defense did what they could, holding the Bills to field goals most of the game and getting the ball back to Boller who then could not convert, forcing our exhausted D back on the field yet again. In fact, if Special Teams could have run a return we’d have won the game with Boller nothing but a footnote. We need more than a footnote at QB.
So now we know what happens when you run outta luck.