Yardbarker: Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis Looking for Another Super Bowl Title

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:00:02 -0500

Former Hurricane great Ray Lewis is looking to lead the Baltimore Ravens to their second championship.

Quote The Raven

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:10:18 -0500

We're recapping Wild Card Weekend and looking forward toward the Divisional Round. I'll remind you that I was 2-2 in my picks this weekend, and if I hadn't been sucked into the trap that was Chad Pennington playing mistake free football, I'd have finished 3-1.

To the picks for the divisional round . . . .

Football's Toughest Defense

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:56:44 -0500

If you watched the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins you witnessed how a defense should operate as a unit. The word that immediately comes to mind when I think about the Ravens defense is discipline. It amazes me how their players are rarely out of position. They stay in their gaps and the thing I love the most is they don't miss tackles. Also, they don't miss the opportunity to make plays. If there's a tipped ball, they make the interception, if the balls on the ground, they make the fumble recovery and there's a good chance they'll return it for a touchdown. They're good against the run, they're good against the pass. What's scary is they're doing this with Chris McCallister out of the line-up. The Ravens possess the rare ability to make watching a defensive unit exciting. If they can keep up this magnificent play we could very well be looking at Super Bowl 43's winner.

Beating the Ravens' defense 101: The Giant formula

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:27:05 -0500

This weekend, the Tennessee Titans will be faced with the stiff challenge of overcoming one of the league's best defensive units. Led by their emotional leader Ray Lewis and the playmaking exploits of Ed Reed, moving the football against the vaunted Baltimore Ravens' defense is no walk in the park.

Despite the difficulty surrounding the arduous task, getting solid yards against their defense is a dream that can become a reality. Stealing a phrase from the immortal Hank Stram, "matriculating the football down the field" against

Ray-Ray and Co. is a goal that can be accomplished.

How so, one may ask? Answer: The Giant formula...

Breakin It Down: Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:16:13 -0500

Breakin it down is 5 key stories plus a pick for each postseason game this season.

Which QB Likes the Interception More?
On one sideline you have a man who always looks like he's one interception away from a bottle of Jack Daniels. On the other sideline you have a man who still sports a Unibrow even though he's a professional athlete. Both Quarterbacks had good years, but are far from trustworthy. So which one decides to get on the pick six train first? The boozer or the unibrow?

When Shall Ed Reed Score a Touchdown
Last week I said it seems like Ed Reed scores a touchdown every game, and well he did. Is there a QB that's more likely to throw a dagger interception for a touchdown to Ed Reed than Kerry Collins? Well Chadwick obviously, but Kerry is a close second.

Which Backfield Breaks a Big Gain?
Both teams are built on their defense and their ability to run the football. The problem is this game they are playing a mirror image of each other. Both teams are built to stuff the run. The Titans have the big guns up front to deal with the beating Le'Ron gives and have the quickness at Linebacker to run down Willis or Rice. Meanwhile Ray Lewis is always putting his hat on the opposing running back.

How Healthy is the Titan Front 4?
The Titans are expected to get Haynsworth and Vanden Boche back for Sautrday's game and they better be healthy and ready to go. If Haynesworth ever goes down during the game than the Titans could be in serious serious trouble.

Slim to None?
In their first meeting Kerry Collins engineered an 11 play drive touchdown as time was winding down to defeat the Ravens 13-10. The chances of that happening again are slim to none right?

The Pick
I'm going Titans solely because of homefield advantage. These teams are essentially the same. Built on their defenses and run. A shaky QB who could make a mistake at any time. I do believe Chris Johnson is the most likely of all running backs to break a big run, so slight advantage there. This has 13-10 written all over it. If you don't like defense than this is not your game.

Wildcard Playoffs - Stud & Dud

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:57:08 -0500

Stud - Darren Sproles
The runner up this week is the former Miami Hurricane trio of Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and Willis McGahee. All three showed up to play when they returned their old stomping grounds in South Florida, especially Reed who appears to show no signs of slowing down. Sproles received ...

COPE / HOPE PHOTOSHOPS: THE FINALS

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:39:20 -0500

At long last, it's time to announce the finalists for the Hope/Cope Photoshop Contest, sponsored by the Hope/Cope T-Shirt (available through Al at toomuchmetal@comcast.net).

