By Ryan Glab 

When the Bears take the field in Toronto on Nov. 7, they will have had two weeks to prepare and form a game plan for the worst team in football in the Buffalo Bills. They’ll face a team that has given up an average of 33 points per game, worst in the NFL. They’ll have the opportunity to run the ball against the worst run defense in the league and, yes, a defense that has three fewer sacks than the Bears have recorded.

But the Bears find themselves in a precarious, no-win situation against Buffalo. Lose to the winless Bills, and the doors at Halas Hall will be stormed by an angry mob of Bears fans. Win, and nothing has really been solved.

We’ve seen this scenario before, in Week 5 against the Panthers. Carolina had one of the worst run defenses in the league and the Bears ran the ball more than 40 times to the tune of 218 yards. What did offensive coordinator Mike Martz say this week? He was going to try to get Matt Forte and Chester Taylor more involved in the game plan, sometimes including them in the backfield at the same time.

It’s conceivable that the Bears will churn out better than 150 yards on the ground this week against Buffalo, but does that mean that Martz has changed his ways and will continue running the ball regularly for the rest of the season? Not likely. He’ll go right back to passing the ball the following week against Minnesota.

Should the Bears happen to beat a team they’re supposed to beat, I’m not so sure any of us would feel like they accomplished much. Ultimately, the only thing that matters is another win in the standings, but the Bears face some tough opponents in the second half of their season and I’d feel much more comfortable if I knew that the Bears could protect Jay Cutler better than they did in the first half of the year. One way to do that, which would also make me feel better, is if they ran the ball more or at least got the ball out of Cutler’s hands before a big, angry defensive lineman flattens him on the turf.

Despite the fact the Bills took the Baltimore Ravens, one of the best teams in football, into overtime last week, they’re still a bad football team. All it means is that the Bears are capable of becoming the first victim of a team that has a legitimate shot at going 0-16. But with two weeks to prepare, I’d have a hard time believing that Martz couldn’t devise a plan to pick apart the Bills.

Then again, if they do just that, do we really know if the Bears have solved any problems during their bye week?

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Bears offense vs. Bills defense

The Bears offense has been an utter disappointment in the past two games, both losses at home. The offensive line has allowed Jay Cutler to get sacked 10 times and they’ve turned the ball over six times. What’s worse is that they’ve rushed the ball just 30 times for 127 yards. If they did that in one game alone for a 4.2 average, I’d say that was a good game plan. But Cutler attempted 39.5 passes per game and the Bears lost both games by only a field goal. What’s more discouraging is that neither game was ever out of reach, as out of the eight quarters they played, only half of one were they ever trailing by more than a touchdown. After being neglected for a few games prior to their two-game losing streak, Johnny Knox has come on as of late catching 11 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown against Seattle and Washington. His success led to Cutler targeting him too many times against Washington because three of Cutler’s four interceptions were intended for Knox. Earl Bennett had quietly amassed 7 receptions for 131 yards the past two weeks. I’d like to see the Bears target him more when passing. Against Buffalo, however, I’d like to see more running than passing. The Bills have the No. 6 pass defense but the league’s worst run defense. They are allowing 188.7 rushing yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry. The heart of the Bills defense lies in the secondary. Safety Donte Whitner leads the team with 65 tackles. Cornerback Leodis McKelvin is ranked third on the list. The Bills operate out of a 3-4 defense with ends Marcus Stroud and Dwan Edwards and tackle Kyle Williams. Their linebackers are suspect, hence the chance they took on acquiring Shawne Merriman after he was waived by the Chargers. Inside linebacker Andra Davis is out with a shoulder injury. Akin Ayodele should fill his place and is joined by outside linebackers Reggie Torbor and Chris Kelsay. Inside linebacker Paul Posluszny is second on the team in tackles. I have a hard time believing that, despite Mike Martz’s stubborn nature, the collective minds at Halas Hall will neglect the opportunity to run the ball and exploit the Bills’ biggest weakness. I imagine this game will be much like the Carolina game, only that the Bears will have Cutler under center to make a few plays and complete more than six passes, instead of the woeful Todd Collins.

