Loss Of Jeremy Zuttah Creates Huge Hole In Ravens Offensive Front
By Samuel Njoku
After the events in M&T Bank Stadium last Sunday, it's been a pretty somber week in Baltimore. Any slim hopes the Ravens have had for the postseason have all but disappeared. How will the Ravens respond after picking up their 7th loss of the season?
Time has run out for Breshad Perriman
In a move that should surprise no one, Breshad Perriman has been placed on IR and is done for the season. In what has to be considered one of the strangest knee injuries in the history of sports, Perriman couldn't get on the field when it was widely considered to be a minor injury. The Ravens may be slowly coming to grips that this is a lost season, but they certainly wanted to get a good look at him before the upcoming offseason.
Not only is his inactivity this season disappointing for fans, but it puts Baltimore in a precarious position of having to prepare for the upcoming season blindfolded. Whatever Baltimore decides, they'll need to add more speed on the field and not depend on Perriman to get the job done on his own. That mindset cost them dearly this year.
Jeremy Zuttah also lost for the season
A few years ago, Gino Gradkowski was the most vilified name in all of Baltimore. The center position was the focal point of fan slander. The offensive line was a mess and Gradkowski played poorly for a majority of the season. Baltimore rectified that situation when they acquired Jeremy Zuttah from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He solidified the position and the play of the offensive line improved dramatically the following year. Now Zuttah has been lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle and John Urschel has been designated as his replacement. After struggling against the San Diego Chargers in relief of Zuttah a few weeks ago, Urshcel says he's up for the challenge.
"I feel well prepared," stated John Urschel to the media on Wednesday. "It's something I work on everyday - shotgun snapping- and I work to get better at it. I'm improving."
How much he's improved since that game against San Diego remains to be seen. If the offensive line struggles, it's not hard to see where the blame will be directed towards.
Refs admit that they were wrong
Confused after Sunday's loss to the Jaguars? You weren't the only one. After it appeared Jacksonville failed to snap the ball off on time, Baltimore was charged with a face mask penalty which placed the Jaguars in field goal range with no time on the clock. The loss went down as one of the most heartbreaking defeats in recent memory.
But not so fast.
The NFL has since apologized and admitted that the call on the field was wrong. Jacksonville wasn't completely set before snapping the ball which would have warranted a false start penalty. That would and should have ended the game. But instead of being 3-6 heading into Sunday's game against St. Louis, Baltimore is 2-7 and virtually eliminated from the postseason. Unfair? Absolutely. Surprising considering the craziness that has transpired in Baltimore this football season? Not in the slightest.
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.
