Baltimore Ravens: Final Preseason Game, Final Chances

Originally published at WNST.net

The Charm City is abuzz over the Ravens’ preseason finale with the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night.

With a victory in the Georgia Dome, the Ravens would complete a perfect 4-0 preseason and immediately stamp their ticket for Miami in early February.  After all, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens went 4-0 in the preseason and eventually raised the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa. 

The stars are already aligning in the Ravens’ favor, right?

Alright, you caught me.  I can already hear the groans and see the collective rolling of eyes.

Yes, the Detroit Lions finished a 4-0 preseason a year ago and went on to complete a perfect—or imperfect—0-16 season.

And, on the surface, watching the fourth—and final—preseason game sounds about as appealing as attending an Orioles-Yankees game at Camden Yards in early September.

No one will remember the winner or the final score beyond the weekend, but if you look deeper and from a different perspective, you’ll find an otherwise hollow exhibition filled with consequence and meaning for both the Baltimore Ravens and a number of individuals struggling to secure a job in one of the most cut-throat businesses in the entire world.

For those focused solely on the team and its chances to improve upon a successful 2008 campaign that ended just minutes shy of the Super Bowl, Thursday night marks the last chance to evaluate potential contributors to the 2009 roster.

It will be the final exam for the kicking battle between Steve Hauschka and rookie Graham Gano.  Though Hauschka owns the clear advantage, both kickers have wilted at different points in the preseason, causing fans to daydream—and some to even pray—about the potential return of Matt Stover.

For these two—and special teams coach Jerry Rosburg—Thursday is a high-stakes playoff game. 

And as much as we quip over the labeling of a kicker as a “true” football player, his leg can make or break an entire season.

Just ask Al Del Greco or Scott Norwood.

Others may not be engaged in a marquee battle, but the competition is just as intense.

Many players fighting for few precious spots may seem relatively anonymous now, but the strong likelihood of at least one or two of these unknowns becoming the center of attention—good or bad—at some point during the season cannot be overlooked.

It was only last year that Jameel McClain was an undrafted rookie linebacker from Syracuse clawing for a job on the 53-man roster going into the final preseason game.  And after a couple of safeties and key special teams contributions as a rookie, he is now only an injury away from starting at inside linebacker for one of the best defenses in the NFL.

And who can honestly say they knew who Anthony Mitchell was before he snatched a blocked field goal attempt out of the air and galloped 90 yards for the game-winning touchdown against Tennessee in January 2001? 

Mitchell spent almost two full seasons in anonymity before his shining moment.

In all likelihood, one of these fringe players flying beneath the radar will swing the momentum in the Ravens’ favor (Mitchell) or crush a golden opportunity (Daren Stone in Pittsburgh, anyone?) at some point this season.  Who will it be?

And shifting the focus away from the actual football team and the lucrative money involved in professional football, we have a group of young men trying to fulfill a lifelong dream.  Sure, they’ve made a little money in the month of August, but it’s a far cry from the signing bonus inked by Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs in July.

For many of these players, Thursday night is the final opportunity to wear a Ravens uniform and to show enough skill to remain in Baltimore or garner the attention of one of the other 31 NFL teams.

Some will catch on elsewhere, whether in the NFL, UFL, or Canada.  But for others, Thursday will mark the end of a boyhood dream, and it will be time to move on to the next phase of their lives—away from the football field.

Whether you’re an average laborer or a world-class athlete, it stings to hear that you’re not good enough or that your services are no longer needed.  And that’s the exact message coach John Harbaugh will have to deliver to many players over the weekend.

As much as we try to remove the human element from the multimillion-dollar business of professional sports and sometimes treat athletes like emotionless machines, these guys have dreams that will ultimately fall short.  And in that sense, Thursday night will bring some sadness.

So if you’re grasping for any reason to stay tuned to a meaningless preseason finale on a work night, root for these fringe players—and yes, they ARE Ravens, even if not for much longer—fighting for their football lives and trying to hold onto a dream very similar to the one you or I may have had as a kid.  Most of them are good guys, humble and hard workers who are just starving for the chance to play in the NFL.

A few will fulfill that dream Thursday night while others will have to wonder what comes next in their lives.

A meaningless game?

Only on the surface.

Luke Jones is a Ravens correspondent for WNST.net.  You can read his blog here.

Willis McGahee Leaves Murky Picture for Baltimore Ravens’ Running Game

Originally published at WNST.net

As Willis McGahee laid on the field following a violent hit from Steelers cornerback Ryan Clark late in the AFC Championship game, it was the culmination of a bitterly disappointing season for the Ravens running back.  McGahee would prove to be okay, but his future with the Ravens beyond this season is up in the air.

After rushing for 1,207 yards and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2007—his first season with the Ravens—McGahee reported to training camp out of shape and was slow to learn Cam Cameron’s offensive system last season.

It was quite apparent that McGahee was in John Harbaugh’s doghouse and remained there for much of the season, as Le’Ron McClain became the primary option in the running game with Ray Rice getting a large number of carries as well.

It didn’t help that McGahee dealt with several nagging injuries throughout the season, including knee, eye, and ankle problems, as he finished with a career-low 671 yards.

