Patriots Sign Free Agent Paris Lenon to Free-Agent Deal

The New England Patriots shored up a thin middle line backing corp today by signing free-agent linebacker Paris Lenon. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Paris is excited to finally be a part of a winning organization and eager to contribute in whatever way Coach Belichick and his staff see fit. Now, quite simply, he’s eager to go to work,” agent Jon Persch said.

Lenon, who played the past three seasons with the Detroit Lions, is expected to challenge Patriot veteran Tedy Bruschi and second-year player Gary Guyton for playing time along side last year’s defensive rookie of the year, Jerod Mayo.

Lenon, who was once called a “punt-team junkie” by Lions special team coordinator, Stan Kwan, is also expected to see time on the Patriots’ special teams.

The Patriots find themselves especially thin at inside linebacker after losing third-round draft choice Tyrone McKenzie for the season with a torn ACL suffered in rookie mini-camp.

The Patriots traded longtime inside linebacker, Mike Vrabel, to the Kansas City Chiefs, along with quarterback Matt Cassel for a second-round pick prior to the 2008 draft.

Lenon, 31, started all sixteen games in each of the past three seasons for the Lions, playing middle linebacker in a 4-3 set. He will be making the switch to inside linebacker for coach Bill Belichick’s Patriot’s squad. Unlike the Lions, the Patriots play a 3-4 defensive alignment.

The speedy linebacker, who has been referred to as a younger, quicker Zach Thomas (inside linebacker currently with the Kansas City Chiefs), played his college football for the Richmond Spiders.

The 6-foot-2 inch, 235-pound linebacker, averaged 135 tackles per season in his three years in Detroit, including a team leading 146 tackles last season (98 solo). He recorded 1.5 sacks, forced two fumbles, and recovered two fumbles.

In 2006, Lenon’s first season with the Lions, he finished second on the team with 97 tackles (60 solo). He also had one interception.

In 2007, he was again second on the team in tackles (161), with two sacks, and one interception. His 161 tackles for Detroit in 2007 were the seventh-highest total in Lions team history.

He has career numbers of 523 career tackles (331 solo), 5.0 sacks, two interceptions for 61 yards, and one touchdown, as well as, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 16 passes defensed, and 58 special teams tackles.

Prior to playing for the Lions, Lenon was a member of the Green Bay Packers on two occasions (2001, 2001-05), the Seattle Seahawks (2001) and the Memphis Maniax (2001) of the XFL.

He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers in 2000, but was released before training camp. He spent 2000 out of football before signing with Memphis.

Lenon made his NFL debut in 2002 with the Packers, where he played in all sixteen games and led the team with 22 special-teams tackles.

Tarvaris Jackson Talks Back To Williams, Says He Is Working Hard

On Wednesday, Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson responded to comments that Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams made during an interview with Alex Marvez on Sirius NFL Radio, in which Williams questioned Jackson’s work ethic.

During the interview, Williams said that Jackson could be a good quarterback if he puts in the time necessary.

“I talk to Tarvaris all the time and tell him you have to put in the time,” Williams said Tuesday. “This ain’t college no more. This is the NFL. You have to put in more time than you are used to putting in. If you are putting in four hours, you have to put in eight. You have to put in more time than what he’s doing. I think if he puts the right time in, he will be a great quarterback in the league.”

Jackson replied to the comment Wednesday at a community event, saying that he thought he had been working hard to prepare for the quarterback competition this summer between Sage Rosenfels and himself.

“If we’re friends we’re going to keep it between us,” Jackson said. “He’s an older guy, he wants to win. I guess he went through his times growing up and [you] have to figure it out yourself. My first year, I had to figure it out. Now, I’ve pretty much figured it out. I’m studying more.”

“I feel like I’m doing what I’ve got to do and that’s pretty much all I’ve got to say. I’ve put the time in, like he said, maybe I do have to put extra time in. I guess when you’re not doing as well you’ve got to put the extra time in. But I feel like I’m working hard. I’ve always been a hard worker.”

After all the criticism Jackson has received for his play the past couple of seasons, his work ethic has never been questioned by teammates or coaches.

The third-year quarterback was also asked if Williams had talked to him about anything specific he should be working on.

