For a franchise that has seen the likes of Stoney Case, Kyle Boller, and Chris Redman start games at quarterback over the years, it’s not a surprise that the air attack of the Ravens in yesterday’s 38-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs was both exciting and relieving. Fans finally got a taste of what it is like to have a QB that is strong, accurate, and poised under (a little) pressure.

From the first drive of the game, Joe Flacco came out with guns blazing, slinging the ball down the field at an astounding rate. By the time the 4th quarter ticked to zero, Flacco had gone 26 for 43 with 307 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and only 1 interception. If you didn’t know any better, you would think that Tom Brady was behind center for Baltimore.

Flacco also had an eye to keep plays alive. Except for one play during which Flacco’s miscue was wiped out by an offsetting penalty committed by the Chiefs, the 2nd year QB was able to show his surprising ability to scramble when under pressure. He showed agility to avoid blitzes and created more time to get the ball down field. Flacco also ran the ball 5 times for 18 yards, and avoided all but one sack.

The Chiefs defense was obviously caught off guard during the games opening drive, and allowed the Ravens to drive down the field before holding them to a field goal. The Baltimore wide receivers were equally as impressive, especially Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason. Clayton, who has developed a reputation for underachieving, did anything but that, catching 7 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown.

Clayton has always shown signs of becoming a breakout receiver, mainly because of his good hands and his speed, used those attributes to his advantage. Also impressive was veteran wide out Kelly Washington, who is looking to revive his career as a Raven. Washington looked comfortable in the slot position, and his on-field contributions on 3rd down plays made his value to the offense skyrocket.

While the offensive passing game was the best showing by a Ravens squad since the team moved to Baltimore, they did take advantage of weak pass coverage. The Chiefs displayed little defense against the air game, leading some to believe that Flacco still has much to prove. But, the fact is, Flacco’s performance was impressive regardless of how good or bad Kansas City may have played. The Chiefs are an NFL franchise, and many players over the years have been quoted as saying that winning just one game in the league is a difficult task to accomplish. Flacco showed veteran poise at QB, reading the field quickly and accurately, taking advantage of blown pass coverage and his wide receivers’ ability to get to the ball despite double coverage, and picking up on the blitz packages that the defense threw at him.

Baltimore also showed some weakness in their own pass coverage. What was thought to be a definite strength because of the consistency of the defense over the years, yesterday’s performance showed signs that had some fans worried. Fabian Washington and Domonique Foxworth gave up some big plays to an offense that wasn’t supposed to make much more than a tiny ripple.

However, there was not much negativity to take away from the defensive play of the Ravens. Despite a few long completed passes, the Chiefs scored a touchdown on a drive started by a 70 yard interception return, and another on a blocked punt. Their offense was stagnant, due mainly to the lack of a running game. Larry Johnson, the last running back to gain over 100 yards against the Ravens defense, was held in check this time around, achieving only 20 yards on 11 carries. Brodie Croyle was sacked 3 times, 2 times by Jarret Johnson, and despite his 66.7% pass completion, was held under 200 yards throwing.

The Ravens were impressive yesterday, as they compiled a game plan together that worked. The surprising air attack caught Kansas City off guard, and allowed for Ray Rice to quietly rush for 108 yards. The balanced attack of the offense should prove beneficial to Baltimore because it was not something they could take full advantage of last year. With more confidence in Flacco to move the ball through the air, the Ravens make it more difficult for a team to prepare when playing them. No longer can an opponent stack the box with 7 or 8 guys in order to stuff the obvious run plays. There is finally an air game in Baltimore, and it was impressive in the season opener.

Under The Radar Player of the Game, Week 1: Jarret Johnson

Johnson, who is playing for a defense with names like Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs surrounding him, seems to disappear from view when discussions arise regarding the source of domination by this unit. However, Johnson provided two of the three sacks against the Chiefs on Sunday, dropping Brodie Croyle for a total of 14 yards. Both of those sacks came on a 1st or 2nd down, leaving the Chiefs with 3rd and long plays on both drives.

Quote Of The Game:

“This is a new year, a new offense, a new mentality. Everything starts over. We are remaking ourselves to be able to throw the ball down the field. It’s fun, one, and it puts points on the board, two. The last time I checked, the team with the most points on that board wins. Our goal is to score every time.”

~ Mark Clayton, Ravens’ wide receiver