Quickly, the true image of the Baltimore Ravens is beginning to appear to the National Football League

fans. Words like “inconsistent” and “overrated” have curled around the lips of TV experts and fantasy football enthusiasts alike, and with a performance like the one that many saw against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday, none of us can claim those accusations to be false. The Ravens, who began the season 3-0, and sat atop many of the NFL power rankings for two weeks straight, have no found themselves flailing their arms as they fall from grace. Playoff chances are disappearing quicker than the Baltimore pass coverage, especially when the team is competing against competition that includes the Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers. For once, I can actually thank the Cleveland Browns- the two games the Ravens have against them this season will provide a break from the heartbreak, stress, and overall inner rage that has seemed to make an appearance at least once during every game of the 2009 season.

It’s not fun to have to bash your own home team. I will defend my Ravens to tooth and nail, and my love for my team has put my in some precarious situations over the past several years. Any diehard fan could probably share stories that would parallel some of my own, mainly because pride is a delicious poison. When expectations are high before the start of a season, any letdown is placed under a microscope the size of a football field. Uproar for immediate change burns the toes of the front office as it rises from the fanbase and the media, spitting it’s flames in every ridiculous direction. Blame is passed onto every name down the roster, coach, and superstition that one can think of. Change is called for via trades, free agent signings, and depth chart promotions.

But why?

It’s hard to remember that the NFL is not like other professional sports. The season consists of 16 regular season games, hardly enough time to constitute a drastic change in a feeble attempt to jumpstart a weak club. It takes very little time to define a good team from a bad one, a Superbowl contender from a playoff pretender, and so on and so forth. From the first game of the season, 99% of the NFL fanbase could tell that the Cleveland Browns were not going to be very successful this year. We also all knew that Drew Brees would be a dominating force, Payton Manning would post ridiculous numbers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers would have guns blazing as they defended their title. Changes midseason have never been a point of focus for teams in the National Football League; It tends to be a waste of time, and not worth the effort that would have to be put into making such a move.

Ozzie Newsome made the right move by staying quiet at the trade deadline. Now what?

The Ravens are no different. They didn’t attempt to make any blockbuster trade at the deadline because Ozzie Newsome knows better. Taking a player from one system, six weeks into the season, and asking him to learn everything over AND make an impact that will please the toughest critics, doesn’t quite line up. It would be foolish to think that a move to acquire a player like Champ Bailey or Ty Law would change the entire dynamic of the team, put them back on the winning track, and ultimately lead to a defining, glorious Super Bowl run with all the glitz and glamor of an 80’s rock band. Placing Dwayne Bowe or Terrell Owens in the offense wouldn’t necessarily give Joe Flacco the huge downfield talent that is apparently needed (note a slight hint of sarcasm. And by “slight hint”, I really mean a Ray Lewis-size handful) in Baltimore in order to win. Instead, it would throw off the chemistry of an offense that seems to have things locked down pretty well for being led by a 2nd year quarterback out of a division 1-AA school.

Yet, there has to be a sense of satisfaction for fans who have found themselves rooting for a .500 team, and not the  AFC bulldozer that so many of us had pictured in our brains. We’ve become accustom to a top 3 defense year in and year out, and seeing  a unit that under-performs is a breaking of the cardinal rule of Ravens’ football; The defense will keep the team in the game. Instead, a Greg Mattison-led unit is struggling to keep up, ranking towards the bottom of the league in most major statistical categories. Want an example? Watch the first half of the game against the Bengals last week.

The Ravens know what they need to do in order to turn things around and reach the playoffs. The fans know, too. The team needs to clean up the penalties, stiffen up the pass coverage, and not worry about stupid stats that revolve around how many yards a running back will gain on them. The defense needs to find it’s legs, start playing like they have in the past (and against Denver), and concern themselves not over the players they lost in the off-season, but the way this unit has prided itself on backup players filling large shoes when asked to. In no way would a trade help that transition.

Greg Mattison is at the helm of a disappointing defense, and needs to get things moving. Also, what a stupid picture.

This week against the Browns may be a way for Baltimore to get itself back into the groove of things. The last time these two teams faced off, the Ravens were still undefeated and riding the coattails of love from the likes of ESPN and CBS Sports. They have the national spotlight by finding themselves playing their first Monday Night Football game of the season. The stage is set for this team to showcase how well they can play when a solid gameplan is in effect. As long as Greg Mattison gets his guys ready, and penalties don’t set the tone, the nation will once again be reminded why this squad might still have life. 4-4 is a tough record to look at, but we’re only halfway through the season. Without acting on trades and free agents, the team made the first right move in the correct direction. Now they need to set their plan of attack.

Opportunity abounds the Baltimore Ravens. They play some pretty wicked opponents, including two against division rival Pittsburgh. Those games could hold the fate of the playoff chances for this team, and the character of the Ravens will surely be displayed. Will Baltimore step up to the challenge? With so many veterans on the roster, including Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Derrick Mason, and Todd Heap, we would all love to think so. But, it’s become obvious that this team resembles Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde more than a balanced, dominating force that we all hoped it would be when we saw them go 4-0 in the preseason. A well coached, calm-under-pressure performance will do wonders, and the after-effects may shape the future for the rest of the season.

So here is to consistency. Here is to veteran leadership. But, most of all, here is to a team that can understand that, despite a shady record, an underperforming defense, and a skeptical coaching staff, there is a ton of time to change their reputation among local fans and national media, and claim a respectable playoff seed.