Let me set the scene.  It’s a dark and cold (some would say DAMN cold) New Years Eve night as I walked out of Ravens stadium not with the exciting anticipation of what a new year will bring but with the thoughts of what the hell just happened.  How could 2017 end like this.  No way we just missed the playoffs again losing in the last minutes of the game to the Bengals AGAIN!

So, to me 2018 is just off to a late start, eight months and 9 days late to be exact.  The new year has finally begun.  HAPPY NEW SEASON!

The Ravens are back in M&T to play the Rams on Thursday night.  With every new season brings new hope of a playoff bound team.  A team of young healthy players. Some players are coming off season ending injuries, some were really banged up at the end of last season  (if Jimmy Smith was healthy and playing in that New Years Eve we would have beaten the Bengals and gone on to the playoffs) and some coming off suspensions, many are wide eyed Rookies all with the goal of the Super Bowl or bust.

Count me in as a wide eyed Rookie because I have never seen the Ravens put so much emphasis on improving the offense.  I can’t believe how the Ravens have transformed the offense with free agent wide receivers, two first round draft picks (the last time we had two first round picks was Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis, I’m just saying) and also the next two draft picks offensive players.  All four of the players Hayden Hurst TE, Lamar Jackson QB, Orlando Brown JR OT, and Mark Andrews TE should and will make an impact this season.  The wide receivers are in the later stage of their careers but are an improvement over last year.  Joe came in the training camp healthy for the first time in two years with a fire under his butt,  with  first round pick quarterback Lamar Jackson stoking the fire.

 

We play the Rams Thursday night and the coaches are approaching this as the first preseason game.  Joe will play one or two series in the first quarter and, oh, did I forget to mention we signed RG III as a backup QB?  Again, a very interesting move for the Ravens.  So we will see a lot of RG III and Lamar Jackson.

Watch how the offensive line plays-this again is a area of concern.  We are starting our third center in as many years.  Not a good thing.  Keep an eye on how they protect Joe against the good Rams defense. This week will be a much better test playing a very good Rams team.  But don’t sweat it, remember this game doesn’t count.

Next week we will talk about the defense.

So grab a cold one sit in the easy chair and cross your fingers, legs, and eyes that nobody get hurt.

Enjoy the game!

And that’s just the view from 151.

GO RAVENS!!!