Advantage: Bears

Bears defense vs. Bills offense

The wild card in this game is the Bills’ offense. In their last two games following their Week 6 bye, the Bills have taken two pretty good teams — the Ravens and Chiefs — into overtime. They lost both games by late field goals, but they proved that despite their winless record, they’re not too far from winning their first game. Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, he of the Harvard education, completed 53 of 91 passes for 605 yards, 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in those two losses. We know the weakness of the Bears’ defense is their pass defense, so the success of the Bills offense will rest on Fitzpatrick’s shoulder. The Bills also run the ball fairly well as they rank 13th in that department led by Fred Jackson and rookie C.J. Spiller. Both backs average over four yards per carry. Despite early skepticism, the Bears’ run defense still ranks in the Top 5 and they should be able to contain the Bills’ ground game, especially if Lance Briggs’ ankle has healed sufficiently during the bye week. The best opportunity for the Bears to win this game on the defensive side of the ball rests up front in the battle along the line of scrimmage. The Bills had four offensive linemen show up on the injury report, although three of them are listed as probable. Still, they’re banged up, particularly their tackles, and it provides a golden opportunity for Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije to get after Fitzpatrick and try to force a turnover. Fitzpatrick is not particularly careless with the ball. He’s thrown just five interceptions and has fumbled twice. For the Bears, they bye week came at a perfect time as they needed to rest some injuries. Briggs, of course, had to leave the Redskins game in the first quarter after his ankle failed to hold up. After two weeks of rest, he should be ready to go. Rookie safety Major Wright should also see his first action of the season after missing the last five games with a hamstring injury. He’ll provide good depth in the secondary where Danieal Manning and Chris Harris have been playing fairly well.

Advantage: Bears

Special Teams

Special teams should be an intriguing part of this game as both teams possess a pair of good kick returners. The Bears’ Danieal Manning is arguably the best kick returner in the league and he’s averaging 25.5 yards per return. The Bills’ Spiller is a notch below him with a 25.4 average and has also returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown this year. Devin Hester has returned to prominence returning punts. He leads the league — among those who have returned at least 10 punts — with a 16.7-yard average and has scored two touchdowns. His fellow University of Miami alum, Roscoe Parrish, has returned 11 punts for 125 yards for an 11.4-yard average. He, too, is a dynamic returner who can take it to the house if given a small crease. Buffalo punter Brian Moorman is like the Bears’ Brad Maynard in that they’ve both had long, successful careers and now their legs are wearing down. Moorman, however, is not quite the directional punter that Maynard is, but he does have a higher average than Maynard, by about 6 yards per punt. Robbie Gould has converted more field goals, and at a higher percentage, than his kicking counterpart, Rian Lindell. Both teams have good coverage units.

Advantage: Bears

Intangibles

Lovie Smith’s teams have been average in the games following their bye week. But if ever there was a reason to feel good about their chances of success, this is the year and this is the opponent. Sure, the fact that the Bills took two of the AFC’s top teams into overtime — on the road — in back-to-back weeks is a reason to give you pause. But that’s simply the sign of a bad team that doesn’t give up easily. If the Bears play a full 60 minutes, they don’t have much to worry about. If they run the ball more and control the clock and if they protect the football and get more takeaways than the Bills do, everything else will take care of itself. There were rumors this week that the Rogers Centre in Toronto was having trouble selling tickets to this game. Although the Bills don’t play too far from Toronto, they’re still a winless, out-of-town (and out-of-country) team, so I can understand why the tickets are ice cold. That, paired with the fact that Bears fans always travel well, ought to make this a comfortable away game for the Bears. The stadium features a retractable roof, so the Bears don’t have to worry about elements. Prior to this year’s baseball season, the stadium installed a newer version of AstroTurf, which is less like the original, cement-like version and more like the softer Field Turf. Regardless, the fact that it’s not grass ought to be an advantage for the Bears, who rely on their speed on both sides of the ball. After seven weeks, this much we know about the Bears: they’re a talented football team with glaring holes at certain positions. We also know that they have a lot more coaching experience now than at any other point in Smith’s tenure with the organization. And as such, I have a hard time believing that with two weeks to prepare for arguably the worst team in football, that the Bears don’t walk away Sunday with a win and a 5-3 record.

Advantage: Bears

Final Score: Chicago 24, Buffalo 13

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By Ryan Glab 

A look at four keys for the Bears to beat this week’s opponent.

