5aiah

Actually some people might be in competitive online simulation leagues where editing the ratings isn't allowed. I'm grateful for this roster considering what a nightmare it was last year to have to play with 83 speed 83 route running Smitty, because we started well before they raised him up to respectable levels. Nothing can be worse than last years starting roster. Perriman only went down in speed and acceleration if i recall correctly. That's because he didn't play a down in the league yet and has injured his knee twice. If it was an arm injury twice, they probably wouldn't have lowered his speed and acceleration. I think we were lucky he was that high anyway considering some of the scouting reports claimed he plays a lot slower than his 40 speed, on the field in pads. Nevertheless i will be using him as a major decoy to clear things out for everyone else.

Yep, its confirmed, turbo button causes defenders to shed blockers quickly, making it more of a magnet button. Not to be used anywhere but in the open field away from engaged blockers.

EA is an inept company when it comes to making a quality product. They have a monopoly on the league and thus don't care to make the game good for it's entire community. The things that are not so messed up are the money makers like MUT where micro transactions make extra money on top of the cost of the game. EA sports has shown a dedication to breaking the game just so they can "fix" it at a later time and use said "fix" as a selling point or proof of innovation. On the other hand, Madden users complain about the stupidest things and give EA ammo to break the game over and over. XP was fine when you had to practice for it. People complained that 2000 XP a week was too much and too easy, so EA killed it. But whose fault is it that they used the XP to quickly boost their players in unreal fashion? The gamers. Now all EA had to do was to keep the 2000 XP a week and make it so that it was automatically used for awareness, play rec(for defense), stamina, and perhaps toughness. They could also have the game prep to target specific players and skills of the gamer's choosing, on top of practice. How do I feel? I feel like I am getting shafted. Just like living under the "one party" rule here in Baltimore, when one group holds the power and doesn't have your best interests at heart, you get shafted.

Well Waller has so much upside and I'm hoping he makes the final roster because we are waiting until after the major update to start the league. I'm practicing with Waller and Maxx over Marlon and Pitta because I want to start developing them as soon as possible. I want to trade Pitta for a corner back or a FS, to be honest. I'm going to have to get used to running out of shotgun, sometimes just to open things up. Playing the dolphins defensive front is good competition. The entire AFC East really. I also find that our line doesn't play to their ratings, but I wonder if it's because the strength is in the core of the line and it's easy to clog that up even with bums on the other side. This is why either shotgun is needed or plays where KO,Zuttah, and Yanda either break off and get to the second level while someone else trap blocks the man they release, or they kick out and pull. That's why I'm trying to put together a playbook that focuses on the offensive line and using them as weapons. Madden isn't realistic or complex enough in regards to line play so we have to get creative to get the most out of them. I've done really well in terms of running in open space but I need to focus more on running in between the tackles. I do the "make yourself small" move and I cut back into the middle well sometimes but for the most part when a good player with a good team just sticks people in the middle they automatically seem to negate how great the core three should be. I will continue to refine my movements in the trenches and work on reading who will get off their blocks.

