As tight end Todd Heap was hauling in passes against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday night, some members of the Ravens organization were dreaming of the past, and hoping for the future.
If only Heap can play like this during the 2009 season ...
"I don't know if it would end the talk about not having a big-name receiver, but maybe it would cut down on the talk," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "But it gives you another playmaker in the mix. We can spread the ball around pretty well, and [quarterback Joe Flacco] has proven he can spread it around.
"Todd Heap has worked very hard to get where he is. Maybe it is Todd Heap emerging, like it looks, or maybe it's Joe and Todd getting on the same page a little bit more."
The Ravens really don't care who emerges as another threat. They need a big-body receiver who can make a few plays in the middle of the field - and especially inside the red zone - and it could be Heap. No one expects Heap to be the Heap of old, who caught 60 or 70 passes a season and could hang in the air and clutch a football with one hand the way Dr. J used to hold a basketball.
The Ravens don't need that kind of magic in this offense. What they need is for Heap not to break down physically as he has in previous seasons, when he struggled with ankle, hamstring and back injuries, and catch more than the three touchdown passes he caught in 2008.
Only a year ago, Heap was used more as a blocker than a receiver. But so far in training camp and through the preseason, he has stayed relatively healthy. He rarely has missed a practice, which has kept him happy and, even more importantly, kept him out of Harbaugh's doghouse, where he resided a year ago.
According to Heap, the difference this season was rehabilitating a back injury during the offseason. He also had to work through a death in his family.
"It's been a long offseason, and I've battled through a lot," said Heap, who is in his ninth season. "Coming out of last year when I played injured in the playoffs took its toll on me. I've never had a back injury, and those things are kind of funny. It was serious and tough just going through daily routines. I had a hard time just sleeping.
"I put in a ton of work during the offseason and was at the point wondering when it was going to happen, when was I going to see some relief. Then, a few weeks after the [organized team activities], and before going into training camp, I started to feel really good. I felt great coming into camp, and I've been able to get a lot of reps with Joe, and a lot of time in our offense. We've kind of given this offense over to Joe."
