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Published: July 22, 2010
The 2009 Baltimore Ravens concluded the 2009 regular season with a 9-7 record and qualified for the AFC playoffs as the final wildcard entrant.
They traveled to the New England Patriots in the AFC Wildcard game and behind a solid defensive effort rallied for the 33-14 blowout victory. The following week the team fell to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 20-3 in the AFC Divisional round.
It was a bumpy road to the post season for the Baltimore Ravens during the 2009 season.
After 13 weeks of play the Ravens sat with only a 6-6 record.
The team had a favorable schedule down the stretch and tallied victories against the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders to finish with 9 wins and a post season berth.
The Ravens were hampered by a weak receiving corps and were a pass happy squad in the early part of the season. Baltimore was just 18th in the NFL in passing averaging 213.7 yards per game. The team then went back to their identity and ran the football down the stretch to earn a post season berth.
The team was still led by an outstanding defense last season as they finished third in total defense allowing just 300.5 yards per game. They were third in scoring defense allowing just 16.4 points per game.
The club made a huge play in the off season to improve their receiving corps by adding Donte’ Stallworth and Anquan Boldin. This team is set for a deep run in 2010.
The Odds:
The Baltimore Ravens season win total has been set at 10 wins by Bodog sportsbook with over favored at -120 odds with under returning -110 odds.
Bodog has lined the Baltimore Ravens as 14-1 to win Super Bowl XLV.
The team is 8-1 odds to win the AFC Championship by Bodog and is -110 favorites to win the AFC North division.
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2010 Baltimore Ravens Regular Season Schedule:
Baltimore plays in the AFC North division so they will play a home and away game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.
The AFC North in the 2010 regular NFL season has been scheduled to play against the AFC East and NFC South.
Baltimore’s opponents from the AFC East will be a home game against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins with road games to the New England Patriots and New York Jets.
The NFC South games for the Ravens will be home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints with road trips to the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers.
With the Ravens second place finish in the 2009 season the team will play the two other second place AFC squads so that brings a home game to the Denver Broncos and a road trip to the Houston Texans.
Baltimore starts the season with two road games against playoff teams from last year as they are at the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals. Baltimore lost twice to the 2009 AFC North division champions.
Their road trip at divisional rival Pittsburgh comes under Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension from the NFL.
The team will be featured in four prime time television appearances.
Baltimore opens up the season with a road Monday night football games against the New York Jets and Houston Texans in week 14. The Ravens hit the highway for a Thursday night game at Atlanta in week 10. Baltimore will host Pittsburgh on Sunday night football in week 13.
Offense:
With the Ravens upgrading their receiving corps more will be expected by third year quarterback Joe Flacco. He ended 2009 completing 63.1% of his passes with 21 touchdowns 12 interceptions and an 88.9 passer rating.
Once again his post season numbers were not good hitting on just 53.3% of his passes with 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and a miserable passing rating of 39.4. The post season will be the time for Flacco to shine.
The Ravens have an excellent running back rotation led by starter Ray Rice. The club is blessed with an excellent back up in Willis McGahee and a pro bowl short yardage full back in Le’Ron McClain. Rice had a huge year in 2009 with a 5.3 yards per carry average on 254 carries and 7 touchdowns. He had a very good post season with a 6.5 yards per carry average on 35 carries with two touchdowns.
McGahee averaged 5.0 yards per carry a season ago on 109 carries. He had a nose for the end zone with 12 touchdowns. McClain produced a solid 3.9 yards a carry average and is mostly used in short yardage situations where yards are extremely tough to get.
The Ravens wide outs will feature Mark Clayton and Anquan Boldin as the #1 and #2 with Donte’ Stallworth and Derrick Mason capable #3 and #4 options. The 8 year veteran Boldin had no fear going across the middle to make the tough catches during his tenure with Arizona. He had 84 catches for a 12.2 yards a carry average and 4 touchdowns a season ago. Stallworth reenters the league following a 2009 suspension for manslaughter conviction. He has a career 14.8 yards per catch average and is a deep vertical threat in the passing game. Veteran Derrick Mason will be used to move the chains but at 35 years of age last year still averaged 14.1 yards a reception on his 73 catches. Tight end Todd Heap returns for his 10th season. He finally was able to play an entire regular season last year but missed the teams first playoff game. He had 53 catches and 6 touchdowns for an 11.2 yards per catch average. Just in case health issues arise for Heap the club drafted tight ends Ed Dickson in the third round from Oregon and Dennis Pitta in the fourth round from BYU making two of their first four draft picks from Heap’s position.
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Defense:
The Ravens are blessed with an outstanding defensive line. When they are in the 3-4 set the club will feature Kelly Gregg at the nose tackle with Haloti Ngata and Trevor Pryce on the outside. Opponents running backs average a mere 3.3 yards a carry on this talented corps. Pryce led the club with 6 ½ sacks in 2009. The Ravens welcome former University of Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody to the squad as the teams 2nd round pick in the draft as he will vie for playing time.
The linebackers will shape up with the veteran Ray Lewis and Tavares Gooden on the inside with Jarret Johnson and Terrell Suggs on the outside. Johnson was second on the club in sacks with 6. The 15 year veteran Lewis had an impressive 134 tackles in 2009. As long as the Ravens are solid up front Lewis will continue to produce. The Ravens drafted Texas linebacker Sergio Kindle in the second round to provide depth.
The secondary appears to be a bit of a Mash unit as they entered camp. Two starters could miss time early. Safety Ed Reed is bothered by the effects of hip surgery and expects to miss the teams first 6 games of the season on the pup list. Cornerback Fabian Washington underwent knee surgery for an ACL tear and figures to miss some training camp time but there is no guarantees that he will be ready in week 1.
So as it stands now penciled in as starting cornerbacks are Lardarius Webb and Domonique Foxworth with Dawan Landry and Tom Zbikowski at the safeties. Webb is also coming off knee surgery and is most likely ahead of Washington as he is expected to play some during the preseason. There is a performance drop for this unit without Reed in the lineup because his ability to make the big game changing plays in the secondary. Backup safety Haruki Nakamura returns after missing the clubs last 7 games with a broken ankle.
And now to my Selection:
The upgraded passing attack for the Ravens vaults them ahead of all teams in their division. Joe Flacco will finally have receivers who can create distance from defenders and we will see more quick strike big plays from this club in 2010.
The team will weather the storm of injuries early within their secondary as the club still possesses a fierce pass rush and can stop the run. The Ravens get to at least 11 wins this season and their post season run will go as far as starting quarterback Joe Flacco can lead them.
Selection: Play Over 10 wins in 2010 Regular Season.