1. Run the football; then run some more

It may be difficult or even improbable for Mike Martz to resist the temptation to pass the ball and instead focus on the run, but it’s not impossible. The Bears did run the ball 40 times with Matt Forte and Chester Taylor in a 23-6 Week 5 victory over the Carolina Panthers. Sure, Jay Cutler sat out of that game after suffering a concussion the previous week against the Giants, but running shouldn’t be a necessity based on who is quarterbacking. It should be used to attack a defense just as much as protecting the football. The Buffalo Bills have the worst run defense in the NFL after eight weeks. They’re allowing 188.7 yards per game on the ground and 5.0 yards per carry. It’s imperative that the Bears do not waste this opportunity to get their two running backs involved. Plus, it’s getting repetitive saying this, but the more the Bears run the football the less punishment Jay Cutler will take.

2. Take care of the football

The Bears turned the ball over six times against the Washington Redskins two weeks ago thanks to four Cutler interceptions and Cutler and Forte fumbles. They only lost the game by a field goal, so imagine what even one less turnover could have done for their prospects of winning the game. Generally, a team isn’t going to win a game by giving away the ball that many times, though. Credit the defense for playing a heck of a game, keeping the score close, and generating three turnovers of their own. Three takeaways in a game is the goal of Lovie Smith’s defense, but when your offense gives the ball away twice as many times, it’s pointless. The Bills have tossed seven interceptions and have a minus-5 turnover ratio, so they’re more than capable of giving away the ball. Why should the offense make the defense’s job that much more difficult by giving away the ball?

3. Play a full 60 minutes

The Bears will need a complete effort against Buffalo this week for two reasons. First, they’re just not good enough to win games on the strength of one or two good quarters. Second, the Bills have lost in overtime in back-to-back weeks to two of the better teams in the AFC, the Ravens and Chiefs. They’re aching to pick up their first victory of the season and they’ll fight to the last minute to get over that hump. As far as the Bears are concerned, no lead should be considered safe, if they get a lead at all. 

4. Keep the football on the other end of the field

To maximize their opportunities to score and Brad Maynard’s effectiveness, the Bears need to operate from at least midfield for most of the game. We’ve seen a decline in the distance of Maynard’s punts over the last couple seasons as his tired, old leg continues to age. He currently has an average distance of 38.4 yards per kick, ranking him No. 34 in the league. Yes, there are still only 32 teams in the league, which means two backup punters have surpassed him. What this amounts to is that if the Bears offense is backed up deep in its own end of the field and then has to punt, it’ll be almost impossible to turn around the field position. You’d almost rather the defense allow the opponent to kick a field goal so that Danieal Manning and the kickoff return team can re-establish field position. This adds further emphasis on the offense taking care of the football so as not to give the opponent good field position on a turnover and it also means that the defense can’t give up long drives.

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By Ryan Glab

 

Bears offense vs. Giants defense

The Bears’ offense is ranked No. 11 in the league with 349 yards per game and ranks 13th in points scored with a 22-point average. When they score, they score quickly because their time of possession is ninth lowest in the league. It’s because of this quick-strike attack and the creative game planning and play calling of Mike Martz that I like the Bears in this particular matchup. The Bears have the opportunity to put up points in this game because the Giants are giving up 28.3 points per game on defense. That’s the third-highest total in the NFL. Jay Cutler and the passing attack will be tested because the Giants have the fourth-ranked passing defense, allowing just 169.3 yards per game through the air. This should be one of those games where Matt Forte and Chester Taylor can find some running room because the Giants have permitted a whopping 136.7 rushing yards per game. The Giants received some bad news on Friday that defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, who is second in the league with 4 sacks, will not play this week because of a bulging disc. Osi Umenyiora, another defensive end, missed practice on Friday with a knee injury and he is questionable for the game. The Bears will still have to contend with end Justin Tuck and tackles Chris Canty and Barry Cofield, two large players that clog the middle. The Giants have a good pair of safeties in Antrel Rolle — from Arizona, whom the Bears were considering signing this offseason before adding Julius Peppers — and Kenny Phillips, a hard-hitting safety from the University of Miami who missed time last year but was second on the team in tackles in his rookie season in 2008. Cornerback Terrell Thomas had five interceptions last year and has one so far this season. He also has forced one fumble this year. This game features an interesting dynamic. Immediately upon the conclusion of last season, after Ron Turner was fired and Lovie Smith stepped down as the de facto defensive coordinator, the rumored front runner for the offensive coordinator job was Martz, under whom Smith worked as defensive coordinator in St. Louis, and the front runner for the defensive coordinator position was Perry Fewell, who was Bears defensive backs coach in 2005. Martz was the last man interviewed for the OC job and Fewell ultimately chose the Giants over the Bears. Now, these two men will face each other on Sunday night and I like Martz’s chances.

