A QB DRIVEN League CARD KEY Access...AFC NORTH...the RAVENS lose 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T-SIZZLE...but ORDINARY JOE and R2 are still in the FOLD...Can the #PurpleBrowns win the AFC North?

RAVENS 2011 Record 12-4 AFC North (6-0)

A Kick away from a Super Bowl Berth and now with Ray and Ed's Window closing what is on Tap in the Charm City for 2012? The Bad News is Terrell Suggs will be out for at least until December at the earliest and that is Huge for a D that plays off of T-Sizzle first.

Haloti Ngata mans the Middle of that Defense but will the Age of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed be a Positive or Negative? Look for Rook 2nd Round Pick Courtney Upshaw to get baptized by Fire and Corners Jimmy Smith, who looks more and more like Former Fighting Irish and Bird Gang Corner Bobby Taylor, to contribute heavily with Strong side Corner LaDarius Webb.

Offensively the Ravens are getting better and Better with the Lil Engine that could in R2..Ray Rice and that QB Ordinary Joe that has been arriving for quite sometime now. WR Torrey Smith who can run straight, far, and fast better than anyone will have to start running Man Routes. The Routes underneath and take a hit. Boldin is older and the 2-Headed Tight End is coming around and look for both Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta to become more and more important as the Season evolves.

Key Players and Free Agent Acquisitions for 2012:

QB Joe Flacco
RB Ray Rice
FB Vonta Leach
WR Torrey Smith
C Matt Birk
TE Ed Dickson
TE Dennis Pitta

DT Haloti Ngata
LB Ray Lewis
FS Ed Reed
SS Bernard Pollard
CB Ladarius Webb

The Ravens are still loaded Offensively and they will Score but I think the loss on Defense of T-Sizzle will have an Effect on the D tremendously. Now when you Game Plan for the #PurpleBrowns you don't have to account for #55.  Now the Ravens will have to rely on DE's Arthur Jones and Paul Kruger to get Pressure as well as play in Space.

2012 Key Schedule Dates

Sep. 10 Bengals
Sep. 16 @ Bird Gang
Sep. 23 Patriots
Oct. 14 Cowboys
Oct. 21 Texans

Nov. 18 @ STILLERS
Nov. 25 @ Bolts
Dec. 2 STILLERS
Dec. 9 @ 'SKINS "Battle of the DMV"
Dec. 23 Gotham City Blue
Dec. 30 Bengals

I have 11 Important dates for the Ravens when really all that matters is the AFC Opponents the Texans and Pats along with the Division Opponents STILLERS and BENGALS. Then too you try to win as many as you can to avoid any Tie-Breaking Scenarios down the Stretch.

Can the Ravens D hold up without T-Sizzle not being out there creating Havoc. The Worse Case Scenario if that D led by Ray and Ed starts showing signs of Age in Key Positions. To sure up the Corner Spot opposite of Webb the ravens did sign Titans Corner Cary Williams.

Note: Schedule from NFL.com