Ok so today I had my first game over 100 with Forsett, it was vs the Saints though so I'm not impressed though. I made a offensive playbook for the Ravens slightly based on their default one, it's called "NURAVEN" and it has some of the game planning done so you get plays automatically for the situation if you want them. Im playing vs really goo comeptition in a very comeptitve league, and they know not to mess around with the Ravens on the ground so they stack the box too. The only way to get them to back off of throwing the kitchen sink at 2wr 2te sets is to succeed at throwing to the TEs in a manner that requires them to take a lineman or linebacker off the field to defend it ala Patriots. I've done this by adding the empty patriot set and focusing on TE trips/slot sets. This makes it so they just cant come out in 34 bear or 46 when they see your personnel. The best way to go is deception. Getting the HB out of the backfield on auto motion plays helps a lot as well. I've taken plenty from the Houston Texans and Chicago bears, given their history with our recent coordinators. "Texan Ins" is one of my favorites to start a drive off when they are expecting the run. Also, we have to use shotgun just like you did, especially the inside zone and wide/5-6 traps out of shotgun. Like I mentioned the Pats have some good stuff I put in the custom book and I got some things from Kubiak and Trestman's books. Try using Bears under and Bears Z under, two really good plays with a double move/speed style in route that Perriman crushes with. Smitty also does really well with it after getting the ball because it plays into his RAC trait and mentality and he frequently trucks and fights for yards after. For the people using the chiefs and broncos or other playbooks, could you maybe take a look at my custom playbook and add stuff if you are on Ps4? If not could you just explain what your favorite plays, sets, and mini schemes are from those books that really work well with the Ravens personnel? It would be really appreciated. There is plenty of stuff out there for fans of other teams, I just want something nice to use with Baltimore. Edit: I should mention that I am starting Smitty, Perriman, and Waller at receiver.

Forsett can do them. You need 90+ elusiveness to do them or 90+ juke for the double juke/shake,Forsett has both. I still haven't gotten to 100 yards yet(with Forsett) but everyone I play mentions how much they have to focus on stopping him. One guy complained that they "overrated Forsett so much he plays like Barry Sanders". I do the hard cut backs really well, my problem is that it's harder to get outside with Wagner and Monroe letting guys go free and Yanda,KO,and Zuttah not playing up to their ratings vs good competition so when I go to cut back the middle isn't very clear. Ok this is great to hear, it's not just me. Lorenzo and Buck are doing well for me in between the tackles. Forsett does some legendary stuff breaking tackles in open space but in the trenches he doesn't do enough to take advantage of the biggest strength on the entire team. This is why I'm hoping to put together a modified Ravens book that takes advantage of the balance and versatility of the line. Sure, Monroe and Wagner's 75 and 80 run blocking pale in comparison to the big three, but their impact blocking is just as high as the others. I think the key to dominating with this line is to make sure no one can just stack the box with 34 bear or similar formations. We have to be able to do major damage running outside and throwing screens by utilizing the 85+ impact block that everyone on the line has.

I have taken stuff from the Houston book, when you say Kubiak do you mean Denver Broncos? There is very stiff competition in my current league and I've rarely gotten to 100 yards rushing with Forsett. I make good cuts and reads and I understand how much more complex running is this year, but it still seems that too many people are able to stop me from running inside when I have a 94,92,and 99 run blocking LG,C,and RG respectively. Are the chiefs good for the Ravens passing wise? I've started with the base Ravens O book and taken from Houston(Kubiak or what's left of his influence) and Chicago(for Trestman) to try to piece together a nice book. What exactly do you like about the Chiefs book? I know that its been one of the first zone run books in Madden, but otherwise I haven't looked it over much.

The Ravens playbooks(on offense) are always so boring and ineffective. I'm in a sim style league with Baltimore and custom books are allowed(though critiqued heavily). Is anyone here interested in helping create realistic and effective Offensive and Defensive playbooks? I was wondering if anyone else would appreciate that and help add plays and schemes that we see the Ravens use in real life. The more hardcore fans we have contributing, the better the books will be.

Are you kidding? Who wouldn't say that? Those guys might be TEs but they are both terrible blockers and I can name several receivers better than both of them. I agree that I want a strong physical possession receiver who can block well but if Jacoby leaves I can see Ozzie going to Marquise Lee.

And runs the best routes of any receiver.

That's the point of this thread. We can all check the "facts" and call out what is opinion and gain knowledge on our team in the process. I think the thread is great for Ravens Nation.

Thank you, can we stay on topic, this thread has huge potential.

He is a good TE. Great route runner and hands for a TE and has undeniable chemistry with Flacco. Is he replaceable in the Air Coryell system without another two possession receivers(one a TE the other a slot receiver) in place, no. Great route runners don't grow on trees. I don't think he is a must sign if Flacco already has other weapons in place but i highly doubt the FO can give him that just this year.

