FlocksGottaFeed

Funniest Thing: Announcer Says, "Flacco hasn't brought enough in past weeks..." he stops talking because on cue - 95 yard td by Wallace. Priceless.

It was great seeing SSS return. He brings an intensity like no one else.

Wow! Not even the most visceral, Raven-hating, pessimistic King of Trolls can sour this victory. Sweeeeeeeeeet!!

2 minutes ago, 98782_1453813412 said:

The Good
AFCN lead
a win against the Steelers is always a win
young players stepping up
Special team finally playing at notoriously high levels

The Bad
Joe´s lack of awarness.. he just doesn´t see blizes coming and keeps running into OLB´s lanes without throwing that ball
Coordinator´s playcall.. we can´t expect individual plays to pay off day in and day out (Wallace long TD reception, the blocked punt).. if we can´t get to opposite QBs with a 4-men front how are we supposed to force them into mistakes with a 3-men´s rush? we could´ve had Myles Garrett and Carl Lawson on our roster but that wouldn´t have helped much

The Ugly
AFCN.. incredible how young and talented these teams are and still find a way to look this ugly
Phantom penalties that could´ve costed much.. LG was head ´bumping´the whole evening.. I don´t know how you can let that happen 

Good stuff. You deserve a better tag.

Stanley has never loss a NFL game (4-0 preseason and 4-0 regular season). Stay healthy big fella.

1 minute ago, jazz1988 said:

Young played great . The guy looking like a steal so far and I didn't expect him to cover Antonio Brown so well but good job for him. 

Absolutely. The Youngsters played lights out. Oz is looking more and more like...Oz.

Good - Tucker and Koch ELITE - ST Outstanding - Defense (We're back!!!!!)

Bad - Need more creativity in our offensive run scheme but, it should improve with more play from guys just getting healthy again. Offense: Never take your foot off the gas to the final whistle (would have, should've been a blow-out).

Ugly - Joe's knee brace. I'm thinking it's out for the rest of the season.

In the words of Phat Joe, "Nothing can stop us we're all the way UP!!!"

2 hours ago, Inqui said:

I thought it was obvious I was being sarcastic on that one, but since it seems I have to spell out what I think I'll quote an earlier post:

I went looking for the Colin Cowherd explanation @usmccharles mentioned and found this, which I'm pretty sure is it: http://foxsportsradio.iheart.com/onair/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-56804/presidential-election-tainting-nfl-ratings-not-15126002/

Essentially he's arguing that the ratings dip every four years, and they've been down across the board since like July. Another point he makes is that Fox's ratings have actually been pretty flat, despite having most the teams that have been protesting (49ers, Seahawks if you call that protesting, Panthers) and that CBS has been the hardest hit, also coinciding with Brady being out and Manning having retired. Like I say, personally I'm considering the ratings dip a complete non-issue unless they're also down come the end of the season. The playoff ratings and Super Bowl ratings will be more telling imo, and if they're down in a big way then it's worth asking why.

As to the talkback radio people you mentioned, I'd take that with a heaping pinch of salt. For a start, it's anecdotal evidence (so it's like when I say I'm not watching the non-Ravens games this year because the games have been nearly unwatchable across the board - which is also a sentiment I've seen a lot and the same pinches of salt apply there), and talkback radio and comments sections in general are more geared to showcase who's louder in their opinions than where any actual majority sits - as well as the nature of shows and sites like that often being echo chambers for what usually like-minded people think. It's also that, as Cowherd said, it's pretty common for people to talk a big game about something like that and do something completely different - and studies usually put in an entire control for factors like that, which I won't get into here because it's all boring stats stuff.

So it's possible that's a reason, but I think evidence of that nature is exaggerated at best. As @RaineV1 said, that kinda thing's a pretty common occurrence in the NBA, which hasn't suffered from it in the past. In fact, the NBA just pulled the All-Star Game from Charlotte because of a controversial law being passed in North Carolina.

@Inqui ur brilliant! I can appreciate the Colin article, as well. The ratings drop...It's truly complex. Good to read your comprehensive thoughts for a complex subject that requires it. Thanks. Agreed. Most likely we'll have to see what ratings look like a week after Nov. 8th to get a clearer evaluation. Ravens should be in 1st place in the division then. That's going to boost my personal ratings.  

5 minutes ago, ravensnj said:

We need to pick up the offensive pace. Run faster routes, and have Flacco hit the receiver in stride. Hopefully, past the first down marker. Waiting in the pocket every down to throw a bomb is killing us. Where's the bootleg? 

