The last thing you would think about doing if you are the Super Bowl Champions is trying to change too much. However, that just seems to be the cards that the Ravens are dealt with... or playing?
Baltimore's off-season has been mostly about losing players after their Super Bowl win in February. They have lost Ray Lewis to retirement and two other linebackers to other teams, Anquan Boldin in a trade to the 49ers for a 6th round pick, and other notable starters along the way. Ed Reed's days in Baltimore also look like they are over as he's getting looks from other teams like the Texans.
The only thing that they have been able to do is keep Joe Flacco with a 6 year $120 million plus contract to eat up a lot of cap space.
Despite all of this, the PR department known as John Harbaugh has spun it the best way he can. "The worst mistake you can make is trying to hold a team together," Harbaugh said in an interview. "It's impossible." He also cited Bo Schembechler's (the late family friend) advice of "if you try to stay the same you end up getting worse."
Full article at http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9066834/john-harbaugh-baltimore-ravens-roster-change-part-nfl
An interesting question gets raised by all this: Is all this "change" better for the team/John Harbaugh long term? Also, is it best to break up a Super Bowl team rather than try and keep it together nowadays?
I'm not sure anyone can ever answer the second question perfectly but the first one seems to be a yes. The Ravens team that won it all was old and heading down the other side of the hill anyway. They certainly made a great postseason push with a deer antler charged Ray Lewis leading the pack. But now with the Ray Lewis era is over in Baltimore, the Ravens took it as a sign to start a new era with some different players.
While they did lose players in their prime, they also let aged veterans go like Ed Reed (34) and Anquan Boldin (32). Keeping them would've been too hard with the cap restrictions what they are and even if they had managed to do so, they might only be productive for a couple more seasons. (I must reiterate that I still like that the 49ers got Boldin).
The next couple of the years for the Ravens will have them trying to return to contender status. But don't despair, Baltimore. They weren't predominantly seen as contenders last season. As you all have seen, anything can happen once you get into the postseason and with a quarterback like Joe, getting to January is always a possibility.
P.S. Now my best shot at answering the 2nd question: I'm leaning towards saying yes. Just look at the Super Bowl winners over the past decade or so. Except for the Pats about ten years ago, there have been no repeat winners. It's not that Super Bowl teams haven't been contenders the season after they've won it. It's just that the path to the Super Bowl nowadays is too chaotic to navigate and predict.
Lately, it hasn't been what are considered the great teams that end up winning the Super Bowl. The last three winners have just been teams that have gotten hot at exactly the right time.
Also, of the teams that have won it multiple times over the past ten years, the common denominator is that they had great quarterbacks. The Pats have Brady, the Steelers have Ben, and the Giants have Peyton's younger brother. By that logic, the Ravens think they are set for the foreseeable future seeing how well Joe Flacco performed this past postseason.
With quarterback being the far and away clear centerpiece of a team today, everything else is interchangeable. Just look at how Bill Belichick and the Patriots deal with players not named Brady. He casually let's players go or trades them the instant he thinks their ability will tank. He then manages to find suitable enough replacements (not always the best) and gems in the draft to keep the team afloat.
While they haven't been able to close the deal since February of 2005, the Pats have been in the playoff hunt every season except for two since their first Super Bowl title at the end of the 2001 season.
Unless you have a great defense, a great quarterback, and a lot of luck, there are no dynasty's anymore in the NFL. Talent level is pretty well spread out in the league, even at the quarterback position. That's right, even at QB.
Let's name the QB's that have been good enough to lead a team to the Super Bowl: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Peyton's younger brother, Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Ben Roethlisberger. Now quarterback's that possibly join the list above as soon as next season? Colin Kaepernick (HA!!!), Matt Ryan, and Matt Schaub (bit of a stretch).
Now quarterbacks that are just good enough to get their team to the postseason at the present time: Tony Romo, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, and Andrew Luck.
If the standard nowadays is just getting into the postseason while hoping your team is peaking at the right time, I count 16 quarterbacks that are eligible for the job. That's not even counting quarterbacks that have potential to become that or those that have faded away.
If that's the case, it's about finding the right parts for your ever changing team year after year. You can't have too many star players on your team too long because of that pesky salary cap and winning a Super Bowl just has everyone able to renegotiate at that time chirping for more money. It's today's NFL and it's what champions now have to do to remain in contention.
P.P.S. Is my P.S. longer my than original post?
Showing posts with label John Harbaugh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Harbaugh. Show all posts
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
Baltimore Holds On for Super Bowl Win 34-31
So close and yet so far.