This is true. You have to take that into account when looking ta the defense. People talk of how the defense let us down late in crucial situations but they were all crucial situations because of how bad the offense played all game.

Wow about time someone looked at it objectively. Our receiving corps has been overrated for far too long. You're 90% right on that list btw.

I didn't say they weren't looking to win.That's a Strawman. I said they were looking to install a system for the long run and when the talent couldn't deliver we couldn't fall back on our usual power run because of the same talent. We were caught in between and it helped cost us the season. Also the system wasn't necessarily broke but it wasn't exactly desirable going forward either. That's why the change was made in the first place. I think the coaching staff believed even if everything went wrong and we couldn't execute we would still make the wildcard and win 9 to 10 games.

If you have enough players on the line currently and more players down the road who can run it well, yes you do keep running it and get rid of the guys who can't do it, in the off season. It had to be installed sooner or later, lets get it over with now, and we did. Castillo was brought in to do a job the higher ups asked him to and he moved us toward that goal. If anything this is on Harbs for sticking with this all the way. Its his call, not Castillo's. It's not easy for Ravens fans to blame Harbs though is it? He was brought in to make the changes, and the guys who brought him in knew the pros and cons. We didn't have the talent to make it work nor the talent to fall back on our normal power run. That isn't on one guy. I think you just started a thread that will be up until the end of time.

I concur. Also, speaking of scapegoats, Cam Cameron was a scapegoat and the play calling(despite what people try to show you in charts) wasn't too big of a change and would have gone in that direction, regardless of who was calling the plays, with the line solidification. 2. Bernard Pierce can replace Ray Rice because he has the more physical running style. Ray Rice has always been our durable workhorse even though he has been at his best when he shares the load with other backs. Bernard will never make it through one season alone or with another back without a number of injuries. 3. Ed Dickson is a blocking Tight End. He can't block worth crap and is one of the worst starting TEs when it comes to blocking.

What an excellent idea for a thread. 1. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed were solely responsible(with their on field coordinating tactics) for the success of our "bend but don't break" defense and it wouldn't be the same without them. It's been better this year. 2. Flacco had one of the best deep balls(in the entire league) in the past 5 years. His accuracy had been way off and on during the regular season but his performance during the run only served to help perpetuate this myth. 3. The Zone blocking scheme is some new to the Ravens. We have been successful at using the more fullback oriented zone blocking ever since Leach came.

That was the story of our offense. We need a good possession receiver because Marlon Brown isn't that. Also, yes he has to build on this season and get stronger and physical enough to beat man press coverage. For his height he is an absolute softy out there. He isn't in the slot to capitalize on his route running ability(like other great big slot receivers ex. Brandon Marshall) but to get him free from the press which limits what we can do on offense, like sending Jacoby and Torrey mainly on deep routes.

Omg thank you. Norv Turner would be the ideal candidate to the Ravens higher ups because he fits the bill of what they already want to do. But he would just end up another casualty if we don't have the talent to run the system like this year.

No because Flacco is perfect when it comes to going through reads. He goes through them as quick as possible and never misses an open man. His awareness is top notch. He is a true field general and has the vision to throw receivers open. If he didn't throw it to an open man its because he knew they weren't going to catch the ball. Flacco is the total package already, he can do it all.

Accept we didn't. Given the lack of talent on the line, any creativity in the passing game would have been limited in how much it could help Flacco because the run game was so dysmal.

I concur.

Agree to disagree, though I hope you are right, history points in the opposite direction. But back to the point, i really do hope we either give Caldwell another shot with another offseason(and a chance at some actual talent on offense) under his belt or find a great offensive mind and just not fire yet another OC as a scapegoat and bring in more of the same. With Jacoby possibly leaving and DT not panning out this could be the time to move to another system but we would need a lot more talent at receiver to do so.