NFL Football Matchups - Baltimore Ravens at NY Jets -2.5
Monday, September 13, 2010
by Aengus Moorehead
The New York Jets get back holdout cornerback Darrelle Revis, but will he be a little bit rusty after sitting out all of training camp and preseason? The Jets cannot afford that, as his suffocating man-to-man coverage is what allows coach Rex Ryan to send his trademark blitzes.
Can the Jets live up to the hype? And can they handle being circled on every team's calendar? That remains to be seen. The Jets did everything they could to court attention during the spring and summer, and some future opponents didn't like all their chirping.
The Baltimore Ravens expect QB Joe Flacco to be more of a game manager this season, especially with a team whose defense is banged up going into the season. A basic offense won't quite cut it anymore for this team.
Raven’s WR Derrick Mason remains the team's big-play threat, and he should be helped by the addition of Anquan Boldin, formerly of Arizona, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, signed this week. The coaches want to open up things more in '10, and Mason is the receiver most equipped to make it happen, if he can escape Revis Island.
In the absence of the injured Ed Reed, who is on the PUP list, it will be up to FS Tom Zbikowski to not only fill in but also provide some stability to a banged-up secondary. Zbikowski won't make the game-breaking plays Reed might, but he is a surer tackler who takes fewer risks.
Complimenting Flacco in the backfield is RB Ray Rice. The former Rutgers standout, a native of the suburbs north of New York City, needs to enjoy a happy homecoming. The multi-talented Rice has become quite a dual threat running and receiving, and both of those could help him burn a New York defense that sometimes leaves itself vulnerable because of near-constant blitzing.
Ryan lauded QB Mark Sanchez's work ethic and rapid improvement all summer, but the second-year QB still was spotty during preseason games. Sanchez must leave behind bad habits such as locking on receivers and trying to fit passes Favre-style into spaces that are way too tight.
On defense for the Jets, newly acquired Antonio Cromartie must quickly get in sync opposite Revis, whom he hasn't played with since June minicamp. If not, the Ravens might try to pick on Cromartie, much like Washington did in the third preseason game in which Cromartie's play was somewhat shaky. He must return to his '07 Pro Bowl form.
Unlike Revis, C Nick Mangold didn't hold out and got his contract extension in August. Mangold's leadership of the line will be tested Monday night because the Baltimore Ravens figure to send a lot of blitzes at young Sanchez. It will be up to the fifth-year center to diagnose them and make the proper line calls.
After a crazy, attention-filled summer, the Jets' players certainly will get an emotional boost from the return of the well-liked Revis, who makes their defense much better. In fact, feelings will run deep on both teams, Ryan was passed over for the job that eventually went to good friend John Harbaugh and still feels snubbed by the Ravens, for whom he served as defensive coordinator. The game could get chippy considering each team prides itself on not backing down. Defense figures to reign and the Jets are slightly better in that category but give the edge to the Baltimore Ravens on offense and that will be the difference maker. Take Ravens.
Related Articles
- NFL Football Picks Wild Card Weekend – Full Schedule and Picks
- NFL Pick: No Place Like Home For New England Against Shaky Baltimore
- NFL Free Pick: Houston Texans Renew Hostilities With Baltimore Ravens
- Week 11 NFL Picks: Division Clash Awaits Cincinnati Bengals In Baltimore
- NFL Sunday Night Football Odds: Jets Will Be Grounded By Ravens
Category
Tags
anquan boldin - antonio cromartie - baltimore ravens - darrelle revis - derrick mason - ed reed - joe flacco - john harbaugh - mark sanchez - new york jets
