Matt Elam is getting a rookie lesson. The Baltimore Ravens safety is learning very quickly that one does not toss out bulletin board material for one of the best players in the NFL. Elam decided to do a little trashing talking on Calvin Johnson leading up to the Ravens game against the Detroit Lions and now his teammates and head coach are really wishing he had simply kept his mouth shut.
Elam started things off by calling the 28-year-old receiver an old guy. He believes Megatron will fall to a quality defense because he simply does not move the way he used to. Remember, this is Johnson the receiver that broke records last year.
"He's pretty old, so I don't know how physical he'll be," Elam said, via the Detroit Free Press. "He's a big guy, but he's older. I guess when they get older they're not going to be as physical, you know what I'm saying? We're going to have to be physical, make him uncomfortable."
Johnson certainly did not need to reply but of course did anyways. When made aware of these comments by the rookie, Johnson simply laughed them off saying he would show Elam what "old-man strength" can do. "He can talk all he wants. He plays back. I don't see him every play unless I run past him," Johnson told reporters following practice. He followed that up by saying he did not think young Elam was "anything extraordinary."
Now, Elam's teammates are left shaking their heads as Detroit could be poised for the playoffs while Balitmore might be on the outside looking in.
"You just kind of look at him and say 'Dude, what are you thinking? It's Calvin Johnson,'" said quarterback Joe Flacco.
That is the best way to describe the situation. Johnson is the best in the league whether he is 28 or not. Elam is just a rookie with a lot of learning to do. Flacco told reporters that Baltimore spent an entire practice throwing deep balls at Elam in order to prepare him for what playing Johnson will be like.
Harbaugh is also letting his rookie know that trash talking a quality opponent is not the best approach to take before a game. "I don't appreciate it. It doesn't help us. You get a guy like Calvin Johnson all fired up, that's really not the idea."
The Ravens defense could be in for a rude awakening against the Lions. Elvis Dumervil was not available for practice after injuring his ankle leaving the team very shorthanded.