Advantage: Bears

Bears defense vs. Giants offense

Opponents have rushed an average of just 18.7 times per game against the Bears’ defense, second-fewest in the league. The Bears also have the No. 1 run defense in the league, allowing just 39.7 yards per game. So, which one is the cause and which one is the effect? Are teams rushing less against the Bears because their run defense is so stout? Or is the Bears’ run defense so good because they’re not facing many carries? It depends on your outlook, but I personally think it’s more the former than the latter. With the high level at which linebackers Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, and Pisa Tinoisamoa are playing, teams aren’t finding much running room and are abandoning the run. However, I’m going to throw a third factor into the discussion. I feel the No. 1 reason why teams haven’t attempted to run the ball as much against the Bears is because their pass defense is so easy to dissect. The Bears have allowed 279.3 yards per game through the air, fifth-most in the league. The Bears are running more Cover 2 this year because of the addition of Peppers and want to generate pressure from their front four. Unfortunately, they’re not doing much of that as they’re tied for last in the league with just two sacks. Ultimately, the most important defensive statistic is scoring, and the Bears rank No. 10 while allowing 17 points per game. Eli Manning will pose some problems for the Bears unless they can rattle his cage. He’s ninth in the league in passing with 270 yards per game and has thrown five touchdowns through three games. When he is pressured, though, he is prone to making mistakes. He is currently tied with Brett Favre for the league lead in interceptions with six. He’s been sacked seven times — sixth most in the league — and he has a modest 81.7 quarterback rating, which ranks him No. 18 in that department. Manning has some good targets in the passing game in wide receivers Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks. Each receiver leads the team in a particular receiving category: Smith in receptions (18), Manningham in yards (238), and Nicks in touchdowns (4). Smith and Manningham can stretch the field and Nicks is a huge target that could give the Bears problems in the red zone. Perhaps the No. 1 threat the Bears will have to contend with is running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw is sixth in the league with 253 rushing yards and averages 4.9 yards per carry. He’s built compactly at 5-9 and 198 pounds and is tough to bring down. He’ll surely test the Bears tackling ability. Bradshaw has also fumbled twice, so there’s the opportunity for turnovers. Considering the Bears’ No. 1 run defense and their defense that thrives on turnovers — I’m looking at you, Eli — I like the Bears in this matchup. The Giants do not have a good kick/punt returner as Darius Reynaud ranks 36th in punt return average and 50th in kick return average. Big advantage for the Bears.

Advantage: Bears

Special Teams

Welcome back, Windy City Flyer. Don’t worry, Hester, when everybody else doubted you, I knew you were still the best man for the job and still one of the most dangerous return men in the NFL. This week, Giants coach Tom Coughlin announced that they would not be kicking to Hester and he had informed his punter to kick it out of bounds if necessary. Whether he’s telling the truth or just putting up a smokescreen doesn’t really matter. What it means is the “Hester Effect” is alive and well and the Bears’ offense ought to be starting with good field position all game, barring a turnover in their territory. Now, with a quarterback as good as Cutler and an offense that is capable of putting points on the board, teams will have to pick their poison and it starts with the Giants. Robbie Gould missed his first field goal of the season last week, a 49-yarder, but still ranks sixth with six field goals made. His counterpart, Lawrence Tynes, has converted just 2 of 4 field goals this year, ranking him second-to-last in the league. Brad Maynard has a 9.1-yard difference between his average and net average, a clear indictment of his coverage team. His specialty, though, is pinning opponents deep with directional punting and he’s sixth in the league with six punts downed inside the 20. His counterpart, rookie Matt Dodge, has just one punt downed inside the 20. He has a 33-yard net average, which ranks him No. 26. A rookie punter playing under the lights in prime time while staring down one of the greatest kick returners of all time could lead to a poor performance and a maybe a big night for Hester — that is, unless he follows his coach’s advice and kicks it directly out of bounds.

