My Joe Flacco Blog

Coming off 2 heartbreaking losses, the Ravens go into Sunday's game with a big chip on their shoulder as they face the 5-0 Vikings in Minnesota. Baltimore looks to snap its losing streak by handing the Vikings its first loss of the season. 

Ravens on Offense

In the first 3 games of the season, the Raven offense was explosive, piling over 34 points a game. The play-calling was effective; there was a good balance between run and pass plays and Baltimore generally controlled the tempo. The Ravens' last 2 games have been a different tale. Their offense averaged about half as many points and their pass-to-run ratio was lopsided- 84 to 35. A lot of that has to do with Willis McGahee's role (or lack thereof); McGahee had just 6 carries in the last 2 weeks.

Despite that, he has 7 touchdowns and is a solid complement for Ray Rice, who is also very productive with 5.8 yards per run. So it's a no-brainer that the Ravens need both guys when they take on a tenacious Vikings rush defense. Joe Flacco needs to put points on the board, and to do so he'll need his receiving corps present, including Derrick Mason, who was basically nonexistent against the Bengals last week. Flacco should also look for his biggest target in Todd Heap, who can exploit the smaller Viking secondary. But this is all irrelevant if Baltimore's O-line doesn't contain the one-man wrecking crew named Jared Allen. The pressure he brings can change the game entirely. Ask Aaron Rodgers.
 
Vikings on Offense

Favre said this is the best team he's been on. Most likely, it's because he doesn't feel like he has to do too much. He has an arsenal to work with, including arguably the league's best running back in Adrian Peterson. This means Favre doesn't have to take as many chances as he's taken in the past, resulting in few mistakes (only 2 INTs). Favre will keep looking for Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, and Percy Harvin against the Ravens. But he has to keep a lookout for playmaker Ed Reed, who had a 52 yard run back for a TD.

Baltimore will try to catch breaks like that by keeping Favre on his feet with various blitz packages. If the Viking pass protection doesn't account for guys like Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, the Ravens could shake up the 40 year-old. That's where Adrian Peterson comes in. The question is, can Peterson rush for 100 yards? Last week, Cedric Benson became the first back in 39 games to record over 100 yards against the Ravens. Regardless of whether he'll go the distance or not, Peterson will definitely be a factor running the ball and receiving. The Ravens can only hope to contain him.
 
The Ravens can make it interesting if they cut down on penalties and control the pace offensively by running the ball hard. Still, Favre and co. have too much firepower for Baltimore to keep up with in a shooting match.
 
Prediction
Minnesota 34
Baltimore 24

I am currently a senior at Fordham University and studying Economics. I am helping to work on a new sports prediction website called http://superpredictors.com I write articles and provide analysis for the site. I live in New York City.

Ray Rice stunned us all with his 1339 rushing in the season, in addition to his 702 receiving yards. He averaged a full 9 yards per catch. Rice is still very young and hasn't even hit his prime.

Joe Flacco came off a great 09' season and now with Anquan Boldin in the mix it should help Ray in the rushing game. Ed Dickson was the Ravens 3rd pick out of Oregon, with a 40 yard dash time of 4.67 seconds he has the speed to take some of Rice's receptions. Ed Dickson gives the effort as a blocker but does not have the size and bulk to be a top rush blocker. Todd Heap is not the elite wide receiver he used to be, going into his 10th year he starting not to burst off the line as he used to be. In 09' he total 595 line of scrimmage yards with 6 touchdowns. Derrick Mason is looking for his 4th consecutive season with 1000 receiving yards.

The Ravens could have a great year if they stay away from injuries. The Ravens have a top 10 offence and a top 5 running-back.

Fantasy
Top 5 Ravens Fantasy Picks

1. Ray Rice, I think Ray Rice is underrated as of being 4th on most cheat sheets. MJD is fighting injuries and AP has lost most of his flare. I feel Ray Rice is the top 2 running back as far as fantasy goes.

2. Derrick Mason, I know your thinking what is he doing putting Mason over Flacco. I've had mason almost every year for my league and he has never fail me in the weeks I needed him. He is a very solid late round pickup.

3. Joe Flacco, Joe has Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason to pass to, Joe is a very solid 5th-6th pick.

