RaRaRavens

Good to hear that despite the win team isn't blinded by it. A lot of issues to fix. Almost all of them on the offensive side though.

The only thing from the defensive side is, that it would be nice to see even some edge rush. Also hopefully the DBs will continue the way they did on Sunday. But all that is nitpicking. Defense is playing lights outs.

The offense, however, let's hope they'll start pulling their weight soon.

1 hour ago, gooftroop said:

Not well-blocked, maybe? Not a great scheme, perhaps?

That's what I mean. There were defenders on the line of scrimmage with no blockers assigned to them. And instead of changing the protection scheme, direction of the run or the play all together, Flacco just took the snap and let his RB run straight into the arms of the unblocked defender. And there were at least 4 situations like that. This is what a veteran QB is supposed to recognize and change, otherwise it's essentially a broken play.

57 minutes ago, The Greek said:

purposely sabotaging the run game? now that is funny. thanks for the laugh

Yeah, I know. But I can't think for another reason why veteran QB like Flacco consistently fails to audible running plays so they won't run head first into unaccounted defenders on the line of scrimmage. Maybe he's not big friends with West and tries to hand out some punishment for him? What do u think?

2 hours ago, huntrgathrr said:

I apologize for over commenting but I want to offer further thoughts on Flacco. He seems to be less confident today than he was in his first 6 years. I'm really disappointed that he can't read the defenses and call his own plays after 7 years in the NFL. I'm sure there are a lot of reasons for this but the offense will never be prolific getting plays from the sidelines. His check offs are predictable and usually ineffective. He should be reading the defenses at the line of scrimmage and calling the plays from there. I guess the coaches don't have confidence in his ability to do this. This seems to be the reason the Ravens have a very ineffective offense.

In addition to all those things what boggles me is his inability to change blocking schemes on run plays, or just change out of the play if nothing else seems doable. There were at least 4 runs yesterday that Flacco sent just straight up into unblocked defenders. He didn't even change the way of the run. I mean, how are RBs supposed to get any yards when they run into the direction of an unblocked LB?! How is it possible that Flacco does not see it at the line of scrimmage? Or does he just not care? Or is he purposely sabotaging our run game??

Bottom line-the offense needs to start pulling their weight and stop living on the success of the defense. If that happens, we have a real shot.

Defense is a pleasant sight!

Great team win, nice job! Couple of thins to iron out and this team can be legitimate contender:

1. Offense needs to put points on the board, period! The way our defense is playing lights out football, if our offense was competent enough to get even 3 points every other drive, we would be golden. And while the offenses struggles have come in different shapes and forms, I mean no run game, WRs just drop balls, etc., it still starts with Flacco. He is our most expensive piece, the franchise QB and team leader. If others are not performing, it's up to the leader to work it out. At the very least he can not be making mental mistakes, like throwing INTs in scoring field positions, that cost us points. So if we want to get to the playoffs and beyond, Flacco together with the offense needs to figure their sh out ASAP!

2. Defense is solid, so this is really just nitpicking, but if we could generate some pressure on the QB from the edges as well without DB blitzes, and/or if we could limit the big plays like we did for 3 quarters against the Steelers, our defense would be killer.

All in all, Steelers game was a pleasant sight of things moving in the right direction. Let's hope we can stay healthy and for the love of god, the offense starts playing like it's the regular season, not preseason.

Flacco is ABSOLUTE garbage. Playing worse than rookies

  8 hours ago, fusuymada said:

After much thought and consideration about this offense, and the progressions and transitions over the last 5 years and the coaching hires, I don't look for much improvement until Harbaugh sits down with the front office and really thinks this Offensive Coordinator thing out. I think the Kubiak hire if nothing else shows just what an impact a quality OC can have. I don't know if changing from Marty is the answer at this point because part of the problem is switching OCs 5 times in 5 years. Cam was a good OC and having many years with Flacco the offense could grow and progress. When Cam was canned, Caldwell, I believe benefitted from a league who had no idea what an OC who had never called a play would call and how he would scheme. Plus I think Joe felt relief after being under Cams thumb since being in the league. Caldwell was exposed in the next year but then Kubiak came back and righted the ship. Just another reason a person from Baltimore should hate John Elway. Trestman was just a bad hire and Marty is trying to piece this back together with little time and limited resources. Viewing it under this light I don't expect much progress BUT like Pittsburgh and Cincinatti, we don't fire the Head Coach, he and Bisciotti and Newsome have to sit down and figure this all out. Too much firing talk. Same with the front office. Ozzie is a genius of player personnel, that doesn't change. He needs to figure out why the scouting reports aren't accurate, why scouts are standing up for the players they do, what's changed in the evaluation process. Trestman stunk it up last year and was well on the way this year. Harbs needs to really think this OC thing out whether it's keeping Marty or or a really, really strong candidate like Kubiak was and Ozzie needs ro figure this draft problem as well,

Ozzie, the genius, hasn't had a good draft for 6 years. He has blown high draft choices on the likes of Elam, Perriman, and the immortal Sergio Kindle. If that is genius, a dog could do better. That is why the Ravens are in the sad state that they are, not because of inept Offensive Coordinators.

I looked through A LOT of draft boards before drafts, and I didn't see anyone else having Elam or Perriman go in the 1st. Obviously for a good reason.

18 hours ago, rmcjacket23 said:

 

 

And this is where the lack of NFL knowledge catches up with you two...

1. For starters, his cap hit wouldn't go with him if he were to be traded. Only the salary portion of it would. The rest would remain with us (which, ignoring the fact that players have his caliber don't get traded, is another reason why he wouldn't get traded).

If he were to be traded to another team, his cap hits for that team for the next 5 years would be as follows:

2017 - $6M (a gigantic bargain by any possible standard)

2018 - $12M (a gigantic bargain by any possible standard)

2019 - $18.5M

2020 - $20.25M

2021 - $24.25M

So for the next two seasons at least, he would be playing at way, way, way less than market value. It wouldn't be until almost 2020 when his cap hit would be probably reaching market value at that time.

2. The irony of saying "I don't know who would want him" shows how completely tone deaf some fans are to what other teams in the league are doing and what other QBs in the league get paid.

Thanks for educating me on the trade part! Really, good to know that.

With your second point, however, I do not agree at all. "What other teams in the league are doing and what other QBs in the league get paid" can spin both ways. Since I'm not into bashing and trash talking on these boards and looking for real discussions, let me explain my opinion shortly.

We all know Flacco can be elite, IF he has solid pass protection. I think that's even not an argument. However, when the O-line starts to leak, Flacco completely freezes, starts making poor decisions or just flops and tosses the ball away. Even this is understandable, most QBs would probably be doing the same in similar situations. But when we start considering what he is getting paid, this is where my issue with Flacco starts.

Flacco is the 4th highest paid QB in the league, but he is playing like garbage. Yes, he's O-line sucks bllz, but he's not the only QB who has bad O-line. In fact, he's only tied to 15th most sacked QB thus far. Luck has hands down the worst pass protection in the league and he's been sacked TWO TIMES more than Flacco, but Lucks QBR is 96,2 compared to Flaccos 75,4. But yeah-yeah, I know, Luck is also the highest paid QB. But to throw in couple more QBs who get their butt handed to them every Sunday: Rivers, Dalton and Ryan are all having it worse than Flacco, they all are getting paid less than Flacco, yet their QBRs are 20-40 points higher than Flacco's.  Sure, Bengals have AJ and Falcons have Jones who save their QB from time to time, but Rivers has arguably worse weapons than Flacco, still he's getting it done most Sundays.

The bottom line for me is, for the money Flacco gets, he should be able to carry this team, with or without top notch pass protection. Most QBs who get paid the way Flacco does, are able to do it. Now sure, if Flacco is not the type of QB, it should be up to the organization to protect their investment and put him in position where he can play on top level. But this is where we land in a fork - they can't afford best O-linemen like KO, inter alia because of Flacco's cap hit.