“No, not really,” Jackson said. “Defensive guys, it’s a lot different than the quarterback. You’ve got to do a lot more. You’ve got to be lifting weights, you’ve got to go on the field, you’ve got to watch the extra film and stuff like that. But I’m fine, I’m doing that, so I’m not really worried about that.”

Vikings defensive tackle Ray Edwards, who was also at the community event, thinks the starting job is Jackson’s to lose.

“I believe he’s the better quarterback,” Edwards said. “He’s proven himself in the league. Sage has proven himself also, but to me Tarvaris is the more mobile quarterback that can make plays happen.”

Jackson remained positive talking about his love of football and how improving can stop comments similar to Williams’.

”This is my life right now and I love my life,” he said. “I love my job and I’ve just got to go out here and try to get better. If I play better, I won’t have to answer all these questions all the time.”

Jackson will be busy this weekend competing against Rosenfels at a Vikings mandatory mini-camp. This session starts Friday and runs until Sunday.

10 Questions For Tennessee Titans’ WR Kenny Britt

Kenny Britt was the Tennessee Titans number one overall draft choice in the 2009 NFL Draft.

For years fans were crying out for the Titans to grab a top notch receiver. Now that they got one is he who we’ve been praying for. I’d have a couple of questions to ask him to find out for myself.

Mr. Britt, congratulations on your three great seasons and Rutgers and being drafted in the first round. I have a few questions if you don’t mind.

 

1. You were the go to guy on a team that wasn’t expected to win anything. What was your mentality going into each and every game?

I would be asking this question to see how he would handle it if the Titans had a bad season and were then ranked in the bottom of the power rankings.

 

2. What was it like when you realized you broke Larry Fitzgerald’s total yards record and tied his most 100 yard receiving games record?

This question is more of a confidence booster question. I would like to see the kind of ego he has or if he is modest about the accomplishments.

 

3. Where were you when you found out you would be a Tennessee Titan?

This is a lighthearted question. Just used to keep him comfortable and to give a little break to the reader.

 

4. Coming into OTAs what has been the hardest transition you had to make?

Maybe I can find out what he’s having trouble with or if he thinks he’s grasping everything perfectly.

 

5. Do you see yourself becoming the go to guy this team has been missing since the loss of Derrick Mason?

I like to know aspirations, because usually people with higher aspirations play better.

 

6. What goals have you set for yourself for the 2009 season?

Is Britt just trying to learn the system, or is he trying to make his mark on the NFL?

 

7. What sets you apart from the other receivers on this team?

Why does he think he deserves to be the go to guy?

 

8. You must have a flaw in your game, what would you like to improve on before the start of the season?

A lot of times players know what they need to work on even if the media doesn’t see it.

 

9. Where do you see yourself as an NFL player in five years?

Does he see himself as a 1000 yard probowl receiver?

 

10. How do you think the Titans do this season?

We’ll see where he sees the team he plays for. This is the most important question because it goes back to the number one question. Not to mention it tests his confidence in his team.

 

Thank you for your time Mr. Britt have a great day.

The Chicago Bears’ Coaching Staff Will Be Vital to the Team’s Success

It seems that the Chicago Bears will be testing an experiment this fall. And the experiment could have long-term implications for the future of the franchise. No, it’s not Devin Hester playing quarterback in a Wildcat offense. It’s more subtle than that.

Actually, the Bears will be running two experiments: one for the offense and another for the defense. The franchise will try to prove that they have they have the right players on defense but had the wrong defensive coaches and schemes last season. On offense, the team will prove that they had the right offensive coaching staff and schemes but lacked the proper players to execute the playbook.

A little bit of tweaking is all that’s necessary for the team to win the division and make the playoffs this season – and on an annual basis.

During the offseason, Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo added the offensive pieces needed to run Ron Turner’s entire playbook. When Angelo traded for Denver quarterback Jay Cutler, he brought in the Pro Bowl player the Bears stabilize the quarterback position. With a strong and accurate passing arm, the ability to scramble and lengthen plays, and the size and bulk to be durable, the former Denver quarterback has the potential to be the team’s leader for the next decade.

In Orlando Pace, Angelo brought in another player needed to stabilize the offense. A Super Bowl champion, seven-time pro bowl selection, and 10-year veteran, Pace will protect Cutler’s blindside and further anchor the Bears’ offensive line.

Olin Kreutz, a six-time pro-bowler and 11-year veteran, has been the only offensive player that started in every game for the last eight years.

