http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/2611 Recent articles about Jim Leonhard en-us In what many predicted to be a break out game for Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense, the purple and black came 2 minutes short of sealing the deal against the Tennessee Titans. On a personal note, the people in my section need to learn to give the big man some room when going to his seat. I stepped on someones foot and my knee gave out, the one I had all those surgery's on when I was a kid and still aggravates me due to the wear and tear of playing high school sports. I almost fell flat on my face, but luckily, Larry was there to hold me up. Also, please stay hydrated when going to the game and drinking all morning. I didn't do that and felt dizzy and sick the whole ride home from the game. But on a better note, I got future hall of famer Jonathan Ogden's autograph!! Let's get to the Cheers and Jeers for this week: CHEERS The Defense: What another stellar performance from this great Ravens defensive unit. They did exactly what they were supposed to do. The defense held running back Chris Johnson to only 44 yards rushing and Lendell White to only 4 yards. The two running backs were held to no touchdowns after scoring a combined 7 rushing touchdowns in the first four games. Kerry Collins was limited only throwing 163 yards and 2 interceptions thrown. Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain: Can't say enough about these two bulls. McGahee rushed for 64 yards, while Le'Ron McClain rushed for 51 yards on 11 carries and scored the only Ravens offensive touchdown. Some impressive defense you got down there in Tennessee, girls! Chris McAlister: C-Mack added yet another interception to his totals this season. So far he has three interceptions this year. Justin Bannan: Right place, right time! Way to pick that ball off big man! Jim Leonhard: This kid continues to impress me a lot. Leonhard finished the day with seven tackles, which led the Ravens for the day. Todd Heap: Quarterback Joe Flacco found Todd Heap four times yesterday for 41 yards, which led all Ravens receivers. JEERS Dumbass Officials: I know if your reading this and you are not a Ravens fan, you are probably thinking "Oh my God, the Ravens need to quit bitching about the officials!" If you watched the game, then you know why. LB Terrell Suggs was called for roughing the passer when his hand hit the head of Kerry Collins. Suggs can't just stop his momentum in mid stride when trying to bat the pass down. Get it together officials! Joe Flacco: Yes, the Golden Boy is on my jeers list due to the costly interception at the end of the game, but overall Flacco did a great job and tried hard to get the Ravens some points yesterday to tie or win the game. Penalties: I'm going to say this again "DON'T GET WRAPPED UP IN ANOTHER TEAM B.S. JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A HOTHEAD!!" Just play the game and don't worry about what that midget Cortland Finnegan says to you! Now we try to move on against the struggling Colts team in Indianapolis. The Ravens will look to capture their first win against the Irsays since 2002. Keep your chin up and your head held high, Ravens fans. We have nothing to be ashamed of so far this year. We have far exceeded anyones expectations this year. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:23:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/345591 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/345591 Full game preview for the 2nd annual Baltimore @ Pittsburgh Monday Night Contest! Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:50:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/339595 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/339595 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly FINALLY returns to review the Ravens' 28-10 win over Cleveland. By: Luke Jones The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Baltimore Ravens. With a new coach and a new quarterback, the Ravens (2-0) continue to win with a frightening defense and a dominant running game after a 28-10 victory over the division-rival Cleveland Browns (0-3) on Sunday. The Ravens trailed 10-7 at the half but turned two Derrick Anderson interceptions into 14 points in less than a minute to claim a commanding 21-10 lead early in the third quarter. The offense used a bruising running game to dominate a tired Cleveland defense to close out the victory. Here's a final look at the Ravens' convincing win as they assume first place in the AFC North. The Good Ball Control Much as they did against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, the offense dominated the time of possession by a margin of over 15 minutes. The Ravens controlled the ball an astounding 13:18 to the Browns' 1:42 in the fourth quarter. This is a formula for overwhelming success in the NFL. It will keep a dominant, but veteran-heavy, defense fresh as the season progresses. Running Backs Running backs Willis McGahee, Le'Ron McClain, and Ray Rice wore down the Cleveland defense in the second half. The trio combined for 157 yards on 37 carries. McGahee looked impressive in his first live-game action of the year. Coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordination Cam Cameron hinted that McGahee would see limited action, but he carried 15 times and was a focal point of the offensive game plan. McClain continues to be the bruising back that wears down the opposing defense. He has deceptive speed and runs with a downhill style that opposing defenders hate to challenge. McClain's second touchdown of the third quarter slammed the door on Cleveland's hope for a comeback. Cameron's decision to use McClain is much like a manager using the closer in baseball, finishing off the opposition and sealing the victory. Rice carried only five times but was a good complement to the more bruising styles of McGahee and McClain. Veteran fullback Lorenzo Neal continued to make the tough blocks and has been a welcome addition to the Ravens' physical style of play on offense. When lined up in the same backfield, the combination of Neal and McClain is a frightening tandem to face. Offensive Line The offensive line that struggled heavily during training camp and the preseason schedule has morphed into a strength in the first two games of the season. Four of the five starters are new or playing a different position from last season. Offensive lines