4. Anquan Boldin, If he stays away from injuries he will have a 80+ receptions this year.

5. Todd Heap, The tight end position is so deep this year you can really just pick one up in free agency and be alright. Todd Heap had 53 receptions last year with an avg. of 11.2 yards per catch. Heap could be a amazing very late round pick.

I would Drop: Willis McGahee, most of the carries are going to Rice McGahee is nothing more than a 3rd down back. I feel he is a waste of a bench spot on a fantasy team. Hint: Willis is a popular person to the average fan you may be able to trade him for someone with potential.

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Joe Flacco and the 2008 Baltimore Ravens came out of nowhere finishing 11-5 and winning 2 playoff games before finally succumbing 23-14 to the Pittsburg Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. Nobody and I mean nobody could have predicted Flacco's success as he clearly demonstrated that he has the mo-jo and leadership qualities necessary to be a success in the NFL. However, historically the Ravens have not been known to produce many fantasy studs and that was no different last year as with the exception of WR Derek Mason and RB LeRon McClain no Raven invoked fears amongst fantasy owners.

Flacco was a nice surprise in 2008 but that doesn't make him any more attractive in 2009 as a fantasy starter. It is not so much Flacco but the system that he plays in and the receivers that he has at his disposal that makes him fall well short of a number one fantasy option at QB. Furthermore, teams will not be surprised by Flacco much in the same way that they will not be surprised with Atlanta QB Matt Ryan. Both had exceptional rookie campaigns but this is the NFL and teams always make adjustments and this will no doubt be the case regarding both Flacco and Ryan. Pure and simple Flacco just doesn't have many weapons to work with and that hurts his fantasy stock dramatically. Until the Ravens get Flacco some legitimate targets to replace the rag tag guys currently on the roster at the WR position don't look for him to produce quality stats and certainly don't look at him as a starting fantasy QB.

McClain was a nice surprise last year and he no doubt helped some owners to titles with his play down the stretch run. The problem is that all reports coming out of Baltimore indicate that McClain is going to be relegated to FB behind Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. McGahee, while only 27 has had numerous major injuries and is extremely weathered. Furthermore, he seems to think that he is better than he actually is with his attitude. Heads up Willis, you are an average NFL RB at best. McGahee rushed for 671 yards and 7 TD's in 2009 falling well short of what owners who drafted him expected. Don't look for much more out of McGahee this year as McClain in my estimation will still see the majority of goal line reps and Rice will cut into his attempts between the 20's. McGahee will go higher in drafts but I believe that Rice will be the more productive fantasy back this year for Baltimore. Treat McGahee as a number 4 rusher similarly to Cleveland's Jamal Lewis only to be used in desperate situations. Keep on eye on both McClain and Rice in drafts and if you can secure the services of either with a pick around the 9th-10th round snag either of them.

Every year people treat Mason as a fantasy piece of trash yet year in and year out proves without a shadow of a doubt that he is the number one receiving option for Baltimore. 2008 saw Mason catch 80 passes for 1037 yards and 5 TD's and he was CLEARLY Flacco's security blanket all year long. Don't look for anything to change in '09 as the Ravens have virtually the same receiving corps in tact despite flirting with the Cardinals Anquan Boldin during the off season. That being said Mason still represents at very best a number 4 option for fantasy owners this year. Mark Clayton has been a major disappointment pretty much since day one and is worth nothing more than a late round flier in most formats. TE Todd Heap is injury prone and may be surpassed on the depth chart by Quinn Sypniewski who has shown a lot of promise in his 4 years in the league. Treat Sypniewski as a nice sleeper possibility and avoid Heap based on his past injury problems.

Although ageing the Ravens DST still remains one of the NFL's best and a worthy number one fantasy unit. However, the team lost a lot of its luster this off season as Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan left to take the Head Coaching position with the NY Jets and took defensive stalwarts Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard with him. The loss of Ryan will surely have an impact on the Ravens and it will be seen whether the team can continue on without him. LB Ray Lewis still anchors this fine unit but if you draft them don't expect the same kind of dominance you saw from them unit during the early to mid 2000's. The Ravens are in transition at kicker with veteran Matt Stover no longer with the organization. Rookie Graham Gotto and and Steve Hauschka will battle for the starting position come training camp in July. Whoever wins that battle you are far better off looking at other options at kicker for 2009.