Those players, combined with second-year running back Matt Forte, should give Turner have the talent to improve upon last season’s 23-point-per-game average and 296-yards-per-game average, according to NFL statistics.

The Bears offense was tied for 14th in points per game last season. The New Orleans Saints offense was first in scoring in the NFL, with nearly 29 points per game and 410-yards-per-game average last year.

Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith changed his entire defensive coaching staff in January. Smith fired defensive line coach Brick Haley, linebackers coach Lloyd Lee and defensive backs Coach Steve Wilks after the Bears defense fell to 21st overall and ranked near the bottom in overall pass defense in 2008.

For the 2009 season, Rod Marinelli will coach the defensive line. Jon Hoke will manage the defensive backs. Babich will return to handling the Bears linebackers. And Smith will develop the nickel back position and split defensive coordinator duties with Babich.

Smith and Marinelli will split head coaching responsibilities, Smith said.

In terms of defensive talent, Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo added a few lower-round draft choices and speculative free-agents. Angelo’s roster additions will need proper coaching to become valuable starters this fall. Third-round draft choice Jarron Gilbert, an athletic defensive lineman from San Jose State, and undersized corner back D.J. Moore, a fourth-round selection, are considered the main coaches’ projects in 2009.

With all the time spent analyzing players – the draft and free-agency – it’s time to consider the Bears coaches and what will be a hands-on approach for the 2009 season.

Consistency the Key for Playoff-Bound 49ers

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

Following the departure of head coach Mike Nolan in Week 8 of the 2008 regular season, the San Francisco 49ers finished the season 5-4 under interim head coach Mike Singletary, including wins in four out of their final five games.

The late surge was enough for 49ers owner Jed York to remove the interim tag from Singletary’s title and give the head coach full reign heading into a pivotal 2009 season.

Consistency, both in personnel and message, is an organizational trait that most NFL teams strive to reach, primarily because it translates into wins on the field.

But with  offensive coordinators rotating in and out of San Francisco for the past half decade, finding consistency on the offensive side of the ball has been an act of futility.

By shunning the big-name hires and continuing with the message Singletary sent to his players a season ago, York has taken a calculated risk in the name of consistency.

“These guys want to win, and they’re excited about winning,” Singletary told the NFL Network following the 2009 NFL Draft. “They’ve had a taste of it, they know they can win (and) they believe in each other. The tempo around here, the tone – we’re ready to go when it’s time to go.”

With the hire of new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, Singletary has shown a desire to return the focus of the offense back into the deserving hands of its most dangerous weapon, tailback Frank Gore.

In 2006, under Norv Turner, Gore was the NFL’s third leading rusher, and was also the Niners’ top receiver. Raye is a Tuner disciple and has made it clear that Gore will be the workhorse once again this season.

San Francisco added the services of former Pittsburgh tackle Marvell Smith to bookend the offensive line alongside Joe Staley, who has proven to be a top-line left tackle in just two seasons.

The addition of Michael Crabtree to a receiving corps guided by veteran Isaac Bruce and highlighted by vertical threats Josh Morgan and Jason Hill was a bit of a coup for the Niners, who had no idea the Texas Tech wideout would slip to the No. 10 pick.

With tight end Vernon Davis hungry to ascend to the upper echelon at his position, and the return of fullback Moran Norris, the biggest question mark remains at quarterback.

Former No. 1 pick Alex Smith took a pay cut this offseason to remain with San Francisco, a surprisingly selfless move that gives the Niners cap flexibility and the chance to head into training camp with a relatively even and good-natured quarterback controversy between Smith and the incumbent starter, Shaun Hill.

“I’m excited about it,” Hill told the NFL Network’s Michelle Beisner during minicamp. “Alex and I, we’ve both been in this situation before, we had to compete last year. We handled it well. Mainly we’re just excited, I know I’m excited about this team and what we have in front of us.”

The knock on Hill is his arm strength, as his passes often lack the zip that many of his NFL counterparts produce on a regular basis.

But Hill’s decision-making is his best asset in the pocket, and, time and time again, quarterbacks that can move the offense without making critical mistakes have proven to be winners in the NFL.

In eight starts a year ago, Hill completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,046 yards and turned in a solid 87.5 quarterback rating.