Advantage: Bears

Intangibles

I’ve heard a lot of fear this week from Bears fans about facing the “big bad Giants” but as cautious as I try to be, I don’t see where the Giants can exploit the Bears for a victory. The numbers just don’t add up. We know the Giants will be able to move the ball through the air because almost all teams can do that against the Bears. Zone defense, specifically the Cover 2, prevents the big play but gives underneath patterns a nice cushion. So, opponents can move the ball down the field almost at will — if the defense isn’t applying pressure, that is — but the closer the opposing offense gets toward the end zone, the smaller the field gets for them and the less options they have. The wildcard in this game is Bradshaw. He’s a talented running back and the Giants want to get him involved but just how long will they stay with the running game? If the Bears’ defense is indeed the real deal against the run, the Giants may have to resort to passing the ball more. I don’t know if No. 91 will be playing this week or not but if his one-game absence this past week was used as a motivational ploy, hopefully it works out. Somebody has to step up and help Peppers out because he can’t do it by himself just like Cutler couldn’t do it by himself last year. Israel Idonije, Mark Anderson, Matt Toeaina, and Anthony Adams will need to play important roles in this game. On the other side of the ball, the Giants will be without their leading sacker but they’ll still be putting the heat on Cutler. One has to think that even a bad offensive line can improve throughout the season. When it comes to the coaching chess match between Martz and Fewell, I think Martz can take advantage. When you pair up a strong run defense, a defense that thrives on turnovers, one of the top-rated quarterbacks in the league, a dangerous punt returner that scares the opposing head coach, and a coaching staff that is doing a much better job this year than last, the Bears just have too much going for them.

Advantage: Bears

Final Score: Chicago 24, New York 17

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I consistently ranked the Bears lower than their record suggested in my Power Rankings and I never bet heavily for one reason. I never trusted them. I never trusted them to win 3 or 4 games in a row to win a Super Bowl and I never trusted them enough on a weekly basis to bet heavily on them, especially as favorites. My reasoning was their lack of consistency.

They had some great performances this year. Don’t get me wrong. However, there was that 9 sack game against New York, that 4 pick game against Washington, their home loss to Seattle, their 36-7 loss to New England, their season finale against Green Bay where they only scored 3 points, I just didn’t trust them. I expected them at some point, at any point, to just bomb and have a terrible game. Turns out I was right as they did so in the NFC Championship game, only it was worse than I could have imagined.

They got down early 14-0 against Green Bay. Jay Cutler was 6-14 for 80 yards and a pick. However, he got “hurt.” He came out with a knee injury despite being able to walk around on the sideline. He was later spotted walking up stairs at dinner with his incredibly hot girlfriend Kristin Cavallari and thus it became “kneegate.” It was revealed he had a minor MCL tear the next day, but former and current NFL players still bashed his decision to sit because it was the NFC Championship. As Deion Sanders said, “you would have had to carry me out on a stretcher.”

I am in no position to question Cutler’s toughness, but fellow NFL players are. They played through injury before. They’ve played in Conference Championship games before. They’ve played in and won Super Bowls before. Yes, his teammates said all the right things after the game, but when do teammates ever not say all the right things after a game. Lovie Smith said it was his decision to bench Cutler, but even if that is true, it speaks volumes about Cutler that Lovie Smith would bench him for Todd freakin Collins if he wasn’t badly hurt. Besides, you can always fight to stay in the game.

I’ve never liked Cutler. I’ve  never liked his body language. I’ve never liked his attitude (John Elway and John Lynch, two Hall of Famers, have antecodes about his inability to listen during his time in Denver). I’ve never liked that he hasn’t won on any level. I’ve never liked how many picks he throws.

The Bears look like they will stand behind him, but I’d trade him and get a veteran and picks (Donovan McNabb and 2 future picks?), draft a mid round backup to groom behind him and keep the promising Caleb Hanie as 3^rd quarterback. This is a talented team, with a good defense and experienced coaches, but, as has been the case for 20+ years, they appear to be a quarterback short of a Super Bowl.

 

 

 

2010 Record: 11-5

Draft Position: 29

2010 Season Recap: Click Here

Offseason Needs: Click Here

Free Agents/Team Transactions: Click Here

Draft Grades: Click Here

Key Offseason Moves: None

Bears Bloggers: Adam McFadden, Ryan Glab, JP Hochbaum

 