historically need time to gel as a collective unit, and this line appears to be moving in that direction. The interior line of Ben Grubbs, Jason Brown, and Marshal Yanda was projected to play well, but the dominating play of tackles Jared Gaither and Adam Terry has been surprising. Cameron even used veteran Willie Anderson as an extra tackle in some offensive sets. This sends a strong message to opposing teams that the Ravens are going to run and are daring the other team to stop them. The group controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the game and allowed only one sack of quarterback Joe Flacco. Standout defensive tackle Shaun Rogers made four insignificant tackles for the Cleveland defense and caused little disruption. The offensive line figures only to improve as Anderson continues to work his way into the rotation more frequently. Ed Reed Despite the pain of a nerve impingement in his shoulder and neck, Ed Reed provided the big play as he has so many times throughout his career. Reed read a Derek Anderson pass perfectly to intercept a pass and return it the other way for a 32-yard touchdown, giving the Ravens a 21-10 lead in the third quarter. Reed appeared to know what was coming, as he broke on the route before Anderson even released the pass intended for Steve Heiden. Jim Leonhard Filling in to return punts and kicks for the injured Yamon Figurs, Leonhard performed admirably; averaging 26.0 yards per return on three kick returns and returning a punt for 21 yards. What Leonhard did not expect was having to replace the injured Dawan Landry at safety late in the first half. Leonhard sacked Anderson and played well in pass coverage. The signing of Leonhard was considered an afterthought when the organization drafted safeties Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, but Leonhard has emerged as a strong complementary player in the Ravens' pass defense. Leonhard may lack the physical presence of Landry or the playmaking ability of Reed, but he fits the profile of a strong blue-collar role player for the Baltimore defense. He won't astonish you, but he'll help you win some football games. Terrell Suggs Suggs sacked Anderson twice on his way to a big day. He gave tackle Joe Thomas trouble throughout the day, providing consistent pressure on Anderson. Suggs has definitely benefited from the return of Trevor Pryce, as opposing offenses cannot devote double-teams to Suggs as often. Special Teams In addition to Leonhard's returns, the special teams came up big throughout the game. The directional kicking of Matt Stover and punter Sam Koch limited the dangerous returner Josh Cribbs to only 76 yards on three kick returns and two punt returns. Cribs destroyed the Ravens' special teams in two games last season. John Harbaugh Harbaugh continued to impress the home crowd with his fearless decision-making. The offense converted two fourth downs, including a 4th and 2 from the Cleveland 49 in the first quarter. Harbaugh also won his first challenge of the season, overturning a Rice fumble in the fourth quarter. Harbaugh makes observers forget he's a rookie coach with his confident decision-making and attention to detail. The players appear to be buying into his program, given the early success. The Bad Frank Walker After a rough preseason, Frank Walker continued to draw the disdain of the Baltimore crowd for his personal foul in the third quarter. Walker appeared to be talking trash to the Cleveland offense, but he really should focus on improving his play in the secondary. To his credit, Walker is a strong special teams player. Joe Flacco While Flacco moved the offense effectively for much of the game, he threw two interceptions and had another negated by a defensive holding penalty. Flacco's first interception came in the first quarter when he failed to see linebacker D'Qwell Jackson dropping into coverage, a mistake every rookie quarterback has made at some point. The key will be whether Flacco learns from the mistake and does not repeat it. His second interception came in the second quarter on a long pass intended for Derrick Mason. The gadget play was too slow developing, and Flacco should have thrown the ball away instead of throwing into heavy coverage. Neither interception resulted in Cleveland points. While the Ravens are currently relying heavily on the running game, Flacco will eventually need to make more plays with his arm. He was unable to throw to a wide-open Todd Heap on one play, but he did not have many opportunities to throw in the second half, as the Ravens controlled the game on the ground. Despite the interceptions, Flacco continued to show confidence and an ability to operate Cameron's offensive system. Considering he was a rookie making his second career start, his performance was not as bad as it looked statistically. The Ugly Dawan Landry's Injury The only real damper on an otherwise thrilling game was the neck injury to Landry in the closing moments of the first half. After his helmet made contact with Cleveland running back Jamal Lewis' knee, Landry was motionless on the ground for several minutes as a silent crowd at M&T Bank Stadium looked on. The scene was quite scary as several Ravens and Browns knelt in prayer as medical personnel tended to Landry. Luckily, Landry only sustained a spinal concussion and had movement in all extremities after the game. He is expected to return this season, according to Harbaugh. Though Leonhard filled in nicely in the second half, the defense will miss Landry's physical presence in the secondary. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:32:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/338007 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/338007 The Baltimore Sun reports that Ravens strong safety Dawan Landry is expected to return this season after sustaining a spinal cord concussion in Sunday's 28-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Landry was released from the hospital Monday and will wear a cervical collar for at least a week. His stability tests are "normal," coach John Harbaugh said."He'll be playing in some number of weeks," Harbaugh said. "It won't be too many weeks." Landry took a left knee from Browns running back Jamal Lewis to the crown of his helmet and needed to be carted off the field in the final minute of the first half. The Ravens announced Sunday night that Landry had "neurologically recovered" and remained at Maryland Shock Trauma overnight. Landry will be replaced in the starting lineup by Jim Leonhard, who had started six games for the Bills a year ago. