The Raven

3 hours ago, Bruce_Almty said:

WOW, you're such a Debbie Downer, glass 3/4 empty guy. Four months to the start of the season and you've given up on the team already. Give Ozzie a chance, he knows there's work to be done.

Wanna rethink that negative attitude crap?

If taking an objective look at reality makes me a Debbie Downer, then I'll get Debbie Downer tattooed on my forehead. The reality is that we don't have much reason to be excited about the "plenty of talent" surrounding Joe.

Can I just ask what makes you so optimistic about our offense? Other than the oline and running backs? Because that's all we have going for us.

32 minutes ago, flynismo said:

The only reason I am not carrying points is that I haven't been active the past few months

Listen, there were times where I thought the mods were being way too knit-picky, even with the understanding that this is a family oriented community. But they have also let me slide many times, more than I deserved. They have been more than fair to me personally, and for that I appreciate it. 

You know, the other night I went through my content just to reminisce; as narcissistic as this is going to come off as, I got a lot of laughs reading through some of my old threads and the responses to them. The Purple Reign thread was probably my favorite thread ever

So it's kind of depressing on a personal level to see this forum die. So much time spent on here, so many laughs shared with others, so many awesome and cool new people I've gotten to meet. but instead of being sad about what we're losing, I'm just thankful for what we had!

Seconded. I've endured a week long ban once or twice. There was a solid two or three years where I probably carried points more than I didn't have points. Usually for being a snarky jerk and trolling some of the more bizarre or reactionary posters. Yet, the mods let me off the hook an awful lot.

And how bout that ole thread. Some old faces there. Always missed the Franchise and Warden in recent years.

Good times here.

Then we're done anyway. Same goes for most teams if the QB goes down. Least now we have a defense and potentially an oline that can help us compete.

23 hours ago, Bltravens said:

I advocated so hard for Houston in that draft.  I wanted the Ravens to take him in the first.  Still so sad lol.

Dude I was pissed when we passed on him. Furious.

By far my favorite pick. He's a punisher. This is what an offensive lineman is supposed to look like.

I'm heading to @BOLDnPurPnBlacK's board. Maybe I'll pop in at RSR but Bold's is my first pick.

1 hour ago, Bruce_Almty said:

The Ravens may have whiffed on the offensive side of the ball this year but in the 2014, '15 n '16 draft we picked up plenty of talent that has been coached-up and needs to step up. 

WR: Campanaro, Perriman, Moore

TE: Gillmore, MWilliams, Boyle, Waller

RB: Taliaferro, West, Dixon, Allen

OL: Urschel

There are plenty of targets there for Joe to throw to and Stanley, Yanda, Goose, and Lewis are a great start at protecting and opening holes.

The offense can do it if Flacco can just get past being Average Joe.

Plenty of talent? Get real. Camp's always hurt. Moore has more drops than catches. Gillmore's always hurt and when he is on the field is too slow to be a viable threat. Maxx is almost always hurt and if he's healthy he's not on the field bc of poor coaching. Boyle is slower than I am and is also suspended half the time. Waller is underused by the coaching staff but also took forever to figure it out. Taliaferro is a back and is always hurt. Urschel had a good rookie year and has done jack since then.

So, that leaves Perriman, West, Dixon, and Allen who have been healthy and at least somewhat effective, and three of them play the same position: RB, which isn't the key to unlocking any passing game.

And Perriman? Misused and drops too many over the middle passes. 

Wanna rethink the whole "plenty of talent" crap?

Because of the oline additions, I'm feeling a bit better about the offense this season. A good run game and good pass protection opens up so much for an offense. 

Can't yet find any film on him but he sounds, indeed, like a Robert Myers pick. But given the rugby past, he may be more athletic than he seems at 340. I'm intrigued.

9 hours ago, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

I don't know much about him @The Raven . Please help me out

Taking a looksie soon

3 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

Maybe I need to watch more of goose, because I'm seeing people who's opinion I respect praising this pick but I personally didn't like what I saw on film. I must have missed something

Here's how I might explain his film...

SDSU ran some zone, and he's not really quick enough to play zone on the backside. What I've seen so far shows that he can do playside zone blocking and he punishes people on gap, but the scoop blocking from the backside is a weakness.

Just now, polynesian15 said:

Could you briefly explain the main differences between power and zone blocking schemes to a noob such as myself?
I believe we (effectively) used power blocking during the super bowl run, and then for some reason decided to ditch it the next season in favor of zone blocking?

Cheers

I'm short on time, but basically, in zone, all the linemen move in the same direction with the goal of sealing their gap. Get to the defenders outside shoulder and cut them off. You want dancing grizzlies. The best example I can think of is Zach Martin. Jeremy Zuttah and Urschel are good examples here. Not all that big and strong but super nimble and can seal guys off. There are intricacies but that's the simple take. I can go more in depth later tonight or tomorrow.

With gap/power, you're running through a gap, and defenders basically block their defenders away from that gap. If it's an A gap run to the right side, the center blocks to the left and RG blocks to the right to open the crease in between. You want big nasties. Guys like Nick Mangold, Marshal Yanda, etc..

Super Bowl year we had a solid mix of everything. Lot of inside zone. Some stretch. Some gap.

His pass blocking is really good, too, for a stereotype mauler. Typically big nasties suck at pass pro but not this guy.

My take on offensive line has always been to get guys that move people and let them do it with gusto. This guy is a mover.