I just wish that Flacco would understand, that he is not capable of playing at a adequate level without killer O-line and to afford such line, take a reasonable pay cut. Sure, he's earned  the money by bringing us a Lombardi trophy, but if he would be willing to take a few mil less, he would be a better player and most likely play for a longer time, cause he wouldn't be beat up all the time, thus making more in the long run. Win-win for everybody. 

I remember a similar article from couple of years ago when Tucker was approaching or had just broke some consecutive kicks record (franchise?season?) only to miss the next couple from 50+ yards after the article.
Just like how Flacco threw 2 consecutive INTs immediately after the broadcasters had pointed out he's on a record streak.

I really really hope this won't happen here, but for some reason we've been so prone jinxs the past couple of years.

On 10/24/2016 at 0:01 AM, Edgar said:

So tired of our defense not being able to get touchdowns.

Funny, cause I'm so tired of our offense (read Flacco) not being able to get touchdowns. Considering it's their primary task. If we are counting on our D to score TDs, it shows you how messed up our offense really is.

On 10/24/2016 at 0:17 AM, redrum52 said:

One day well be good again.

Probably not until 2020, when there's first time a chance we can cut Flacco.

4 minutes ago, Maryland said:

In an article I read on RSR, the author talked about drafting a developmental backup QB to push Flacco to work harder, though I really don't see how this would possibly work unless you happen to hit on a Dak Prescott or Russell Wilson, or spend a high pick on someone to develop like what GB did with Aaron Rodgers, all of which seem unlikely. A developmental backup isn't going to motivate/threaten Flacco anymore than Mallett, Schaub, Tyrod, Bulger, etc.

However, having said all of that, I think that our FO should be drafting and developing a backup QB, since developing a backup QB gives you a chance of developing decent trade bait (like any Eagles QB in recent history), or at the very least a chance of developing a cheap, competent backup QB on a rookie deal (like Mike Glennon). Plus, you never know, you could hit on a gem who ends up being better than Flacco, kind of like what SD found with Brees while they had Rivers, or what the Redskins found with Cousins despite drafting Griffin III.

Or what NE found in Brady? God, I hate Brady so much, but when I sit down on Sundays and see how Flacco, one again, is playing like a dumbwit, I would give anything to have a QB with Brady-like skills.

The sad thing is, due to cap space and dead money reasons, we can't fire him for at least 3 years. So Flacco can start throwing intentional INTs and we still could not fire him. And no one is going to trade with us for him considering his cap hit and playing level. So we are literally stuck with Flacco until 2020. 

8 minutes ago, Bat-mite said:

So you are a superstitious person.

Apparently so. Let's end these Funny Pages and see if there was a reason for it!

I've been saying this for 2 seasons now. I'm not overly superstitious person, but ever since this Funny Pages segment started, we've been hit hard with injuries, missed calls, unexplainable bonehead mistakes from players and coaches - all in all been on a general downward spiral.

Our offense is the laughing stock of the NFL. And I feel sorry for the defensive players, who grind it out every game, for having to play on a team with this kind of offense.

15 hours ago, Edug27 said:

Well, I think lack of discipline and simple football IQ is a reoccurring theme thus far this season. The Mosley play, the Jernigan play, the foolish penalties, Hester's decision making back there, some of the offensive play calling... I think he wants to clean all of that up.  

That's true. However I refuse to put blame on Mosley and Jernigan. The offense is not able to score a TD against bottom of the league team and the defense is yelled at on the sideline how they need to go out there and make a play. Mosley and Jernigan should not have been in the position in the first place where they need to risk it by running back with the ball. They probably would not have, if we were up by couple of scores. Which we should have been against the teams we were playing. I feel truly sorry for the defensive players, who leave everything they have out there, for having to play on this team with the way our offense is playing. Our offense is the laughing stock of the NFL. Sad truth.

12 hours ago, nj_ravens said:

Tell me what you want him to say? Seriously, what should he have said other than what he did?