In fact, McGahee had virtually disappeared from the offensive game plan before rushing for a 77-yard touchdown against Dallas in Week 16 and later scoring two touchdowns in the conference championship game before the violent collision.

Conventional wisdom would tell you he would come back determined to regain his No. 1 status in the Ravens’ offense after a disappointing season and the violent hit that landed him in the hospital, right?

After undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, McGahee had been present at OTAs but skipped last week’s “voluntary” workouts.  When he resurfaced at this week’s minicamp, Rice was working with the first team while McGahee ran with the second unit.

So, where does McGahee stand in the Ravens’ plans less than two months from the start of training camp?  It’s anyone’s guess, but the only thing he’s regained at this point is his familiar spot in the doghouse.

“I don’t know,” Harbaugh told reporters earlier this week. “I have no idea where he’s at. It’s the first day he’s been here in a week and a half. I can’t gauge it.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

The only thing to expect from McGahee is unreliability.  Despite the Ravens making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid backs after signing him to a seven-year contract (the last two being option years) worth up to $40.2 million in 2007, the running back continues to show a lack of commitment in the offseason, one of the biggest knocks against him in Buffalo.

It’s not that McGahee doesn’t work hard during the season or is a bad teammate, but it’s clear he lacks the same dedication of his fellow Hurricanes Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, workout warriors throughout the calendar year.

Even in his Pro Bowl season with the Ravens in 2007, his conditioning was a huge question mark, especially in the early stages of the season.

Those hoping to see a revitalized McGahee in 2009 are only going to be disappointed.  If he didn’t learn his lesson after last season—not to mention the horrific knee injury he suffered at the University of Miami in January 2003—he never will.

McGahee has the tools to be one of the best backs in the league and is still only 27 years old, but he doesn’t seem willing to put forth the work needed to be an elite runner.

Take him for what he is and nothing more:  a good—but could be great—running back with loads of talent—and not worth the generous contract the Ravens gave him. 

In fact, if not for the $11.25 million hit that would have been charged against the salary cap, the Ravens could have explored trading McGahee to Arizona—who needed a running back—for receiver Anquan Boldin.

McGahee would easily be the primary option in the running game if he were in optimum condition, but instead, the Ravens are left with plenty of options in the backfield and no clear picture.

The Ravens appear committed to moving McClain back to fullback fulltime, especially after choosing not to re-sign veteran Lorenzo Neal (now with the Raiders).  Rice would be the next in line, but given his small stature, durability is the biggest concern with the second-year tailback.

Sixth-round pick Cedric Peerman is a promising back, but he will most likely be little more than a special teams contributor initially.

At this point, the “three-headed monster” appears to be a good bet to resurface in Baltimore this season, and it’s hard to argue with last season’s performance. 

The combination of McClain, McGahee, and Rice provided quarterback Joe Flacco with the run-heavy offense needed in his first season.  It kept the pressure off the rookie and allowed him to grow into the offense.

The Ravens hope Flacco can open up the passing game in his second year, but there’s little doubt the offense will continue to be focused around the running game, as it should.

However, it would be nice to see where a fully-dedicated McGahee could take the running game—and the entire offense.  But then again, it’s the same statement uttered about McGahee numerous times since he entered the NFL.

Loads of talent, but much of it left untapped.

Luke Jones is a blogger for WNST.net.  Click here to read his blog.

Dawan Landry: Dropping Back with the Baltimore Ravens Safety

Here are the questions I’d ask Ravens safety Dawan Landry:

1. How does it feel to finally be back on the field for minicamp after everything you went through last season?

2. Describe your offseason workout regimen.  For the average fan that doesn’t really understand what it means to be an NFL player 12 months out of the year, what are the keys to being successful?

3. Take us back to Week Three against Cleveland when you sustained a spinal cord concussion.  What went through your mind as you lay on the field at M&T Bank Stadium?

4. How frustrating was it to see the success the team had last season, knowing you could not be a part of it physically?

5. Jim Leonhard, your replacement after the injury, played very well in your absence.  Many even suggested the Ravens should have re-signed him before he ultimately joined Rex Ryan in New York.  How anxious are you to make fans forget Leonhard and to regain your status as a force beside Ed Reed in the Baltimore secondary?

6. You were originally recruited to play quarterback at Georgia Tech before switching to safety.  How does your past experience at the quarterback position help you in the secondary?

7. Your younger brother and Redskins safety, LaRon Landry, was a first-round pick in the 2007 draft, a year after you were selected in the fifth round by the Ravens.  Describe the relationship you have with your brother, and what kind of rivalry the two of you have when it comes to football.

8. How will the transition be from Rex Ryan to new coordinator Greg Mattison leading the Baltimore defense?  What changes will we see, if any?

9. You play beside arguably one of the greatest safeties in the history of the game in Ed Reed.  Describe your relationship with him and how he’s helped your career.

10. What are the keys for the Ravens’ defense to continue the same success it has had since you’ve been here?

11. What has been your biggest motivation recovering from the neck injury and offseason surgery?

12. Who have been the most influential people in getting you where you are today?

13. How do you envision the 2009 season going for you and the Baltimore Ravens?

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