Ravens Report Week 1 2008-09

Ravens Report

Hello and welcome to the 2008-09 Baltimore Ravens football season and especially my Ravens Report.

The Ravens lost to the Atlanta Falcons 10-9 at home to end their preseason with a record of 1-3. Ravens 1^st round draft pick Joe Flacco looked solid, completing eight of thirteen for seventy-two yards in the first half. Then, his backup, Casey Bramlet came in. Bramlet completed seven of twenty-one passes for one hundred yards and two interceptions. On the Falcons side of the ball, rookie Matt Ryan didn’t play much, but did solid. For the Ravens, the only thing this game really decided was if Joe Flacco was ready to start Week 1. Kyle Boller is out for the entire year and was placed on the Injured Reserve, and Troy Smith is currently ill. That leaves Flacco and Bramlet, two inexperienced quarterbacks trying to win a starting job. Well, Flacco won it.

In Week 1, the Ravens take on the Cincinnati Bengals at M@T Bank Stadium in downtown Baltimore. These two teams met last year in Week 1 in Cincinnati, the Bengals won, 27-20. Both these teams are trying to recover from a disappointing season last year. This year the Ravens are lead by new Head Coach John Harbaugh, new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. Bengals star Wide Receiver Chad Johnson legally changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco last week, which both the Bengals and the NFL approved. This will be a great game, between two teams yearning for a better year than last year. I have the Ravens edging out a 21-20 victory in front of their home crowd.

Suggestion: For the Ravens to win this game, I think their offensive line has to step up. Earlier today the Ravens signed veteran 4-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman and former Bengal Willie Anderson. This veteran addition will boost the confidence and knowledge of the rest of the young offensive line, giving the Ravens a better chance to win Sunday afternoon.

Key Matchups for Ravens vs. Bengals:

Ravens WR Derrick Mason vs. Bengals CB Jonathan Joseph Edge: Mason

Ravens RB Willis McGahee vs. Bengals LB Dhani Jones Edge: McGahee

Ravens LT Jared Gaither vs. Bengals LE Robert Geathers Edge: Geathers

Ravens LB Ray Lewis vs. Bengals RB Chris Perry Edge: Lewis

Ravens LB Bart Scott vs. Bengals QB Carson Palmer Edge: Palmer

Ravens CB Chris McAlister vs. Bengals WR Chad Ocho Cinco Edge: Ocho Cinco

Injury Report

Ravens

Player Injury Status

QB Troy Smith Illness OUT

DT Kelly Gregg Knee DBT

S Ed Reed Neck QST

T Oniel Cousins Back PRB

TE Todd Heap Knee PRB

RB Willis McGahee Knee PRB

G Marshal Yanda Thumb PRB

Bengals

Player Injury Status

FB Jeremi Johnson Knee OUT

S Chinedum Ndukwe Knee OUT

DT Pat Sims Toe OUT

WR Andre Caldwell Toe DBT

DE Jonathan Fanine Illness PRB

WR T.J. Houshmanzadeh Hamstring PRB

LB Brandon Johnson Hamstring PRB

WR Chad Ocho Cinco Shoulder PRB

DE Antwan Odom Foot PRB

QB Carson Palmer Unknown PRB

DT John Thornton Knee PRB

HB Kenny Watson Hamstring PRB

Ravens 2008 Draft Picks and their Universities:

Round 1: QB Joe Flacco (Delaware)

Round 2: RB Ray Rice (Rutgers)

Round 3: LB Tavares Gooden (Miami FL)

Round 3: Tom Zbikowski (Notre Dame)

Round 3: OT Oniel Cousins (UTEP)

Round 4: WR Marcus Smith (New Mexico)

Round 4: OT Dave Hale (Weber State)

Round 6: S Haruki Nakamura (Cincinnati)

Round 7: WR Justin Harper (Virginia Tech)

Round 7: RB Allen Patrick (Oklahoma)

Well, that’s it for this week’s version of my Ravens Report, see ya next week and let’s go kick the Bengals’ butts!
PRB- Probable
QST-Questionable
DBT- Doubtful