It was great seeing quarterback Joe Flacco throw for more than 300 yards Sunday and the Ravens compile more than 500 yards in total offense. It was nice seeing all the new "weapons" in the arsenal and veteran tight end Todd Heap having a role in the offense again.
When was the last time the Ravens scored three offensive touchdowns in a game, much less in the fourth quarter?
There is great euphoria in Baltimore now because the Ravens have a real quarterback and offense. But a major concern lies underneath: The Ravens must not stray too far from their strength, and that's running the football.
Regardless of production, the two major principles of winning football never change, and that's to run the football and stop the run. Now, don't get me wrong. Having a wide-open offense is a good thing, and heaven knows we need it in this town after a nine-year drought with the previous coaching staff.
But Flacco threw the ball 43 times, and teams that usually throw that much don't win a lot of football games unless they're playing against a team like the Kansas City Chiefs.
You applaud the Ravens for apparently trying to upgrade their passing game from a year ago and allowing Flacco to grow as a quarterback. But after watching them throw the ball around so much in the preseason, and then again Sunday, you have to be concerned about the identity of the offense.
In a battle of Flacco against the three-headed monster known as Ray Rice, Le'Ron McClain and Willis McGahee, the preference here is the running game.
"This is a new year, a new offense, a new mentality, everything starts over," said Ravens wide receiver Mark Clayton. "And we are kind of reformed or remaking ourselves, and to be able to throw the ball down the field, it's fun, one, and puts points on the board, two. The last time I checked, the team with the most points wins. That's our goal ... to score every time."
You have to love the enthusiasm, and the excitement, but let's be realistic. For one, those were the Chiefs, and two, the Ravens' passing game isn't as sophisticated as some other top ones in the NFL.
And then there is the Flacco factor. The second-year quarterback isn't ready to throw the ball all over the stadium every week. He might have completed 26 passes and had a quarterback rating of 95.8, but his play was erratic in the second half.
