Don’t get me wrong - the Ravens should be enjoying their last two victories, in which they’ve outscored two bad teams, 79-10. And really, once you take away a punt return, 79-3. This year, the team has been a lot more vertical, as quarterback Joe Flacco has 291 completions, 3,345 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Last year, it wasn’t like that. They didn’t try to hide him, per say, but they didn’t make him win the game, which was smart, being that he is a rookie.

They ran the ball, led by Le’Ron McClain, an All Pro fullback, and also, Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. This year, the backfield hasn’t been nearly as balanced. Rice has been spectacular, while both McGahee and McClain have been nothing more than situational backs. McGahee averages about seven carries per game while McClain averages not even three, which I find to be insulting, especially to McClain.

I’m not trying to knock Rice by any stretch. He’s having a wonderful year, with 1,128 rushing yards and nearly 700 receiving, so it figures that some time would be taken away from both McGahee and McClain. McClain is still doing a stellar job as a blocking back, which is really his primary job, as he is a fullback. He hasn’t been particularly sharp pass-blocking, but he’s replaced Lorenzo Neal as the lead back very well. The Ravens are coming off two big wins in which they have gotten a lot from Flacco, Rice, and the defense.

But in these next two games, which will prove crucial for the Ravens, I think they need to go to McClain a lot more. I’ve said it all year, and I’ll say it again - the Ravens need Le’Ron McClain. If they do use him a lot more, there’s no reason they can’t beat a team like Pittsburgh and Oakland. They’ll be able to dominate the time of possession battle, and when McClain got 15 carries a game last year, the Ravens won eight of ten, so that tells you something.

Against the Steelers, running the ball is going to be huge. While the Steelers defense is struggling like I’ve never seen, winning the TOP battle will likely determine who wins the game. Because with the way Ben Roethlisberger performed against Green Bay (502 yards, 3 touchdown passes), Baltimore definitely shouldn’t put the ball in his hands by risking going three-and-out with pass, after pass - after pass. Never mind that Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh is McClain’s 25th birthday.

Against Oakland, I don’t see a scenario in which the Ravens lose - not to Bruce Gradkowski, not to JaMarcus Russell, not to Charlie Frye. They won’t exactly need McClain in this one; I don’t see any reason Flacco can’t have a good game against that defense, but in the playoffs, against teams like Cincinnati, Indianapolis, San Diego - all very good vertical offenses - it’ll be crucial for the Ravens to dominate time of possession, and McClain helps them do that - perhaps more than a guy like Rice who hits home runs more often (meaning 20-40 yard runs).

With big wins over Detroit and Chicago, it’s likely the Ravens will in fact make the postseason, and if they do get there, running the football with not only Ray Rice, but also McClain, will be crucial.