It’s been very quiet here at Ravens Gab.

I think after another playoff run by Baltimore, which ended once again due to the inability of the offense to put points on the board it was time to take a break, step back and reassess this franchise before we move towards free agency and the draft.

That’s why this article caught my eye a few days ago from ESPN’s AFC North blogger, James Walker called ,Is the AFC North outdated?

His premise is that with all the rule changes that have been instituted to encourage passing and scoring by the NFL what does that mean for the future of the AFC North? The division has been noted for using solid running games and tough defenses to win championships. In fact three of the four had 1,000 rushers this past season yet none won more than 10 games or made a deep playoff run.

So does this mean that these franchises and more importantly Baltimore must change their philosophy in order to keep pace with rest of the NFL?

It looks that way. Our “friends” to the North have made the shift for the past several seasons. The Steelers have developed quite a prolific offense (ranked 7th in 2009) letting Ben Roethlisberger create plays while throwing to a more than capable corps of players like Ward, Miller, and Holmes. They threw the ball 58% of the time! It should be noted though that they missed the playoffs and were unable to defend their 2008 title when they ranked last in rushing the ball.

Quarterback play is key and it’s why so many of the teams today can throw it more than they run it. If you have a quarterback you can trust then you’ll let him make decisions with the ball. You have to be able to score points in today’s NFL.

But this isn’t a new question is it?

Wasn’t that why Trent Dilfer wasn’t re-signed in 2001? He may have been a leader that the team respected but he didn’t have the ability to put up gaudy numbers. Elvis Grbac replaces him, they still make the playoffs even with Terry Allen as the running back but they aren’t the same and a year later they have to turn to signal callers like Chris Redman and Jeff Blake. It’s why Kyle Boller was drafted in the first round in 2003 and then why Joe Flacco was drafted in 2008. Baltimore for all its success with first round picks and defensive Hall of Famers they have always been searching for that true franchise quarterback.

Which brings us to Flacco. Will he finally be that player? I think he will. I think expectations have been overblown due to the success of his rookie year but he progressed well into his second season and his numbers match favorably with many elite quarterbacks when they were in their sophomore seasons. All he needs now are some other weapons around him and I think he will one day lead a prolific offense. He showed some flashes early in the season but injuries and Cam Cameron’s unwillingness to let him use the middle of the field led to a mediocre second half.

It why in the upcoming months we are going to see the Ravens go after offensive players in the draft like Jermaine Gresham from Oklahoma or maybe free agents like Malcolm Floyd from San Diego. In order for Baltimore to get away from the old way of thinking they will need build a better offensive machine.

But for all this talk about airing it out I think the NFL will always have a place for being able to run the ball and control the clock. Which can also yield results too. Lest we forget with a gimpy Flacco a month back they ran it 52 times to stampede the Patriots in the Wild Card round.

It might be the exception instead of the rule in the future but it sure is fun to watch.