On paper no player on the Ravens roster is starting fantasy material heading into '09 with the exception of the DST and even then keep your expectations to a minimum as the unit is aging and also minus its leader Ryan. Well, that concludes my examination of the AFC North in terms of fantasy potential for 2009. Next, I will focus on the AFC West and I will start with none other than my Oakland Raiders.

Chris Limburg is the fantatical purveyor of OaklandRaidersCentral.com: A Oakland Raiders/Fantasy Football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL. Sign up for my free newsletter at [http://www.oaklandraiderscentral.com] and receive my fantasy football e-course that will prepare you for your draft and enable you to dominate your league in 2009.

The Ravens were one of those football teams that got stronger and stronger as the season progressed. Rookie QB Joe Flacco continued to develop through the course of the 2008 NFL season and looked almost like a veteran by the end of the season.

While the team made the playoffs, they were stopped short in their tracks, but the 2008 season was by and large considered a successful one for the Baltimore Ravens.

Entering the 2009 season, there were a few small question marks, especially those relating to the departure of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. Ryan, who had left the Ravens to take on the head coach position with the New York Jets, was largely credited for the defensive dominance in Baltimore through the course of this decade.

Would the team be as prominent on defense without Ryan? This was a hard question to answer at this point in time, but one that is beginning to show its face in light of the first two games of the 2009 season.

While the defense in Baltimore seems to be somewhat weaker than in seasons past (the team allowed 24 and 26 points in weeks 1 and 2), this hasn't been too much of an issue just yet. The offense has made up for it, as the Ravens have scored over 30 points in both week 1 and week 2.

Joe Flacco has made use of his receivers, but more importantly, a three-headed monster at running back between Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le'Ron McClain makes for one of the best trios (if not the best) in the NFL. The Ravens are dangerous in 2009.

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While the Jets were busy flexing for the HBO cameras on Hard Knocks, the Ravens made offseason acquisitions that have the experts talking "Superbowl". But with Darrelle Revis back on his island, Rex Ryan will love nothing more than to open the season with a win over his former team on Monday Night Football.

Ravens on Offense

The offseason signings of Anquan Boldin, Dante Stallworth, and most recently acquired T.J. Houshmanzadeh, will make the Ravens a more balanced team. These guys add depth and veteran leadership to Joe Flacco's receiving corps, and all 3 will help him build on his confidence of making the playoffs in his first 2 seasons. Now that Revis is all-in for Monday night, the Jets might use him to shut down a guy like Anquan Boldin. This leaves Antonio Cromartie and the rest of the secondary a lot of room to work with, whether it's blitzing Flacco and/or helping Revis in coverage (even the "Messiah" could be a tad rusty after a 36-day holdout).

This is where Baltimore's bread-n-butter comes in: not Maryland crab cakes... New Rochelle's very own, Ray Rice. With over 2,000 yards from scrimmage in his sophomore season, Rice proved to Coach John Harbaugh that his 5'8'' 212-lb frame could carry the bulk of the offense. Not only is he a handful because of his quickness and elusiveness, but his receiving skills are a threat to any defense, including the Jets.

Flacco will look for Rice to bail him out of tough situations on Monday night, and it'll be up to the Jets' linebackers to stop big gains from happening. OLB Calvin Pace's absence doesn't help New York's cause.

Jets on Offense

With Baltimore's secondary somewhat slim (i.e. Ed Reed out 6 weeks), expect the Jets to throw slightly more than usual. Mark Sanchez is earning the coaching staff's trust (despite the tasteless pranks), and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will want to catch the Ravens off-guard every now and again. Santonio Holmes will be out of commission, but Braylon Edwards has some big-play ability if he keeps his drops to a minimum. Maybe he can motivate himself by vowing to shave his beard if he reaches the end zone. In all seriousness though, New York's success is dictated by their offensive line. It starts with C Nick Mangold, whose chemistry with Mark Sanchez can lead to far less miscues, sacks, fumbles etc. The Ravens will test the Jets with their defensive schemes, and it'll be up to Mangold to bring Sanchez up to cue before the snap. The O-line's presence will be felt in the running game as well. It looks like Shonn Greene will grind it out for the majority of the carries, but LT's presence will be crucial during 3rd down and red zone situations. This backfield faces a huge challenge on opening night against the Ravens, whose rush defense is as tough as they come.