Agreed. We also need to rotate edge rushers on defense more and challenge our youngsters to get pressures, get sacks and just make plays. Whatever happened to those 'exotic' defensive pass rushing schemes that we ran at the end of our last AFC Championship game season? (Suggs and Doom lining-up over the center, 4 rushers lining-up on one side, CBs and Safeties middle blitzes, etc.) Is that suddenly against NFL rules? We need more creativity back.

6 minutes ago, Rav'n Maniac said:

The AFCN is just a shell of itself currently and may remain that way for the next 3 to 5 years. It's a cycle all divisions will go through as that is what the NFL wants with it's "parity". Our division will become strong and dominant again once it cycles back around. 

I'm just shocked at how quickly the AFCN dropped-off. If it's part of NFL 'parity' campaign it's the most effective plan they've ever executed. They never get anything right. I just can't believe it (although you're probably right admittedly). This 'parity' thing is putting fans to sleep lately. It severely lacks something...

My thought is when it all comes down to it (like what we've seen in recent SBs) offensive time of possession and defensive team sacks+tackles will win in the end. The AFCN needs to get back to this.

Have We Dropped-Off and Fallen Behind the Rest of the League?

As recently as last season over 80% of NFL fans polled still declared the AFC North the 'toughest' division in football.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000648863/article/2016-nfl-division-power-rankings

This season there's a buzz going around the league that maybe...just maybe we've been a little too late in adjusting to the 'New League' rules and play. 'High Scoring, Pass Happy, Hurry-up Offensive, Quick Hitting Attack, etc.' are the mantras of the day. The only team getting some credit for building the prototype team for the future is Pittsburgh with 'high-octane' offensive possibilities. How does that translate inside the division?

The most unusual thing to me is that both of the last Superbowl teams' offenses during that game were strictly 'Ball Control' offenses that relied completely on their defenses. That said, is this 'New League' team model just window dressing, a mirage or a clever branding for marketing purposes?

Outside of Cleveland (which still have the potential to be formidable with just a few key players in place), the rest of the AFCN is still respected, but are we still as feared and respected as we've been over the years?

It's like Christmas Eve around here for me. Love this rivalry! What makes it really special this year is I believe this will be the benchmark game for this generation's Ravens Identity. The timing is perfect and the stakes are high. Win or lose - when all the gift wrappings and bows are thrown-off and this purple and black box is opened - I want to see Ravens Pissed-off for GREATNESS!

Play Like Ravens. GO Ravens!!! 

Steeler Fans are saying, "We're underdogs in this one. We play better as the underdog..."

Raven fans (we) are saying, "We're underdogs in this one. We play better as the underdog..."

Other insiders are saying, "When the Ravens Defense and the Steelers Offense is on the field stay put. There'll be some good football...". They say take a bathroom break when they change possession.

This is going to be interesting. Ravens win by 2 scores. GO Ravens!!!

Disney has just taken another victim. Somebody needs to get Mickie Mouse in check before everything is gone. Oh, the humanity!

2 hours ago, flynismo said:

My answer to that question is: winning enough games to get to the postseason. Stats are irrelevant.

Bingo! That would be my answer too, but you and I have never been as hyper critical of Flacco with no set (documented) standards to judge. It simply asked: 'What are your personal statistic/salary standards for Joe and if those are met will this satisfy you?" The stats fill-in is basically to allow those who are 'all over the place' and somewhat incoherent to document their personal performance standards for further evaluation and better future dialog on the subject. 

That's all.

23 minutes ago, K-Dog said:

Bumping this very good post that seems to have gotten buried . 

Thanks. Not 'bumping' at all K-Dog. It's easy to see that this thing ain't going away anytime soon (remember is Flacco Elite Thread?) Just trying to bring a little levity. I'm truly curious. I doubt anyone will fill in the blanks, but if they did...they would probably have something tangible and measurable to hold-on to. It could ease their minds and crystallize their focus in conversation.

For example one could say (not me): "50 passing TDs and 6000 passing yards and +100. QBR and 2/3rds of the salary he currently has in I'll just love this dude..." Then we could hear all about it at the end of the season and have a 'measurable, tangible dialog. Just a thought.

Ravens have an average B+ draft rating over a 22 year period (including the past 4 years).

http://ebonybird.com/2016/02/07/ozzie-newsome-grading-every-ravens-draft-class/

That's the highest average of any of the elite NFL front offices. Not bad.

Tough Talk meets Real Talk:

Just curious. What would it take for Flacco critics to be satisfied with his play, salary, stats, etc.?  I mean really...what are your real expectations? 

1. How many touchdowns this season?:
2. How many passing yards this season?:
3. How many interceptions this season?:
4. How high of a QBR this season?:
5. How much is a fair price for him once he meets your personal standards?:
6. How highly ranked by the end of the season?: Currently 14th

Fill in the blanks. It can only bring more levity to the conversation. I'm just curious.