The Baltimore Ravens managed to hold off the surging San Francisco 49ers by a final of 34-31. Colin Kaepernick lead the 49ers down field for one last shot in the end zone with under two minutes remaining and failed to convert a 4th goal pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the back corner of the end zone.
“I think that last drive when we got the ball and had time to go down and score a touchdown, we thought it was our game,” Kaepernick said afterwards.
The Ravens then killed all but 4 seconds of the clock with the subsequent drive ending in a safety in which punter Sam Koch ran it out of the end zone. The following punt ended with Ted Ginn Jr. getting tackled as time expired leaving the Ravens as the victor.
“Our guys battled back to get back in,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I thought we battled right to the brink of winning.”
Ray Lewis ends his 17 year career with a 2nd Super Bowl ring, other being earned in early 2001. This career ending sendoff came in a season where he had to come back from from a triceps injury sustained in October not making his return until the beginning of the postseason when the Ravens played the visiting Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round.
“It’s no greater way, as a champ, to go out on your last ride with the men that I went out with, with my teammates,” Lewis said. “And you looked around this stadium and Baltimore! Baltimore! We coming home, baby! We did it!”
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh now has a 2-0 coaching record against his younger brother Jim Harbaugh. The first meeting between the two brother occurred on Thanksgiving day 2011.
“How could it be any other way? It’s never pretty. It’s never perfect. But it’s us,” John said afterwards. “It was us today.”
On the flip side, this is San Francisco’s first loss in the Super Bowl making them 5-1 in the big game.
“I really wanted it for us,” 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis said. “I wanted to bring it back to the Bay… We came up short. We were there and we came up short.”
The 49ers were down by as many as 22 points early in the 3rd quarter. Momentum seemed to turn around after a power outage in the 3rd quarter. The outage lasted over a half hour. San Francisco then managed to score 17 consecutive points to finish the quarter.
In part because of the power outage, it was the longest Super Bowl in history timed at 4 hours, 14 minutes.
Baltimore managed to recover a bit in the 4th quarter scoring two field goals by Justin Tucker. Tucker tried a fake field goal run earlier in the game that failed to convert a first down near the 49ers end zone.
Kaepernick scored a 15 yard touchdown run in between those Tucker field goals but a poor pass to Randy Moss failed to convert a two point conversion that would’ve tied the game at 31-31. Kaepernick finished the game with 62 rushing yards. Through the air, Colin went 16/28 for 302 passing yards, a 31 touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree, and an interception thrown to Ed Reed in the 2nd quarter. It was the first interception ever thrown by a San Francisco quarterback in the Super Bowl.
As for Crabtree, he finished the game with 5 catches for 109 receiving and the one touchdown. Vernon Davis finished the game just 5 yards shy of him with 104 receiving yards in 6 catches.
The star of the night was Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco who shined predominantly in the first half of the game. Flacco went 22/33 for 287 passing yards and three touchdown passes, all of which came in the first half. Flacco finishes the postseason with 11 touchdown passes, no interceptions thrown, and as Super Bowl MVP.
“People should shut up about Joe,” said Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin. “I’m so sick of people saying Joe’s not an elite quarterback. For all the critics who say he’s not, ask them how many rings they have.”
Anquan Boldin also had a fine game with 6 catches for 104 yards and one touchdown off a 13 yard pass from Joe Flacco in the first quarter. It was the first score of the game for either team and it came on Baltimore first possession.
Another star for the Ravens was Jacoby Jones who made one of those Flacco touchdown catches on a 56 yard catch in which he fell down and got back up to get into the end zone. Jones out did that, however, on a 108 yard kick off return for a touchdown to start the 2nd half. It was the Ravens only touchdown of the half and it proved to be a difference maker.
The 49ers ground game was fine but it could’ve gone better. Frank Gore ran for 110 yards on 19 carries and a six yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The 49ers, however, may have missed Kendall Hunter in this one. 2nd back and rookie LaMichael James fumbled the ball early in the 2nd quarter which was recovered by Baltimore defensive end Arthur Jones. The subsequent Ravens' drive lead to a one yard touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta to them up by 11.
As for Baltimore’s ground game, they were not efficient against San Francisco’s defense getting only 93 yards on 35 carries. Ray Rice carried the ball 20 times for just 59 yards. Rice, however, had a fumble in the 3rd quarter which resulted in a 34 yard David Akers’ field goal.
