Scott Garceau: Can The Ravens Survive?
Ouch! I know injuries are a part of the game but some hurt more than others and losing cornerback Jimmy Smith to season ending foot surgery is a staggering blow to the Ravens. The next two months will determine if the loss of Smith is a knockout punch. "Next man up" is a catchy rallying cry but it's not real convincing in this case because the next man up in the Ravens secondary is a huge question mark.
Yes, the same secondary that gave up 6 TD passes to Ben Roethlisberger last week, yes the same secondary that cut 2 cornerbacks this week, yes that secondary just lost their best player for the season. Over the last 2 years Jimmy Smith with that coveted combination of size and speed has become one of the best corners in the NFL.
While Smith has become one of the NFL's top corners he's had trouble staying on the field in three of his four seasons. His rookie year he missed 4 games with an ankle injury, in 2012 a sports hernia knocked him out for 5 games and now foot surgery ends this season.
The Ravens are about a double-digit favorite Sunday and should be able to handle the Titans in Baltimore. Tennessee has their own issues they've lost 6 of their last 7 games and rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger will be making just his second NFL start. A win Sunday would get the Ravens to 6-4.
Could they finishing 4-2 in their last 6 and get into the playoffs with a 10-6 record? The remaining home schedule has the Chargers, Jaguars and Browns coming to Baltimore and the Ravens on the road in New Orleans, Miami and Houston. Facing quarterbacks Drew Brees, Philip Rivers and an improved Ryan Tannehill is never easy facing them with a suspect secondary is football scary.
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