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10 Jan 2010

Ravens' 2007 Draft Led to Their Win Today

Fans of teams with horrible offensive lines, take heart -- it is possible to re-grow a line in a single draft. You just have to be really, really good at it, like the Baltimore Ravens were in the 2007 draft (both actual and supplemental). The four key blocks on Willis McGahee's three-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of today's wild-card win over the Patriots (shown in the linked post) featured the three linemen and one fullback the Ravens grabbed through the draft in 2007. Nice job, Mr. Newsome!

Posted by: Doug Farrar on 10 Jan 2010

13 comments, Last at 11 Jan 2010, 4:48pm by anon

Comments

1
by drobviousso :: Sun, 01/10/2010 - 9:07pm

Didn't the Skins draft almost all of the Hogs in 1 draft as well?

3
by Bowl Game Anomaly :: Sun, 01/10/2010 - 9:36pm

I don't think so.

4
by BlueStarDude :: Sun, 01/10/2010 - 9:50pm

Mark May and Russ Grimm were both from the 1981 draft. Joe Jacoby was an undrafted free agent, I believe from the same year. Jeff Bostic undrafted in 1980 but didn't start until 1981.

5
by Raiderjoe :: Sun, 01/10/2010 - 9:55pm

george Starke 11th round 1971
j jacoby not drafted
r grimm 3rd round 1981
bostic not drafted
M May 1st rounf 1981

r.c thielemann there one yar too right? also J Lahcey but that much later on like 1989 or something

2
by Still Alive (not verified) :: Sun, 01/10/2010 - 9:10pm

He has quite a good track record.

6
by Dice :: Sun, 01/10/2010 - 10:38pm

Wasn't Jamal Lewis still their primary back in 2006? Would at least partially account for that 3.4 ypc in the article. Good to see line play being recognized, however.

7
by Independent George :: Sun, 01/10/2010 - 10:54pm

Moreover, everyone but Matt Birk is 25 or younger, and likely to continue playing together and improving for several more years.

8
by Still Alive (not verified) :: Mon, 01/11/2010 - 1:09am

They say that about a lot of young players but regression to the mean always outstrips progression. Odds are they will be worse next year.

11
by Danish Denver-Fan :: Mon, 01/11/2010 - 5:32am

This message brought to you by the Colorado Wild Horses.

12
by tuluse :: Mon, 01/11/2010 - 6:39am

Is the Bronco's line worse, or are they in a scheme that makes them look worse, with a less mobile QB?

13
by anon (not verified) :: Mon, 01/11/2010 - 4:48pm

Umm.... Jared Gaither, Ben Grubbs and Marshall Yanda were pretty good last year, yes? And the Ravens O-line was weakest at the Right side where RG Yanda was injured for half the year and RT Willie Anderson was replaced by rookie Michael Oher. The Ravens O-line performance this season could very well be their mean.

9
by Duke :: Mon, 01/11/2010 - 1:19am

Huzzah! Good news for the Bears! They can rebuild their awful O-Line with this years...draft...picks...

Oh.

:(

10
by Independent George :: Mon, 01/11/2010 - 2:12am

Hey, they've got a cannon-armed QB, a bunch of fast guys at WR, and a bunch of swaggering on defense. They'll be at least as good as as the Raiders!

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