Redemption

It’s safe to say that this city can finally bury the hatchet in regards to what happened in the postseason in 2011 with Billy Cundiff and Lee Evans.

Hell, you could make the argument that once the Ravens defeated the Patriots in the AFC Championship, those demons were behind the eventual world champions.

This franchise and city have been out for redemption ever since the franchise came to Baltimore in 1996. Yes, the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000 and not many franchises can say they that they have been at the peak of the mountain like the Ravens have. Only 18 franchises out of the 32 in the league today can claim that they have won a Super Bowl title. There is an even smaller number [12] when you delve into the teams that have won multiple titles.

What earning that second title meant to this city and franchise was redemption that there should have never been a 13-year hiatus in having a professional football team in Baltimore… don’t give me the Stallions either.

Rejoice

The Baltimore Ravens faced so much adversity that it is almost fitting that they end the year with the NFL’s crown jewel in their possession.

First, the great former owner of the Baltimore Ravens, Art Modell, passed away. He is credited with bringing football back to Baltimore and this city and the team’s players couldn’t be more thankful for Mr. Modell. They wore a patch with his name on their jerseys all season long because they were playing out this season for Art.

Art was the kind of guy that would talk football with the guys, but was more concerned about their livelihoods and how they were growing as men. He would send the players emails and set up meetings with them just to talk with them about life. That’s why this team and city has such a great appreciation for this great man. His job was to make sure that each player was living out their dreams to the best of their ability and if they ever faced any adversity, he was their to guide them on the right path. The Ravens were clearly able to play out this season for a man that meant so much to them and I know he was shedding tears in heaven just as he was when the team brought him the Super Bowl in 2000.

Torrey Smith lost his brother before the New England game in Week Three and plays the game of his life, scoring two huge touchdowns on the national stage of Sunday Night Football on NBC. Earlier in the day, he was with his family and there were doubts that he would even play in the game. Instead, he comes out and puts the team on his back as they were propelled to victory by a Justin Tucker game-winning field goal.

All season long reporters were asking Torrey about why he would play in that game or how he played the entire season obviously with heavy hearts. Smith remained the consummate pro throughout the season and never let these questions bother him.

How would you feel if people kept asking you about your dead sibling?

Smith is truly an even bigger man that any of us could have ever predicted him to be when the Ravens took him in the second round of 2011′s NFL Draft.

Finally, this column can’t end without mentioning the quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens since 2008, Joe Flacco.

Flacco has faced so many positive and negative critiques since he’s arrived in Baltimore you would think he is a politician.

Joe is one of those guys where he makes it hard not to like him… and I didn’t initially. I had my doubts about a guy that transferred down to Delaware from Pittsburgh, where he couldn’t earn a starting  job over Tyler Palko. I had my doubts because he wasn’t able to carry the team to victories early on in his career because he simply wasn’t developed enough to  win the game on his arm solely. I had my doubts because he would make some throws, similar to Eli Manning, where he would just chuck the ball in the air and pray that a Raven comes down with it. The turnovers in the postseason were especially troubling.

However, that has changed in the past two seasons. Once he outperformed Tom Brady in the postseason last year, I took and step back and realized that his postseason career and the fate of the franchise have largely been characterized by dropped passes – - Anquan Boldin, Mark Clayton, Jacoby Jones, Dennis Pitta, T. J. Houshmandzadeh and of course Lee Evans. Flacco has done something no quarterback in NFL history has done; win a postseason game in his first five seasons in the NFL. Not even the great Joe Montana can make a claim to that feat. Flacco was also able to put himself in a category only Montana has accomplished in a postseason. Throwing for 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions is eye-popping, jaw-dropping and any other remarkable phrase you could come up with.

Joe has earned my respect in the last two years and going forward, he will be the guy leading this team to victories with his abilities on offense. Joe Cool has earned a fat pay day.

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First person to get an accurate headcount gets a free Hurricane next time in The Big Easy!

I’m wondering which 10 of these are the only listeners we have at WNST. LOL…

Enjoy the march…and if you spot yourself, throw us a note: nasty@wnst.net.

We’re planning the NOLA March reunion over a beer in the spring!

The post More than 5K Ravens fans at 2:52 marching thru streets of New Orleans at Super Bowl 47 appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

It’s no secret that 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a dynamic athlete that is capable of big plays through the air and on the ground. Since he has earned the starting job over backup quarterback Alex Smith, no one has been a more prolific passer in terms of deep passes than Kaepernick. During his stint as the starter, Kaepernick has a 54.9 completion percentage on passes  of 20 yards or more.  This is quite the contrast from what the 49ers were last year as an offense. Last season, they were more conservative and relied on playing mistake-free football, rely on their ground-and-pound style featuring Frank Gore and throw the occasional deep ball to Vernon Davis.

