Stillers vs. Ravens Pregame Analysis (abbreviated)� (Game #10 , @ Balt.)
The 7-2 Stillers travel to Mary Land to visit the struggling
2-7 Baltimore Ratbirds in an AFC North tilt that has been moved to 1 PM
EST.� This will be an abbreviated pregame,
as this matchup was
previewed just 4 weeks ago and not much has changed.� (Click here for the postgame
analysis of that game.)�
* When the Ravens have the ball, they'll have
Kyle Boller back at the helm after his sabbatical from injury.�� For some teams, getting their starting QB
back from injury would be manna from heaven, but for the Poebirds it's more
like getting served a shit sandwich at the local deli.� Boller was absolutely pitiful last week,
throwing for a paltry 140+ yards and 3 picks, and generating all of 3
points.� Jamaal Lewis continued his
struggles.� Derrick Mason and Todd Heap
are the lone bright spots on an inept offense that is hopelessly bogged down
into feebleness the rest of this season, and longer if more weapons aren't
added to the roster.�
James Farrior is questionable for this game after missing last week's tilt.� The rest of the defense is fine, health wise.� What ails the defense is overt overall timidity, slow starts, and a dearth of a pass rush from the front 7.��
The key matchup will be Heap and Mason against the
Stiller pass defense.� Not that Kyle
Boller can hit the broad side of a barn, but the Balt running game isn't good
enough to churn good yardage for 4 quarters.�
It's Mase and Heap, or the Ravens get dumped in the heap.�
* When the Stillers have the ball, they'll
be forced to start Mommy Maddox at QB, with Benji and Batch both injured.� By now, every Stiller fan shudders and
winces every time Saddox drops back to pass, but aside from removing Randle El
from the WR spot, there's nothing the Stillers can do.� Marvel Smith is questionable, which is obviously
a major concern if he is gimpy or unable to start.�
Ed Reed and RayRay Lewis remain out for the Ravens.�
The key matchup will be the Stiller ground game
versus the Balt front 7.� The Stillers
don't want Saddox to heave the ball any more than he has to.� The Ravens, of course, will be gunning to
jam the run and force Maddox to spray passes over and wide of his intended
receivers.� Gawd help us when Saddox has
to pass, and rest assured, he will have to.�
* Special Teams: �The interesting facet here will be if the Stillers can avoid
having a FG blocked.���
Key Individual Matchups:
* LT Jon Ogden versus whomever.�� After scrubbing the tape after the last tilt with the Ravens, I
came upon something -- since no one on this Stillers roster is even remotely
capable of beating Ogden in the pass rush, why rush against him at all??�� Joey Porter is no match for Big Jon, nor is
any other Stiller rusher.� Thus, it's an
abject waste of a rusher to go up against a stone wall.� It'd be better to simply try to overwhelm
elements of the LG, C, RG, and/or RT, and either shade a defender in case of a
boot or rollout to the left (which isn't all that much a concern because Boller
is right-handed), or have a rusher "fake rush" at Ogden and then drop
into short coverage in the flat.� Having
a rusher paw and dance with Ogden is just about as wasteful and stupid as
trying to rebuild a city located upon a swamp and surrounded by an ocean and a
huge lake.
* Barrett Brooks versus whomever.� On the flip side, if Marvel Smith cannot play, the Stillers will
likely turn to Fat Barrett Brooks.�
Yowza !!�� Now that's scary.� You'd have Mommy "Slow as an Ox"
MaddOx at QB, and Barrett "The Barn Door" Brooks getting swung around
at LT.� This is a surefire recipe for at
least 2 turnovers.�
* Synopsis: The Ravens have a chance to
salvage some pride with a "W", and of course Billick would love
nothing more than to beat the Stillers.�
But this is a Ravens team that is collapsing and disintegrating as we
speak, and could roll over if the Stillers can jump on them in the 1st half.� On the other hand, it's plausible the
Stillers could get caught looking ahead to next week's big showdown with the
Colts.