Kevin Cadle - Sky Sports Expert

Ravens and rookies

Mendenhall and Flacco will have a major say on Monday

Posted: 26th September 2008 09:53

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Joe Flacco for Baltimore v Cincinnati 2008

Flacco: time to show what he can do

I just don't know how much Joe Flacco can give Baltimore offensively in this one because that Pittsburgh defense is going to come at him from so many angles.

Kevin Cadle
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Pittsburgh have problems heading into this.

Philadelphia beat Ben Roethlisberger up last week, his shoulder is hurting and his arm is hurting. Willie Parker is not gonna play and neither is Casey Hampton, their top tackler on defense.

Baltimore are 2-0 and unbeaten and from the off, things don't look good for the Steelers.

The one big positive they can take is that they are up against a rookie quarterback in Joe Flacco and when you get a new guy in there, you just don't know how he's going to perform.

Flacco is there to stay, that's his job. They're 2-0 with him right in the thick of it and Baltimore are going to accept the growing pains with him because the other options are not that great.

They also paid him good money, so he is going to be their quarterback of the future - that's why they drafted him.

But I just don't know how much Flacco can give them offensively in this one because that Pittsburgh defense is going to come at him from so many angles.

As much as Roethlisberger got beat up last week, the Steelers put an ass-whooping on Philly at times and the Ravens know that Flacco is gonna come in for some heat here too.

And when that starts happening, the one thing they've got to do is NOT turn the football over.

Meanest

Last year Baltimore was more like Turnover City and so far they have done a much better job of looking after the football this year - and that's the whole thing for them.

They've got one of the meanest defenses in the NFL again and if they don't turn that football over they don't keep putting those guys in such bad situations.

The Ravens defence never gives up a lot of yards and is one of the best around, but it's all about the scoreline: if you throw three interceptions or fumble it and it's returned, the opposition are usually gonna find themselves in position for a touchdown or at least a field goal.

This year, in the first two games at least, they have learned to respect the football and because of that, they are in a much healthier position - they are the unbeaten side heading into this.

With both defenses so tight, as obvious as it sounds, this will be about who can find the most points from somewhere, probably someone we might not expect.

And that means, for me, a battle between two rookies: Flacco and Rashard Mendenhall

If Flacco can show us what he's got then Baltimore have a chance, but all eyes will be on the Steelers back-up running back.

This will be Mendenhall's first start but he was high on the draft, so they clearly like him a lot at Baltimore - now it's time to see what he's got.

Cadle's Call: I am going to go for Pittsburgh as the home team. But you can't write the Ravens off and if Flacco comes good and Mendenhall can't fill the whole left by Parker, this could well go the other way.

Comments

David Hughes says...

Kevin, I like the Ravens on this one. Looking at last weeks games, especially Pittsburgh's, It showed how poor the Steelers were at protecting big Ben against the Eagles. Although the Eagles scheme is one of the best in the NFL, I think Baltimore's ranks up their in a different style. They will bring pressure and that line is suffering. Couple that with providing holes for Mendenhall (A talented back) and i just fancy the Ravens to do enough on offence to win this one. Im a Chargers fan so on a different note we should be able to stop the run against the raiders this weekend and win comfortably. Great column and show as always.

Posted 22:02 27th September 2008

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