frozen joe flacco fan

I'm OK with your choices. The point is we need help right now especially if Campanaro can't go and we know now that Perriman will be out indefinitely. Brown and Aiken are adequate role players but not consistent enough to be the #2 & #3 receivers. Some fans think speed is a wide receiver's greatest asset. Receivers also need competitiveness, concentration, confidence & consistency --- the same things a professional golfer needs. SSS and Anquan Boldin aren't the quickest but they rate high in the other four Cs.

You're probably a great fantasy football player!

Oh, that's right! It was Pees who called for the fake FG with 4:25 to play in the third quarter because he had another panic attack. And it was Pees who surrendered 150 yards to Bell. We have nobody in our defensive backfield who will tackle in the open field and nobody who can stop a long pass. Maybe Pees can come in and play safety. It has been said by some bloggers that we don't win 'cause we can't finish. Here's a news flash ........ Webb is finished. Who said anything about needing Pro-Bowlers at every position? So, we gave Dean Pees enough high draft picks and FA additions to replace Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Corey Graham, Bernard Pollard, James Ihedigbo, Danielle Ellerbe, Paul Krueger & Carey Williams? Who did I leave out? AND, how any Pro-Bowlers does Dean have now? I can think of one or possibly two ---- Dooms & CJ.

It should be obvious to the most casual observer that we need help right away to bolster our WR corps. The current crop of receivers does not have what it takes to succeed on a consistent basis. The TD throw Joe made to Aiken was a perfectly thrown fade pass on a timing pattern. It was nearly dropped. A later throw to Waller was catchable but dropped. Another well-thrown ball to Marlon Brown was dropped. Its time to call Reggie. He'll play like a Raven and will catch Joe's laser-like passes. Unfortunately, there is no next man up because he is not on our active roster or the practice squad.

WE WILL DEFEND THIS HOUSE! Elvis and The Purple Gang will triumph over the Brownies and Johnny The Man Seal. A statistician would predict the final score would be a 26-23 victory for Cleveland. I will predict the outcome will be 26-23 in favor of Edgar Allan Poe's Ravens. I would predict a more lop-sided for us were it not for our erratic play on both sides of the ball at times.

Are U related to the so-called Wizard? What a Negative Nancy you are!

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" said the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. Yeah, if you're a wizard, then I'm Harry Potter. I predicted the final score of last week's game would be 31-28 in favor of our beloved Ravens. It coulda, shoulda & woulda been with some more reliable weapons. The final score was 24-28 instead. What did you predict last week? 27-10 wasn't even close., was it?

Good trade! Let's see. A 7th round pick for a veteran defensive back who will hit and made a big play against the Squeelers. He earned his pay last night.

Good: Joe's elite game winning drive & Justin Tucker's 52 yard FG in OT; Elvis & the Whole Purple Gang (well almost the whole gang) Bad: Injuries, 5 sacks, fumbles & another interception Ugly: Our decision to fake a FG in the 1st half when your FG kicker is the best in the business; the game would have ended in regulation if "Money" Tucker had been allowed to kick the FG; I won't mention any names but that was a bone-headed play-call win or lose; only high school coaches who don't have a decent FG kicker make decisions like that. Josh Scobee was definitely "ugly".

I'll try to be brief but I think you misunderstood my first point. I wouldn't buy a pair of shoes just because they were the best shoes available, e.g., floresheim wing tips, if I didn't need them. Rather, I'd base my decision on what type of shoes I needed, e.g., running shoes. You obviously agree with Ozzie Newsome's philosophy. I don't. To me, BPA is not a good approach and often results in Bad Positional Analysis. Re #2, you can't have it both ways. Assuming we fixed our biggest problem thru the draft and/or free agency, drafting BP with our #1 pick was a good idea. I just don't agree that we fixed the problem in the secondary. Our starting CBs had another tough night in Pittsburgh. Thank heaven for Will Hill who played lights out (mostly)! Will Davis also made a big play when we needed it but the overall problem is still poor coverage and poor tackling in the secondary. Your assertion that rookie TEs and WRs struggle mightily in this league in YR 1 is just hyperbole. If pressed into duty, rookie TEs and WRs can be impact players immediately, just as CBs and Safeties can. Isn't a rookie named Amari Cooper leading the league in receiving? Re #3, if you think play-calling is over-rated, you would be a good assistant coach for Tomlin or Harbaugh. The fake FG attempt called by Harbaugh was an atrocious call, which could have cost us the game. Fortunately, his players bailed him out again or Harbaugh would have been the goat. The play calls by Tomlin at the end were just as bone-headed and did cost his team the game. I called a play in my living room before Sam Koch punted the ball to Antonio Brown. I said kick the ball out of bounds. Sam didn't and it resulted in a big runback. Professional coaches who make millions in salary have to know better. That's all. You added a 4th point of discussion. We'll just have to agree to disagree. It goes without saying that depth was a problem but it wasn't the main problem. All teams have injuries. You have to anticipate them and have quality backups. With the exception of Jimmy Smith, the truth is our starters were no better than the subs. All of the secondary players we had played poorly last year. Some would say it was Dean Pees' fault but I'm not in that club either. His "Bend but Don't Break" scheme would be fine if we had a fully healthy Jimmy Smith and another shutdown corner plus a great free safety. Keeping the opposition honest by keeping their fleet receivers in front of them has been a continuing problem. Dean's scheme is similar to the famous Dallas "Flex Defense" aka "The Umbrella Defense" that served them well for so many years and SBs. Yeah, its the players. BTW, where were Kyle Arrington and Kendrick Lewis tonight?

