Are Birds Flying High still?

January 22, 2012...I bet you remember where you were from around 3-630 p.m or so. Even if you can't think of the significance of that date, one line will bring back all the memories you need. "Cundiff MISSED. It's not even close." Crying yet? Yeah it hurt me when I thought about it before writing this. My main reason behind bringing this up is, weirdly enough that may be the good ol days in the not too future.

Right now Ravens along with all teams are playing in shorts so to really get bent out of shape
or make any final predicitions are WAAAAAY premature. BUT from what I've seen so far they have had probably the worst offseason of any team. I mean losing a good amount of players in free agency although they weren't starters or really key players. They still were consistent and filled in well when called on.
Like Nakamura or Zibby.

 #2 Ray Rice is in hooping shorts and a beater frying burgers(hopefully Boca) on the grille right this second. You know why he has the time to do that? Because he'd rather get fined than be underpaid. Recent history shows us that RB's who hold out don't just bounce back to pro bowl caliber. It takes some time with that
position.(Thats why im curious about seeing CJ2k this season after the bogus 2011 campaign but thats another story) So although Ray has never made you think he wouldn't come in camp in shape. There is a clear difference between regular in shape, and football midseason shape. Rice being your teams #1 option and he may not be himself until week 14 or so is not a good thing at all.

Now the thing I believe is the BIGGEST hit of all, no pun intended, is Bryant McKinnie and the rest of this O-line. 2 positions are up in the airwith Left tackle and Left guard. If Oher is switched to Left tackle then that jumbles things up even more because where does Jah Reid go then? Is he actually ready? Without Grubbs with whom you noticed a huge overall improvement when he came back from Flacco to Marshall Yanda and definetily with McKinnie who is approaching 400 lbs if he is not there already sources say.
So without a solid run game and no o-line to protect Flacco or create holes for the UNNAMED backup RB, where is the offense going to come from? Crazy thing is, those are all HUGE issues and I haven't even mentioned the reigning DPOY Terrell Suggs who is out for an unknown amount of time with an achilles injury. Suggs is keeping up his campaign of playing in a Ravens uniform in 2012. But the question is when? And by that time, will it still be worth it to even play him and risk further injury? IDK depends on where they are.
But if all these issues are arising now and offseason injuries haven't hit yet. Depth is going to be important and Ravens don't really have it in some key areas. Right now its a struggle to say 10-6 if gun held to my head. But I easily could see 8-8 season. Numerous websites have them as a middle of the pack #14-17 in power rankings I've seen so far. Ravens need depth and young players to step up BIG. I haven't mentioned Ed Reed yet. I already have a headache tho, so I'll let you guys go crazy over trying to figure out WTF is wrong with that guy.
Bottom Line....Its a telling year for Ravens. Cant depend on Ray Lewis this year. He is 37, its time for the new Ravens to show....Im nervous to see if new means end to a beautiful 4 year playoff ride. You guys tell me if Im overreacting?

P.S....And I did all that typing and didn't even metion CAM CAMERON is still the offensive coordinator