2010 Posts 

Four Downs: Keys to beating the Jets, Four Downs: Keys to beating the Patriots, Game Breakdown: Bears at Lions, Four Downs: Keys to beating the Lions, Four Downs: Keys to beating the Eagles, Game Breakdown: Eagles at Bears, Bears/Dolphins Preview, Four Downs: Keys to beating the Dolphins, Vikings/Bears Preview, Four Downs: Key to beating the Vikings, Four Downs: Keys to beating the Bills, Game Breakdown: Bears at Bills, Why The Bears O-Line Has Become The Safety Position Of Old, Not Much Can Be Solved Against Buffalo, Bears Week 6 Analysis, Game Breakdown: Seahawks at Bears , Four Downs: Keys to beating the Seahawks, Bears Week 5 Thoughts, Here’s To Hoping Todd Collins Survives This Week, Game Breakdown: Bears at Panthers, Four Downs: Keys to beating the Panthers, Mathias Kiwanuka Ruled Out, Game Breakdown: Bears at Giants, Four Downs: Keys to beating the Giants, Bears/Packers Game 3 Analysis

 

 

 

It wouldn’t be free agency if Daniel Snyder didn’t make a big signing. Unlike most of his signings, Cofield is under the age of 30. In fact, he’s 26 so he’ll be under 30 for the majority of this 6 year contract. What is this? Anyway, the Redskins needed a nose tackle and though they might have overpaid a bit, 36 million over 6 years seems reasonable for Cofield and they weakened a division rival at the same time.

Grade: A

 

 

Deal for Rams: First, I want to start by saying that there are several things about this deal I really like. First, instead of just discarding disappointing players by cutting them or trading them for late round picks, both teams here actually tried to get something tangible out of their disappointing former first rounders. I like veteran for veteran trades. I don’t know why they don’t happen more often. Second, and somewhat related, this is really a no risk deal for both sides. Neither of the players swapped were really doing anything productive for their respective teams, but who knows, maybe in a new scheme, they’ll rediscover their talent. It’s unlikely, but not impossible and it’s certainly better than keeping some guy who is already proven failed.

Barron was a 2005 1^st round pick of the Rams, 19^th overall, as a super athletic (6-8 318 4.87) left tackle out of Florida State. However, recent years have shown us that he was overdrafted on measurables, as he never lived up to his expectations. He has 58 starts in his career, but he hasn’t been a good pass protector, especially in the past 2 years, leading the NFL in penalties this year and being among the leaders in sacks allowed in each of the past 2 years. Barron became very dispensible, with 2010 2^nd round pick Roger Saffold coming in to play opposite 2009 1^st round pick Jason Smith (no word yet on who plays where, though I expect Smith to, at least in the beginning of the season, play left tackle). Bobby Carpenter doesn’t fill a need for the Rams. They needed a weakside linebacker and are already pretty set at middle and strong side, which are Carpenter’s two positions, but he’s worth a risk here.

Grade: B

Deal for Cowboys:

Carpenter is a 2006 1^st round pick, 18^th overall, out of Ohio State. However, he never really quite fit the Cowboys 3-4 defense and only managed 96 tackles and 3.5 sacks in his 4 year stint in Dallas. With 2010 2^nd round pick Sean Lee coming in, Carpenter became relatively useless to the Cowboys. Barron has never been anything resembling a dominant offensive tackle in his career, but it’s a new scheme and a new start and there’s a slight chance that he fufills his upside. Barron will likely backup Doug Free at left tackle, and can play some right tackle, but if he progresses well in camp, I could see him winning that job away from the inexperienced Free. I like the general idea of the trade, but I like it more for the Cowboys as they traded someone useless for someone useful, while the Rams pretty much swapped busts who didn’t fill needs.

Grade: A

 

 

After the Titans lost stud linebacker Stephen Tulloch to the Titans for a mere 3.25 million dollars for one year, they signed the much less talented and older Barrett Ruud for more money. However, Tulloch’s deal with the Lions just seems so fishy, I find it hard to believe the Titans didn’t offer much more money. I’m guessing Tulloch signed in Detroit just because he wanted to play for Jim Schwartz again. It’s the only explanation. That said, this is not a bad move to sign Tulloch’s replacement for relatively cheap.

Grade: B

 

 

Debate the Ravens’ offseason possibilities in The Football Fan Forum

2010 Preview:

The Baltimore Ravens’ offense has a chance to be one of their best this decade. They haven’t really had a true elite franchise quarterback in a long time, but Joe Flacco has put together two very solid years in his first two seasons as a pro, and with the additions of Anquan Boldin, Donte Stallworth, Ed Dickson, and Dennis Pitta to the receiving corps, he looks poised to break out this year and become, at the least, a top 15, if not top 10 or 12, NFL quarterback. Their running game with Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and LeRon McClain will once again be one of the best in the league.