We'll unveil them one-by-one, and the winner will be decided by you with a poll at the end. Voting concludes Thursday at midnight, the winner to be made official on Friday. And now, the finalists:

Muhammad Ali, by Patrick K.

Bill Belichick, by Chris F.

Ray Lewis, by Tim B.

Ray Lewis, by Tim D.

Bill Belichick, by James S.

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Just like old times: Titans vs. Ravens once again

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:49:02 -0500

In 2000, the Tennessee Titans' path to a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay was obstructed by a rugged Baltimore Ravens team that upset them in an epic playoff battle.

Eight years later, those pesky Ravens are once again standing in the way of the Titans' journey to a Super Bowl trip to Tampa.

Thanks to yesterday's convincing victory over the Dolphins, the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans will renew one of the league's most fiercest rivalries in next Saturday's playoff showdown.

Cowher To League: “Suck It”

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:07:12 -0500

Legendary Steelers coach Bill Cowher announced on CBS’s Sunday Pregame Show that he will not return to the sidelines in 2009. Instead he plans on spending another year trying to decipher the Captain Caveman-like mumblings of Shannon Sharpe. This news is no doubt a shattering blow to pretty ...

A Titan Sized Showdown

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:35:48 -0500

“Now that we know our opponent, we have a tremendous challenge ahead of us,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said in a statement Sunday. “Baltimore has improved in all areas since we saw them earlier this season. They are built around a strong run game and a great defense, which ...

AFC Wild Card Live-Blog: Ravens @ Dolphins, 1st Half

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:18:41 -0500

Game: AFC Wild Card Playoff #2
Teams: Baltimore Ravens (11-5, 2nd place, AFC North) vs. Miami Dolphins (11-5, AFC East Champs)
Location: Dolphins Stadium, Miami, FL
Start Time: 1:00 PM EST
Announcers and Network: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, CBS
Miscellany: Subplot of the game to be aware of is obviously former Miami coach Cam Cameron coordinating the Ravens' offense against the team he led to 1-15 last season; also, any and all Chad Pennington material, since he is "Comeback Player of the Year." Finally, note fumblings and fuck-ups of the aesthetics behind the "Wildcat" formation.
Favorite: Baltimore (-3)
S2N's Pick: Miami. Given how rookie QBs apparently do in the playoffs right now, I expect a brain fart from Joe Flacco and it's tough to see Chad Pennington committing too many turnovers. But at this point, I wouldn't trust anything I say after yesterday's failures at picking teams.

Really? A storybook intro? That computer generated graphic behind Nantz and Simms looks like utter crap. Boo, CBS.

Dolphins kick to Tom Zbikowski, who returns it to the 26. Le'Ron McLain gains 9 on his first carry. Fullback Lo Neal gets the next carry for 3 and a first down. Flacco starts well, hitting Derrick Mason for 18 yards and goes into Dolphins territory. McLain burrows in within the 40. Rush by McLain...FUMBLE!!!! Miami player knocked it loose, Fins come up with it!

Ronnie Brown starts by rushing for two yards past midfield. Pennington hits Patrick Cobbs on the sideline, and he gets some extra yards, for 11 total. Same damn play to Cobbs again, great blocking, and he gets all the way to the Ravens' 9 after a 30 yard gain. Ricky Williams gets his first carry down to the 1 on first and goal. Fake to Brown, Pennington rolls out, he's chased and he throws it away. Brown stuffed on 3rd and goal for no gain.

Dan Carpenter on for the chip shot FG, and it's good. Dolphins, 3-0.

McLain returns this kickoff to the 36. Willis McGahee gets a couple yards on the carry. Flacco overthrows tight end Todd Heap on 2nd down. Flacco overthrows again, but it's illegal contact on Miami for an automatic first down. Zip pass to Mason for another first at the Miami 46. McLain for another few yards. False start, then another quick pass to Clayton, who stretches for the first down. The rookie QB hits Heap for 31 yards, all the way down to the Miami 4 yard line.

Flacco misses Mason wide after McLain's stopped. 3rd and goal. Ball caught and dropped by Heap, incomplete. Matt Stover on to kick from 23, good, 3-3.

Cobbs returns the kick to the 32. Two rushes from Ronnie Brown set up a 3rd and 2, and here's the first Wildcat play. The Ravens don't fall for it, as they tackle Brown in the backfield. Jim Leonard returns the punt to the 24.