The correct answer is .................. NFL coaches live in a world of "what have you done for me lately?". Mr. Bisciotti is a businessman who will not tolerate losing for too much longer. He put Coach Harbaugh on notice after the 8-8 season that things needed to turn around quickly or he would intervene. They turned around a little. We went 10-6 and backed into the playoffs the next year. In business, there's no such thing as the status quo. You're either getting better or you're getting worse. That's it! Our record in the regular season is now 18-17 from 2013 to 2015. We're approaching mediocrity folks and it has nothing to do with being spoiled; it has to do with expectations. But don't believe me; just look at the St. Louis Cardinals baseball organization if you want an example to follow. They make good decisions wrt to management all the time. AND, after all, the essence of management boils down to three things: Selection, Evaluation & Delegation This is easier than putting a man on the moon. Its not rocket science!

This blog is ludicrous. How 'bout John Harbaugh switching places with Dean Pees? It makes about as much sense as bringing back Chuck Pagano.

You've hit the nail on the head! Lack of continuity at key assistant coaching positions is a large part of the problem. However, it is less of a problem when you have a legendary head coach with a high football IQ like a Madden, a Landry, a Lombardi, a Shula, a Gibbs, a Parcells or a Belichick. So, Joe Flacco is in his 8th year but has worked under four different OCs since 2012. While I am not a disciple of John Harbaugh, I totally agree that he and Pees are not the problem. Its the organization's choices. They begin with the Director of Player Personnel and the buck stops on the GM's desk. Let's see. The DOPP is Vincent Newsome and the GM is Ozzie Newsome. That's kinda like hiring your son to be your OC, which didn't work out well for the Shanahans. Why not? Well, its rather obvious. If your son who is the DOPP didn't do a good job, would you, his father, recommend he be dismissed????? So, IMHO the buck stops on the desk of the person(s) who did not fix the major problem we had last year after taking the eventual SB Champs to the brink of elimination in the AFC Championship game. I suspect this part of the problem will be resolved by Mr. Bisciotti at the end of this season if our record winds up below 8-8.

Actually, we're not that far apart in our thinking. Re #1, I would have selected a CB or Safety first based on our atrocious defensive secondary. Remember, we were ranked 23rd last year in total defense and our run defense was in the Top 10, ninth I think. I agree that its a crap shoot but there are always good defensive backs out there who may not be considered first rounders, just as there lower round WRs out there who turn into good receivers. Your example of Richard Sherman is a case in point. I don't buy a pair of shoes just for the sake of buying a pair of shoes just because they are a good deal. I only buy them based on needing them. Re #2, I said I think BP will turn out to be a great pick but that doesn't mean I would have selected him over a good defensive back. I would have tried to sign a veteran WR who could instantly come in and be an impact player. Hindsight is 20-20 but how much of an impact did you expect our rookie receivers to make this year? As you astutely point out, the only reason Max Williams will be starting this week is he is forced into duty because of an injury to Crockett. If Pitta was healthy, he would be starting ahead of Williams and Boyle. Re #3, I think you are selling yourself short. I have watched too many NFL games and have shook my head at some of the bone-head plays called by the coaches who you believe have better judgment than you have. How many times have you predicted a play that would be called by us or the opposing team this year and it was right? How many times did you wish our team would have run a plat other than the one we called? Sometimes I'm amazed at the predictability of the play-calling and baffled by some of the play-calling that is made out of desperation. In your last paragraph, you seem to be making my argument for me. You state that we had so many needs that we could go in any direction and be fine, that is, WR, TE, RB, DE, DT, CB or S. That's exactly what we did and we are not fine because we did not solve the #1 problem we had from last season, which you will agree probably cost us a trip to the SB last year --- one secondary player. I would amend that to say one quality secondary player in addition to a healthy Jimmy Smith. There were some journeyman FA WRs available but Ozzie invested in three D-backs due to not acquiring an immediate impact player through the draft. Oh well!