Akers would make two other field goals in the first half of play. One in the first quarter from 36 yards out and the other to end the first half from 27 yards out. Akers accounted for all of San Francisco’s 6 first half points while Baltimore was on top by 15.
In overall numbers, San Francisco had 468 total offensive yards while Baltimore had 367. The Ravens had the ball a bit longer controlling it for just over 32 minutes of the game. The 49ers also had six red zone attempts only converting twice for touchdowns.
Inexperience showed for San Francisco against the veteran squad of Baltimore. With the team around them, however, there is always next year.
“We will use this as fuel,” 49ers safety Donte Whitner said. “It’s tough getting shoved off the field, watching the other team celebrate. We’ll be better from this. We’ll be back.”
The Baltimore Ravens managed to hold off the surging San Francisco 49ers by a final of 34-31. Colin Kaepernick lead the 49ers down field for one last shot in the end zone with under two minutes remaining and failed to convert a 4th goal pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the back corner of the end zone.
“I think that last drive when we got the ball and had time to go down and score a touchdown, we thought it was our game,” Kaepernick said afterwards.
The Ravens then killed all but 4 seconds of the clock with the subsequent drive ending in a safety in which punter Sam Koch ran it out of the end zone. The following punt ended with Ted Ginn Jr. getting tackled as time expired leaving the Ravens as the victor.
“Our guys battled back to get back in,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I thought we battled right to the brink of winning.”
Ray Lewis ends his 17 year career with a 2nd Super Bowl ring, other being earned in early 2001. This career ending sendoff came in a season where he had to come back from from a triceps injury sustained in October not making his return until the beginning of the postseason when the Ravens played the visiting Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round.
“It’s no greater way, as a champ, to go out on your last ride with the men that I went out with, with my teammates,” Lewis said. “And you looked around this stadium and Baltimore! Baltimore! We coming home, baby! We did it!”
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh now has a 2-0 coaching record against his younger brother Jim Harbaugh. The first meeting between the two brother occurred on Thanksgiving day 2011.
“How could it be any other way? It’s never pretty. It’s never perfect. But it’s us,” John said afterwards. “It was us today.”
On the flip side, this is San Francisco’s first loss in the Super Bowl making them 5-1 in the big game.
“I really wanted it for us,” 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis said. “I wanted to bring it back to the Bay… We came up short. We were there and we came up short.”
The 49ers were down by as many as 22 points early in the 3rd quarter. Momentum seemed to turn around after a power outage in the 3rd quarter. The outage lasted over a half hour. San Francisco then managed to score 17 consecutive points to finish the quarter.
In part because of the power outage, it was the longest Super Bowl in history timed at 4 hours, 14 minutes.
Baltimore managed to recover a bit in the 4th quarter scoring two field goals by Justin Tucker. Tucker tried a fake field goal run earlier in the game that failed to convert a first down near the 49ers end zone.
Kaepernick scored a 15 yard touchdown run in between those Tucker field goals but a poor pass to Randy Moss failed to convert a two point conversion that would’ve tied the game at 31-31. Kaepernick finished the game with 62 rushing yards. Through the air, Colin went 16/28 for 302 passing yards, a 31 touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree, and an interception thrown to Ed Reed in the 2nd quarter. It was the first interception ever thrown by a San Francisco quarterback in the Super Bowl.
As for Crabtree, he finished the game with 5 catches for 109 receiving and the one touchdown. Vernon Davis finished the game just 5 yards shy of him with 104 receiving yards in 6 catches.
The star of the night was Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco who shined predominantly in the first half of the game. Flacco went 22/33 for 287 passing yards and three touchdown passes, all of which came in the first half. Flacco finishes the postseason with 11 touchdown passes, no interceptions thrown, and as Super Bowl MVP.
“People should shut up about Joe,” said Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin. “I’m so sick of people saying Joe’s not an elite quarterback. For all the critics who say he’s not, ask them how many rings they have.”
Anquan Boldin also had a fine game with 6 catches for 104 yards and one touchdown off a 13 yard pass from Joe Flacco in the first quarter. It was the first score of the game for either team and it came on Baltimore first possession.
Another star for the Ravens was Jacoby Jones who made one of those Flacco touchdown catches on a 56 yard catch in which he fell down and got back up to get into the end zone. Jones out did that, however, on a 108 yard kick off return for a touchdown to start the 2nd half. It was the Ravens only touchdown of the half and it proved to be a difference maker.
