NFL: Baltimore Ravens Stats ‘N’ Facts
Sunday, January 18, 2009
6:40 PM ET
Heinz Field (65,050 )
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME — BALTIMORE (13-5) AT PITTSBURGH (13-4)
RAVENS BATTLE STEELERS FOR AFC CHAMPIONSHIP
RAVENS
OVERVIEW
The Ravens earned the 2ndWild Card spot in the AFC playoffs with an 11-5 record, which included a 9-2 mark after starting the season 2-3. Baltimore set an NFL record for most wins by a team with both a rookie head coach (John Harbaugh) and rookie QB (Joe Flacco). The Ravens finished 1 game behind Pittsburgh (12-4) in the AFC North. Impressive victories came at Miami (27-13), at Houston (41-13), over the Eagles (36-7) and at Dallas (33-24) in the last game played at Texas Stadium. Most difficult of the losses were 2 memorable battles with Pittsburgh (23-20 in OT @ Pit. and 13-9) and a home loss to Tennessee (13-10). The Ravens, who have now played 17 consecutive weekends because of the loss of their bye (rescheduled due to Hurricane Ike), won at Miami (27-9 on 1/4) in the Wild Card game and beat the Titans in Nashville (13-10) last Saturday (1/10) in the Divisional Round. Baltimore stole the ball 5 times from the Dolphins, who led the NFL with just 13 give-aways, and 3 times from the Titans. The Ravens have turned the ball over once in the playoffs for a +7 postseason turnover ratio.
DEFENSE
The Ravens’ defense, coordinated by assistant head coach Rex
Ryan, enjoyed another dominant season. Ranked 2nd in the NFL,
the defense set 3 team records: opponent QB rating (60.6), rushing TDs allowed (4) and rushing 1st downs allowed (58). Baltimore led the NFL with 26 INTs, including 9 by S Ed Reed, which was also an NFL high. Baltimore was 3rd against the run and 2nd versus the pass in 2008. The Ravens also were tops in the NFL producing “3- and-outs” (60). They did not allow a 100-yard rusher for the 2nd straight season (current string is 35 games, dating back to 2006).
OFFENSE
Rookie QB Joe Flacco (18th selection in 1st round) started every
game for Cam Cameron and the Ravens’ offense. In Flacco’s 1st 5 games, when the Ravens went 2-3, Joe threw 1 TD and 7 INTs for a QB rating of 60.6. Over the last 11 games of the regular season (9-2), Flacco threw 13 TDs with 5 INTs and produced a 90.2 rating. (Joe’s QB mark of 91.7 in road games was 3rd best in the NFL in ’08.)
over 900 (Le’Ron McClain), 650 (Willis McGahee) and 450 (Ray
Rice) rushing yards. Baltimore led the NFL in time of possession
(33:10). WR Derrick Mason produced 80 catches for 1,037 yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Matt Stover, who is 40 and just completed his 19th regular season, is the 3rd-most-accurate kicker (83.7%, min. 150 att.) and 5th highest scorer (1,944) in league history.
WIZARD OF OZ
Starting with the 1st 2 choices in team history (1996), likely Hall of
Famers Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis, Ozzie Newsome and his
staff have consistently drafted well. Based on the NFL’s 2008
Week 1 rosters, Baltimore drafted the 2nd-highest percentage
(60.8) of players on NFL rosters and 3rd highest on its own team.
The free-agent signing of S Jim Leonhard and trade for CB Fabian
Washington last April saved a secondary that lost starters CB
Chris McAlister and S Dawan Landry to Injured Reserve.
PRO BOWL
Five Ravens were elected to the Pro Bowl: ILB Ray
Lewis (starter), S Ed Reed (starter), OLB Terrell Suggs,
FB Le’Ron McClain (starter) and Special Teamer
Brendon Ayanbadejo. DT Haloti Ngata is a 1st alternate.
TURNOVER TURNAROUND
In 2007, when the Ravens lost 9 in a row and finished 5-11, they
produced a league-worst turnover ratio of -17. This season, they
improved that mark to +13 (NFL’s 3rd best), a net improvement of
+30, which was the league’s largest jump. The Ravens’ 34 takeaways ranked No. 1 in the league.
2008 TALE OF THE TAPE
Category…………. Ravens…………………. Steelers
2008 Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-5…. 12-4
Season’s Longest Streak . . . . . . . . .4 Wins…. 5 Wins
Last ‘08 Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . .W, 27-7 vs. Jax…. W, 31-0 vs. Cle.
Points Scored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .385…. 347
TDs Scored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42…. 38
Rushing TDs Scored . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20…. 16
Passing TDs Scored . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16…. 19
TDs on Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6…. 3
Points Against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244…. 223
TDs Allowed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26…. 21
Rushing TDs Allowed . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4…. 7
Passing TDs Allowed . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17…. 12
TDs Allowed by Return . . . . . . . . . . . . .5…. 2
Turnover Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+13…. +4
Red Zone TD Pct. For . . . . . . . . . . .47.1%…. 55.1%
Red Zone TD Pct. Against . . . . . . . .35.9%…. 33.3%
KOR Avg. For . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20.1…. 20.3
KOR Avg. Against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.6…. 19.1
PR Avg. For . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.6…. 6.0
PR Avg. Against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.4…. 6.2
DEFENSIVE TRADITION
The Steelers’ and Ravens’ defenses finished
2008 ranked 1-2, respectively, in yards allowed
per game (Pittsburgh – 237.2 and Baltimore – 261.1).
Continuing to uphold their strong defensive traditions,
Baltimore and Pittsburgh have produced 2 of the NFL’s top
defenses this decade.
Here’s how they rank since 2000:
TOP NFL DEFENSIVE RANKINGS
(Since 2000)
TOTAL DEFENSE
(Fewest Yards Allowed)
1. Pittsburgh . . . . .277.8
2. Baltimore . . . . .282.5
3. Tampa Bay . . . .288.8
POINTS PER GAME
(Fewest Allowed)
1. Pittsburgh . . . . . .17.0
2. Baltimore . . . . . .17.1
3. Tampa Bay . . . . .17.6
RUSH YARDS PER GAME
(Fewest Allowed)
1. Baltimore . . . . . .88.4
2. Pittsburgh . . . . . .89.0
3. San Diego . . . .100.7
SHOW NO EMOTION
Leave Your Comments