Baltimore Ravens 2009 Season Outlook

The Ravens took fans on a rollercoaster ride a season ago. A surprising 11-5 regular season record culminated with a loss to Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship. That impressive display has made Baltimore a sleeper pick in the world of NFL betting – currently, the Ravens are listed with 19/2 odds to win the 2009/10 AFC Championship outright.

Key Departures: OT Willie Anderson, QB Kyle Boller, C Jason Brown, DE Marques Douglas, CB Corey Ivy, S Jim Leonhard, WR Derrick Mason, CB Chris McAlister, LB Bart Scott.

Key Acquisitions: QB John Beck (FA), C Matt Birk (FA), CB-RS Chris Carr (FA), CB Dominique Foxworth (FA), TE L.J. Smith (FA), WR Kelley Washington (FA), OT Michael Oher (Draft)

The emergence of rookie Joe Flacco meant the Ravens were finally able to part with QB Kyle Boller, the 2003 first-round pick than never panned out. While that move was expected, the shock retirement of WR Derrick Mason wasn’t. Mason, the 12-year vet who led Baltimore in receptions a year ago (80 catches, 1037 yards, 5 TDs) was one of Flacco’s favorite targets and will be missed dearly. It’s a big blow to a Raven offense that was already one-dimensional – Baltimore ran the ball more than any other team (37 times per game) a year ago. The addition of sure-handed TE L.J. Smith should alleviate some concern, but there’s still a big hole at receiver to fill. NFL odds suggest that the Ravens lack a true offensive superstar – according an online sportsbook, not a single Baltimore player is listed amongst the 2009 NFL MVP candidates.

Defensively, the Ravens suffered some key personnel losses. Former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan took the head job with the New York Jets and brought a lot of his guys with him. Versatile linebacker Bart Scott signed with the Jets, as did do-everything safety Jim Leonhard and DE Marques Douglas. Despite these departures, Baltimore still has plenty of defensive weapons in reserve. Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed are three of football’s best ballhawks; the trio of Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg and Trevor Pryce might be the best 3-4 front in the game.

Notable 2009 Games: Baltimore has an incredibly tough stretch in late November/early December – home games against Indianapolis (November 22nd) and Pittsburgh (November 29th) followed by a Monday Night date at Lambeau Field to play the Packers on December 7th. This three-game set could make or break the Ravens’ season.

2009 Outlook: The Ravens were something of a surprise a year ago, but they won’t catch anybody off-guard this season. The departure of Mason does little to reduce the likelihood of Flacco having a sophomore slump, and that’s worrisome. A nine- or 10-win season seems likely, but in the hyper-competitive AFC, that might not be enough to make the playoffs.