Fan Bias

The Baltimore Ravens 2009-2010 season came to an end last Saturday in a 20-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, a game befitting the up-and-down campaign the team trudged through all year long. Much like many maddening moments during the season, the loss was marred by missed opportunities, penalties, and turnovers. Still, the Ravens can crow about the fact that they made it to the playoffs for a second straight year and won a road playoff game for the second straight year. And, neither accomplishment should be diminished given the nature of today’s parity-driven NFL.

While team goals may not have necessarily been met during the 9-7 regular season, there were certainly individual Ravens who broke out or asserted themselves as worthy of recognition. With that said, let’s take a look back on the season as a whole, as I hand out FanBias.com’s end of season awards.

Offensive MVP: RB Ray Rice

This may be the easiest pick of all. The second-year stud out of Rutgers established himself as a dual-threat star in the league with his breakout performance this year. Shifty and quick, Rice picked through defenses all year both as a runner and as a pass receiver. He led the team in receptions with 78 and rushing yards with 1,339 and combined for over 2,000 yards rushing and receiving for the season. The offense was clearly built around him and justifiably so. For his efforts, Rice earned his first Pro Bowl berth. In fact, remove him from the mix and you have to wonder where the Ravens would have gotten their offensive spark from.

Offensive Newcomer: OT Michael Oher

The Ravens found themselves a gem with the 23rd pick in the 2009 NFL Draft when Ozzie Newsome and crew picked Oher to be the team’s offensive tackle of the future. The rookie out of Ole Miss rewarded the Ravens by starting every game this season and by showing versatility, playing both right tackle (11 games) and left tackle (5 games) due to injury to Jared Gaither. Oher was a steal so late in the first round as illustrated by the fact that he came in second in the AP’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He has already given notice that he is one of the team’s top linemen and should become a perennial Pro Bowler in years to come. And, as if that’s not enough, Oher has an inspirational life story to tell, one which has been captured in book and film.

Offensive There’s No “I” in Team Award: RB Willis McGahee

There’s no doubt about it, McGahee is a starting-caliber running back. Unfortunately, with the Ravens, he plays behind a potential All-World do-it-all back in Ray Rice. So, this year, the apparently healthy McGahee had to wait patiently on the sideline for his number to be called. As far I’m concerned, his number wasn’t called often or consistently enough, but when asked to do so, McGahee stepped up time and time again. He scored 12 rushing touchdowns and 2 receiving touchdowns to lead the team with 14 total TD’s during the regular season. And, while the numbers are good, who can forget his long-distance rumble against the Oakland Raiders in the final must-win game of the regular season, a play in which McGahee tossed a defender aside with a vicious stiff arm? While McGahee’s future with the Ravens is uncertain, the man clearly has plenty left in his legs (especially given how sparingly he’s been used over the last two years) and hopefully the team can keep him. McGahee proved this year that he’s a team-first player and I never saw a report in which he publicly expressed any dissatisfaction with his role.

Defensive MVP: LB Ray Lewis

In his 14th season, the 34-year-old Lewis shows no signs of slowing down. Just a few years ago, some were wondering whether Lewis was nearing the end of his career but for the second straight season the University of Miami product started all 16 regular season games and was his usual force in the middle. No Rex Ryan? No Bart Scott? No problem as Lewis led the team in tackles again (with 134) and earned yet another Pro Bowl spot. Lewis is the glue that not only holds the defense together, but is clearly the inspiration for the team and this football-mad town. There may not be a bigger impact player in the NFL over the last decade than Lewis and whenever his career does end (shudder) he should go down as one of the top players in the league ever. While he may have lost a step, Lewis continues to be one of the smartest and most well-prepared players on the field and seems to know where every play is going. His importance to the team cannot be overstated and I rue the day Lewis decides to finally hang up the cleats. He has earned every on-field accolade ever heaped on him and has made the players around him better, which may be the ultimate compliment for any player in any team sport..

Defensive Newcomer: CB Lardarius Webb

A third-round pick out of Nicholls State, Webb only came on as a defensive regular later in the season. Initially the team’s kickoff returner, where he played quite admirably and even scored a touchdown, Webb’s true value came when he was inserted into the starting defensive backfield due to injury. A converted safety, the rookie instantly showed that he was the team’s best cornerback, shoring up a position that experienced quite a bit of tumult over the course of the season. Webb proved not only that he could cover, but also that he could hit hard and tackle, both in pass coverage and in run defense. A season-ending knee injury against the Chicago Bears cut short Webb’s rookie campaign but the first-year man showed enough during his time on the field for me to be optimistic that the Ravens have a shutdown corner in the making. Let’s just hope the coaches don’t continue to use Webb on special teams in years to come.

Special Teams Newcomer: Returner Jalen Parmele

A second year running back stuck on the bench at a tremendously deep position, Parmele got the opportunity to showcase his skills as the team’s kickoff returner late in the season when Lardarius Webb went down with an injury. Decisive and powerful, Parmele provided the team with a spark from the outset. A big man for the position, he nonetheless showed elusiveness and the ability to find holes and make big plays, averaging 31.4 yards per return. That number could have been much higher given that more than a couple of his big returns were called back by penalty. As fans very well know, big plays on special teams can energize the entire team. With Parmele as the team’s kickoff returner, I believe the Ravens have found the man who can provide that spark for years to come. I also hope he can be adapted to become the team’s punt returner as well.