The New Meadowlands Stadium is a place you'll want to be at come Monday night. Both teams have the defense and rushing attack to mix it up with the best of them, but it'll ultimately come down to Baltimore making a few more game-breaking plays via Flacco.

Prediction
Baltimore: 23
NYJ: 13

I am currently a senior at Fordham University and studying Economics. I am helping to work on a new sports prediction website called superpredictors.com. I write articles and provide analysis for the site. I live in New York City.

The Baltimore Ravens are getting very excited for the 2010 NFL season and how it may play out. They have a core group of young, talented offensive players, finally picking up the lagging spot of the club that has existed for years. Meanwhile, defensively the team expects to be as stout as ever, making them a formidable unit that can challenge anyone.

The team is of course headed up by future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis. Prior to last season there had been rumors that Lewis was nearing the end of his career. However, last year he was rejuvenated on the field, and had one of his best seasons in recent memory. With the rest of the talent on defense, this makes the Ravens the same old, in your face, smash mouth, tough and rugged defensive unit that everyone always expects.

The offense though may be better than it has ever been. Quarterback Joe Flacco has continued to improve, and is ready to become one of the premier players at his position in the league. The same can be said for running back Ray Rice, who seems ready to take the league by storm and showcase his great combination of talents.

Plus, they finally have a star wide receiver, with the acquisition of Anquan Boldin from the Cardinals. A late offseason pickup also added former Bengals and Seahawks receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh to the team too.

With the Ravens, the story used to be that you could win by just scoring a few points against that rigid defense, because the offense was second tier. But now the offense is first rate, which makes the team a very scary proposition for other opponents around the league to have to square off against.

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The Baltimore Ravens entered the regular-season finale in 2008 needing a victory to reach the playoffs and last season was no different as an 8-7 Ravens team went to Oakland knowing a loss would keep them at home. Baltimore had little trouble in a 21-13 victory that got it a Wild-Card round matchup with New England.

And the Ravens then laid a 33-14 beat down on a Pats team that had been unbeaten at home in the regular season. Baltimore also snapped the Patriots' home playoff win streak at 11 games, handing New England its first home playoff loss since 1978. The Ravens did this despite Joe Flacco going 4-for-10 for 34 yards and a pick.

While Flacco was lousy in that game and then the following week in a loss to the Colts, he was very good during the season with 3,613 yards passing on 63.1 percent completions with 21 touchdowns and 12 picks. Pretty much all his numbers were up from his rookie year despite the lack of a true No. 1 receiver. The real star of Baltimore's offense last year and one of the NFL's breakout players was running back Ray Rice. The former Rutgers star joined Jamal Lewis as the only Ravens player in team history to have more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Rice rushed for 1,339 yards and caught 78 passes for 702 yards. But other than Flacco, Rice and to some degree Derrick Mason (73 catches, 1,028 yards, seven TDs) the Baltimore offense lacked playmakers.

Baltimore thinks it solved that problem with the offseason trade for Arizona WR Anquan Boldin and the signing of Donte Stallworth, who sat last season out due to suspension. Boldin should give the team the No. 1 threat it has lacked for years, but this still will be a running team.

The Ravens remain among the league's best defensive teams, ranking third overall last year and fifth against the rush. They have one of the best players in the league on the defensive line (Haloti Ngata), at linebacker (the ageless Ray Lewis), and in the secondary (Ed Reed). The only concern for this unit is whether Reed will miss the first six weeks, as he has hinted he may go on the PUP list as he recovers from offseason hip surgery. Certainly that would hurt this unit.

The experts list Baltimore's 2010 wins total at 9.5 and the Ravens as the AFC North favorites at -160.

Let's see how the 2010 Baltimore Ravens schedule breaks down:

Week 1: Monday, Sep. 13, at NY Jets, 7:00 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, at Cincinnati, 1:00 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, at Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, Denver, 1:00 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, at New England, 1:00 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, Miami, 1:00 PM
Week 10: Thursday, Nov. 11, at Atlanta, 8:20 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, at Carolina, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, Pittsburgh, 8:20 PM
Week 14: Monday, Dec. 13, at Houston, 8:30 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, New Orleans, 1:00 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, at Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, Cincinnati, 1:00 PM

This schedule is ranked as the 12th toughest in the NFL, with an opponents' 2009 winning percentage of.508 (130-126). The Ravens don't have to worry much about travel, with 15 of their 16 regular-season games in the Eastern Time Zone for only the second time in team history so watch those NFL point spreads. And there are no West Coast trips, which is always a benefit.

