Rex Ryan, a longtime fixture on the Ravens' sidelines, departed for New York to become the New York Jets head coach after the Ravens fell to the Steelers in the 2008 AFC Championship game.
Other notable offseason departures include linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard, both of whom left Baltimore to follow Rex Ryan to New York, and longtime placekickerMatt Stover. On March 5, 2009, Stover told reporters that the Ravens were "going in a different direction".[1] When Stover's tenure ended with the Ravens, the team severed ties with one of its two remaining players from the Ravens' first season in 1996; the other being Ray Lewis.
The Ravens, in addition to facing its AFC North counterparts, will face opponents from the AFC West Division and the NFC North Division. They will also face the Indianapolis Colts from the AFC South Division and the New England Patriots from the AFC East Division based on the 2002 - 2009 NFL scheduling formula because of their second place finish in the AFC North Division.[2]
The Ravens have the fifth easiest strength of schedule in the NFL based on its aforementioned opponents' win to loss ratio from the 2008 season, with its opponents winning 43.8% of their scheduled games in 2008.[3]
The 2009 NFL schedule was released on April 14, 2009.[4]
The Baltimore Ravens began the 2009 season at home for the second season in a row. They hosted the Kansas City Chiefs, who struggled to a franchise-worst 2-14 record in 2008. The Ravens dominated time of possession and offensive production throughout the game, but their special teams miscues made the game much closer than the score would indicate. The Ravens found the end zone half way through the first quarter for their first touchdown of the season when Flacco found Willis McGahee for a 3 yard touchdown pass. The Ravens would later increase their advantage with a Steven Hauschka field goal. In the second quarter, a special teams miscue led to Chiefs safety Jon McGraw blocking a Sam Koch punt into the end zone, where he recovered for a touchdown. Early in the third quarter, Derrick Johnson intercepted an errant Joe Flacco pass and returned it to the Ravens 3 yard line. Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle found standout receiver Dwayne Bowe for a touchdown three plays later. The Ravens would respond with an 11 play, five minute drive capped off by a 9 yard touchdown to Todd Heap. After trading touchdowns halfway through the fourth quarter, the Ravens defense forced a turnover on downs, and the Ravens offense capitalized with a Le'Ron McClain 1 yard touchdown run. The Ravens would add an additional touchdown from McGahee in the final minute of the game to open their season with a 38 - 24 win, and the second win in as many home openers. With the win, not only do the Ravens improve to 1-0, they are the only team in the AFC North to win their home opener on Kickoff Sunday; the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Tennessee Titans 13 - 10 on Kickoff Night the Thursday prior.
Week 2: at San Diego Chargers
Week Two: Baltimore Ravens vs. San Diego Chargers — Summary
The Chargers host the Ravens in their home debut in San Diego after a narrow escape in the second of two AFL 50th Anniversary-themed division rivalry Monday Night matchups against the Raiders in Oakland. The Chargers jumped out to an early lead when a blown coverage led to an easy 81 yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to Darren Sproles. The Ravens answered with Willis McGahee on a 5 yard touchdown run, but the Chargers would increase their advantage on a Nate Kaeding field goal. The offensive display would continue in the second quarter, but the Ravens touchdowns were only answered by Chargers field goals. McGahee found the end zone a second time to take the lead 14 - 10, but the Chargers pulled within one on the second Kaeding field goal. Flacco then found Kelley Washington for Flacco's first touchdown pass of the day and Washington's first touchdown reception as a Raven just inside the 2-minute halftime warning. Rivers led the Chargers down the field in an attempt to answer, but the drive stalled and had to settle for the third of four Kaeding field goals. In the second half, both defenses stiffened. Todd Heap would get his second touchdown catch of the season from Flacco from 9 yards out, but the Chargers responded with a 35 yard touchdown catch from Vincent Jackson. Late in the fourth quarter, interceptions from Flacco and Rivers led to trading field goals. After a Ravens punt, Rivers led the Chargers all the way down to the Ravens 15. The Chargers went for the first down on fourth down to go for the win, but Sproles was stopped by Ray Lewis five yards in the backfield, allowing the Ravens to run the clock out. With the win, not only do the Ravens improve to 2-0, the Ravens take sole possession of first place in the AFC North.
Week 3: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week Three: Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens — Summary
After another high scoring affair in San Diego, the Ravens returned to Baltimore with a one game lead on the Steelers and Bengals and hosted their first AFC North Division game against the Cleveland Browns. (Coincidentally, the Bengals host the Steelers in divisional play in week three as well.) Although this was the third consecutive high scoring game for the Ravens, this was not a close contest. The Ravens struck early on the first of two touchdown runs from Willis McGahee, and would increase their advantage on a Hauschka field goal. In the second quarter, after another Hauschka field goal, McGahee found the end zone again. His second rushing TD leads the NFL with five. Although the Browns wanted to prove they were up to the challenge of contending with a quality football team, miscues thoroughly undid the Browns as quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn combined for four interceptions. Quinn was benched at the half in favor of Anderson, but Anderson was no better than his maligned counterpart. The third quarter only saw another touchdown for the Ravens, but was a special one for Ray Rice, as it was his first career NFL touchdown. The final minutes of the third quarter also saw the Browns longest drive of the day, but as time expired in the third quarter, the Browns were stopped short of the end zone. The fourth quarter opened with the Browns only points of the game on a field goal from Billy Cundiff, a free-agent signee since kicker Phil Dawson was inactive due to a leg injury. The final points of the contest came on the third Anderson interception, which was Ed Reed's first of the season. Flacco's touchdown was not only the longest of the season for him to date, but was the only passing touchdown all day. He hit a wide open Derrick Mason after a blown coverage in the Browns secondary for a 72 yard touchdown. With the win, the Ravens improve to 3-0 and improve to 1-0 in the AFC North.
Week 4: at New England Patriots
Week Four: Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots — Summary
Coming off their divisional home win over the Browns, the Ravens flew to Gillette Stadium for a Week 4 battle with the New England Patriots. After Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski got a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter, Baltimore would answer with quarterback Joe Flacco's 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrick Mason. In the second quarter, New England would retake the lead with quarterback Tom Brady's 1-yard touchdown run and running back Sammy Morris' 12-yard touchdown run.
The Ravens would reply in the third quarter with defensive end Terrell Suggs sacking Brady, causing a fumble which rolled into the Patriots' endzone, where defensive end Dwan Edwards would land on it for a touchdown. New England would come right back with Brady's 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Randy Moss. Baltimore played some catch-up in the fourth quarter as Flacco connected with running back Willis McGahee on a 13-yard touchdown pass, but the Patriots replied with Gostkowski's 33-yard field goal. Flacco would lead a last-minute drive, but New England's stiffened and came away with the win.
With the tough loss, the Ravens fell to 3-1.
Week 5: vs Cincinnati Bengals
Week Five: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens — Summary