“I think (the quarterback competition) is going very well,” Singletary said. “Thankfully, we’ve got a great quarterback coach in Mike Johnson that’s really doing a good job of giving them the information they need as well as the technique.

“(Smith and Hill) are friends first. They go out there and compete every day. Once they get on the field, they’re getting after it. In a while we’re going to know which one of those guys is going to step forward.”

 

BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE

Taking a look at San Francisco’s 2009 schedule, I see the Niners turning in a 10-6 campaign, which should be enough to qualify for the postseason.

Here’s how I have things shaking out. Feel free to drop me a comment with how you see the 2009 season unfolding.

WEEK                    OPPONENT                         

1                          @ Arizona  (L)             

2                           Seattle  (W)                      

3                          @ Minnesota  (W)               

4                           St. Louis  (W)                    

5                           Atlanta  (W)                               

6                           BYE

7                           @ Houston  (W)                     

8                           @ Indianapolis  (L)              

9                            Tennessee  (L)                        

10                           Chicago  (W)                          

11                         @ Green Bay  (L)                    

12                           Jacksonville  (W)                     

13                         @ Seattle  (L)                        

14                           Arizona  (W)                            

15                         @ Philadelphia  (L)             

16                           Detroit  (W)                             

17                         @ St. Louis  (W)                    

 

 

Lovie Smith’s Defense: Coaching Tree Spreads Roots in Chicago

What is the difference between 5-3 and 7-1? For the Bears it was a little under seven minutes.

The Bears collapsed against Tampa Bay during the final six minutes in game three of the 2008 season, necessitating an overtime period that ultimately went to the Bucs.

Against Atlanta, a late 10-point comeback was spoiled by a slacking defense that gave Jason Elam a chance to do what he does best—connect from long distance to break opponents’ hearts.

Ask any Bears fan about those games and two harsh words will come from their lips: Bob Babich.

For right or wrong, Chicago’s defensive coordinator took the majority of the blame for those two games, missing the playoffs, and generally ruining Chicago’s strong defensive tradition.

The last part might be harsh, but the fear caused by the icy stares of frozen Chicago linebackers wasn’t there last season. Someone has to have their head on a pike for that.

 

Babich not (totally) to blame

Before taking Babich to the guillotine, it is important to remember that he helped build the recent incarnation of the defense into what it was.

No position is synonymous with Chicago more than linebacker, and as the linebacker coach, Babich has been an important part of shaping that group since 2004.

The hated coach helped turn Lance Briggs from just another third-round draft pick into a four-time Pro Bowl pick. He re-energized Brian Urlacher, who looked like he might never have another great season after his injury-plagued 2004 campaign. And, he has found a way to plug holes left by free agency and injuries.

Babich isn’t the anti-hero in the grand scheme of things. It is only when you compare his performance to that of Ron Rivera that the real disappointment happens.

Rivera was the golden child, but he shone too brightly for the Bears, and threatened to rock the chain of command. That is why he is gone.

Babich as a replacement hasn’t proved to be the right answer. As a result, Smith will be calling the plays even though Babich still has the coordinator title.

Smith lost confidence in his protégé, who coached under him with St. Louis before coming over to the Bears, because of last season’s repeated failures.

 

Long line of defensive minds

It isn’t like this defense to fail, at least not when you consider where it comes from.

Babich studied under Lovie Smith. Smith learned his craft from Tony Dungy, the architect of the Tampa-2 version of the Cover-2 defense. Dungy was tutored by Monte Kiffin, Chuck Noll, and Dennis Green.

Failing, when these guys have taught you everything they know, is a slap in the face to the history of defensive football.

That is why Smith is so adamant that the defense return to form this season.

“I don’t think anything will change as far as our philosophy on winning football games,” Smith said earlier this preseason. “We have to be able to play great defense; not good defense, great defense. And we plan on doing that.”

To assist with that plan, former Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli was brought on board.

 

Lions loss is Bears gain

Despite the snickers that came with that announcement following Marinelli’s disaster of a season in the Motor City, the hiring is a solid win for the Bears.

Marinelli expands the Dungy brain trust in Chicago, having spent six seasons as the defensive line coach under him.

Plus Marinelli is going to bring back the pass rush, an area where Chicago stumbled last season, recording only 28 sacks, and worse, forcing only 10 fumbles.

Stripping only 10 balls from the opponents is a far cry from the 20 that led them to the Super Bowl in 2006.