"If no one is going to take responsibility" What does this mean? He's taking responsibility. We need to look at ourselves, because we, as a team, are not getting the job done. That's taking responsibility, no? Or do you want Harbs to start blaming people, publicly, for each issue. That's how you sew locker room dissent.

I seriously don't get what you want of him.

That's my point, Harbs is not taking responsibility. What I want is to see Harbs and Oz admitting that many of their recent decisions have not panned out or have backfired and that has put the team into the whole we are in. I want to see them admitting it. That means they have identified the root of the problem and there is yet hope, that in 2-3 years things will be better.

Instead Harbs IS blaming other people. Yeah, he said "WE need to take a look at ourselves", yet considering the 2,5 hour team meeting for players and the extra drill he put the players through due to Jernigan's fumble, it seems as if the "we" he's talking about is the players. Some of the blame has been put on coaches, most on players. And you are right, that's how you sew locker room dissent and that's exactly where Harbaugh is headed.

Meanwhile, I have not seen anyone from the FO admitting that, yeah, we at the top level have somewhat screwed up with couple of choices we have made. They have faced very difficult decisions, just damn admit that you didn't make the right ones. Not resigning KO has obviously backfired. Couple of past drafts have not lived up to their hopes, etc.

So if Harbs is not going to do that, then I want him to just shut up and not say anything, instead of saying how the team needs to perform better. The team is performing probably as well as they can, it's just that he and the FO have drafted players who are not as good as they were hoped to be. 

8 minutes ago, Edug27 said:

There is a lot of reasons. There is also enough blame to go around. Ozzie has made questionable decisions. Harbs and staff have put together questionable game plans. Players have not produced the way most  had expected them to. Some players are regressing. Some players just can't stay healthy. Like I said, enough blame to go around.

Guess you're right. It's just the decision part regarding players, including how some have regressed etc, is painfully evident at the moment. And this team meeting and the drill because of Jernigan's fumble makes it seem like Harbs is putting all the blame on players. Serious d!ck move!

I'd like Harbaugh and the FO to answer one question before they start grinding the players for the Crap we're in - who the heck do they think is responsible for why this team is in such a mess roster wise and depth wise?!

DO NOT start with the injury-bug talk, many teams have it even worse, yet are winning. DO NOT start with the discipline and penalties talk, the offense was not able to score a single TD and it was NOT all due to penalties.

The reason is, that as soon as couple of our starting players are off the field, this team looks like an high school football team. That is the status of our "talented" roster and our "quality" depth that the FO praises the entire off-season. And the FO is DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for putting together the squad it has.

You cannot coach out our problems like Harbaugh is trying to do, because you can not create talent by coaching. If you could, A LOT of our players from the past 4-5 years would be full time playmaking starters by now.

So if Harbs is grinding the players for 2,5 hours, I sincerely hope that Oz, Harbs and the rest of the "genius" FO also sits down for at least twice as long and looks back at the decisions they have made, where they have gone wrong and backfired, and starts correcting those mistakes going forward from this point, starting from the way we renegotiate, sign and draft.

Otherwise we will be in the exact same situation next year, and the year after that, and after that, and....

"Seeking killer instinct". "Taking long, hard look at ourselves". "Not playing winning football". I'M FREAKIN SICK OF THOSE SAME OLD LAME CLICHES!

If no one is going to take responsibility, why this team is in such a mess roster wise and depth wise to begin with, then please just shut the freak up and say nothing at all. And DO NOT start with the injury-bug talk again, many teams have it even worse, yet are winning.

"Seeking killer instinct". "Taking long, hard look at ourselves". "Not playing winning football". I'M Freakin SICK OF THOSE SAME OLD LAME CLICHES!

If no one is going to take responsibility, why this team is in such a mess roster wise and depth wise to begin with, then please just shut the freak up and say nothing at all. And DO NOT start with the injury-bug talk again, many teams have it even worse, yet are winning.

NO Crap! Why is this even worth an article?!

Outside of Tucker, none of our guys should even be considered for the Pro Bowl.