Just now, BOLDnPurPnBlacK said:

Haha I was waiting for you to chime in. Thought you were gonna like this pick. 

Clear indication that we're committing to more power/gap/inside zone and away from stretch zone??

Love this kids power and nastiness. Pretty darn good anchor too. 

Then theres the name of course. 

See, I do have a question. His combine numbers were phenomenal, and as I watch film right now, they did run some zone.

I think this is a clear indication -- along with the Alex Lewis pick last year -- that we want to get away from zone. But, I think this is a guy who can be a zone guy sometimes. I think he'd project well as a guard playing in the inside zone.

But make no mistake: This guy is a power blocker. We're gonna run Iso and Power for days behind him.

Just now, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

I knew you would be. He's a guy who has to turn on his nasty all the time , but at least it's there. 

He ain't no zone blocker so that shows a lot about where we're going but holy moly this guy next to Stanley? With Yanda two slots down? We finally have that nasty, mean bully.

Omg guys I think I'm in love with Siragusa

1 minute ago, GrimCoconut said:

It reminds me of when Justin Houston fell. Wow if he becomes the same player

The only downside I see with him is maybe that his frame is maxed out. His hands could be better but so could most guys in college.

2 minutes ago, GrimCoconut said:

I'm wondering the very same thing actually. That's a great question and it makes you wonder. I have to go back and watch the video but I think he told him he'd have to set the edge and stuff so it sounds like 34 OLB

Putting him on the edge is a waste of his talent, unless Ozzie has seen stuff that I haven't seen. I haven't seen anything that makes me confident in Bowser as an edge.

Mosley, Correa, and Bowser at LB.

Judon and Suggs/Williams at DE.

Brandon, Willie Henry, Kaufusi, and Wormley at DT.

Yeah, this defense is gonna be good. If Henry and Kaufusi become what I think they will, we're gonna set the team sack record this year.

Tim Williams is the piece the ties everything together. I'm not even going into the details with him. He's just good. He checks off the boxes of what I'm looking for in an edge.

Just now, GrimCoconut said:

@The Raven Ozzie told Bowser he'd play SAM LB on the phone when he called him. 

When Ozzie says SAM does he mean a 3-4 SAM or a 4-3 SAM?

Alright, Tyus Bowser. Just watched him against Cincinnati, Memphis, and some of Louisville. 

Tyus Bowser isn't Von Miller. He's not Kamalei Correa. He isn't Terrell Suggs, and I don't even think he's a full time edge in the NFL.

As @terps85 and @rmw10 said first, I see Jamie Collins. He's freakishly athletic, he can cover with the best of em, he's smart, and he has good instincts. He does not, however, have the size or hand use to be a full time edge player. He will get eaten alive on the edge in the NFL.

In watching film, there weren't enough snaps where he was even rushing for me to judge his pass rushing fairly, but from what I saw, he just looks fast. That is his only value as a pass rusher. Burst off the line and agility around the edge. Makes for a great blitzer but not a good on the line pass rusher.

I know @GrimCoconut says Bowser can disengage, but I personally don't see it. I don't see a guy that uses his hands to disengage from a block and get to the QB. Instead, I see a guy that runs and runs and runs until the lineman loses him.

I see Tyus playing Will next to Mosley, blitzing frequently and acting as the spy against guys like Cam Newton.

I do think this a good pick. It's good value. He brings a lot to the table. I just don't see him playing the edge, and if Ozzie does, I want to know what he knows. But I also like how he fits in with the guys we have. With DBs like Jefferson, Weddle, and Humphrey who can blitz, and a LB who can cover, I see the potential for a crap ton of truly effective zone blitzes. Bowser is good, but he's even better as a piece of the puzzle, because of what he allows you to do.

Just now, rossihunter2 said:

i mean tim williams seems to embody those traits pretty nicely

Tim Williams is one of very few DL/edge picks that embody that. John Simon, Upshaw, DTs not named Willie Henry and Bronson Kaufusi, and even Paul Kruger had no hand use or burst. Just hustle. Sergio Kindle had both but...

We're getting better at it. Judon last year has both. ZDS has hand use, at least.

I realize Tim has what I'm looking for, but he's been the outlier.

2 minutes ago, arnie_uk said:

If you listen to the pressure hustle seems to be one of their highest priorities when they look at what skills players have 

I wish good hands and quick burst were higher on their pass rusher priority list.

After watching this guy vs Wisconsin, Penn State, and Florida State, I'm not the biggest fan of the pick. As people have said, he has a high floor but I think a very low ceiling. He looks NFL ready to me, but I think he is who he is. He's going to be Lawrence Guy, and that's it. I see nothing more than Lawrence Guy, and I'd like a little more ROI from a 3rd.

I think Ozzie sees Pernell McPhee in him. He has the capability to line up at any position -- and he did in college -- but the thing is he's average at each spot.

He's strong *enough*, he's quick *enough* on the inside, and his hand use is non existent from what I can see. He has a good punch but it doesn't look like he knows how to disengage. I'm not really seeing anything.

If you ask me, this guy would be most viable if he dropped 15-20 pounds to play 4-3 LE (and get some burst back) and then slide inside on third down. Even at his current weight, he's not strong enough to anchor or bull rush in the NFL, and he's too slow to do anything else. If he puts on more weight to anchor and bull, he will lose whatever burst he has. He's a man without a position.

Coming from the outside, he wins through effort and hustle. He's a hustle guy through and through. Nothing against that per se, but if you won with hustle in college, how do you expect to win in the NFL?