Baltimore Ravens-(used to be) a running team

[Art-Florida]

Mule and J.O. can still make a hole, sometimes, but they are aging as we watch. Flynn is now phlegm, Keydrick is never-was-drick, and Tony P. can't find the line of scrimmage. Not good.

Jamal is now a very average RB. Ray is not the only Lewis who has lost a step. Musa looked Pro Bowl in the preseason, but now looks like cereal bowl. Mike Anderson? Who knows? He doesn't get the ball often enough to make a judgement on. We have two other tailbacks, rookies, who don't get activated. Where is this 'running game' coming from, next year's draft?

Solutions: damn few. The NFL is a great copycat league, we all know that. Maybe...just maybe the experiment that the Falcons are using with Michael Vick and a modified option formation might be worth emulating. We have Steve McNair and Kyle Boller - not ideal choices for running the option, but...it's a thought. The alternative is being a team that doesn't run well and doesn't pass all that great either. The defense can't win them all. Dilemmas, dilemmas.

[52decleetzu]

in order to be a good running team you need an offensive line that can open holes,which we dont at this point in time.Ask Larry Johnson,ask Edge James,ask Shaun Alexander.

[deuce]

I hope I never see McNair running an option.

[Gabrosin]

I think our running backs are all fine, though Jamal does look a little slower, even if he's still as powerful. It's the line... it always comes back to the line. A good line, like the Broncos have, can make almost any running back look decent, and put out an average result or better... and if you have a good running back too, watch out.

The front office has been bringing in young guys like Pashos, Rimpf, Brown, and Chester and trying to develop them, but obviously we are still behind in this area. I would expect right tackle to be our absolute top priority next offseason, most likely through free agency; unless we're in a position to draft a stud at the position who can play from day one, we're going to be interested in a veteran who can come in and anchor that side. And someone better step up and replace Flynn at center. We are just getting mauled at the line. It's somewhat amazing that we're undefeated, considering the pressure we've faced. Hopefully this bunch will be able to make it through the season and not be our undoing... and maybe Brown and Chester will make enough impact to break into the starting lineup and give us improvement.

[F Angelos]

Our coaches haven't adjusted to the fact that this offense is built around a dominant RB. The only problem is he's no longer got that kind of ability. Throw in an OL that's not agile enough to run screens or sweeps and this is the result.