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The Ravens have signed Ricky Williams. And those in TD-only leagues are advised to sit up and take notice.
The Washington Post says it's a two-year deal worth up to $4 million.
Williams is 34. He doesn't have much left. But he might be better than Willis McGahee, and he'll almost certainly be the team's back of choice in goal-line situations.
McGahee parlayed that role into 14 TDs in the 2009 season.
Williams has actually been more effective than McGahee as a short-yardage runner in each of the last two years. In 2009, McGahee went 9 of 14 in short-yardage situations. (That is, he was good on 9 of 14 carries when Baltimore needed 1-2 yards to either score or keep a drive alive.) Williams went 11 of 16 on the same plays for Miami.
Last year, Williams went 5 of 6 in short-yardage situations, while McGahee finished just 6 of 13.
If the Ravens get their ground game revved up, Williams might punch in 10 TDs this season.
—Ian Allan
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Posted by ANDREW FRITZ | Aug. 10 at 12:55 AM
This surprises me, i always considered McGahee a good short yardage guy. I think Miami is just a better short-yardage team overall. Isn't their fullback Polite one of the highest % short yardage runners as well? I expect the Ravens signing of Vonta Leach to help in this area, so i agree with your assessment on Williams, but for different reasons. I still can't figure out why Ray Rice isn't a good short yardage runner, i mean have you seen his thighs?!
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Aug. 10 at 03:16 AM
As we note in the magazine, Rice is a good short-yardage runner. When they give him those goal-line carries, he has performed well. It's just a case of them not wanting him to get beat up running into the middle of the line around the end zone, because he's too important to their offense. Not that he can't do it.