Welcome to Week Two in this 2008 NFL season… er… I mean… Week 10.

The Ravens head to Houston this week to take on the Texans in the game rescheduled from Week Two,  postponed after Hurricane Ike barreled into southeast Texas and damaged the Texans’ Reliant Stadium. The schedule changes brings together two teams in very different situations than eight weeks ago.

Early in the season, the Texans had high hopes. They were supposed to breakout and perhaps even challenge the elite of the AFC South - if not for a playoff position than at least for some standing in the division. Meanwhile, the Ravens were entering this year as a rebuilding process behind a rookie coach, rookie quarterback and aging defensive unit.

How things have changed.

Entering Week 10, the Ravens are now fighting for an AFC North division title and a playoff spot. Their five wins already equals their total from last season. The Texans have been on a rollercoaster of their own, though. Following an ugly 0-4 start,  the Texans had won three straight until last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

As we head into the weekend, here are two key match-ups to keep an eye on as the Ravens and Texans finally get to square off.

Texans Offense vs. Ravens Defense

WR Andre Johnson vs. Ravens Secondary

There are two undeniable facts here. First, that Andre Johnson is proving to be a beast and having a career year in 2008. Second, that the Ravens secondary continues to be the defense’s greatest weakness.

Such a combination - great receiver against weakened defensive backs - seems to always spell trouble for a team that relies heavily on the success of its defense.

Let’s start with Andre Johnson. Johnson entered the 2008 season as a good wide receiver, bordering on greatness, but oft limited by his own team’s ineptitude. Last season, Johnson truly broke out in an injury-shortened season. In just nine games he had more than 850 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. This year, Johnson has continued to the trend from last season. Already in just eight games he has 60 receptions, more than 800 yards, and three touchdowns.

And as if the Ravens needed more trouble from receivers, it’s worth noting that Johnson does his absolute best work at home in Reliant Stadium.  In four home games this season, Johnson has led the Texans to a 3-1 record by averaging more than 10 receptions and 148 yards per game. 148 yards in eight home games alone is enough to give Johnson an 1100-yard season. Read the rest of this entry »

Five quick facts and ideas to take into consideration as you set your line-up and check the waiver wire this week.

The Jaguars Can’t Run

For the last two years the Fred Taylor / Maurice Jones-Drew running tandem in Jacksonville was one of the most heralded in fantasy land. Taylor ran for over 1000 yards in 2006 and 2007, scoring five touchdowns each season. Jones-Drew averaged over 800 yards and 11 touchdowns in those two years as Taylor’s accomplice. This year, the story has changed.

No one’s sure why, but the entire system in Jacksonville has fallen off. At this point, it’s officially time to stop waiting for things to straighten out. Taylor is not worth owning anymore; you can find plenty of replacements on your waiver wire. Jones-Drew is worth holding on to, but only as a third running back. His complimentary receiving stats are all that make him interesting at this point.

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Heading into Sunday, let’s breakdown the fantasy-side of the Ravens-Steelers match-up.

Quarterbacks:

Joe Flacco: Still has yet to throw a touchdown pass and, last week, finally made some mistakes with the football. I know no one owns him, and it should stay that way for now.

Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben got sacked 9 times last week by Philadelphia. Many believe that number could be reached again Monday against the Ravens. If you league counts sacks, you need to be worried. But worry anyway… without proven runner behind him and given two straight questionable starts by Big Ben, it’s time to sit the guy if you can afford it.

Runningbacks:

Willis McGahee: The latest reports are that he will play. If he plays, you play him. The numbers may not be grand, but he is the most likely way the Ravens will find the endzone and he’ll receive most of the carries for the team.

Le’Ron McClain: McClain will be a part of this offensive package all season. He is a great option as a 3rd back, or even a starting back if you have runners on their bye week. He scored his first two rushing touchdowns last week and against a strong Steelers defense, expect him to continue to get goalline carries. The man is a bowling ball, and dare I say again, Jerome Bettis-esque.

Rashard Mendenhall: Perhaps worthy of a spot start in the absence of Parker, but only as a 3rd back. Against a stout Ravens D, he’s hardly worth picking up unless no other option presents itself.

Wide Outs / Tight Ends:

Hines Ward: Has been productive so far this season but has suffered in recent weeks as Big Ben and Parker have struggled. Still worth a start. Always worth a start.

Derrick Mason: Similar to Ward, always worth the start if you have him. He will see the ball and catch the ball and, maybe, will find the endzone. Start him.

Todd Hap: Still struggling, but still a better option than most other tight ends. Heap is going to be a key player in this game and will get frequent looks from Flacco. Start him.

Heath  Miller: He’s yet to be a threat this season, but is still worth the start over many other options. He’s been a poison, much like Ward, to this Ravens defense.

Defenses:

Ravens: They have quickly proven themselves to be the class of the NFL again. The run-stopping power is there and is helping to control the passing game. The pass rush has been brutal, ringing up sacks and helping the secondary get to the ball. Against a weak offensive line and a defeated run game, they deserve the start.

Steelers: At home, they are always tough. The run defense is stout, but is missing one of its biggest contributors in Casey Hampton. Still, the points will come from their ability to control Joe Flacco. At home, with a healthy Troy Polamalu, they might create some fireworks. If you have them, they are probably a good bet to start. It’s not like this will be a high scoring affair…

In addition to our weekly Fantasy Reports, which can be read at www.extremeravens.com or via the message boards, OneWinningDrive is going to be giving a little fantasy breakdown for the Ravens’ game each week. Between predictions and fantasy analysis, it’s all good…

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Bouman? Harrington? Simms? Bramlet? In the last five days, the Ravens have been trying out and trying to sign a handful of veteran quarterbacks in the hopes of adding depth to the teams, but despite published reports pointing fingers every different direction, the latest reports are saying that the team still has not signed any of the newbies…

But that doesn’t mean I’m scared to say something…

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It was, oh, 8 months ago that we made a post here called “Fill in the Blank.” The task: who are the team’s missing links? So let’s see what we’ve got here now…

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If you love quarterback controversy, the Ravens continue to be the team to follow. Over the holiday weekend, the Ravens made news time and time again with quarterback chat.

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Today on ESPN.com you can check out a feature listing the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, as rated by a small panel of experts, including Marv Levy and Art Rooney Jr. One of the primary features of the article is where Tom Brady fits in the grand scheme of great QBs. But also in there is a pleasant little bit for Baltimore - Johnny U tops the list.

The article broke down QB attributes in a number of ways, from arm strength to killer instinct, and “Unitas consistently ranked higher than any other quarterback.”

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It’s been nearly a month since this team finished the most disappointing seasons in club history. In that time, we’ve seen plenty of change and plenty of talk about more change to come. So in these days of silence and uncertainty, I present to you the three most pressing issues facing the Ravens as they move into the off-season and truly move towards a more successful 2008…

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