Baltimore Ravens Season Review: Stay the Course

Jan 10, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett (29) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the New England Patriots in the third quarter during the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Over the next several weeks, there will be dozens, if not hundreds of articles breaking down the season that was for the Baltimore Ravens. I myself will write several such articles. Yet, I don’t want to miss the forest for the trees. As I write article after article about what needs to change, the overarching theme needs to be this: The Ravens are on the right track.

Let’s start with offense. The Baltimore Ravens ranked eighth in points per game and 12th in yards per game in 2014, a year after ranking 29th in yards per game and 25th in points.

Gary Kubiak had a remarkable first year in Baltimore, turning a historically awful rushing attack into one of the league’s best in just one year. Further, he helped Joe Flacco rebound from his worst year in a big way, as Flacco put up his best season yet in 2014. Quarterbacks coach Rick Dennison deserves some credit for that as well.

If you asked a Ravens fan what positions needed upgraded offensively last offseason, the answer would have been “everything.” This year, that situation has changed. Sure, there are needs, especially in terms of acquiring more weapons for Flacco. Yet, there is positive momentum here and a genuine belief that the necessary progress will happen. That wasn’t the case after last season.

Defensively, the story isn’t quite as rosy. A pass rush featuring a breakout year from Pernell McPhee was a revelation, as was the run defense featuring breakout star Brandon Williams. Yet, the secondary is so bad, injuries or not, that there is a sense of trepidation.

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The good news: Jimmy Smith will be back next year, Lardarius Webb will be healthier and there will be a host of new players vying for roles.

As an example for how the Ravens are going to attack their needs in the secondary, look no farther than how they dealt with their offensive line last year. They trade for Jeremy Zuttah, extended Eugene Monroe, got a healthy Kelechi Osemele back and put all the pieces together with a brand new coaching staff. Grabbing John Urschel in the draft (a young man who will be a starter down the road) was icing on the cake. The Ravens kept what worked and aggressively changed what didn’t.

Expect the same kind of focus this offseason. Jimmy Smith will be back, ala Osemele, Will Hill will probably be extended, and Ozzie Newsome will add some new players via free agency (probably cuts, not UFAs) and the draft. Hopefully, the reinvigorated secondary will also feature a philosophy shift. My guess: It will.

For all the angst about this secondary, the Ravens still ranked sixth in points allowed and eighth in total yards allowed. That’s an improvement from 12th in total yards allowed and 12th in points allowed. Incredible considering the turmoil in the secondary.

There was improvement in literally every phase of the game in Baltimore this year, including overall record, offensive production and defensive production. Ozzie Newsome has a tall task ahead of him in terms of managing the cap and fixing that Achilles heel of a secondary, but if he can turn the 2013 Ravens into a contender the next year, he can do anything.

Stay the course, Baltimore. What you’re doing is working, and it will bring another championship to Charm City before Flacco and Harbaugh are done in purple and black.

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