The 49ers ground game was fine but it could’ve gone better. Frank Gore ran for 110 yards on 19 carries and a six yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The 49ers, however, may have missed Kendall Hunter in this one. 2nd back and rookie LaMichael James fumbled the ball early in the 2nd quarter which was recovered by Baltimore defensive end Arthur Jones. The subsequent Ravens' drive lead to a one yard touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta to them up by 11.
As for Baltimore’s ground game, they were not efficient against San Francisco’s defense getting only 93 yards on 35 carries. Ray Rice carried the ball 20 times for just 59 yards. Rice, however, had a fumble in the 3rd quarter which resulted in a 34 yard David Akers’ field goal.
Akers would make two other field goals in the first half of play. One in the first quarter from 36 yards out and the other to end the first half from 27 yards out. Akers accounted for all of San Francisco’s 6 first half points while Baltimore was on top by 15.
In overall numbers, San Francisco had 468 total offensive yards while Baltimore had 367. The Ravens had the ball a bit longer controlling it for just over 32 minutes of the game. The 49ers also had six red zone attempts only converting twice for touchdowns.
Inexperience showed for San Francisco against the veteran squad of Baltimore. With the team around them, however, there is always next year.
“We will use this as fuel,” 49ers safety Donte Whitner said. “It’s tough getting shoved off the field, watching the other team celebrate. We’ll be better from this. We’ll be back.”
Sunday, January 20, 2013
49ers and Ravens Advance to First Ever Har-Bowl
There is one family in America that is ecstatic and that is the Harbaugh's.
In the NFC Championship game, the San Francisco 49ers lead by Jim Harbaugh, went into Atlanta to face the Falcons. After being down 17-0, the 49ers fought a great 2nd half and managed to grab the lead with a Frank Gore touchdown run in the 4th quarter. It was their first lead of the game. Atlanta tried to take back control of the game but after a failed 4th and 4 conversion attempt, the Falcons were all but done. The 49ers with Colin Kaepernick at the helm (not Alex Smith) managed to win the game 28-24 and advance to thier first Super Bowl since 1994.
As for the AFC Championship game, the Baltimore Ravens lead by John Harbaugh, Jim's older brother, went into New England and managed to keep Ray Lewis' career alive for one more final game. After being down 13-7 at the half, the Ravens defense clamped down while Joe Flacco and the offense took off. Flacco threw 3 touchdowns in the 2nd half with the last two going to Anquan Boldin. The Pats, meanwhile, couldn't put up any 2nd half points and managed one touchdown all game long. In their 2nd straight AFC Championship game vs New England, the Ravens overcome the Patriots 28-13 and go on to their first Super Bowl since 2000.
Super Bowl XLVII is set with the Baltimore Ravens vs. the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans. This marks the first Super Bowl in which the opposing head coaches are brothers. Definitely adds a bit to the term "Sibling Rivalry."
P.S. For a full recap of the 49ers win in Atlanta, click here. Be sure to visit the 49ers section at prosportsblogging.com for updates on the team before and after the Super Bowl.
In the NFC Championship game, the San Francisco 49ers lead by Jim Harbaugh, went into Atlanta to face the Falcons. After being down 17-0, the 49ers fought a great 2nd half and managed to grab the lead with a Frank Gore touchdown run in the 4th quarter. It was their first lead of the game. Atlanta tried to take back control of the game but after a failed 4th and 4 conversion attempt, the Falcons were all but done. The 49ers with Colin Kaepernick at the helm (not Alex Smith) managed to win the game 28-24 and advance to thier first Super Bowl since 1994.
As for the AFC Championship game, the Baltimore Ravens lead by John Harbaugh, Jim's older brother, went into New England and managed to keep Ray Lewis' career alive for one more final game. After being down 13-7 at the half, the Ravens defense clamped down while Joe Flacco and the offense took off. Flacco threw 3 touchdowns in the 2nd half with the last two going to Anquan Boldin. The Pats, meanwhile, couldn't put up any 2nd half points and managed one touchdown all game long. In their 2nd straight AFC Championship game vs New England, the Ravens overcome the Patriots 28-13 and go on to their first Super Bowl since 2000.
Super Bowl XLVII is set with the Baltimore Ravens vs. the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans. This marks the first Super Bowl in which the opposing head coaches are brothers. Definitely adds a bit to the term "Sibling Rivalry."
P.S. For a full recap of the 49ers win in Atlanta, click here. Be sure to visit the 49ers section at prosportsblogging.com for updates on the team before and after the Super Bowl.
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