2 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

CSN Baltimore: Some thoughts before Week 1
http://www.csnbaltim...347&feedID=6876

Jeff Seidel's questions:

1. How well with the defense be able to play without Terrell Suggs for much of the season? The Ravens try to play this down from time to time, but this loss might be bigger than most people realize. Suggs did so much in so many ways for the Ravens. Let's see who can step up and fill the pass-rushing hole.

2. How much will the loss of players like Ben Grubbs, Jarret Johnson, Cory Redding and others hurt? These are veterans who didn't get a lot of publicity. They did their jobs quietly and did them well, but the team needed that. Right now, others are going to have to step in and do that-- and this won't be an easy task, especially in the early weeks. Paul Kruger and others are going to have to help on defense.

3. Will this be kind of a break-through year for Joe Flacco? It's possible. He seems to really fit nicely with the no-huddle style. Some players do better in different situations than others. Flacco seems to be settled in and playing with more confidence with the no-huddle. If so, he could post some big numbers, along with Ray Rice and others.

4. And can the offense take the pressure off the defense? It certainly looks as if they could. The no-huddle, Flacco and the deeper group of receivers should gain more yards and score more points. The offense might need to carry the defense a bit early on while everything gets settled. Doesn't mean we'll be seeing a lot of 35-31 victories, but here's betting the offense is much sharper than a year ago.

5. What's the biggest question? To me, it's how well everything settles in place with the defense. That might take some time, and here's betting the defense will find its way as the season goes on, especially in the second half of the year.

[SportsGuy]

Run defense..that's what I will be watching.

[JordanKough]

Run defense..that's what I will be watching.

It should be very interesting. The lawfirm is an inside the tackle kind of guy. I think some of our edge issues in the preseason may get resolved with more Lewis on the field. His lateral speed can give the outside guy a bit more confidence to take away the edge.

I still think we're going to be more stout up the middle than we have been since Gregg left. Which I see as a boost. But I expect the Bengals to rush the ball at Kruger on the outside every single play they can that's reasonable. As that is exactly what I would do.

My eyes will be on the offense way way more than the defense. Particularly, Torrey Smith, Joe's deep ball and the comfortability that Cameron has letting Flacco run this offense from the no huddle. I'm also curious to see how Rice's part plays out in all of this. We might actually see his touches go down, I'm curious how he'll respond to that.