Blogging with the Enemy: Ravens

This week, I traded questions with Ravens blogger Tony Lombardi from ProFootball24x7.com. My questions, and his answers, are below. Enjoy.

1. So, a 2-0 start is pretty good and with the Bears upsetting the Steelers last week, I'm guessing you feel pretty good atop the AFC North. Have all your pre-season questions/concerns been satisfied now that we're two weeks in to the season?

My biggest concerns heading into the season centered on the positions of tight end and offensive tackle. Todd Heap is not the player he once was and the depth behind him is questionable. Free agent acquisition LJ Smith has seen very little of the field due to injury and the pair behind him, Edgar Jones and Tony Curtis have a total of 11 NFL catches between them.

At tackle the Ravens are stout at the top of the depth chart with Jared Gaither and rookie Michael Oher but beyond them, Oniel Cousins is a project and Tony Moll acquired early in September from the Packers, is new to the offense.

Special teams is also a concern. Kick coverage has been spotty and they will be supremely challenged this week by Josh Cribbs. If I’m special teams coach Jerry Rosburg I wouldn’t even kick the ball to Cribbs. Kicker Steve Hauschka is very unproven.

2. What is the biggest strength for the Ravens this year? Is it still the defense, or is it now the offense?

I think the Ravens are more balanced and capable of beating teams on either side of the ball. They have a nice 1-2 punch in the backfield with Ray Rice and Willis McGahee and Flacco’s maturity is apparent. He has become a team leader. Defensively the Ravens have no proven answer for the departure of Bart Scott. Tavares Gooden and Jameel McClain show promise and I suspect that they’ll be better after the bye week (week 7) than before.

At the end of the day, the Ravens still should be considered a defensive team first. Therein lies the pulse of the club.

2a. What's the biggest weakness?

Special teams and it’s not even close. Cribbs must be experiencing child-like Christmas Eve anticipation waiting for this game on Sunday.

3. What, if anything, worries you about the Browns? Could this be a "trap" game?

If Josh Cribbs doesn’t have a big day the Browns are done. This could have been a trap game but Philip Rivers dissecting the Ravens secondary in San Diego prevented that. The defense is out to show the world that their performance out west was a combination of a slight aberration and a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback being in the zone.

4. What are your three keys to winning this game on Sunday?

1. Contain Cribbs
2. Limit mistakes
3. Keep Braylon Edwards from having a big game.

5. What's your prediction on the outcome of this game/season?

Browns’ fans will experience another long season while the Ravens fans will have an enjoyable one. It’s far too early to say how deep the Ravens go into the playoffs, my guess is that they are still a little thin at a couple of positions and that will keep them from Miami in February but they’ll be in the mix. The bright side for the Browns fans is that they will have a high draft pick in 2010 and Eric Mangini will be a little closer to being fired.

Final score this week: Ravens 27, Browns 10

To read my answers to his questions, visit ProFootball24x7.com.

Go Browns!

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