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:43:13 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/337080 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/337080 Phew…. what a game that was!!! The atmosphere in the stadium was electric throughout… the only lag coming in the mid-second quarter, but quickly rejuvenated by a stunning start to the 3rd. Here's what I see right off the bat… Joe Flacco made a few mistakes… but he never lost his confidence and he rebounded by [...] Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:56:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/336286 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/336286 It was, oh, 8 months ago that we made a post here called "Fill in the Blank." The task: who are the team's missing links? So let's see what we've got here now… Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:57:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/317091 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/317091 Atlanta finished the preseason with an even record of 2 wins and 2 losses but established the foundation of their season with confidence in their rookie starting quarterback and a defense that may become their saving grace. Atlanta QB Matt Ryan (2/7, 17 yards) did not play much in the game but has already been named [...] Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:49:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/315217 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/315217 There was a lot that could be said about last night?s final preseason game between Baltimore and Atlanta; non-descript, or boring come to mind. It certainly wasn?t an offensive eruption with several field goals and one score in the fading moments of the half providing all the scoring. But for Baltimore fans there were several positives to get out of watching last night?s contest. Joe Flacco made a fairly solid account of himself and looks to be penciled in as the starter for week one. He showed poise, threw a few nice balls and went 8 of 13 for 72 yards. The Ravens new de facto backup, Casey Bramlet, just signed off of waivers from the Chargers didn?t do that badly for someone who yesterday morning was unemployed. He tossed two picks but has familiarity with Cam Cameron?s offense. His fate with the team still rests on several questions still left unanswered. Kyle Boller looks to have a partially torn labrum and should go on the PUP list before the season begins. Troy Smith?s condition has actually worsened. He was admitted to the hospital and has lost thirteen pounds due to the infection. So even though Coach Harbaugh was quoted as saying that Flacco was a contender to the job and not yet give the title of starting quarterback I really can?t see any other decision being made. Other Points of Interest · The receiving corps was about at full strength as Mark Clayton looked sharp catching four passes for 38 yards and Demetrius Williams made his long awaited return to the slot position and caught a 22 yard gain over the middle. The production and health of these two are key to an improved attack for the club. · Reserve safety, Jim Leonhard had a solid outing nabbing a pick and providing decent output in the return game. It?s looking more and more like Edward Reed will not be ready for the home opener and it?s encouraging to see the play of Leonard, Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura could be helpful in filling the void. · The running combo or Ray Rice and Le?Ron McClain could be intriguing to watch. With Willis McGahee recovering from knee surgery and the knocks on him about being the three down back the team wants him to be, this could be an underrated alternative. · The offensive line wasn?t bad at all. It sounds bad typing that with such surprise attached to it but both Adam Terry and Jared Gaither returned to join what could a stalwart interior line and did a nice job in pass protection. · Just nine days away and it all counts for real. Are you ready for some football? Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:47:42 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/315172 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/315172 The Ravens cut down to the 75-man limit is relatively painless since only five players are dismissed from the 80-man active roster.  It is the next roster cut by this Saturday that involves twenty-two players that is very painful. The following is one man's opinion on the final makeup of the 53-man squad: QUARTERBACKS (3) John Beck, Joe Flacco, Troy Smith (with Kyle Boller on injured reserve) RUNNING BACKS (6) Le'Ron McClain, Willis McGahee, Lorenzo Neal, Allen Patrick, Ray Rice, Corey Ivy (with PJ Daniels on injured reserve) WIDE RECEIVERS (5) Mark Clayton, Yamon Figurs, Derrick Mason, Marcus Smith, Demetrius Williams OFFENSIVE LINEMAN (8) Jason Brown, Chris Chester, Oniel Cousins, Jared Gaither, Ben Grubbs,  Mike Kracalik, Adam Terry, Marshal Yanda TIGHT ENDS (3) Adam Bergen, Todd Heap, Daniel Wilcox (with Quinn Sypniewski on injured reserve) DEFENSIVE LINEMAN (6) Justin Bannan, Marques Douglas, Amon Gordon, Kelly Gregg, Haloti Ngata, Trevor Price (with Dwan Edwards on injured reserve) LINEBACKERS (9) Brendon Ayanbadejo, Antwan Barnes, Tavares Gooden, Nick Greisen, Jarret Johnson, Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Gary Stills, Terrell Suggs (with Prescott Burgess on injured reserve) DEFENSIVE BACKS (10) Corey Ivy, Dawan Landry, Jim Leonhard, Derrick Martin, Chris McAlister, Haruki Nakamura, Ed Reed, Samari Rolle, Fabian Washington, Tom Zbikowski KICKING TEAM (3) Matt Katula, Sam Koch, Matt Stover Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:24:42 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/314836 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/314836 Friday's FIO weekly fantasy football columns deals with those leagues that implement Individual Defensive Players (IDP) - co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter discusses some of the key defensive players to keep an eye on in Week 16. Check this article each and every week on Fridays. Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:33:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/50594 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/50594