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  1. #1
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    Most Improved Raven?

    Since we're now in Week 17 of the season, we can reflect back from Day 1 to now in regards to individual players.

    For most improved player since Week 1, I would definitely have to go with Foxworth. I was really worried about him as our #1 CB the first few weeks, but he has improved over the season, especially during the last few games. Not that I'm saying he's of #1 caliber or anything, but I definitely feel more comfortable with him in the secondary now than I did in the early part of the season.

    Honorable mention: As much as I hate to say it, Chris Carr has been playing better as well. I was ready to cut him earlier in the season, but he's not been a liability lately.

    Most disappointing Raven? Definitely Terrell Suggs. I don't see much difference in the games he was out with the injury than I do right now. Especially considering how much we're paying him.

    Any others?

    Edited to add: Kudos to Billy Cundiff. He came in during a bad situation, and has performed very well. Even many of his kickoffs have been getting into the endzone.





  2. Re: Most Improved Raven?

    Webb would have to be included if he didn't get hurt.

    Dwan Edwards is playing much better than expected.

    Landry has really turned it around after an awful start.

    I can't agree with you on Carr. He had a good game last week, but let's not get carried away. The main reason we brought him in was to return kicks and punts and he's been pretty atrocious at that.

    Suggs has definitely been a disappointment, though.

    Ben Grubbs has been worse than I thought he would be this year as well. A first-round interior lineman needs to be a difference maker, and I have yet to see that from him this year.





  3. #3
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    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    I don't know if I can pick one, here are my canidadtes...

    Ray Rice - We saw a taste of what you could do in pre-season, but you came in from Day One and OWNED the RB position. You fended off calls from some fans that Willis McGahee was the best back on this team by just SMOKING the opponents in both the running and passing game. Even if you don't crack 2000 total yards this year, you've had a damn fine season and it'll be a DAMN shame if you don't go to the Pro Bowl

    Kelley Washington - You may not have lit the world on fire, but you certainly did your part to spice up our receiving core. You probably should've been starting most of this year over Clayton. Hope to see you back next year!

    Todd Heap - Granted, this has mostly come in the past two weeks, but you went from a guy who was most likely a broken down shell of your former self to a playmaker. There's some talk that you may not be a Raven after this year, and if that's true, well thanks for the memories and thanks for restoring your former glory a bit these past two weeks. You really started picking it back up at the end

    Dwan Edwards - You're still not a dominant DL, but the second half of the season, you played like you were on fire. Solid, if not a good all around DL.

    Dannell Ellerbe - You've been showing us you deserve a fair shot at replacing Tavares Gooden next season. If you can improve your pass coverage skills, you might make us forget the name "Bart Scott"

    Domonique Foxworth - Seeing as we're the same high school class, and your high school is my brother's alma mater, I had some big respect for you coming to the Ravens and high hopes. You had a tough time early in the season, but lately you've been playing a lot more as I expected. If we can keep a good CB like Webb scross from you, I think you may just earn that big contract.

    Tom Zbikowski - Anyone who in 3 weeks can make us start even considering replacing Ed Reed...You are doing something right, keep it up.

    Lardarius Webb - Even with the injury, you'd have to be a frontrunner. You electrified our return game, then all of the sudden, you electrified our secondary, so much that we started considering getting you OFF the return game. I am absolutely praying for you to return at the same strength and ability you showed before the injury, because you could be a REAL gem at CB for years to come.
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    “When I think of a Baltimore Raven - we go in there, we take your lunch box, we take your sandwich, we take your juice box, we take your applesauce, and we take your spork and we break it. And we leave you with an empty lunch. That’s the Baltimore Raven way.” - Steve Smith Sr.


    Call me a Special Teams coach again. I dare you! I double dare you, MFer!





  4. #4

    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    The most obvious guy I almost overlooked.

    http://www.nfl.com/players/rayrice/profile?id=RIC154451

    Even the most purple eyed optimists among us did not see Ray Rice going for 2,000 yards from scrimage, 1,300+ rushing at 5.3 ypc and 700+ rec on 75 grabs, especially if We knew Willis was going to have 9 or 10 TDs.