If Baltimore can get to the bye week above.500 that would be a major accomplishment and set this team up nicely for an easier schedule post-bye. Four of the Ravens' first six games are on the road, including the first Monday night game (against the Jets) at the new Giants Stadium. That's the first time the Ravens will face former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, New York's head coach. That game should be a bruising, low-scoring affair. The Jets have opened as three-point favorites. Then Baltimore gets a chance for revenge against a Bengals team that swept the Ravens last year, allowing Baltimore a total of just 21 points. Of course a former Ravens defensive coordinator also coaches Cincy: Marvin Lewis. It's the first time in franchise history that Baltimore opens with two road games - a split would be a great result.

The Ravens should handle Cleveland and then catch a huge break that they play Pittsburgh in Week 4 and not Week 5 because Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will be not allowed back until after four games. Thus a road win there could give Baltimore the early upper hand for the division. The Ravens will be solid favorites in home games against Denver and the Bills but a likely dog at a New England team that will be out for vengeance - if Pats WR Wes Welker goes on the PUP list, Baltimore would avoid him as it did in last year's playoff game.

Baltimore should beat Miami with a week off prior before facing three straight NFC South teams. That quick turnaround against the Falcons likely favors Atlanta because at least it's at home on the short week. And that tremendous Carolina ground game will challenge the Ravens. That game at Houston looks like a loss as Baltimore traditionally has not been a good team on Monday nights (5-8). The matchup against the Saints marks the fifth year in a row the Ravens face the reigning Super Bowl champions. That it's in the elements is a huge advantage for Baltimore. And really there's no reason the Ravens shouldn't win their final two games rather easily.

As an NFL handicapper, it looks like an 11-5 team to me and the AFC North champion. I hate to project much further, but the Ravens seem like excellent value to win the AFC at +600 as well as +1100 to win the Super Bowl. If everything breaks right and there are no major injuries (especially to Flacco, Boldin and if Reed gets 100 percent), there is no reason this team can't win it all.

Doc Moseman is one of the pioneers of college football and the NFL handicapping industry. Check out his Web site for up-to-the-minute NFL odds and his famous winning college football and NFL picks.

#25 - Baltimore Ravens - Jermaine Gresham - Oklahoma

After all of the rumors about every WR in the league being traded to the Ravens that was suspected of being shopped, they finally got one. Anquan Boldin is their biggest offseason acquisition and should help this team immediately. Flacco finally has a good WR to work with, and we'll see if Boldin can be a true #1 receiver. Boldin needs to be paired with a deep threat, so the team should consider getting Demaryius Thomas from Georgia Tech here, but Jermaine Gresham can be just as good of a receiver. Todd Heap is only 30, but you wouldn't guess it the way he's fallen off the map. He used to be an elite pass catching TE, but injuries have really messed up his game. Jermaine Gresham should be a top 15 or even a top 10 pick, but he was injured for all of last year. He's the concensus #1 TE in this draft class and very worthy of it. Giving Joe Flacco Anquan Boldin for short passes and Jermaine Gresham in the end zone will help his development into an elite young QB.

The defense seems like it will be good forever, but the team needs to make a couple of good picks and start to think about finding a replacement for the 34 year old Ray Lewis. The team also needs more depth at corner. The team didn't add any big names in free agency, only resigned Derrick Mason, so they will have to look in the draft. Ozzie Newsome is one of the best college talent evaluators, so expect the team to be fine.

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In 2008, the Baltimore Ravens had a tremendous season with the guidance of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco.

With the leadership of Joe Flacco and a stellar defense, the Baltimore Ravens finished the season 11-5, 2nd in the AFC North. 2009 may be the "year" for the Ravens. They can build on the teams success 08' and take it one step further, Super Bowl XXIV in Miami, Florida.

The majority of the 2008 team remains intact, but the key loss is defensive coach Rex Ryan - who is now the head coach of the New York Jets. Despite this, the personell on defense still remain fierce and are determined to stop opponents in their tracks.

