Chris Johnson heads list of offensive rookies

My ranking of the NFL's top 10 most impactful offensive rookies mid-way through the 2008 season:

1. Chris Johnson: 715 rushing yards, 5 TDs: Johnson is the most physically talented rookie of this class. From his now famous 4.24 time in the 40-yard dash to his breakaway game speed, he has impressed everybody who has seen him play. At this point in the season, he is the rookie of the year. Johnson and LenDale White are a scary and dynamic one-two punch.

2. Matt Ryan: 1661 passing yards, 9 TDs, 85.4 passer rating: Ryan is playing like a veteran. He is leading an Atlanta Falcons team that had no expectations coming into the season. He seems to have all the skills to become a quality QB for an extended period of time in the NFL. He has already led a John Elway style comeback.

3. Matt Forte: 641 rushing yards, 4 TDs: Forte has single-handedly made Kyle Orton's job easier. He has made the Chicago offense two-dimensional. We'll see if he can do the same thing for Rex Grossman.

4. Joe Flacco: 1464 passing yards, 5 TDs, 75.6 passer rating: Young Mr. Flacco, from a small Deleware football program has lived up the hype. He is learning on the job, and learning at record rates. He is now used to the speed of the NFL game and is actually throwning/catching/running long-bombs almost every week. Its early, so I don't want to say he is the quarterback of the future, but he is certainly the quarterback of the present.

5. Steve Slaton: 538 rushing yards, 5 TDs: The Mountaineer is fast and quick all at the same time.

6. Eddie Royal: 461 receiving yards, 3 TDs: He came onto the scene with a huge first game. Since then he has peeter out a little but, but his presence coupled with Brandon Marshall still makes the Broncos offense one of the most dangerous in the league.

7. Tim Hightower: 242 rushing yards, 7 TDs: Hightower should actually be known as "garbage goal." He has become the master of short TD runs, much in the same way Brandon Jacobs was for the NY Giants a couple years ago. Last week Hightower ran for over 100 yards and a TD. Has he replaced Edge James as the #1 back in Arizona?

8. DeSean Jackson: 525 receiving yards, 1 TD: Jackson may have some butter fingers at times, but he adds life to an Eagles offense that has lacked a downfield threat since TO went to Dallas.

9. John Carlson: 244 receiving yards, 2 TDs: The one bright spot on the Seahawks offense. He is by far the best rookie tight end. Dustin Keller is the only one that can compare, but even he is well behind Carlson in production.

10. Jonathan Stewart: 352 rushing yards, 5 TDs: Stewart has filled a necessary role in Carolina. Watch out for the Panthers further into the season because Stewart gives them great depth in the backfield.

Return to blogging and football prominence

It has been a long time since I have written a post. I had some major surgery, but have fully recovered. I missed writing, but had to focus on the healing process more than the blog.

Now on to football...

I am proud of the team the 2008 Ravens have become. I have been watching closely throughout the season. They started the year hot, hit a serious bump in the road, and rebounded with a team effort. The team is now sitting at 5-3, in playoff contention and coming off a season sweep of the rival Cleveland Browns.

My observations thus far:

1. John Harbaugh is steady under pressure. Lets not for forget that he is one of the youngest coaches in the league, skipped the period in the normal progression of being either an offensive or defensive coordinator before being a head coach and came from the NFC to the AFC. He has butted heads with star players when needed, added humor to interviews, made positive in game adjustments, and most importantly served as an example to other young members of the team.

2. Joe Flacco's most impressive trait is his character. Sure, Flacco has the physical tools to succeed as a quarterback in the NFL. He is tall, moderately mobile and has a laser rocket arm. It is his composure, desire to learn, and sheer intelligence that will make him a successful QB for a long time. Even when he makes a mistake he comes of the field and immediately talks to coaches about what he just saw.
3. Haloti Ngata is a monster. He is the anchor of a defensive line that has continued their record-breaking streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher against them. He has assumed the lead role, which was previously held by Kelly Gregg. Ngata is an intimidater, a bruiser, and a all-out beast. That is not to say that Trevor Pryce, Terrell Suggs, and others haven't played amazing football, but Ngata has stood out.

4. Ozzie Newsome did a great job this off-season. This year's draft class (Flacco, Rice and the rest) and other pick-ups such as Fabian Washington have made all the difference this season. Without Washington to help in a secondary that seems to be the weak point of the team there would be even more long-yardage touchdowns against the Ravens. Needless to say Chris McAllister is the biggest disappointment of this year.

Its good to be back. There will be much more to come.

Jonathan Ogden Retires

Jonathan Ogden has officially retired from the NFL. He played 12 arduous season with the Baltimore Ravens, in which he was nominated to 11 Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl. Ogden was the Ravens first draft pick in franchise history, picked fourth out of UCLA. After his rookie season, Ogden was moved from left guard to left tackle where he served as the anchor of the Raven’s offensive line for 11 years to follow. Ogden became labored because of injuries, the most debilitating of which was his big toe on his left foot.

