The Ravens have thrown draft picks at the problem with little success. They’ve tried throwing money at the problem, and that didn’t work.
After all these years, the wide receiver position is still killing the Baltimore franchise.
It wasn’t just the dropped passes from Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh Saturday, although those were killers. The Ravens simply have no big playmakers or useful speed at the position.
Joe Flacco completed two passes for more than 10 yards Saturday in Pittsburgh. There were plenty of times he dropped back to pass, got great protection, and no one was open.
The Ravens receivers didn’t get separation in the previous Steelers games and many others this year. Baltimore’s wideouts are old and slow. (Anquan Boldin is a lot of things, but he’s not a consistent vertical threat.)
“I can’t recall ever dropping a ball when the team needed a play,” Houshmandzadeh told the Baltimore Sun. “I’ve always made that play, I’ve always wanted that play, and wow, it’s almost like it’s not real. I can’t believe it.”
Pittsburgh’s youngsters Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown ultimately were more dangerous than Boldin, Houshmandzadeh, and Derrick Mason.
Ravens G.M. Ozzie Newsome needs to go back to the drawing board at wide receiver. Again.