Ravens Q&A with Mike Preston

Sun columnist answers reader questions about the 33-31 loss to the Vikings

Jeff: Who do the Ravens miss the most this season: Rex Ryan, Chris McAlister, Jim Leonhard, Bart Scott or Matt Stover?

Mike Preston: No contest here, Jeff. They have used four different players, and haven't found one to replace Scott. After Scott, it's Ryan, C-Mac and Leonhard. And they sure missed Stover last week. If they had brought in Stover, the game was over. That's a nice little jingle. If sportswriting doesn't work out, poetry is the next profession.

Eric: I know Steve Hauschka has a stronger leg, but how do his kickoffs compare to what Stover was doing last year? His touchbacks seem to be rare, especially given that he was kept over the more-proven Stover for the sole reason of not wanting to keep a kickoff specialist on the active roster.

Mike Preston: Last time I looked, Stevie was sailing them into the end zone, but he had some problems Sunday against the Vikings. The knock on Stover, besides his age, was that he couldn't get consistent distance on his kickoffs. I'll just say Hauschka had a bad day Sunday. I'm not ready to run him out of town yet. The kid deserves a chance. Until Sunday, he was performing well.

Todd: Can we officially say that the Ravens have the worst cornerbacks in the NFL? I know you've gotten this question a few times, but at this point in the season, what do you see the Ravens doing to mitigate this disaster?

Mike Preston: Let's face it. Our corners couldn't cover a baby with a blanket. Unfortunately, we're going to have to get lucky in next year's draft because the chance of obtaining a cornerback in a last-minute trade is somewhere between slim and none, and slim just got on the train out of town. I haven't seen all of the teams in the NFL, but if their secondary is as bad as the Ravens, oh, oh, they got problems.

Steve: Do you think the Ravens will make a significant deal before the trade deadline?

Mike Preston: I haven't heard anything about a trade except the usual gossip from certain media in town, and they are usually wrong. NFL teams seldom make trades, except for the New England Patriots. I don't see the Ravens making one for an impact player, and giving up draft picks.

C. Merritt: Simply put, why aren't the Ravens playing in the first quarter like they've played in the fourth quarter the past few weeks?

Mike Preston: Against Minnesota, the Ravens had poor field position most of the first half. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, despite the criticism, did exactly what he was supposed to do, and that's play it safe. He ran a lot. When the Ravens made adjustments at halftime and got better field position, they opened up the offense. It's basic strategy. Also, quarterback Joe Flacco has been a slow starter in games. Flacco is a second-year quarterback. He's still learning to read the different defenses being thrown at him. He had an impressive outing against the Vikings.

Chris: Kelly Gregg and Dawan Landry both seem to be really struggling. Do you think this is a case of them being rusty, a lack of confidence or are they not the players they were before the injuries?

Mike Preston: It's always tough to come back from a serious injury. While Landry is still pretty young, Gregg is sneaking up on his 33rd birthday, which is not so young in football years. The knee injury he sustained normally takes two years before the body completely recovers. With Landry, it was a serious neck injury. During the first year of a comeback, a lot of players with similar injuries are hesitant, and that might be the case with Landry.

Adam: Are Haruki Nakamura or Tom Zbikowski capable of replacing Landry?

Mike Preston: Some fresh legs sure wouldn't hurt, but Nakamura isn't as big and Zbikowski can't cover as well. There is a reason Landry is the starter and the other two are backups..

RNC: Why have the Ravens been so hesitant to trade draft picks for game-changers? The 2009 Ravens feel like they're a couple impact veterans away from being an elite team.

Mike Preston: General manager Ozzie Newsome has successfully built the Ravens through the draft. Very seldom has one big name player made a significant difference during a season. If you look at the consistently good teams -- the Patriots, Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers -- they all build through the draft. You don't mortgage your future for the present. Every team in the NFL has a weakness, and the Ravens are no different.

Ryan: Could this season be the turning point in which the Ravens future identity ceases to be that of a perennial defensive powerhouse, and shifts to a more offensively focused football team?

Mike Preston: The defense is looking a little old on the field. It's hard watching players run over once unbeatable Ravens defenders. But I still wouldn't count them out. Remember, old age and treachery will beat youth and enthusiasm almost every time. But now that the Ravens have a franchise-caliber quarterback, the emphasis will be shifted to find Flacco more weapons.

D: What is the team's "chemistry" like after its third loss in a row? It was mentioned that it was very high in relation to prior Ravens teams going into the regular season -- has it remained the same or dropped off in the last three weeks?

Mike Preston: It's all good. There are 10 games left. It will be interesting to see if John Harbaugh can rally his "mighty, mighty men with hearts of lions". Hey, if those kind of corny slogans work for Buzz Lightyear, it can work for the Ravens.