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The vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense is finally starting to show cracks. We have grown accustomed to seeing the Ravens turn up the pressure on teams and then sustain it, regardless of the situation. Those days appear to be over. In consecutive weeks, the Jets and Cardinals have mounted foruth-quarter comebacks which in years past would have been stamped out quickly.
Ray Lewis is getting longer in the tooth. Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle can only play out on the freeway for so long. Jonathan Ogden is not on his last legs, he's on his last toes. Football is a game of windows, and that window is closing for the Ravens.
Steve McNair was brought in to be the last piece at quarterback to get this Ravens team over the hump. To be sure, he is an improvement over Kyle Boller, but the Ravens simply are not getting the production they need out of this great warrior. I am tired of seeing McNair throw the ball short in a third-and-long situation.
This Ravens offense is settling for far too many field goals. I don't want to hear this you-know-what that Brian Billick is calling poor plays. I am sure Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are dealing with the same situations, and they find a way to get it done. McNair has mobility, which can put defenders on their heels.
With the offense struggling to score, the defense is struggling to hold up. The Ravens can't last long with that combination.
Am I being too critical? Do you think McNair is the answer? What should the Ravens do?