Ravens fans are going to have to suffer through the fact that Jonathan Ogden will no longer be lining up to protect the backfield. It is impossible to replace a player of his caliber, but it is even harder to replace his character. He served as a symbol of stability as the franchise evolved. He portrayed himself as a versatile public figure that could be stoic, hard-nosed and whimsical when the situation called for it.

He will unquestionably be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. The mountain of a man from St. Albans High School in Washington, DC gave his career to the Ravens and will be remembered as such.

Ray Lewis to the Cowboys?

The Ebony Bird just posted a story about ludicrous rumors of Ray Lewis heading to Dallas to play for Jerry Jones. They credit hall of fame WR Jerry Rice with the story, who is clearly senile in his old age. Check it out...

Do you believe Tim Donaghy?

Former NBA referee, Tim Donaghy, will soon plead guilty to fixing basketball games for profit. Before he signs his name on the dotted line of purgatory he is making strong claims that he's not the only guilty member of the NBA. Donaghy asserts that other referees called games under ulterior motives, mainly that NBA front office officials instructed refs to call games certain ways. Donaghy argues that games were skewed and called certain ways to ensure that more popular teams and team owners won important playoff games.

My heart goes out to NBA fans. No fan should have to go through mental questions of whether or not your favorite sport is fixed. No fan wants to think that his or her sports heroes are rendered useless because they can't win unless the league allows them to. No fans should have to question his or her love and devotion to a player, team, or sport.

I hope these allegations are proved to be false. I also hope that this is a phenomenon pertaining solely to the NBA. I would hate to think the NFL also wants to fix games to allow more popular teams to win games. The one game that comes to mind in short memory would have to be the Ravens vs. Patriots on Monday Night Football, December 3, 2007. Obviously I am biased, but the calls at the end of the game were blatantly in the Patriots favor.

Dawan Landry is the talk of the town

John Harbaugh, Rex Ryan and every other person in Baltimore are raving about Dawan Landry. The consensus seems to be that he will become the star that the Ravens hoped.

Carroll County Times:
Landry ready to emerge as star

Baltimore Sun:
Which Raven has impressed John Harbaugh?

Baltimore Raven OT Jonathan Ogden expected to retire

Veteran OT Jonathan Ogden is expected to officially announce that he will be retiring from professional football later this week. Most everybody was already acting under the assumption that Ogden would say goodbye to the game, but it doesn't change the fact that he leaves a void in the offensive line. There is no replacing a sure hall of famer and one of the greatest offensive linemen in history.

It is a particularly tough situation with inexperience players in the backfield. The likes of Joe Flacco, Troy Smith and Ray Rice will have to perform without what would've been their greatest ally.

No words necessary

Baltimore Ravens draft class of 1996

The NFL Network recently ranked the top 10 draft classes in the history of the NFL. The 1996 draft class for the Ravens was ranked 5th with the likes of Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis, DeRon Jenkins, Jermaine Lewis, Dexter Daniels, James Roe and Jon Stark.

It is primarily because of Ogden and Lewis that this class is ranked as high as it is and because of the other draftees that it is ranked as low as it is. In other words, 5th is a fair and correct ranking for this class.

Here is the complete list:

10. Pittsburgh Steelers Class of '74
9. Dallas Cowboys Classes of '91 and '92
8. Chicago Bears Class of '83
7. Green Bay Packers Class of '58
6. San Fran 49ers Class of '86
5. Baltimore Ravens class of '96
4. Washington Redskins Class of '81
3. Chicago Bears Class of '65
2. Buffalo Bills Class of '85
1. Tampa Bay Bucs Class of '95

Kyle Boller's career

Below, you will find the story of Ravens QB Kyle Boller's career in picture form:


Boller and his posse on draft day. Who knew how wonderful his career would turn out??

Boller was thrown into the spotlight immediately. Here he is in all of his glory, with all his potential, proving white men can jump.

Boller begins to show his true colors not to long after putting on a Raven's uniform. A gunslinger that can't hold onto his gun.

It got worse. Boller thought he could change his fate by playing without a helmet. Even with the increased vision and mobility, Boller could get Humpdy Dumpdy together again.
Finally, Princess Boller was rescued by her knight in shining armor. Steve McNair's arrival in Baltimore meant Boller no longer had to suffer the degradation and defeat at the hands of Patriots, Bengals, Bears and other frightening beasts.
Finally, we have reached Boller's future. He is destined to ride the pine in 2008-09. The young upstart Buckeye, Troy Smith, will attempt to fill in admirably until he suffers the same fate as Boller and is pushed out by the even younger upstart, Joe Flacco.