Baltimore Ravens Team Review & Playoff Preview

A brutal running game and razor-sharp defense key the Baltimore Ravens success as they head back to the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens: Season Overview
The Baltimore Ravens had an up-and-down year in 2007, but giving up a win to the 1-15 Miami Dolphins was the straw that broke the will of fans with Baltimore Ravens tickets. Head coach Brian Billick was out and Coach John Harbaugh was brought in from the Philadelphia Eagles. Fans with Baltimore Ravens tickets were not pleased about the unknown coach, but he soon paid immediate returns.

With rookie QB Joe Flacco at the helm of a steady offense and future Hall of Fame ILB Ray Lewis in charge of the No. 2 defense in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens were a horse of a very different color in 2008. The 11-5 record is deceiving as the Baltimore Ravens are far tougher than that. All five losses came from playoff teams, including two close and physical wars with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Baltimore Ravens: Offense
This time last year, no one was talking about Delaware QB Joe Flacco, and certainly no one expected him to lead a team to the NFL Playoffs. But the rookie has excelled and done everything asked of him. Fans with Baltimore Ravens tickets don’t think Joe Flacco is the second coming of Peyton Manning, but they know the young kid wins games and protects the ball. WR Derrick Mason and TE Todd Heap have been two great tools in the learning process of Joe Flacco.

The best friends of a rookie QB is a good offensive line and a strong running attack, both of which are at the disposal of Joe Flacco. Fans with Baltimore Ravens tickets expected big-money RB Willis McGahee to get a majority of the yards, but injuries forced the team to look elsewhere. Rookie RB Ray Rice brought speed, but FB Le’Ron McClain has become a beast with his size and good hands. This trio of runners is helped along by the best blocking FB of all time, Lorenzo Neal, who crushes LBs and DBs.

Baltimore Ravens: Defense
The 4-3/3-4 hybrid defense is unconventional, and that helps explain its success. With genius coordinator Rex Ryan creating unique blitzes and packages for every opponent, no QB is fully-prepared for the dangerous defense. ILB Ray Lewis is still headlining the defense and makes plays in the run and passing games. DL Haloti Ngata gets a lot of love from fans with Baltimore Ravens tickets as he controls the line of scrimmage. The Baltimore Ravens have suffered many injuries to their secondary, but Pro Bowl FS Ed Reed shuts down the whole field.

Baltimore Ravens: Special Teams
Wide receiver Yamon Figurs is possibly the fastest player in the entire NFL, and his presence on kick return fills stadiums with excitement as fans with Baltimore Ravens tickets wait for him to blow a return wide open. SS Jim Leonhard not only starts in the secondary but contributes a steady punt-return average as well. K Matt Stover holds several NFL records, and they rarely maker kickers with better accuracy and clutch ability. P Sam Koch has a good and reliable leg.

Baltimore Ravens: Playoffs
Fans with Baltimore Ravens playoff tickets know that their team playing on the road for the first game of the NFL Playoffs is a disadvantage, but they also know that their team does not care where they play. Teams all over the NFL are afraid of the Baltimore Ravens as a meeting with them will not only cost them a win but also plenty of injuries on both sides of the ball. The Baltimore Ravens are playing the kind of football that wins games in January.

The one good thing about being on the road is that the Baltimore Ravens will escape the harsh winter with a visit down south to the Miami Dolphins. With rookie head coaches and horrible 2007 seasons in common, many see this game as two teams making historic comebacks. Fans with Baltimore Ravens playoff tickets would love to see their embarrassing 2007 loss avenged. All other teams in the NFL Playoffs would rather see the hard-hitting Birds make an early exit, but no one will be holding their breath on that.