With Kaepernick in at quarterback, they obviously have a much more dynamic and exciting running game that still features Gore, but primarily runs through Kaepernick– the pistol option quarterback. His throwing ability has also resulted in the emergence of wide receiver Michael Crabtree as he is playing like a top 10 receiver. This offense will be productive simply because of the scheme and the athletic ability of the 49ers playmakers, regardless of what the Ravens do to try and stop the pistol.

2. Joe Flacco will continue his postseason success and toss three touchdowns against the highly regarded 49ers defense.

114.7 quarterback rating. Eight touchdowns. Zero interceptions.

These are Joe Flacco’s numbers  this postseason. He is up there with the likes of Montana, Young, Brees in terms of his postseason numbers. Joe Flacco has been the reason why the Ravens are where they are on the field. Yes, I understand the emotional lift that Ray Lewis has given this team, but Flacco has been the main reason this team is playing for the Super Bowl title in New Orleans. Flacco has elevated his game to… “elite” status. Yes, I hate using that.

One of the most noticeable differences in Flacco’s game this postseason has been the addition of Jim Caldwell as the offensive coordinator. Clearly, he and Flacco have a much better chemistry and relationship than Joe had with Cam Cameron, who was fired with three weeks left in the regular season. Caldwell has found a way to maximize Flacco’s potential, giving him plays that showcase his decision making and strong arm. He’s primarily been throwing balls to his right and that’s where he shines– see the Jacoby Jones touchdown against the Broncos.

The Ravens can continue to use the seams against the 49ers as Willis and Bowman have struggled stopping tight ends and receivers coming over the middle on slants and posts. If they stay on the gas pedal early and often, expect big days from Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Dennis Pitta and Flacco once again.

3. Ray Lewis will have double digit tackles once again and finish the postseason and his career strong.

Let’s be honest, Ray is clearly not made like the rest of us (insert deer antler joke here).

Ray has come back to this team and been the best defensive player on the field each time he’s crossed the white lines. He hasn’t missed a single down of defense. He has played with an arm brace that makes him look like a transformer. A facemask that makes him look like Bane.

Regardless of his appearance, Ray has found a way to lead the postseason in total tackles — 44 in three postseason games. He is displaying incredible field awareness and a nose for the football not typical of a 37-year-old linebacker.

This will be Ray’s final game unless he decides to go Brett Favre on us. Let’s get real, he will play the game of his life with whatever is left in the tank.

4. Jacoby Jones will do a “Super” dance in his hometown as he will return a punt for a touchdown.

It’s his hometown and Ravens wide receiver and kick return specialist Jacoby Jones told me in the locker room last week that he has a “Super” dance planned for his folks. Obviously, talk is cheap and it’s just a matter of performing and actually backing up the talk with a result on the field.

This is the game where Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg may look to dial up a more creative scheme to get Jones in space on kick and punt returns. No one knows John Harbaugh better than his brother 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. They share schemes throughout the season and give each other tips for how they can improve on each facet of the game. John’s specialty is special teams, as he was a long-time coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles prior to his stint in Baltimore.

Look for Jacoby Jones to do his best Jermaine Lewis impersonation and score a touchdown on the biggest stage. Enjoy The Choppa City Juke.

5. The Ravens’ magical run will end in triumph as the Ravens defeat the 49ers 31-21.

Both of these offenses are going to put up points which is not something these franchises are used to seeing in recent memory. Kaepernick’s athleticism  and the pistol offense are enough to scare any defensive coordinator and keep them up through the night. However, Flacco will outplay the young quarterback, who will be making just his 10th start ever. Ray Lewis and the Ravens will finish this magical run and capture the franchise’s second Super Bowl.

Prediction:

Ravens- 31

49ers- 21

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Our FREE tailgate party will begin at 10 a.m. There’s plenty of cold beer, drinks, great food and awesome music from legendary Baltimore DJ Bobby Nyk at the edge of Woldenberg Park at the foot of the Mississippi River.

At 2:52 p.m. in Sunday we’ll gather and begin our march to the Superdome by making a left onto Decatur, which becomes N. Peters which becomes Tchoupitoulas and then a right onto Poydras for the long boulevard walk to the Dome and the Super Bowl. We expect to arrive at the Dome about two hours before game time.

Bring your cameras, shoot video and show everyone back in Baltimore the power of the purple flash mob in New Orleans as we support the Ravens and honor Ray Lewis with a block for every one of his 17 seasons in the Charm City and making football great.

Our parade route: we’ll make a left out of Woldenberg Park onto Decatur which becomes N. Peters which becomes Tchoupitoulas and then a right into Poydras, which is a wide-open boulevard that leads to the Superdome.