Dream on! There won't be any historic rally this year. Its not uncommon for a SB roster to be gutted. That's when great coaches earn their salary. As for the constant coordinator changes, maybe we ought to have a pre-nuptial contract with the Offensive and defensive coordinators before we hire them or promote from within instead. I'm really getting tired of seeing former Ravens assistant coaches beating us at our own game. I thought before the season started that we would be OK if we were 4-4 going into the bye week but that didn't include losses to Oakland and Cincy at home. Not even Helen Keller could turn this thing around! Practice ---> Play ---> Compete ---> Succeed ---> Gain Confidence ---> Win ---> Become a Champion So far, we are competitive but we're not even close to having a winning team. See above steps

That's just the point! Any coach can be good when he or she has quality players on both sides of the ball. In 2012, we were stacked. Post 2012, we are 18-17. I would say there is no reason this team should be 0-3 after the great draft we had. That being said, there are three main reasons and you nailed two of them --- Rice and Pitta. The third is Suggs. We are on the same page wrt the organization's positions on both Pitta and Rice. On the former, it was ridiculous for us to extend Pitta's contract as we did. On the latter, the organization hung Ray Rice out to dry. What he did was wrong but he should still be a Raven IMO. His problem should have been handled by the courts, not the NFL. Tom Brady's problem should have been handled by the NFL , not the courts. Its a crazy world. You are correct in pointing that out but it is taboo to talk about such things apparently. With all due respect to Dennis, he should retire and ride off into the sunset instead of limping off.

When a coach loses control of the team, his days are numbered. I'm not sure that has happened yet but if our losing ways don't cease and the lack of discipline, which is the root cause for most penalties, continues, Coach Harbaugh will be looking for another coaching job. Mr. Bisciotti is a businessman. A team either gets better or it gets worse. Since the 2012 Super Bowl run, our record during the regular season is now 18 -17. You be the judge if we're getting better or worse. There's no such thing as the status quo in business or sport. Those players who think they are just in an entertainment industry are sadly mistaken. Its about winning, guys! I'm surprised not much has been written about the "bold & aggressive" coaching decisions our coach made in the CINCY game. On at least two occasions, he chose to fake a punt from deep in our own territory or go for it on 4th down. Both times the decisions paid off but both decisions could have easily backfired and nailed the lid on our coffin. John panics way too early in games and makes desperate decisions far too often. Usually, it results in taking his team out of a position to win. In Sunday's instance, his riverboat gambling paid off and he gave his team a chance to win so its hard to argue with success. The same aggressive coaching by Marvin Lewis could have easily cost his team a victory when the Bengals failed to score on 4th down at the end of the 1st half. Egotistical decision-making will be John's downfall if it continues. The best decision he made all day was to bring in Justin Tucker to kick a FG to make the score 17-14 instead of going for it on 4th down. Pigs get fat; hogs get slaughtered. take what the defense will give you but don't be greedy. Just ask Marvin Lewis, whose decision to go for it back-fired and let us back into the game. Never feel sorry for your opponent but never disrespect them either! The Bengals were just saying to the Ravens on that play that we have no respect for you.

I believe Breshad Perriman will turn out to be a great draft pick. Of course, the jury's still out. Notwithstanding, I disagree that you should go for the best player available regardless of position when you have a more glaring need at a particular position. Our most glaring need before the draft was to add depth to our woefully bad defensive backfield. It remains our most glaring need IMO. I figured Ozzie would go after a fleet-footed speed burner in the FA class to replace Torrey Smith but that didn't work out for cap reasons, I guess. Instead, he brought in Kendrick Lewis, Will Davis and Kyle Arrington. The draft is full of talented players and excellent coaches turn them into outstanding players whether they are the BPAs or not. The NE Patriots are raving about their rookie safety and the three rookie O-linemen who played in their last victory. An unfortunate injury to Crockett Gilmore has forced Coach H's hand to start Max Williams at TE this week. If he is as good as I think he is, why wasn't he starting already? As Coach John Wooden used to say, "I'd rather have players with a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent." Let's put the rest of the draft class on the field and see how they perform. We have nothing to lose but 13 more games. BTW, I think Coach Wooden won 10 championships in a row and his teams turned over every four years.