    On D a guy that has really stepped up recently from deep on the depth chart and played very well is Tom Zbikowski. He is going to make me learn how to actually spell his name.

    http://www.nfl.com/players/tomzbikow...e?id=ZBI355964

    Heap also desersves some props. He has been playing every week for 2 seasons now and not many would have expected him to bounce back with 6 or more TDs this year even with an improving young QB when his top season was 7.



    :T2:





  5. #5
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    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    I agree about Billy Cundiff. The guy deserves some recognition for how he's solidified the kicking position. It must have been an extremely stressful situation for him to come into with the fan base fuming over the failed Hauschka experiment and seeing Stover come into town with the Colts. He has done really well and his misses have all come on bad snaps. We still haven't seen a real pressure, game-winning try > 40 yards but from what he's shown so far it looks like he could hit it.

    Speaking of the bad snaps - what is going on with Matt Katula? I'm seeing a ton of high and dirt snaps on field goals and punts and this guy may be playing himself out of a job.

    Foxworth has to be mentioned as one of the most improved Ravens. He's done a nice job lately after a shaky start to the season. Still has to work on his footwork a bit though.





  6. #6
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    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    Is it only a coincidence that Foxworth's play seems to have gotten better with Reed on the bench? Is it possible that Zib is staying with his assignments and not off WAGing as Reed as wont to do, thus giving Foxworth the help that is needed?
    .
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    There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarrely inexplicable…

    There is another theory which states that this - has - already - happened…



    "We don't have a town drunk...we all take turns..."





  7. #7

    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    While not the most improved Raven JJ has done a great job at linebacker. A few weeks ago I'm thinking if fizzles got 60 million how much is this guy worth.

    Ray Rice has been tremendous, I've said many times to friends him getting hurt last year may have cost us a trip to the Super Bowl. Numerous times last year he made first downs out of nothing and the ravens really missed that in the playoffs against superior defenses.

    My pick for most improved Raven would be Lardarius, I wish him the best and hope the knee injury is one where he's able to recover quickly from surgery and get all his skills back.





  8. #8
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    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    Let's remember the topic of this thread: Most IMPROVED Raven. When speaking of Lardarius Webb, one cannot say he's improved. He was good right from the time he was inserted. Perhaps most consistent Raven, yes.

    As for the person who mentioned Heap, I have to agree that he was definitely a shell of his former self, and has asserted himself lately. However, I have to wonder how much of that was playcalling and how much was Heap himself.

    And yes, I did overlook Ben Grubbs as a candidate for Most Disappointing Raven. I really had high hopes for him when we drafted him. Now I'm not so sure. Hopefully he'll turn it around.





  9. #9

    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    I have to think Grubbs was playing on a bad ankle or something. He had not had many games like the GB one where he got tossed around. He had a very good game last year heads up with vs Haynesworth and Shuan Rodgers so I doubt he was overpowered like he was recently while at full strength. He has still done a good job in space, pulling trapping and getting to the second level, but we were much more dominant in short yardage running situations last year.



    :T2:





  10. #10
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    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    I still put Ladarius in for most improved Raven because at the start of the season, he wasn't being counted on for ANYTHING. He wasn't the returner, Carr was. Our CB depth was Foxworth, Fabian, Carr, Walker, Webb. Webb didn't even really see much time on D until around or after the bye week. So he went from a rookie who they were just trying to have learn the ropes, to probably among the top 5 playmakers on the team.
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    “When I think of a Baltimore Raven - we go in there, we take your lunch box, we take your sandwich, we take your juice box, we take your applesauce, and we take your spork and we break it. And we leave you with an empty lunch. That’s the Baltimore Raven way.” - Steve Smith Sr.


    Call me a Special Teams coach again. I dare you! I double dare you, MFer!





  11. #11
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    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    Cousins?

    Hey, at least he played.






  12. #12
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    Re: Most Improved Raven?

    Quote Originally Posted by RavenScallywag View Post
    I still put Ladarius in for most improved Raven because at the start of the season, he wasn't being counted on for ANYTHING. He wasn't the returner, Carr was. Our CB depth was Foxworth, Fabian, Carr, Walker, Webb. Webb didn't even really see much time on D until around or after the bye week. So he went from a rookie who they were just trying to have learn the ropes, to probably among the top 5 playmakers on the team.
    Point taken, and I agree with you. I simply saw him as a surprise that we inserted at time of injury. He's certainly exceeded everyone's expectations.





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