After a first down to end the first quarter, Flacco starts the second by throwing it out of bounds with no one covered. He rolls out on 2nd down, finds no one open, and throws it out again while getting nailed by Channing Crowder. Third down pass goes over the middle to Mason, who gets 11 yards for a first down. False start. McClain runs out to the 47. Flacco's nearly picked on 2nd down. 3rd down is thrown over Mason out of bounds, thanks to a rush. Punt goes into the end zone, touchback.

Pennington starts by going to Davone Bess for nine yards. Williams runs around the left end for a first down. Another 9-yarder to Bess on 2nd down. First down carry to another RB, whose name I didn't catch. Toss left to Williams nearly to the 50. Pennington aims high down the field to Davone Bess, and Jim Leonard comes up with a pick, returning it back into Miami territory.

McClain up to the 42, followed by another 4-yard carry. Troy Smith under center for Flacco...and Miami stops him short, Vonnie Holiday on the tackle. Cook's punt is down at about the 3 or 4.

The Manning-Williams Double Stuf Oreo ads....yeesh, not so much. Awkward probably won't even begin to describe the actual "match" ads. Pennington gets an encroachment penalty out of the Ravens' D with a hard count. More breathing room. Brown stopped up at the line of scrimmage. 3rd down and one goes to Lousaka Polite for the first. Holding called on Anthony Fasano. 1st and 19, Pennington short throws to Brown for about 4-5 yards.

Brown out to the 20 out of the Wildcat. 3rd and 8. Pennington goes deep again, underthrows on the blitz, and Ed Reed's picked it off! He's running back, gets to the right side, gets a block, and TOUCHDOWN, RAVENS! Kick up and good, 10-3.

So the Dolphins start with the ball again at the 20. Pennington gets walloped back inside the 10, loss of 12 yards on the sack. Cobbs gets tripped up by Ray Lewis.

I applaud all of you making Chuck Norris jokes for Rex....I mean, Ed Reed. 3rd down and 17 pass thrown away in QB pressure from Ray Lewis. Punt to Leonard, brought to the Ravens' 40. Flacco to McGahee at midfield; illegal contact penalty declined. First down, Flacco going deep to Derrick Mason, and he brings it in at the 17 of Miami while managing to keep his feet inbounds. The booth will review it, though.

"Nobody else in the NFL can design a play like that one." - Simms, via Mal

As if every coach doens't have a deep sideline pass in his arsenal. They design plays with that in mind, but the actual execution and foot-dragging....well, that's just silly, Phil.

Rushing a play to beat the play clock at the 12, incomplete pass. Flacco has to throw it away on 3rd down. Stover out to kick an FG again. 31-yard try is up and good, 13-3, Ravens. Another touchback on the kickoff.

Half over, 13-3, Baltimore. See you in the second half thread, as Miami remains without a TD in the playoffs for quite some time.

Ravens Set Sights on Super Bowl

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:13:11 -0500

In some eyes, the Baltimore Ravens are a gambler playing with house money. They say Baltimore should be happy just getting to the playoffs.

Few expected them to be playing football in January after a disastrous 2007 season and the firing of Super Bowl-winning coach Brian Billick.

Most teams in ...

NFL Wildcard Weekend - Baltimore at Miami

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 09:49:33 -0500

This playoff game is going to feature two first year head coaches, who were able to turn their teams around from cellar dwellers to playoff contenders. The Ravens earned a wildcard berth with their 11 – 5 record after starting the season with a 2 – 3 record. The Dolphins, who captured the ...

How We Did in 2008: Fantasy Football Busts

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:46:26 -0500

One thing we aren't afraid to do at the Maniaxs is go back, look at our predictions, and determine whether we are Nostradamus or a False Prophet. Here was our list of 10 players to watch decline in 2008, published back in March of 2008 and updated before the start of the NFL season, after the NFL draft had taken place and training camp battles had been won and lost.

Getting To Know Steve Bisciotti

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:24:43 -0500

The Baltimore Ravens have been a successful franchise since their inception, with a Super Bowl title to prove it. Joe Brown tells us the head man in this operation is Steve Bisciotti, a career placement mogul who's doing it the right way.