Overall, the defense is becoming older but their competitive spirit is as high as ever. Ray Lewis is their emotional on-field and locker room leader. As long as Lewis is still performing at a high level, the Ravens defense will be a force to be reckoned with. Ed Reed is still one of the best, if not THE, best free-safety in the game today as well.

2009 for the Baltimore Ravens has proven to be something of a surprise - they have a potent offense unlike in years past. RB Willis McGahee, WR Derrick Mason, WR Ray Rice and WR Todd Heap give Flacco excellent targets every Sunday.

The Ravens are averaging over 400 yards in total offense per game thus far. With the combination of a consistent offense and a defense that still strikes fear in other teams, there is no telling how far the Ravens can go.

There is no "sophomore jinx" with Joe Flacco - if anything Flacco has improved as a quarterback. His decision making and poise are a fantastic skill set all young quarterbacks aspire to raise the Lombardi Trophy in February.

Ryan Lacioca is loving the football season so far, and discussing The AFC must know that the Baltimore Ravens will be a threat  it all at the Baltimore Ravens forum, and playing a free fantasy football games at RootZoo.

The Baltimore Ravens have a lot to be excited about in 2009. If you have been browsing around the internet at NFL betting picks, you will see the Ravens are found among the contenders in the league. Most people believe that they are a playoff team and some consider them Super Bowl contenders. Is there anything to all of the hype? Let's look at what the off-season brought the Baltimore Ravens.

The Good News: The good news is that they were a good team last year with a rookie quarterback. They didn't lose too much in the off-season and the rookie quarterback isn't a rookie quarterback anymore. Joe Flacco has a season of starts under his belt including a couple of playoff games. Last year he went through training camp not knowing whether he would be the starter. He was in a battle with Troy Smith and Kyle Boller. Now he knows he's the man and everyone believes in him. Last year, he was more of a caretaker on a good team. He had the great defense to bail him out if he needed help. This year, they will open up the playbook a little more and let him show off his gun. They also added a Pro Bowl caliber center in Matt Birk to upgrade their protection for him. It's all about the "Joe Flacco Show" in Baltimore.

The Bad News: The bad news is the loss of a few key ingredients to last years team. One of the leaders on the defense, Bart Scott, bolted to the Jets in the opening minutes of free agency. While the Ravens still have plenty of playmakers on defense, Scott was an important piece of the machine. In addition to Scott, the defense lost its coordinator in Rex Ryan. Ryan was the brains behind the defensive juggernaut in Baltimore and he will be sorely missed. Another question mark hangs over the situation with Derrick Mason. The leading receiver for the Ravens the last few years has said he is retiring. Many believe it's simply a power play in his negotiation for a new contract. However, the possibility remains that he will not be a Raven this year. Another concern for many is that Joe Flacco was a little underwhelming at times last season. He managed to win most of his games, but most teams didn't really fear the aerial game as much with him behind the wheel. They tended to grind it out on the ground most of the time with a few passes here and there. This isn't what a lot of people expect out of a first round pick at quarterback.

Outlook: The Ravens have a lot of great players and a good young coach to keep the ship heading in the right direction again this season. They have question marks on both sides of the ball, but then again, who doesn't? They could use an upgrade on the offensive side of the ball, but overall, they're solid. If you're looking for free NFL picks, I would put my money on the Ravens to make the playoffs again. They probably won't win the Super Bowl, but they'll be in the hunt.

Vernon Croy is the Owner/CEO of VernonCroy.com and he is one of the most reputable and respected professional sports handicappers in the world. Vernon Croy has won numerous handicapping awards and he is ranked as one of the top 10 handicappers in the world 100% documented by the Professional Handicappers League.

The Baltimore Ravens is one of the more successful new teams in the NFL and has already claimed a Super Bowl championship, clobbering the New York Giants 34 to 7 at Super Bowl XXXV. However, recently the Ravens have had very uneven success, doing fairly well in 2006 with 13-3 but ending the 2007 season with a 5-11 record. Why the losing streak? While there may be plenty to criticize about the Ravens' performance, the fact of the matter is that this team has one of the most difficult schedules in all of football. Their 13th season is no different, since the Ravens have to face opponents from the AFC South, NFC East as well as teams from the AFC West and East. Experts state that the Ravens have the fourth toughest strength of schedule in the NFL based on their opponents' win to loss ratio from 2007.

