Game Grades: Baltimore Ravens 21 – Oakland Raiders 13
Zach Miller hauled in a Charlie Frye pass for a score
QUARTERBACK:
Charlie Frye – A
Frye was gutsy during his performance, limping around till halftime and compiling 180-yards passing and 1 touchdown on 18-of-25. He led the Raiders to 191 total yards of offense. He knew were he wanted to go with the football giving his targets a chance to move the chains. Frye started Oakland’s third drive down 7-0 with a 15-yard pass to Chaz Schilens. A few plays later, he connected with Johnnie Lee Higgins for 16-yards and then on 3rd and 7, he spun around and scrambled to free himself and hook up with Higgins for 16-yards. Oakland scored on that drive and cut into the Baltimore lead, 7-3. In the 2nd quarter, he performed an outstanding play fake, turning his back to the defense and then hitting Higgins for 21-yards. Five plays later, he showed great touch lobbing a 12-yard pass to Zach Miller in the end zone. The score cut the Ravens lead to 14-10 and gave him his first touchdown pass since October of 2008.
JaMarcus Russell – C-
His insertion came with a chorus of boos, but often he was able to turn the jeers to cheers. On 2nd and 7 on his first series, Russell scanned the field and then hit Schilens for 18-yards. On 2nd and 8 in his second drive, Russell hit Louis Murphy in stride for 11-yards. And on 3rd and 14 a few plays later, he rocketed a pass to Schilens for 17 yards. Oakland was able to cut into the Baltimore lead on that drive, 14-13. But then he unraveled at the end of the 3rd quarter with a pivotal interception into the hands of linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who ran it back 28-yards to the Oakland 22-yard line. A few plays later Willis McGahee tallied his third touchdown of the game to give the Ravens a 21-13 lead. It appeared Russell would shake off the turnover with completion of 18 yards and a 3rd and 7 conversion to Murphy for 20-yards. But in Russell fashion, he coughed it up again when he did not feel the pressure on his backside and Antwan Barnes forced a fumble at the Baltimore 25-yard line.
RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: D
Michael Bush was used as a battering ram against that stout Ravens rush defense. Problem was, he had no room to wiggle through and had little effectiveness throughout the afternoon. Bush ended with 10 carries for 18-yards. Darren McFadden did not fare better with 9 yards on 5-carries. He only paid dividends on a 2nd and 8 in the 1st quarter when he drew an illegal contact flag on Frank Walker split out wide as a receiver. McFadden did aide Frye on a scramble on 3rd and 1, blocking defensive tackle Haloti Ngata at the 1st down marker.
WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: A
Chaz Schilens compiled 99-yards on 8 receptions. He had his best game of the season and provided one of the better highlights on Sunday jumping over former Raider Chris Carr on a 22-yard gain. Higgins closed the season on a high note as a receiver with 4 catches for 71-yards. Murphy had a career best 6 grabs for 59-yards. Zach Miller ended with 7 catches for 38-yards, including a solid route beating Ray Lewis into the end zone and leaping to haul in his third touchdown of the campaign. Marcel Reece was used as a target and saw increased playing time in the finale.
OFFENSIVE LINE: D
They were not able to move the Ravens front seven and the running suffered with only 51-yards in the day. Baltimore compiled three sacks as well. Cornell Green added to his penalty resume with a ineligible man down the field infraction to open the game, a false start on 3rd and 9 when Russell entered in the third quarter and another false start on the Raiders last offensive possession.
DEFENSIVE LINE: F
The Ravens ran for 240 yards. Baltimore’s offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage when they decided to run the ball consistently and stabilized a Raiders front four that can get to the passer. Jay Richardson chased down Joe Flacco as the passer got back to the line of scrimmage. Greg Ellis was quiet this afternoon and Richard Seymour had a few highlights, but not enough to significantly affect what the Ravens wanted to accomplish.
LINEBACKERS: D
It seemed like Kirk Morrison was out of position all day or being pushed around by Ravens’ linemen. He tallied a sack, but the linebacker was caught in pass coverage and his 9 solo tackles were not effective. Thomas Howard jarred a Ray Rice potential completion loose and Trevor Scott tallied another sack (7 for the season).
SECONDARY: B-
Mike Mitchell and Michael Huff shared a sack today
Nnamdi Asomugha shut down Derrick Mason. Asoomugha’s corner blitz on 3rd and 8 forced Flacco into Morrison. Flacco ended with a meek 102 passing yards and Stanford Routt played solid for an inactive Chris Johnson. Routt’s lone blip was when he got beat by Mark Clayton on 3rd and 5 for 7 yards with 5 minutes left in the game. Tyvon Branch had his moments, but he again at times was sub par in space. Branch was out of position on the Ravens big running plays. Mike Mitchell and Michael Huff shared a sack on 3rd and 8 to end a Ravens drive in the final quarter. Hiram Eugene’s horrific attempt at a tackle sprung Willis McGahee for his 77-yard touchdown scamper. His high off-balance attempt was met with a stiff arm that left him in the turf.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C-
Sebastian Janikowski hit both of his field goals (37 and 39 yards). Shane Lechler capped off a solid campaign with 5-punts for an average of 52.4. But the coverage teams were bad; allowing 138-yards by Jalen Parmele including a 54-yard kickoff return to the Oakland 43-yard line that was a backbreaker after Oakland cut the lead to 14-10 (Brandon Myers missed tackle). Fortunately, the Ravens couldn’t score, as Billy Cundiff missed from 37-yards as time expired at intermission.
COACHING: B
John Marshall brought the heat on a few blitzes and it helped the Raiders corral the Ravens at times. Tom Cable tried to mix up the play calling with two reverses to Murphy that tallied 17-yards. And considering they played a solid defense that neutralized their running game, Oakland moved the ball well via the pass and gave themselves chances to stay close and possibly tie the game late. Cable’s team played well at home to close the season, and with little fan support due to an empty stadium, they tried their best to keep the ravens out of the playoffs.
GAME NOTES
- McGahee ended with 16 carries for 167 yards and 3 rushing scores. He had big runs all day; including a 36-yard scamper on 3rd and 5 that ended any chance of a Raider comeback. That run was out of a spread formation and Oakland’s front seven was not able to seal the corner on the edge run. Ray Rice also was solid, compiling 70-yards on the ground. On his 27-yard rush, Kirk Morrison lost containment and another run, Branch and Mitchell were caught inside with all the traffic.
- Russell ended his dreadful campaign 9/14 for 102 yards, one interception and a rating of 56.3.
- The loss extended the Raiders streak to seven straight seasons with 11 or more defeats in a campaign. That is a NFL worst.
Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist
