Jay Fiedler '94 breathed a sigh of relief on Monday night when he learned that his Miami Dolphins will be playing the defending Super Bowl champs on Sunday in the first round of the NFL playoffs. One might think this odd, but its not so peculiar when one considers that the Dolphins have been humiliated eight straight times by the New York Jets, who would have been Miami's opponent had the Ravens not captured a sloppy 19-3 victory over Minnesota on Monday night.
They may be defending champs, but these are not your father's Baltimore Ravens. This Baltimore squad is a shadow of the overwhelming force it was last year, and despite last year's performance, no one in the football community has put much stock in its ability to repeat.
Make no mistake, the Ravens still boast basically the same staunch defensive unit that was heralded as perhaps the best of all time after an utterly dominating performance last season. This defensive squad is ranked second in the NFL, and it is still led by the man many consider to be not only a fine knife-fighter, but the best middle linebacker in the league: Ray Lewis. Monstrous defensive tackles Sam Adams and the lovable Tony Siragusa still feast on opposing offensive lines like Christmas ham, allowing Ray Lewis and his formidable linebacking corps to wreak havoc on opposing running backs and quarterbacks. The secondary, led by the ageless Rod Woodson, is still athletic and opportunistic.
That said, cornerbacks Duane Starks and Chris McAlister have not shown the same form of a year ago, having been prone to giving up the big play with greater frequency this year. Furthermore, the defensive line and linebackers have not shown the utter dominance of last season, in part due to injuries, but also due to the savvy of opposing offensive coordinators. Michael McCrary, one of the best pass rushing defensive ends in the league, has been out with a knee injury since November, and will not return. Former standout outside linebacker Peter Boulware has filled in admirably at end, but his change of position has left the linebacker position precariously thin. Indeed, injuries and free agency have eliminated the once unfathomable depth of the Ravens' defensive unit.
On the other side of the football, the Ravens are no longer a force. Running back Jamal Lewis has missed the entire season, and the Ravens' once powerful running game has all but disappeared. Elvis Grbac, brought in over the off-season to replace Trent Dilfer (who by they way is 15-0 in his last 15 games), has struggled mightily. It is unlikely that a Ravens offense that managed a mere four field goals against a horrible Minnesota defense on Monday will be able to muster much offense against the Dolphins rough and tumble defense (ranked 5th in the NFL).
When Fiedler is sharp, he is as good as any quarterback in the league. If the Dolphins can establish their running game as they did last week, Fiedler will be called upon to take some shots down the field in the hope of tallying some quick scores. If the Dolphins can put some points on the board, the unexplosive Ravens offense will be hard pressed to stay in the game. Though Miami will face a hard road, it is certainly conceivable that Fiedler could lead the Dolphins to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1985. The (NFL) pride of the Big Green will begin the Dolphins' playoff quest in Pro Player stadium in Miami this Sunday at 4 p.m.