One of the most telling factors for the upcoming 2008 season will be the Baltimore Ravens Draft. Going into the NFL Draft, the Ravens had nine selections including four compensatory selections. The Baltimore Ravens have already signed some promising talent from the draft, including most famously, quarterback Joe Flacco from Delaware. Joe Flacco is currently listed as the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware and has already signed a contract with Reebok. Negotiations for a long-term contract have already started and fans believe it could merit at least a five year deal and a starting position.

Other notable signings for the Ravens include running back Ray Rice from Rutgers, linebacker Tavares Gooden from Miami, wide receivers Marcus Smith from New Mexico and Justin Harper from Virginia Tech. The team also chose offensive tackle David Hale, safety Tom Zbikowski from Notre Dame, offensive guard Oniel Cousins from the University of Texas at El Paso, free safety Haruki Nakamura from Cincy and running back Allen Patrick from Oklahoma Sooners.

What has the reaction been to the 2008 Baltimore Ravens draft? Obviously, Flacco is an uncontested choice, as he represents the future of the team even if he does need some time to adjust to the big leagues. Experts believe that Flacco must be on guard, as he comes from a small school and has yet to face heavier defenses like he will against teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers (week four) and the New York Giants (week 11). However, fans cite that Flacco has excellent size for a starting quarterback, the newcomer standing at 6'7 and weighing only 236 pounds, which provides good mobility. Haruki Nakamura and Tom Zbikowski have also gained positive mention from fans and the media.

How will Baltimore fare in the upcoming season? The team is still in the process of rebuilding. However, the quarterback position has been the team's most desperately needed spot for many years now. The defense of the team has been solid over the past several years (they even upset the Patriots); if they can improve their offense they could be a team to be reckoned with in 2008.

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The Baltimore Ravens finished 9-7 on NFL Picks in 2009 and made the playoffs where they lost in the 2nd round to the Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens went 8-7-1 against the spread on football odds, going over the total 6 times, under 9 times and had one push. The Ravens signature defense was again the nucleus of the team, which ranked 3rd overall in total yards giving up a little over 300 per game, #8 overall in passing yards giving up an average of 207 per game, the team was 5th against the run giving up only 93.2 yards per game and opponents scored 16.3 points per game which was good enough for 3rd in the National Football League. The Ravens usually boast on e of the teams best defense but analyst everywhere continue to rated quarterback Joe Flacco among the best in the NFL but I'm not so sure of that, Flaccco has all of the physical skills but lacks something and this sports handicapper thinks his backup, former Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith is a better fit for the team. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has done an excellent job since taking over for Brian Billick a few years ago and expectations are high again this year at Ravens camp.

The 2010-11 Ravens will again be led by the defense, some think this unit is getting old but with the statistics they have been posting it just looks like they are getting better. Ray Lewis is the man in the middle and both the emotional and physical leader but fellow linebacker Terrell Suggs is vastly becoming of the best the in the National football League also. The defensive line is also solid with long time veteran Trevor Pryce, who led the team with 6' sacks last year. Haloti Ngata is also becoming one of the best defensive lineman in football and should dominate at his position again this year. The defensive backfield lost Samari Rolle to retirement and the leader of the group Ed Reed has had a nagging injury, Reid also thinks he is underpaid and so do I, this guy has been a playmaker ever since he came into the league out of the University of Miami and the Ravens can ill afford to loose him.

The Ravens offense made great stride with running back Ray Rice gained 1,339 yards in 2009 and should be one of the elite backs in the league this year. His back up Willis McGahee would be a starter on any team but he knows his role with Baltimore and is quite happy with it, he gets his touches and like Rice he can also take it the distance at anytime, fullback Le'Ron McClain is also a pro bowl caliber back. The tandem is one of the best in football, that is why Baltimore ranked 5th overall in rushing yards averaging 137.5 per game. The offensive line hasn't been the same sine lone time offensive Tackle Jonathan Ogden retired, this unit will have to gel this year, especially in their pass blocking. The wide receivers are good and now add Donte Stallworth and Anquan Boldin into the mix. THe real question mark is still Joe Flacco, he will struggle this year and that is why the Ravens finish 2nd in the AFC North behind the Cincinnati Bengals and will struggle with the Pittsburgh Steelers but this division could have 3 teams in the playoffs in 2010-11.

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Greg C Nelson