On 11/3/2016 at 8:47 AM, Moderator 3 said:

I found this article that suggests the ratings decline is related to the poor quality of the games.  I have to agree since I know I've switched off a number of games due to absolute suckitude.

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

What's wrong with the NFL? Sloppy play has many roots

http://usat.ly/2eW9jQK

 

Thanks. That is some good information. The quality of play does have a lot to do with it, but for football purist like Warren Moon and all of us - the quality of play has been in decline for over 2 decades. Even with a poor play  and officiating last year the NFL had record ratings.

I like most of what the SI article suggested - http://www.si.com/nfl/photo/2016/10/20/nfl-television-ratings-decline-causes

They rank it this way:

1. The Election
2. Lack of Star Match-ups
3. Oversaturation - TNF must go
4. National Anthem Protest - I'd move to the very bottom
5. New Generational Youth Disconnection - They have different interest.
6. Officials
7. Fantasy Sports Poor Planning - " DFS almost certainly helped inflate the ratings to record highs last season, and legislative action limiting FanDuel and DraftKings in many states, plus the end of the daily ad blitz has cut into that boost this year. Fans who have money riding on certain games are more engaged and will watch more. " This is what you call a multi-billion dollar corporation 'brain-fart'. Ok?
8. The Cubs and Indians Historic Run
9. Twerking Ban - No Fun League
10. Concussions

The only thing that I would change is to add the season 'launch' that didn't happen (HOF Game). How do you start a season like that and expect it to not affect anything? The NFL also hit a 50 year Landmark Season and gave nothing back to the fan base (ticket reductions, favorite team packages (example - I just want to purchase my team's (Ravens) entire season , not the whole league), a simple National Fan Thank You Tour, reduce streaming rates, etc.

Last season the NFL got caught exploiting veterans for profit. There can't be anything more polarizing or controversial than that. Nothing. And yet, it didn't affect viewership at all last season. The NFL just dropped the ball...no one else. No forward thinking or actions to provide a better product and compete in future markets.

Truth of the matter for the ratings decline is not very simple at all. It's multifaceted.

1. Deflate-gate - Went on for over a year and sucked-up NFL fan interest til the well went dry. In-Season to Off-Season to In-Season. For what?
2. Hall of Fame Game - The one that never happened. Fans are creatures of habit. Sure most HOF games are barely watchable, but we wait the entire off-season to get there. It's tradition...sheeezz. No season begins without it...until now. We deserve better and if the NFL doesn't find it's opening game to be important enough...than why should we be excited about anything following that 'bush' league garage?
3. Technology - We don't watch 'one' football game to it's duration in front of the tube in the living room anymore. Playstation, Ruko, Smart Phones, Sports Bars, PCs, etc. We watch as many games as we can while switching back-and-forth to avoid commercials and boredom during slow games.
4. Fantasy - Yes, the NFL did it to itself pushing it out there with multi-million dollar ad campaigns before once thinking, "How are we going to increase viewership when the fans have less interest in teams and more interest in individual stats?". That happened.
5. And last, but not least - This has been the most watched election cycle in history brandishing, obscenely record numbers of viewers. All other ratings outside of football have suffered equally.

That said, it has very little to do with any players. It has more to do with the under-performance of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate with very little foresight or intellectual fortitude to build their product and keep fans engaged while doing so. The NFL dropped the ball. Nobody else. 

7 hours ago, rmcjacket23 said:

Stub Hub prices don't matter for the Ravens. Those are reseller prices... the Ravens already received face value compensation for those.

If we aren't putting screens up outside (which I'm sure we aren't), its not because we can't afford to or because the team is losing.

Its because the ROI on those isn't very good. Ravens don't really make much money off putting TVs outside.

Agreed. To add, the Ravens and/or tax payers would have to payout more for the additional army of law enforcement and security which would have to be present.

4 minutes ago, Ravensfan23 said:

That's lost in this microwave era. Everybody wants there meal fast and now, nobody wants to take the time to see things develop or grow over time. Oh Reynolds as a 6th rd pick couldn't even make the team, it was a horrible pick. No it's a pick that's just not ready to contribute right now, but doesn't mean he won't every contribute. The Ravens have been searching for a dynamic returner and slot guy for a while and he could very well be it for years to come. 

^^^^^True, true.

25 minutes ago, RavensPunkXVX said:

Pretty excited for this game, just for the healthy offensive line alone. I hope to see SSS out there, but that's not likely.

 

i think the Steelers are blowing smoke with Ben.

Possibly, but it doesn't matter. Ben or no Ben, we've imposed our will before. That's what it comes down to in the end.

We're back.