Over the next few weeks, “Shutdown Corner” will pay homage to “Office Space” (TPS reports) as we take a quick look back at each team’s 2012 season and a look at what lies ahead for the 2013 offseason. We wrap up the AFC North with the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. 2012 record : 10-6 What went wrong : It’s hard to find many bones to pick with a team that won Super Bowl XLVII and threw a parade last week, but there are few items that threatened to derail the Ravens’ storybook season. For starters, the offense was stagnant for much of the season, particularly on the road. In the Ravens’ first five road games, the offense produced an average of 256.8 yards per game. Statistically, the Ravens defense took a step backwards, ranking 17th in total defense, including 20th against the run and 17th against the pass. From an advanced metrics standpoint, the Ravens defense that had ranked first in Football Outsiders’ defensive DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) dropped to 19th in 2012 and was 26th against the run. What went right : Head coach John Harbaugh made the bold decision in mid-December to part ways with offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and place Jim Caldwell, who had no play-calling experience, in charge of the unit. It would be a severe understatement to say that decision broke the right way for the Ravens and Harbaugh. Another bold decision was reshuffling the offensive line at the start of the postseason, with Michael Oher moving from left to right tackle, second-round pick Kelechi Osomele moving from right tackle to left guard and Bryant McKinnie moving from the sidelines to left tackle. That retooled line paved the way for a running game that averaged 134.8 yards per game on the ground and allowed just six sacks of Flacco in over 130 called passing plays, including one to a Denver Broncos defense that tied for the NFL lead with 52 sacks in the regular season. While the Ravens defense gave more yardage than they’re accustomed to, that unit did rank second in the NFL in the red zone. Coaching/front office changes : None. Estimated 2013 cap space : $7.56 million
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‘Shutdown Corner’ offseason TPS report: Baltimore Ravens (Shutdown Corner)
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