Boldin and Ravens Ready for the Super Bowl
Anquan Boldin spent much of his National Football League career for the Arizona Cardinals in the shadow of star receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Now as the Baltimore Ravens’ No. 1, Boldin is ready for and anticipates a future of success.
Apparently some of the other Ravens players anticipate the same. Boldin recalls that upon being traded to the Ravens, team leader Ray Lewis phoned him to discuss the Super Bowl already. "Ray said to me, ‘You know, it’s in Dallas this year,’" said Boldin. Boldin responded in stride and said, “I’m ahead of you. I’m already there."
Boldin and the Ravens are a relationship that is destined for some sort of success. Boldin, only 29, is a great receiver who wants to be a team’s first priority passing wise. The Ravens, a defensive powerhouse, have appeared to be one big-name receiver away from another NFL championship for years.
Boldin’s struggles with the Cardinals management were well publicized, but given the Ravens’ arrangements for him and the mutual benefits of the relationship things should be much more tranquil at Baltimore.
Boldin himself has said, “"Everything about this move feels right.” Additionally, Boldin showed his maturity by reiterating that he wasn’t misunderstood or unhappy with the actual situation he had in Arizona, but was bothered by the fact that Cardinals management misled him about the role they wanted him to play.
The Ravens have signed to a four-year, $28 million contract, and now without the aid of Larry Fitzgerald the pressure will be on for Boldin to showcase himself as an elite receiver. If he lives up to expectations, Boldin will become the only elite receiver the Ravens have had, and the first elite receiver in Baltimore since the days of Johnny Unitas and the original Colts. In fact, Elias Sports Bureau research shows that receiver is the only offensive or defensive positional grouping that Baltimore has not sent a player to the Pro Bowl for.
A prime example of why the Ravens need Anquan Boldin is their defeat in last year’s play-offs. The Ravens reached the second round, but their horrible passing led to a smothering defeat by the Indianapolis Colts.
Last season the Ravens ranked 18th in the NFL in passing, with the majority of their passes going to running back Ray Rice.
Although the Ravens offense is going to be vastly different from the kind Boldin is used to at Arizona, several other off-season acquisitions should help transition the Ravens to a strong passing franchise. The Ravens have also signed Donte Stallworth, another talented receiver who also had troubles with his former team.
With their newly strengthened receiving core, expect the Ravens to utilize a four wide-receiver formation much more frequently than they have in the past. Last season the Ravens lined up with four-wide just 16 times, by far the lowest amount of times in the League. To compare, Boldin’s Cardinals went into that formation over 300 times.
Some worry that Boldin’s ego won’t allow him to deal with other receivers being thrown to more often, but his priorities seem straight. “As long as we are winning, there are enough footballs," Boldin said. "Ray Rice is going to get his carries - and his catches. Todd Heap will control the middle of the field from the tight end position. And Donte and Mason, they are going to stretch the field and I am just going to do what I do -- catch the ball and break tackles."
With their already strong running game, and their monstrous defence, the Ravens now have a team that is destined to dominate the AFC North. Their only competitors will be the Cincinnati Bengals, but the Bengals have yet to make serious moves and no longer seem to match up with the Ravens. The Pittsburgh Steelers, the most recent Super Bowl winners from the division, are without their quarterback for four games and just traded a star receiver, and thus look to be no contest for the Ravens.
It looks likely that Boldin was right in thinking of Dallas before ever setting foot on the Ravens’ turf.
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