And if you want to know what it looks like when several thousand Baltimore Ravens fans get together in the streets, check out this 2010 video from our Indianapolis purple flash mob and march to their dome:

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The sad fact, for football fans in general, is that the more you that watch games and then compare what you’ve seen to what the pundits are spewing, the quicker you come to realize that those who are paid to opine and comment on football games can’t seem to be bothered to actually watch much football. Instead it seems that many have defaulted into the habit of watching whatever games are of local interest to them or are being served up in their areas, along with the prime time games, and then forming their opinions on the rest of the field based on what they’ve seen in highlight packages or heard from someone else.

That being the case, this seems to be a Super Bowl match-up served specifically into the collective wheelhouse of the lazy media, as there’s little useful film on either of these teams outside of their playoff games. The Ravens changed offensive coordinators near the end of their season and took a couple of weeks to find a rhythm as an offense. Also, the national media seems to have been mesmerized by the Ray Lewis story to such an extent that they’ve missed the biggest single reason for the Ravens improved results, the inclusion of Bryant McKinnie on the offensive line. McKinnie’s presence has not only improved the Ravens at left tackle, but by casting Michael Oher back to right tackle has improved the team there too, and that move having pushed Kelechi Osemele to left guard has improved a 3rd offensive line position making the impact of McKinnie exponential.

The results have been undeniable, quarterback Joe Flacco, now better protected seems to have more time and confidence in the pocket allowing him to focus downfield and utilize his greatest strength, his strong and accurate arm. In the lead-up to the Broncos game, no one was suggesting that Denver had an issue in their secondary, because they hadn’t shown one all year. Hindsight now shows that perhaps the edge rush capabilities of Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil was a big part of the secondary’s success. When that pass rush was neutralized by the Ravens new look offensive line, the secondary couldn’t find an answer and the rest was academic.

Hindsight as well would suggest that the “finesse” offenses of the Broncos and Patriots weren’t ready to respond to the physical style of play that the Ravens defense brings regularly. The evidence, on the Patriots side of the equation was there based on their previous meetings with the Ravens, as well as their inability to deal with the physical defensive stylings of the 49ers, Seahawks and Cardinals. The NFC West, it seems, is becoming very AFC North-like when it comes to defensive prowess.

As the Ravens and 49ers prepare to meet for a title, the read option offense run by the Niners and the bold decision by coach Jim Harbaugh to change quarterbacks mid-season are the talk of the football world. What’s being overlooked however, probably because of the physical nature of San Francisco’s defense, is that their offense hasn’t exactly responded well to the physical style of play the Ravens defense projects to bring to the table against them. The Niners are bullies on defense but may be prone to getting bullied on offense.

The 49ers are a Slick Offensive Football Team. Their current brand of offense is geared more toward getting defenses off balance and tricking them than it is to simply lining up and beating teams physically. There’s nothing wrong with that, as league-wide there are plenty of teams finding success with that formula; unfortunately for San Francisco, they haven’t been finding success against defenses like the Ravens.

Slick Offensive Football Team = S.O.F.T.

While Colin Kaepernick seems to be the wildcard in the assessment of the 49ers offense, the team’s handling of Kaepernick makes it even wilder. Not only did the Niners change QBs mid-season, but even after making the change they seemed to try making him fit into a pro-style offense and force him to be a pocket QB. Once the playoffs came around though, the Niners have gone much more read option heavy and as a result, much like the Ravens, it becomes difficult to draw many conclusions about the 49ers based on anything other than their playoff games based on a glaring and dramatic change in strategy.

The post 49ers Offense is S.O.F.T. appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

Here’s a link to learn more about The Howlin’ Wolf, a legendary place for music in New Orleans that will be a round-the-clock purple palace catering to Baltimore fans with legendary Louisiana hospitality, food and music.

If you’re on the WNST trips or shuttles coming from the Gulf Coast, The Howlin’ Wolf will also be where you get dropped and picked up in New Orleans. It is truly our “Purple Ground Zero” for all things Baltimore and Ravens while in The Big Easy.

Now for the important news:

We have a GRAMMY AWARD WINNING group of beloved local New Orleans musicians — Rebirth Brass Band will be rocking our Saturday night Purple Throwdown in The Crescent City.

Here’s video of them crushing Bourbon Street four years ago:

We’re wondering if they can learn Seven Nations Army?

We’re giving them a week!

The doors open at 7 p.m. and Rebirth Brass Band is expected to hit the stage around 11 p.m.

The WNST buses back to Gulfport have suddenly moved to a 1 a.m. departure!

At some point, we have to rest up for our 2:52 p.m. march on the Superdome to honor Ray Lewis on Super Bowl gameday.