Actually, the unit with the most questions this year may be their defense. How will Ed Reed do coming off of an injury plagued season? Is this the year Ray Lewis finally shows his age? How will Terrell Suggs do coming off of a bad year? Will he be able to give their pass rush the spark it needs? All in all, I think this should be one of the best teams in the NFL again this year and they will probably play better than the 9-7 they were last year, with their offseason additions, and the situation going on with Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension in Pittsburgh.

Projection: 10-6 1st in AFC South 

Power Ranking: 9

Last season: 9-7

Grade:

#43 RLB Sergio Kindle (Texas)

They did take Paul Kruger in the 2^nd last year, but Kindle will really help them to push Terrell Suggs, who looked pretty bad last year after signing a big contract. He won’t be counted on to help right away, but he has more upside than any other rush linebacker in this draft class. If everything works out, they could always trade Suggs, and start Kruger and Kindle, with Jarrett Johnson as a nickel guy.

Grade: A-

#57 NT Terrence Cody (Alabama)

Cody was a great value at this point. The Ravens don’t have a true run stopping nose tackle like Cody. They have guys like Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg, but Cody is unlike anything they have. He probably won’t play more than half of their snaps, but he won’t have to do make a Cody sized impact and he provides more much needed youth on their defensive line. Also, the Ravens have a lot of veteran leaders on their squad so if anyone can bring the most out of him and him keep in shape, this team can.

Grade: A

#70 TE Ed Dickson (Oregon)

The Ravens already got a lot of upgrades on their receiving corps this offseason, but Dickson is an upgrade over Todd Heap and a solid value here in the 3^rd. They quietly have put together one of the best receiving corps in the league. Joe Flacco likes this.

Grade: A-

#114 TE Dennis Pitta (BYU)

A cornerback would have been preferable, but it’s hard to argue with Pitta’s value here. He gives Flacco yet another weapon.

Grade: B

#156 WR David Reed (Utah)

Reed gives them another young receiver. If Derrick Mason retires before his contract is up, Reed could give them an option across from Boldin. Even if not, Reed provides slot depth behind Boldin, Mason, and Stallworth and he’s a solid value here.

Grade: B-

#157 3-4 DE Arthur Jones (Syracuse)

Jones had been slipping down draft boards this season with injury issues, but there’s no reason he should have been available in the late 5^th. He provides good young depth on Baltimore’s veteran defensive line.

Grade: A

#194 OT Ramon Harewood (Morehouse)

I didn’t have him in my top 300, but I can see why they’d take him here. He has huge upside at 6-7 360 and gives them a right tackle if Oher moves to the left side, if Jared Gaither leaves.

Grade: B

Overall:

I really only have one complaint about this draft and that’s that they didn’t get another cornerback, but they drafted so well and so many good players that I can pretty much cast that complaint off and look at their talent. Every single one of their picks filled a need of some sort and had very good value. I think they really made themselves a lot better in the near future and the fear future with this draft.

Grade: A

Key undrafted free agents

RB Curtis Steele (Memphis)

3-4 DE John Fletcher (Wyoming)

Positions of need: 

Wide Receiver:

If you thought the Ravens were bad at receiver this year, wait until next year if they don’t get help. The only receiver currently under contract for 2010 is Donte Stallworth who didn’t play at all last year because of suspension and is sure to be rusty. Most of their receivers are restricted and could be back if wanted back, but no receiver other than Derrick Mason was any good last year and he’s an unrestricted free agent. If he isn’t brought back, they’ll have nothing at the position and even if he is, he will be 36 next season and could retire soon. They need some young depth at the very least and I’d like to see the Ravens take 2 receivers early.

Signed Donte Stallworth, Traded for Anquan Boldin, Drafted David Reed (#156)

Cornerback:

After Lardarius Webb went down last year, the Ravens had to start Chris Carr, their kick returner. I’m guessing they don’t want to have to do that again. Webb is good, but Domonique Foxworth was borderline average last year as QBs posted a 79.3 rating against him last year. They also were one of the most penalized secondaries in the league. They need some depth at the position.

Tight End:

Todd Heap was finally alright this year because he didn’t get hurt, but how long can he keep that up for. The Ravens may want to either upgrade him or simply bring in some depth behind him.

