At this point last season, the Baltimore Ravens were 4-2 after 6 games. The major difference between 2006 and 2007? The 2006 Ravens were doing it with a relatively healthy team. The 2007 Ravens have been racked with injuries (more on that tomorrow) and are managing to put up better numbers in a lot of categories. It is worth noting that Jim Fassel was calling plays through the first 6 games last season, so the improvement may be misleading.

Let’s take a look at the numbers:

• Last year, the Ravens had put up 271.6 yards per game of total offense. In 2007, the Ravens are sitting at 329.8 ypg — a 58.2 yard difference. Not bad at all!
• Another telling statistic is 1st downs. Through the first six games in 2006, the Ravens notched 94 first downs. In the same time frame in 2007, the team has increased that number by 25, to 119.
• Concerned about the offensive line? Not me. In 2006, the line yielded 12 sacks through the first 6 games. In 2007, the line has given up 4 less sacks.
• The QB - either Steve McNair or Kyle Boller - has only thrown 4 interceptions all season. At the same point last season, the QB had already thrown 8 picks.
• Speaking of completions, the completion percentage has risen from 56.0% to 64.7%.
• Speaking of completion percentages, those usually lead to a lot of 1st downs. The Ravens 3rd down conversion percentage has grown by 6%, from 36.6% to 42.2%.

The Ravens may be improving, but so is the competition. As of today, the Ravens are 22nd in points (18.3 per game), 19th in total yards (329.8), 14th in passing yards (222.7) and 16th in rushing yards (107.2). The schedule becomes increasingly difficult after the bye and a losing season is just a few more key injuries away.

The bottom line? The Ravens cannot win games against the big boys with a bottom-half offense, no matter how much better they are this year through the first 6 games. The stereotype of the Ravens being a defense-only team will be perpetuated until the offense can hang 30 or more points on an opponent in consecutive seasons.

Sunday’s game against the Bills should be interesting… Buffalo is giving up 421.4 yards per game. Surely we can pad our offensive stats against that defense, right?

Right?