On Sunday night…after we win the Super Bowl, we’ll return to The Howlin’ Wolf for a victory party to remember with the Hot 8 Brass Band, another awesome New Orleans act that will provide celebration music while the libations flow and the final dance of Ray Lewis’ career has been danced.

If you have purchased a WNST V.I.P. Purple Party Pass, you already have admission for both nights (and a free bread pudding at The Howlin’ Wolf, if you decide to dine there)!

And if you’re on the WNST Super Trips to New Orleans, you’ll also get the V.I.P. treatment.

Both of these events are open to all adult Baltimore Ravens fans coming to New Orleans for the Super Bowl.

Tickets for each event are $25 (ala carte) in advance.

You can buy each night separately or you can buy the two-day pass for $40, saving you $10 and any words like “sold out.”

Age requirements: Law is no one under the age of 18 can enter The Howlin’ Wolf. If you are 18-to-21, you can enter but not drink. You must be 21 to drink at The Howlin’ Wolf. (During lunch, children are welcome at The Den inside The Howlin’ Wolf, while dining with family.)

When in N’Awlins, do what the locals do, eat what the locals eat and listen to what the locals love.

Old friends and new friends, if you’re a Baltimore Ravens fans on Super Bowl weekend, this is going to be the place to be — just like in Nashville, Charlotte, San Diego, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Providence, Boston or anywhere else the purple has played before, when it comes to throwing a party our WNST crew intends to make this little bowl game on bayou, truly SUPER!

This has been one of the truly spectacular weeks of my life planning all of these WNST.net events so that we can set our media and community bar as high as Ray Lewis and Joe Flacco as we plan events that we — as a nation of Baltimore Ravens fans — want to remember for the rest of our lives as well as we party at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

For more information about our WNST trips and all WNST events in New Orleans: http://wnst.net/nfl/all-faqs-for-wnst-super-trips-parties-in-new-orleans-here/

And please consider out WNST Super Purple V.I.P. Party Pass for $115.70 here: https://wnst.net/brian-billick/buy-our-wnst-super-v-i-p-party-pass-and-soak-up-the-excitement-of-new-orleans/

For all “party only purchasers”: We’ll have will call locations set up in New Orleans at each of our evening events beginning Friday night at Empire (300 Decatur) from 6 til 10pm and again on Saturday from noon til 2 p.m. at Steamboat Nanchez doors (Toulouse at The River). We’ll also have will call at Saturday & Sunday Howlin’ Wolf events right at the front door if those are the only events you’ll be attend with us in The Big Easy.

You’ll have an envelope and a wristband for your purchase. If you have a multiple-day pass, you’ll have a vinyl band that’s non-transferable.

PURCHASE THE TWO-DAY PURPLE HOWLING WOLF PASS HERE:

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Mobile contact

BUY SATURDAY NIGHT AT HOWLIN’ WOLF ONLY HERE:

Email address

Mobile contact

BUY SUNDAY NIGHT AT HOWLIN’ WOLF ONLY HERE:

Email address

Mobile contact

OR BUY THE WNST SUPER V.I.P. PURPLE PARTY PASS FOR $115.70 HERE:

Email address

Mobile contact

And if I can answer any questions for you, please email me: nasty@wnst.net. My inbox is stacking up but I’m doing my best to keep the pace because I know how important this is to you.

It’s pretty cool for me as well. We’d love to see your face in the place in New Orleans at all of our events for Super Bowl weekend.

And please spread the word about our Sunday march from where Toulouse meets The River…

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After the game, the Ravens celebrated more than winning the division, more than beating the Steelers, more than making it to the AFC Championship game. The fans witnessed the emotional high of a championship team; yet that was only the Wild Card round. There was a reoccurring theme, specifically from Ray, in the post-game interviews, which the word “finish” came up all too often. This season is not finished; that part of the vocabulary should have been an afterthought.  Did this team win its Super Bowl already?  The reaction by their team leader will lead you to believe so.

Now, heading to Denver, to take on the arch nemesis, Peyton Manning, Baltimore must prepare for a not only one of the best offenses, but elite defenses in the league. Can this team get up again, after exhausting their entire emotional core last Sunday? Coming off a short week and playing in high altitudes puts this team in a disadvantage already. Looking at the Broncos roster and performance four weeks ago in Baltimore, this game seems unlikely for victory. But putting yourselves into an emotional loss may be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Though it is a nice story and probably the right thing to do for the fans of Baltimore, Ray Lewis’ retirement announcement may have doomed the fate for the Ravens. It gave an edge to the team in a matchup against a former Defensive Coordinator and recent cancer survivor. But what do they do now? Can this team live up to the hype of that victory against the former Baltimore franchise?

Maybe the Ravens can continue the ride, but it already has taken a lot out of them and will take a lot more to surpass Manning, followed by Brady at home or a Texans team that worked them before the bye week.

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