Put Down the Torches and Pitchforks… The season isn’t over yet…

It looks bad. We all know it. The Ravens are 4-4. They’ve won some huge games (at San Diego, home against Denver) and lost some down right stunners (at New England, against Cincinnati twice). But just because the team is struggling as of late does not mean its time to write the season obituary.

Realistically the Ravens can lose two more games over the course of the next eight and still make the playoffs. It’s not going to be easy. With Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Green Bay all looming on the horizon, Baltimore has got their work cut our for them. But this does not mean that it’s time to pack it in and call the season a wash. This Ravens squad is still very talented and has the ability to put themselves into the post-season.

Four Things the Ravens Have Done Right:

1.) They’ve allowed Joe Flacco to expand the no-huddle offense. Flacco is a smart poised Quarterback who can make moves with his feet. Although he’s not there yet, the one QB who he reminds me most of is Peyton Manning. Both have rocket arms and do a great job of identifying pressure and making adjustments. Flacco is no where near Peyton’s talent level yet, but he’s coming along nicely. The Ravens have done a good job allowing him to evolve and mature. A prime example of this was against Denver and in the waning minutes of the fourth against Cincy. It’s not Joe’s fault the Ravens keeping putting the reigns back on after taking them off.

2.) They’ve never given up on a game. The Ravens as a whole must be commended for fighting it out until the very last whistle. Against the Bengals on Sunday, the Ravens were doing their darnedest to make something happen even as time was expiring. Tenacity is a big part of the reason why this team has lost all but one of its games by 6 points or less. They simply don’t give up.

3.) They’ve not resorted to infighting. When things aren’t going well, teams have a tendency to start attacking one another. So and so did this, or I’m being disrespected, or he’s not putting me in the game plan enough. The litany may go on and on and on. So far this year there has been no visible infighting within the Ravens’ ranks. The team has accepted their beatings, never made excuses, and has moved on to the next battle. That’s how good teams win.

4.) The rookies have stepped up. Be it Michael Oher, Lardarius Webb or Darnell Ellerbe, the Ravens’ Rookies have all shown significant signs of improvements and have all made contributions to each Ravens victory. It’s a very good sign when you’re young players have the ability to step up make plays and help the team succeed.

Four Things the Ravens Need to Improve Upon:

1.) The Ravens have got to improve their discipline. The Ravens can still be the nasty fearsome team we all know and love, but first, they have to be more disciplined at the point of attack and in coverage situations. The team is being absolutely killed by dumb penalties and ever dumber fundamental breakdowns.

2.) Steve Hauschka needs to man up. The worst thing a kicker can do in the NFl is get locked inside his own head. On Sunday after blowing a chance to put his team in position to win, Steve Hauschka could be seen sitting on the sidelines mumbling to himself. That is the first sign that a kicker has lost his stuff. It’s the same in baseball. When a pitcher starts yelling at himself, it’s all over. For Hauschka he has to man up, own his miss and move on. He’s a rookie, he’s still getting there, but if he doesn’t break out of his own mind he’s never going to make it in this league.

3.) John Harbaugh and company need to swallow their pride. Whatever the Ravens are doing down in Owings Mills to prepare for each game, clearly it isn’t working. Harbaugh, Cameron, Mattison and Newsome all need to eat some humble pie, take a step back and realize that the machine is broken. They need to scrap what ever conventional ideas they have and start from scratch. Sometimes a coaching staff is too egotistical to admit that they’re system doesn’t work. They continually force a square peg into a round hole. For the Ravens to win, they must adopt a Belichek strategy and become more fluid. If something isn’t working, Belichek is never afraid to scrap it and start again.

4.) The Ravens need a Pass Rush. For all the talk about the trials and tribulations of the Secondary, the most often overlooked weakness the Ravens have shown is from their Pass Rush. when a quarterback is given all day to throw the ball, they’re going to pick apart any secondary, that’s just fact. The Ravens front four have got to find a way to get to the opposing QB and create some pressure. Terrell Suggs was made the highest paid DE/OLB in the league, and has done very little to justify the hefty price tag. he needs to step up his game in a very serious fashion.

So before you start to burn your Poe Action Figure with Kung Fu Grip, take a deep breath, remember that the season is long, the battles are hard fought, and no team goes undefeated. With persistence and dedication, Baltimore may still yet win the day.