Bronco Jimmy

Turnovers equal disaster when you play Ravens
Friday, January 16, 2009
By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Baltimore's Jim Leonhard crashed into him at just the right spot to trigger an ejection.
"I didn't see replays of the Crumpler play," Steelers tight end Heath Miller said, "but it looked like he had the ball tucked away pretty good. These guys are always trying to rip the ball out. If you're in any traffic at all, you've got to put two hands on it."
Crumpler was separated from the ball at the Ravens' 6. If he scores, Tennessee wins.
LenDale White was separated from it at the Ravens' 15. If not, Tennessee likely wins.
Leonhard smacked into Titans' quarterback Kerry Collins, sending his pass fluttering into the hands of Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle at the Ravens' 9. Without that, Tennessee likely wins.

Ravens enjoy playing for Rex Ryan
by Brendan Prunty/The Star-Ledger
Thursday January 15, 2009, 10:13 PM
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- For Baltimore Ravens strong safety Jim Leonhard, the best day of his week is always Wednesday. Walking into the meeting room and getting that big, black binder about the upcoming game's defensive scheme makes him feel like a kid on Christmas.
Then again, every player on defensive coordinator Rex Ryan's unit feels that way. Because what he hands them isn't so much a binder filled with X's and O's. It's more like a grab bag of tricks.
And that's just the way Ryan likes it.
"That part makes it fun," Leonhard said Thursday as the Ravens prepared for Sunday's AFC title game in Pittsburgh. "I think everybody goes in there on Wednesday to get the game plan and they know they'll have opportunities to make plays. You know that coming in. You can't just show up to the meeting and sit there and get through it. You know you're going to have to get there and study and find out what the changes are. It makes it a lot of fun." ...
"Just his personality -- and obviously his schemes -- make it really enjoyable being here everyday," Leonhard said. "I hope he gets a head coaching job, because he deserves it. He has all the credentials and the resume for it."

Browns waiting on the Ravens to get Kokinis
By Steve Doerschuk
CantonRep.com staff writer
Posted Jan 15, 2009 @ 08:00 PM
Baltimore’s 2008 season might be dead without help from players who came from Kokinis’ area of responsibility:
n Wideout Derrick Mason’s 48-yard touchdown catch was huge in last weekend’s 13-10 playoff win at Tennessee.
n A week earlier, cornerback Fabian Washington had a key interception in a playoff win at Miami.
n Fiery little safety Jim Leonhard has been a sparkplug.

Nasty Ravens-Steelers rivalry to decide AFC title
By ALAN ROBINSON
"You feel a lot worse on Monday after a (Ravens-Steelers) game," Ravens safety Jim Leonhard said. "It's a physical game. It's everything you think it would be."
_ Ward has been called the most hated man in Baltimore because of how he hits, then smiles about it.
"They don't like it that I'm happy all the time," Ward said. "If the city of Baltimore is mad at me for doing that, I'm sorry to the city of Baltimore."
There's no love for Lewis or safety Ed Reed in Pittsburgh either, though, Reed said, "Man, I think we're bad guys, regardless (not just in Pittsburgh)."
_ Here's how much the Ravens are disliked in Pittsburgh: Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (note the first six letters in his last name) changed the name on his office door this week to Steelerstahl.

Adam Duerson > INSIDE THE NFL
Divisional Playoff report card: Ravens-Titans
Defensive Backs: If the Ravens had lost this game, Fabian Washington would have been the goat. He got beat badly on a long pass to Justin Gage in the first quarter and then whiffed on Chris Johnson on the Titans' first score; that whole drive was his bad. Throughout the game, he got absolutely worked over by Gage (six catches for 95 yards in first half alone) who's far from a Pro Bowl receiver.
Strong safety Jim Leonhard was far better. He fought through the block of Jake Scott, a lineman twice his size, early on to break up a tight end screen to Bo Scaife. Then he had two productive blitzes that forced bad passes by Collins, one of which was intercepted. He also recovered LenDale White's fumble at the end of the first quarter and played the low to Bart Scott's high on a high-low tackle that forced Alge Crumpler's crucial fourth quarter fumble near the goal line. Funny thing. I don't recall hearing Ed Reed's name almost all game long. Grade: Safeties A-; Corners C

Ravens Q&A with Mike Preston
Baltimore Sun columnist answers readers' questions about the Ravens-Steelers AFC title game matchup and the 13-10 win over the Titans
Baltimoresun.com staff
9:46 AM EST, January 14, 2009
Ed, Arlington, Va.: In my opinion, the unsung hero of the Ravens' defense has been Jim Leonhard. Will the Ravens make it a priority to re-sign him in the offseason?
Mike Preston: I won't say he is a priority. Ray Lewis is a priority. Terrell Suggs is a priority. Bart Scott is a priority. I think Leonhard has found a home in Baltimore and is a product of the system. I don't see him going anywhere during the offseason.

Bring on the Steelers
After two losses to heated rival, Ravens get another shot
By Jamison Hensley | jamison.hensley@baltsun.com
January 13, 2009
"If you feel like you didn't necessarily get beat but you lost the game, you always want to have the opportunity to play that team again," Ravens safety Jim Leonhard said. "Pittsburgh's got us twice this year, and give them all the credit in the world for doing that, but we feel like we have our opportunity in front of us. We have one goal all season, and that's to win the Super Bowl. And we have to beat Pittsburgh to get there."
Leonhard said that before he joined the Ravens it was obvious the teams didn't like each other. His opinion didn't change after playing two games in the heated rivalry.

Ravens notebook: Ravens expect Ryan to be a head coach next year
By Aaron Wilson, Times Staff Writer
"If he doesn't get a head coaching job somewhere, I'd be surprised," strong safety Jim Leonhard said. "He's a tremendous guy to play for, and I think he would be a great head coach. As a player, I would love to play with him whether it's here or somewhere else. As Ravens, we would all like him to be back."...
"We know that come Sunday, we're going to get all of Rex Ryan," Leonhard said. "He's going to be there for us. He's not looking ahead. He loves us, we love him."

Ravens ready for physical game with Steelers, as usual
By Aaron Wilson, Times Staff Writer
In his first season in Baltimore, strong safety Jim Leonhard has quickly been indoctrinated into the Ravens-Steelers lore. After playing for the Buffalo Bills to begin his NFL career, Leonhard has gained an appreciation for how much these games mean between Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
"It's a very physical rivalry, it's obvious that the teams don't like each other," Leonhard said. "Being here, it's the same thing. You know the people a little more and the history that's behind it.
"These games are what they're expected to be. There's a lot of talking, a lot of things going on. You know that you have to play 60 minutes that day or you're going to get it handed to you."

Leonhard Suffers Concussion in Ravens Win Over Titans
Posted: 11:08 PM Jan 12, 2009
Last Updated: 11:08 PM Jan 12, 2009
Jim Leonhard and the Baltimore Ravens are one victory away from playing in Super Bowl 43 in Tampa, Florida on Sunday, February 1st. And for the second straight playoff game, the Tony, Wisconsin native made several key plays that helped the Ravens advance to the AFC Championship game to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Baltimore Sun reported in Sunday's newspapers that Leonhard suffered a concussion on the most important play of the day for the Ravens defense. Leonhard helped cause this fumble by Tennessee tight end Alge Crumpler when it appeared that the Titans were poised to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Leonhard told the Baltimore Sun that he doesn't remember much of that play except that he saw Crumpler catch the ball and broke on it. Jim did not return to the game after suffering his injury.

...Jim is okay, just to let you know...