Lighter Ray Lewis struggling vs. run for Ravens

[polamalubeast]

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was lauded before the season for slimming down in an effort to improve his pass protection against the league's wave of up-tempo, no-huddle air attacks. Now he's catching heat for it.

In Baltimore's narrow win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Chiefsleaned heavy on the run game, eating up 19-plus minutes of the first half by feeding running back Jamaal Charles no less than 20 times. The Ravens hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in the first half since December 1998, but Charles racked up 125 by intermission and made it look easy.



ProFootballFocus.com rated Lewis as Baltimore's worst defender on the day, and pointed to his troubles against the run. Lewis spent too much of the game skirting around blockers when he used to power through them. SI.com's Peter King suggests Ray Ray's "weight loss looks like it's hurting him a lot. He just isn't a factor against the run the way he used to be."

Lewis is playing closer to 235 after weighing as much as 260 at points during his career. He played heavy in the past to take on the steady stream of monster fullbacks around the league, but the game has changed and Lewis was committed to become leaner to change with it.

Lewis is 37, but I've waited to mention that because I don't believe he's aging the way others might. He's in fine condition, but he's lost some speed and he's struggling right now to dominate his lanes. It's something to monitor as you watch Ravens games this season, but hold off on tapping the panic button. Lewis has a knack for bouncing back.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000079071/article/lighter-ray-lewis-struggling-vs-run-for-ravens?module=HP11_content_stream

[ALLD]

Lewis should have stabbed Charles to slow him up a bit.

[salamander]

Or maybe...just maybe...he's old.

[steelerdude15]

Huh..... that's funny. Ravens fans still think he's this amazing linebacker, even though Ray (Ed Reed as well) are former shells of themselves while Suggs and Ngata are their best players.

[polamalubeast]

Huh..... that's funny. Ravens fans still think he's this amazing linebacker, even though Ray (Ed Reed as well) are former shells of themselves while Suggs and Ngata are their best players.

The majority of ravens fan knows that Suggs and Ngata are their two best players in defense right now

For me, Ray Lewis is still a good player, even if he is 37 years old

[steelerdude15]

The majority of ravens fan knows that Suggs and Ngata are their two best players in defense right now

For me, Ray Lewis is still a good player, even if he is 37 years old

Eh, I don't know. Many Ravens fans around me barely know anything about the team and have only been a fan of the team for a few years...

[GodfatherofSoul]

He's still got the mind, just not the athleticism any more to make the same plays.

[st33lersguy]

Of course the majority of the media still believe that Stabby Ray is playing at a high level and refuse to acknowledge he is struggling

[steelpride12]

Aweeee who cares, anyone wanna go stab some people and get away with it?!

[Edman]

Even back in his prime, Ray hated getting blocked. That's why he complained for a big fat guy in front of him to take the trash away from him. When it came to beating blocks, he was undisciplined.

[fansince'76]

Even back in his prime, Ray hated getting blocked. That's why he complained for a big fat guy in front of him to take the trash away from him. When it came to beating blocks, he was undisciplined.

See: Dan Kreider knocking him on his ass...repeatedly.

[tube517]

See: Dan Kreider knocking him on his ass...repeatedly.

And then Ray Ray jumping on the pile at the last minute and getting 5 tackles on one play. :coffee:

[NCSteeler]

He's still got the mind, just not the athleticism any more to make the same plays.

Sounds like Farrior of the last 2 seasons

[NCSteeler]

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was lauded before the season for slimming down in an effort to improve his pass protection against the league's wave of up-tempo, no-huddle air attacks. Now he's catching heat for it.

In Baltimore's narrow win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Chiefsleaned heavy on the run game, eating up 19-plus minutes of the first half by feeding running back Jamaal Charles no less than 20 times. The Ravens hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in the first half since December 1998, but Charles racked up 125 by intermission and made it look easy.



ProFootballFocus.com rated Lewis as Baltimore's worst defender on the day, and pointed to his troubles against the run. Lewis spent too much of the game skirting around blockers when he used to power through them. SI.com's Peter King suggests Ray Ray's "weight loss looks like it's hurting him a lot. He just isn't a factor against the run the way he used to be."

Lewis is playing closer to 235 after weighing as much as 260 at points during his career. He played heavy in the past to take on the steady stream of monster fullbacks around the league, but the game has changed and Lewis was committed to become leaner to change with it.

Lewis is 37, but I've waited to mention that because I don't believe he's aging the way others might. He's in fine condition, but he's lost some speed and he's struggling right now to dominate his lanes. It's something to monitor as you watch Ravens games this season, but hold off on tapping the panic button. Lewis has a knack for bouncing back.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000079071/article/lighter-ray-lewis-struggling-vs-run-for-ravens?module=HP11_content_stream

To me this brings up a bigger story of how things in the NFL cycle in trends. The league has obviously moved to a passing league . You can argue why, rules, talent...whatever. As time passes(haha) players adapt their bodies to play the pass better, they get lighter, faster and teams design defenses around the pass, much more nickel and dime, drafting more CBs than DLs, when the cycle starts to peak a few teams will have some real talent drop to them in the draft or undrafted, big mauler guys up front and a jerome bettis RB and the tide will change again. Point being the more D adapts the pass the more your going to see Os leaning back towards the Run

[NCSteeler]

Lewis should have stabbed Charles to slow him up a bit.

BTW, every time I see that commercial where the little girl is asking Ray questions at the press conference,all I can think about is her asking "Did you really kill that guy?"

[suitanim]

Ray's skills have been diminishing for years. Them barely beating bottom-feeding KC just highlights it...plus the fact that when they are away from home he doesn't get credit for 11 tackles by just being close to the play when it's over, so his stats are more, um....realistic away from M&T.

[BnG_Hevn]

He was drafted in '96 so assuming he played his rookie year, this would be his 17th season.

Yeah, getting lighter is the reason he is struggling. He probably dropped the weight in anticipation of retiring and reducing the wear and tear on his knees as much as for "guarding against the pass".

Besides, he is just one guy in the defense so the defense doesn't "go as he goes". Unless Baltimore schemes around him as the Steelers do around Troy.