Drafted Ed Dickson (#70), Drafted Dennis Pitta (#114) 

Rush Linebacker:

The Ravens only had 32 sacks last year. I don’t think it’s so much a lack of talent as it is a lack of motivation at the position, especially with Terrell Suggs. After he got his large contract last offseason, he looked complacent this year and only had 4.5 sacks. They need some young depth at be brought in to challenge Suggs and Jarrett Johnson.

Drafted Sergio Kindle (#43) 

Middle Linebacker:

Ray Lewis is getting up there in years while Tavares Gooden is average at best opposite him and there is very little depth behind either. They need to bring some depth in this offseason.

Safety:

I don’t believe Ed Reed when he says he could retire, but Dawan Landry had an awful year last year at strong safety. It isn’t a huge need, but he could be upgraded and if the Ravens, who like taking best available, find a capable safety that they like available to them in the mid rounds, they’ll take him.

Signed Ken Hamlin 

 

Free agents:

QB Troy Smith (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million

QB John Beck (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million

FB Le’Ron McClain (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.4 million

FB Charles Ali 

#5 WR Derrick Mason- resigned 2 years 8 million

He’d be rated a lot higher if he wasn’t 36 and didn’t retire for about a week last July. He is the most underrated wide receiver in the league and has been for the entire decade. He has 1000 yards or more in 8 of his last 9 seasons despite playing for the Titans and Ravens, two of the most notoriously conservative teams in the league in terms how much they throw the ball. He has some of the surest hands and in the league and is a phenomenal route runner. He never was much of an athlete, so you don’t have to worry about him losing his speed. He could play at a high level for 2-3 more years, the question is, does he want to?

WR Mark Clayton (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.8 million

WR Kelley Washington (restricted)

WR Demetrius Williams (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million

TE Quinn Sypniewski

TE Todd Heap

OT Jared Gaither (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.4 million

OT Adam Terry (restricted)- not tendered, signed with Colts

OT Tony Moll (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million

G Marshal Yanda (restricted)- tendered (2nd)

G Chris Chester (restricted)- resigned 1 year

3-4 DE Dwan Edwards- signed with Bills 4 years 18 million

3-4 DE Justin Bannan- signed with Broncos 5 years

NT Lamar Divens (exclusive rights)

RLB Antawn Barnes (restricted)- tendered (4th)

MLB Jameel McClain (exclusive rights)- resigned

CB Fabian Washington (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.8 million

CB Frank Walker

CB Samari Rolle 

CB Walt Harris 

S Dawan Landry (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million

P Sam Koch (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million

K Billy Cundiff (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million

# refers to unrestricted free agent rank

Offseason moves:

Ravens cut CB Walt Harris 

Ravens trade QB John Beck to Redskins for CB Doug Dutch 

Ravens sign CB Walt Harris

Ravens sign QB Marc Bulger

Ravens sign S Ken Hamlin 

Ravens re-sign FB Le’Ron McClain

Ravens re-sign S Dawan Landry 

Ravens re-sign OT Jared Gaither 

Ravens sign K Shayne Graham 

Ravens re-sign MLB Jameel McClain

Ravens re-sign CB Fabian Washington

Ravens re-sign P Sam Koch

Ravens re-sign WR Mark Clayton 

Ravens announce retirement of CB Samari Rolle 

Ravens waive FB Charles Ali

Ravens re-sign WR Demetrius Williams

Ravens re-sign OT Tony Moll

Ravens re-sign QB Troy Smith

Ravens cut CB Samari Rolle

Ravens re-sign G Chris Chester

Ravens re-sign K Billy Cundiff

Ravens re-sign QB John Beck

Ravens sign 3-4 DE Cory Redding 

Ravens re-sign WR Derrick Mason

Ravens acquire WR Anquan Boldin and 2010 5th-rounder from Cardinals for 2010 3rd-, 4th-rounders

Ravens tender NT Lamar Divens

Ravens tender G Marshal Yanda

Ravens tender WR Mark Clayton

Ravens tender RLB Antwan Barnes

Ravens tender QB Troy Smith

Ravens tender OT Jared Gaither

Ravens tender FB Le’Ron McClain

Ravens tender G Chris Chester

Ravens tender WR Demetrius Williams

Ravens tender CB Fabian Washington

Ravens tender S Dawan Landry

Ravens tender QB John Beck

Ravens tender P Sam Koch

Ravens tender OT Tony Moll

Ravens tender K Billy Cundiff

Ravens cut TE Quinn Sypniewski