So, selecting the BPA always works? That's a stretch and, frankly, I don't agree with that philosophy when you have an acute need at a particular position. That's analogous to a hospital hiring the #1 student in the graduating class who is an orthopedist when they have an acute need in their cardiovascular unit. Re the defense being any worse than it is right now, that's a good question. We have been competitive in all three games but have just come up short at the end. Actually, as bad as they have looked at times, I think they have made some strides this year. The combined record of the three teams to whom we've lost is 8-1, only because Cincy whooped up on Oakland. They seem to have lapses of focus and they do not finish well. Both problems could be the result of poor conditioning. Also, dumb penalties are rearing their ugly heads again. Penalties more than anything else may have cost us the last two games. Three penalties on one drive against Cincy led to a TD in the 1st half and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty put the Raiders into FG position in their game-winning drive. Penalties are generally the result of a lack of discipline. There's one area that Dean Pees and John Harbaugh can both make a difference. Thirteen penaties in one game tied Steve Smith's number of receptions. Offensive penalties = drive killers. Defensive penalties = drive sustainers. Re giving a pink-slip to Coach Pees, that is like treating the symptom and not the disease. The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. I'm convinced that a part of our problem on offense has been the lack of continuity at the OC position. So, let's lose yet another DC and wind up having to play against him when he's hired by one of our opponents. Yeah, that makes sense.

I cannot argue with anything you've said. I totally forgot about Kyle Arrington but that's telling in and of itself. As the saying goes, "if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem." Several of our D-backs have not been a part of the solution. I echo your sentiments about the tackling. We lack the guys like Pollard who would come up and make tackles. The 4th quarter TD to A.J. Green was a case in point. It was a joke from the missed tackle by Jimmy to and including the three Ravens defenders getting tangled up in A.J.'s wake . Hope springs eternal but Terrance Brooks has not shown much to this point that he's any different. Jimmy may become one of the best shutdown corners in the league but he'll never become a complete player until he learns how to tackle one on one. I guess it is what it is.

I agree. I didn't like the throw Joe made in the SB to JJ in 2012 but I did like the result. That being said, Colin Capernick could not have tossed an under-thrown ball that far.

The ball to Evans (which was 4 years ago) was a perfectly thrown back shoulder throw, so thanks for assisting with my point. As for his deep ball, sheesh. You're just one of those guys who mistakes the ability to throw it 75 yards as having a great deep ball. Statistically and with the simple eye test, he does not have a great deep ball. His accuracy deep is very poor and has been underthrowing receivers for years. He lofts the ball and puts way too much air under just about every deep pass. Edit - And which great throw to Aiken? His only throw to Aiken was into triple coverage and yet again, was underthrown. Please tell me you're not talking about that throw. Please! If you are, then any debate with you regarding Flacco is obviously not fair and completely pointless. Give the devil his due, man! Joe makes throws other QBs in the league can only dream about. Even the commentators who were former NFL QBs rave about his arm. Sheesh, I never said he was the most accurate thrower in the league's history. Some dink & dunk QB like Joe Montana probably owns that distinction. Thinking back on it, you may be right about the throw to Aiken. The one I was referring to was a throw across the middle to one of our premier wide receivers. I get them confused. It might have been Marlon Brown who Joe hit in full stride and Marlon blinked at the orange jerseys in front of him. Anyway, it was a throw that a pro WR has to catch and there is no excuse for not catching it. An astute student of the game like you would have to agree, right?

Great observation and contribution to the debate! I know he was a Linebacker Coach. The reference to 2011 included a period of time when he was an assistant to Chuck Pagano and I assume fed Chuck a lot of information about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's tendencies since he was a defensive coach in NE under Belichick.

You're right! Its not rocket science but you left out one very important possibility. There are more than two choices and here is one of them. Perhaps, both Ozzie and Dean haven't done their jobs well. Also, you totally give the players a pass by putting all of the blame on the DC although you admit "they gave up 4th quarter leads". I assume you mean the players gave up the leads. If you do not believe in a thing called personal responsibility, then we have nothing more to chat about because I'm a firm believer in accountability. On Sunday, somebody lit a fire under some chairs at half-time 'cause our defense came out of the locker-room on fire and we scored 17 unanswered points. Unfortunately, the fire went out in the 4th quarter. Why? It might be poor conditioning. That's why most athletes don't finish strong. They run out of gas. I do believe this whole "Play like a Raven" thing is over-blown and changed dramatically when Ray & Ed retired. On that point, I think you and I will agree.