National Opinion: Clark Judge

BaltimoreRavens.com had the opportunity to sit down with Clark Judge, NFL writer for CBSSportsline.com. Here is what he had to say after his visit to Ravens training camp in Westminster, Md.:

BR.com: After spending time here, what is your impression of this team heading into 2007?

Clark Judge: "My impression of the Ravens didn't change from before I came here. This is one of the teams to beat in the AFC. But the question is whether this team is in there with San Diego, Indianapolis and New England. I think it is.

"The defense is scary to me. I do wonder about the loss of [Adalius] Thomas and how they can make up for it. But, I've been told about certain things that can and will be done to alleviate that situation and make it OK. It's like Ozzie Newsome and Brian Billick told me: ‘We've got 14 of our top 15 guys back, and you tell me by missing one guy we're going to fall off the face of the Earth?' That's not going to happen. I've watched these guys for too long to think that Baltimore is anything but an upper-echelon defensive team."

BR.com: And the offense?

Clark Judge: "That's what it comes back to for me, because I was at that Indianapolis game. I looked at that and thought, ‘the defense did exactly what it was supposed to.' If you hold Peyton Manning and those guys to 15 points, you win. When you can't score more than six, you're not going to win.

"So how much better is Baltimore this year offensively? To me, it comes down to one guy: Willis McGahee. But again, just being here, I've learned that's not the case. I'm told about this being McNair's second year and the talent at wide receiver. Now, I worry a little bit about Ogden and his injury, but you look at Gaither - God almighty - this is a team that takes care of itself. They always have fall-back positions.

"There is depth here. There is talent and there is great defense. And they can run the ball. That's what you want from championship teams. Now, can they play with those other guys? Absolutely. Can they beat them? I don't know. That's why they play 16 games. "

BR.com: Now that you've talked to Willis McGahee and seen him practice, how do you think he will impact the Ravens' offense?

Clark Judge: "Well, I had preconceived notions; I think it's an ideal fit for them. But, I wanted to see it for myself and I wanted to hear what he was doing. Everyone seems to be really enthused with him."

BR.com: You've visited a dozen camps so far. How would you describe the atmosphere of this team?

Clark Judge: "Confidence. There just seems to be a real confidence about this club, from top to bottom. No one really seems to be all that concerned about what happened in the playoff game. Their attitude is, ‘That's in the past. We're a better team now. We have something to demonstrate.' I like that. I think you hear that at a lot of camps this time of year, but you can look at some teams and say, ‘There is no way on God's green Earth that it's going to happen for them this year.'

"I've listened to Brian Billick for the last seven or eight years and, talking to him today, I've never heard him so enthusiastic about his offense. Because he feels he has so many potential weapons here. He can do some things he hasn't been able to do in the past.

"If that's the case, that's why New England, San Diego and Indianapolis should be scared. In the past, the thinking was Baltimore can beat you defensively, but maybe they can't beat you offensively. They couldn't last year. Well maybe now they can. This is a team you have to watch out for. They have to prove that, and I believe they will. I think McGahee is a perfect addition for them and if McNair can play most of the games, then they'll be fine because everything here seems to be taken care of."

BR.com: This is obviously a veteran team. Do you see the Ravens as having a window of time to win another Super Bowl?:

Clark Judge: "I'm not so sure there is a closing window. Certainly McNair is not a young guy. Ray Lewis is not a young guy. But look at the scouting: Edgar Jones, who wasn't a draft pick, and comes out of no where. How did they find him and no one else did? He could be a guy that helps them. Look at a guy like Antwan Barnes: they love this guy. He lasted until the fourth round. The thing about this club is that it understands itself better than most teams.

"You're going to lose some of those big names, but they're not going to go all at once. Plus, you've got people now who are coming up. Ngata is a potential All-Pro player and he's a very young guy. They've lost guys like [Tony] Siragusa and [Peter] Boulware and everyone said, ‘how are they going to replace them?' Well, they left and the Ravens replaced them. There is no team, to my recollection, that has drafted as well as this team has over the last decade. If they lost their head coach or Ozzie [Newsome] or some of that scouting staff, then I'd be worried. But they always find a way to retool.

"The McGahee acquisition is a perfect example. There were other teams that wanted him. There was one team that got him because they know what it takes. As I look at this roster, I see young people in responsible positions. This team makes very few mistakes. Teams that draft well are very successful because rosters are constantly turning over. I don't normally like to be so effusive about teams, but this team is special. I've always liked Baltimore because they get it."