Clipped wings
5-1 Ravens on cusp of a fall
RARELY has a 5 -1 record in the NFL felt so fragile. The Ravens might be off to a flying start, but there are a lot of ominous signs that Baltimore is headed for crash landing — a tailspin that could start as soon as today in Houston.
That’s because it is difficult to remember one of the league’s top teams posting a costlier victory than the one the Ravens posted at home over the Cowboys last week.
Baltimore lost two crucial pieces of its vaunted defense — Ray Lewis and cornerback Lardarius Webb — to what appear to be season-ending injuries in the 31-29 win, while standout nose tackle Haloti Ngata sprained both his MCL and shoulder. And if that wasn’t bad enough, all-world safety Ed Reed admitted during the week that he is playing with a torn labrum.
As a result, the Ravens’ defense is little more than a shell of itself as Baltimore heads to Reliant Stadium. Pass-rush ace Terrell Suggs might make his season debut, but that prospect was little consolation to defensive coordinator Dean Pees this week.
Pees blasted his unit in surprisingly blunt fashion after Dallas rolled up 30 first downs and nearly 500 yards in a losing cause. Baltimore has allowed more than 200 rushing yards in each of its past two games, including 214 to the Chiefs in a 9-6 win two weeks ago.
“It makes me sick, is the best way I can put it,” Pees said. “I ... feel fortunate to be 5-1, the way we’re playing on defense.”
Barring an immediate turnaround, the Ravens’ injury situation puts the onus on Joe Flacco and an offense that is glaringly inconsistent. The Ravens mustered just three field goals against Kansas City and struggled to score points last month in a home win over the Browns, yet put up 44 on the Bengals, 31 on the Cowboys and 31 on the Patriots.
So it’s anyone’s guess which version of the Baltimore offense will show up against J.J. Watt and a Houston defense that no doubt will be angry today after getting torched at home Monday night by Aaron Rodgers in an embarrassing, 42-24 loss to the Packers — when Rodgers threw a whopping six TD passes.
Houston also will be determined to end an 0-6 all-time skid against the Ravens, including a playoff loss last season.
PICK: Texans, 28-16.
CONTENDERS
Cardinals ( 4 - 2) at Vikings (4-2): It’s a matchup of two of the softest 4-2 records you will ever see at the Metrodome. Arizona has lost two in a row after a 4-0 start, including a home loss to the lowly Bills last week, while the Vikings are coming off a defeat at Washington that showed Christian Ponder still has a ways to go before convincing anyone he is a reliable starter. But the Vikings have Percy Harvin, who is meriting legit MVP consideration at the moment.
PICK: Vikings, 17-10. Lions (2- 3) at Bears (4-1), Monday: Chicago
gets another primetime opportunity to prove the resurgence this season is real, as well as put some more distance between itself and the rest of the NFC North. Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall will get the most attention, but the clash between Detroit’s NFC-leading offense and t he Bears’ playmaking defense is more intriguing. Chicago also has won seven of the past eight meetings.
PICK: Bears, 30-14.