While the Lions were not a success under Marinelli, the coach will bring a new attitude to the front line, which will help ease some of the pressure the rest of the defense felt trying to cover for the lack of a rush.

After all, this the man that helped Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice become stars in Tampa. Without Marinelli, both players have struggled to have the same success that they had with him as their coach.

It just remains to be seen what he can do with the Bears’ crop of young pass rushers.

As when Smith arrived in Chicago five years ago, there will be doubts that a change of faces will help to improve things, especially given the recent history of those mugs.

But Smith proved that he knew what he was doing before. With the hiring of Marinelli and the change in Babich’s role, the head coach is taking a chance, hoping that he can turn the strength of the team around.

And maybe he will make his mentors proud in the process.

10 Questions for San Francisco 49ers’ Quarterback Alex Smith

After a well deserved vacation, I am back with some potential great news.

As of a few days ago, I am in contact with Alex Smith’s wife—Elizabeth Smith—to negotiate an actual interview day with him.

A good friend of mine from my university—Jennifer Nguyen—happens to be Elizabeth Smith’s former Raiderette teammate.

I owe the Oakland Raiders big time for this one!

Anyways, the following slides are the questions I have ready to ask the former 2005 No. 1 overall pick.

Atlanta Falcons: Back-to-Back Winning Seasons? Vegas Doesn’t Think So

It’s never happened before, so what makes anyone certain it will happen this season?

And in the eyes of the oddsmakers out in Las Vegas, it just won’t happen yet again. The over/under for Atlanta Falcons wins was placed at eight by Vegas, holding true to Atlanta tradition of not having consecutive winning seasons.

The schedule is daunting and history is against the Falcons. But I think the Falcons have enough talent to win more than eight games this season.

Earlier, I wrote that Atlanta will go 11-5 in my NFC South preview—and I’ll stick by it (even though that may be a little bias seeping through, 10-6 or 9-7 is a lot more probable).

Around Atlanta, expectations have been raised a litle and everyone is expecting a winning season. But what else can we expect from the Falcons this year?

Here’s a list of different statistics and numbers I set a personal over/under to. Feel free to post your predictions in the comments section.

2009 Colts: Stumbling Out of the Gates

The Colts are undergoing the biggest coaching staff shake-up the team has faced in a decade.

The impact of these changes is Indy’s biggest question mark entering a season which otherwise would be met with a great deal of optimism.

If it wasn’t enough that the Colts were entering a season with a new head coach, defensive coordinator, and special teams coordinator, NFL pension changes have led two long-time Colts coaches to retire, Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore and Offensive Line Coach Howard Mudd.

A loophole in NFL pension and contract rules has allowed retiring coaches to accept their full pension in one lump sum, only to return to the team as paid consultants. 

Questions about the role played by a “paid consultant” are now front-and-center in the ongoing uncertainty about Moore and Mudd’s future with the team.

It is understandable and, to a degree, acceptable that Colts fans would be in the dark on some of the NFL’s small-print rules and regulations. What is disconcerting is that a team in transition would be further burdened with a breakdown in communication in-house.

Peyton Manning is not known for making negative public statements about the Colts franchise or front-office.  To the contrary, Manning is the face of the franchise and is often very careful to present a unified front to media and fans on the condition of his team.

All the more reason to be concerned when Manning refers to confusion about Moore and Mudd’s future roles with the team by saying:

“It’s not a situation that I’m just thrilled about. I think the communication has been pretty poor, in my opinion … I’m not sure everybody’s on the same page in this building.”

Colts President Bill Polian responded to Manning’s public remarks explaining the reason for the lack of in-house communication when he said:

“We’re confused, too. The people that are supposed to have answers still don’t have answers. Whether we can bring them back, when we can bring them back, remains to be seen.”

Even if the Colts brass is unsure about Moore and Mudd’s future, there is no excuse for players heading into summer training activities to not be given the most up-to-date information regarding who, or in what capacity their coaches will be leading them in the coming season.

Someone in the front office dropped the ball by not at least assuring players that the issue was in-hand and that any new information will be brought to their attention as soon as it can be confirmed. Instead, the Colts front office appears disjointed, chaotic, and in complete disarray.

Head Coach Jim Caldwell is facing his first major road bump.

It would be relatively easy for Colts fans to have confidence in their team’s new leader if he was handed the reins to his new team free of conflict or controversy.

In the face of this summer’s coaching shake-up and on-going uncertainty, Caldwell will be presented with his first opportunity to show that he is really ready to take on his new responsibility.

No horse race is won right out of the gate.  Accordingly, Colts fans nor players should go into a state of panic just yet.

It will be up to Caldwell to bring his team together, solidify his coaching staff, and alleviate the concerns of his players. Only then will the Colts be able to hit their stride.

Baltimore, Pittsburgh expected to battle for AFC North… Again

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

Once again, the Ravens find themselves eagerly anticipating the start of a new season.  And once again, they expect to be battling their hated rivals from Pittsburgh for AFC North supremacy.

 

With the exception of 2005, when the Cincinnati Bengals briefly resembled a respectable franchise before imploding and returning to mediocrity, either the Ravens or the Steelers have won every division title up for grabs since the league realigned in 2002. 

 

2009 should be no different.

 

With both squads coming off impressive seasons–the Steelers having won the Super Bowl after defeating the Ravens in the AFC title game–and Cincinnati and Cleveland expected to be their usual lackluster selves, it’s a safe bet that either Baltimore or Pittsburgh will be standing atop the AFC North yet again when the final regular season game is played.  The big question, as usual, is which team?

 

The Ravens have always had the kind of tough, aggressive, stingy defense needed to be a division champion.  It’s their offense that has routinely been the question mark and, by extension, the ultimate decider of their fate. 

 

In 2003 the Ravens rode running back Jamal Lewis and his 2,066 rushing yards to their first division title.  Three years later, it was quarterback Steve McNair’s leadership and late-game heroics that propelled the team to a 13-3 record and its second AFC North crown.

 

Despite saying goodbye to linebacker Bart Scott, defensive back Chris McAllister, and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, the Ravens still expect to field a formidable defense in 2009 behind Ray Lewis and company.  But if the team is going to contend for a third division title, it will need a similar breakout performance by someone on the offensive side of the ball.

 

The leading candidate to fill that role is Joe Flacco. The second-year quarterback showed glimpses of his potential last season as a rookie, starting every game and throwing for 2,971 yards and 14 touchdowns while leading the Ravens to a pair of playoff wins.

 

More importantly, he commanded the huddle and showed remarkable poise in the pocket, his confidence growing with every game.  Despite working with a game plan that was simplified to minimize risk, Flacco regularly marched the Ravens down the field and into the end zone. 

 

In situations where the Ravens traditionally settled for field goals, they were now scoring touchdowns.  As a result, the team went 9-2 down the stretch, averaging 32 points per victory. 

 

With a full year under his belt, it’s not unreasonable to expect Flacco to be even better in 2009 as the coaching staff opens up the playbook.  All of his weapons return, including wide receiver Derrick Mason, who led the team in receiving yards (1,066) and touchdown receptions (5).

 

The three-headed monster at running back returns as well, with fullback Le’Ron McClain (902 yards rushing, 10 TDs) once again teaming with Willis McGahee (671, 7 TDs) and Ray Rice (454 yards) in an effort to keep defenses honest.  All of which bodes well for the Ravens in 2009.

 

So what’s in the way of the Ravens’ plans for a third division title?  You can start by looking 250 miles to the west. 

 

The Steelers are the defending Super Bowl champions, after all, and return nearly everyone from that team.  The Ravens were 0-3 against Pittsburgh last year, and must figure out a way to beat them if they want to prevent an AFC North three-peat.

 

The Steelers aren’t the only problem, though.  While predicting the toughness of future opponents in May is risky business, it’s fair to say that road games against San Diego, New England and Green Bay won’t exactly be walks in the park.  Home dates versus Indianapolis and Chicago should also prove challenging, to say the least. 

 

How well the offensive line protects Flacco will go a long way towards determining the Ravens’ success in 2009.  Gone is center Jason Brown, 26, allowed to walk as a free agent just as he was entering the prime of his career. 

 

In his place is 12-year veteran Matt Birk, signed away from Minnesota.  The rest of the line remains in tact, and if second-year left tackle Jared Gaither makes the kind of strides the Ravens are hoping for, Flacco should have plenty of time to throw.  If not, then it could be another Pittsburgh nightmare for Baltimore.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010