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This Sunday, Our Ego Returns

September 09, 2009|By Peter Schmuck

Whether Cassel plays or not, the Chiefs will try to throw everything they can into the offensive game plan, but that's probably going to put more pressure on their players and coaching staff than it will on the Ravens. Haley, who was the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl runner-up Arizona Cardinals, probably has a few tricks up his sleeve, but he would need to pull Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin out of his magic bag to balance the book on this game.

Meanwhile, the Ravens open the season with only a couple of major question marks. They go forward without popular and highly successful Rex Ryan running the defense, and they still cannot be comfortable with their wide receiver situation.

Whatever defensive uncertainty came with the change in coordinators seemed to evaporate when the Ravens shut out the Washington Redskins in the preseason opener. The depth at wide receiver remains an open issue, but the Ravens were satisfied with the preseason performance of Kelley Washington and Demetrius Williams, and pleasantly surprised at the apparently healthy re-emergence of tight end Todd Heap.

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Quarterback Joe Flacco is still in a learning curve, but he has a year of experience under his belt, go-to wide-out Derrick Mason back out of temporary retirement and - from all appearances during the preseason - a better comfort level with the rest of the receiving corps.

In other words, what's not to like as the Ravens try to go one step beyond last year's AFC title game appearance?

Maybe it hasn't been a great year so far, Baltimore, but throw a little ice on that bruised civic ego. I'm guessing it's going to feel better soon.

Listen to Peter Schmuck weeknights at 6 on WBAL (1090 AM) and check out "The Schmuck Stops Here" at baltimoresun.com/schmuckblog.

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