BigUgly

Harbs is saying and doing all he can to ensure this team remains focused and competitive, which it has been despite some significant injury adversity. He has taken great pains to remove strong personalities from the locker room and now stands as THE team leader. So far, he hasn't lost the locker room. With more (healthy) talent, this team's fortunes could have easily been reversed and we could be sitting atop the AFCN. I wouldn't mind an 8-8 record so we could claim a "non-losing" season, but I'd rather bite the bullet and get the higher draft picks that come with a 4-12 or even 6-10 record.

The one good thing to come of the Ray Rice situation is that it literally put a face on domestic violence. Prior to that, domestic violence charges were handled very lightly (or not at all) by the NFL. Now, Ray's video should be at the forefront of everyone's mind when charges are levied. Hardy would argue that he already served his league punishment for his behavior. He may be right. It may be that the 4 game suspension he was given is perceived to be insufficient. Certainly Rice's initial 2 game punishment was. The difference between Rice and Hardy is that Ray is, by all other accounts (including that of his wife and teammates) a standup guy who has show contrition and remorse, and yet he has not been given even the opportunity to try to play again. Rice may be perceived to be the bigger PR headache, but I guarantee that he would be a far better teammate and liability risk to take than Hardy. Enjoy, Jerruh!

This team was only a few players away from having been a playoff contender: A healthy Suggs, a healthy Steve Smith Sr., an effective Webb, a circa 2014 Mosley, and a contract year and healthy Monroe. Oh, I'd also add an offensive coordinator that knows that the Ravens are a run-oriented team (Kubiak), and a defensive coordinator that knows the Ravens need to play with attitude (Lewis, Ryan, Pagano).

How can they say Steve Smith hasn't made a decision on returning when he is on the record as saying this was his final season? Sounds like a decision to me.

If Elam was using a performance enhancing substance, he ought to get his money back

Some absolutely horrible calls once again in this game. The refs are definitely becoming too big a part of the game, and are actually ruining the product on the field.

Dean Pees still has CBs playing 15 yards off when the opponent only needs 5 for a first down, and WRs are left wide open in what otherwise appears to be double or triple coverage. Trestman refuses to commit to the running game, despite the opponents relative weaknesses in that area, and instead puts Joe at risk with a backup LT with too many shotgun snap pass pass plays. Finally, Harbs needs to do a better job of managing his timeouts, and not make unnecessary challenges.

Will be interesting to see who steps up in the 2016 WR Tryouts over the next 8 games. Really interested to see Butler play, and really hope SSSr decides to come back next year.

Monroe actually makes me kinda miss Oher...sure he was terrible, but at least he suited up.

Refs are taking center stage. Hate it. Its really making the game unwatchable. You can't enjoy the outcome of a play without the pregnant pause waiting for the inevitable flag (especially if you are the Ravens). Don't give me B.S. about player safety, either. Anyone seen the league-wide injury report? If anything, there seem to be MORE injuries now than in the past.

Ravens need improved play at too many positions to be competitive this year, but a solid draft and $20 M in additional cap space available next year will help. On offense we need to replace Monroe at LT, upgrade at Center, beg SSSr to stay and find a legit #1 (Permian?) and a slot guy that can move the chains and stay healthy. Defense is in worse shape. We need an edge rusher as insurance for Suggs (and an aging Doom), a stud DB to replace Webb and move him to the slot, and a true Free Safety. Ozzie has his work cut out for him.

Flacco either doesn't have the awareness or doesn't have the control over the offense to recognize blitzes and changes in coverage during his pre-snap reads, and then adjust the pass protection and plays/routes to take advantage. Either he is on the doofus scale of professional QBs, or there is yet another genius OC who won't give him the latitude in scheme to make fast adjustments.

Just win two more games, please: Steelers and the Bengals. Should still be good enough for a top 10 pick, and maybe set one of those two back a notch in their playoff run.

The refs are now becoming a focal point of the game, to the point where one has to hold their breath after every play waiting (especially the Ravens) on a ref to insert themselves into the story line with a flag. We long for the return of players like Ray and Ed, but the fact is they would be flagged on nearly every play in the modern NFL. They say its for the safety of the players, but I doubt the lists of the injured are any less this year than they've been in years past. If anything, it seems as though there are more injuries in the NFL. So well done refs. Nobody wants to see the unscripted drama of sport, they want to see the very scripted drama that is CSI NFL.

Monroe is the softest LT in the league. Not only is he always hurt, but he shows very little tenacity and toughness when he is in the game. It's really telling when he is on the backside of a running play (to the right). He just leans into the cut-off block, and inevitably defenders get penetration to disrupt a running play or play action pass. Hurst has no where near the talent Monroe does, but at least I see signs of effort and want-to. I wouldn't mind if Ozzie invested a 1st rounder in a real left tackle.

I'd like to have Stefon Diggs as our 5th-rounder instead of Robert Myers, who we ended up releasing on Sept 5th (though he is now back on the practice squad). I'd like to have done any one of a dozen little things that would've given the Ravens victories at home against Cincy and Cleveland (penalties, coverage blunders, etc.).

Man, the NFL needs to expand the roster beyond 53, and increase the game-day active roster above 46. This is crazy.

I could see the Ravens getting up for a prime time game, even away (aren't they usually?). If I thought there was some miracle cure for our defensive woes, say a new coordinator or some superstars coming back off of injury, I might seriously entertain the notion of the Ravens ripping off 8-9 wins and sneaking into the playoffs. Reality tells me to take this season with a grain of salt, and prepare to re-load with a motivated Ozzie armed with a high draft pick and $20M in additional cap space.

Joe's a method actor...if your method is to act like Ben Stein (Bueller...Bueller). Fine with me. Means he'll spend more time with family and football than worrying about his marketing value. Imagine if he and Belichick had to act out a scene. Would be the greatest unintentional comedy event ever.

Joe should have every play and the authority to call them in the 2 minute drill. In fact, they ought to practice with the damn headset turned off in practice. Let Joe understand the situation, read the defense, and run the no-huddle.

I understand letting Torrey go for a $5M difference in salary (don't like it, but I understand). Cutting Boldin over less than $1M is what I can't get over. We would've made the playoffs in 2013 had he remained on the roster, but his personality was "too strong" for Harbs. Well, he may be older and slower, but he is tough, has great hands and is a leader.

That was a compounded set of issues starting with coaching (burning a timeout early, horrible challenge) and made worse by the lackadaisical manner of the O-Line. We are paying Monroe and Zuttah good money for their very average play, but this is unacceptable. Ozzie better force some hard personalities on this team. Put a Wally or a Zeus on that line and see a sense of urgency.

Doesn't look like a historically talent-rich draft like the last 2 years, but it should be enough to bolster one of our key areas of need (pass rusher, CB, WR) and give us some important depth elsewhere (OG, OC, SS). We should also have the cap space to sign some playmakers to a multi-year deal. Doesn't fix the lack of drive and immediacy I saw from KO, Monroe and Zuttah there at the end of the game. Last two guys are infected with loseritis from their previous teams.

Now we understand 2013 perfectly, because we are re-living it. With Marlon Brown the only possession receiver, Flacco threw 22 picks that year trying to force the ball to a guy who couldn't get open. It was feast or famine. Either Brown got a TD (had 7 that year) or the ball was picked. What else do you expect Joe to do? Gotta try and make a play somewhere. At least this year we have a running game, but Trestman has no idea what to do with it. Amazing. Didn't they run the ball in the CFL, super genius? Thank goodness for Steve Smith. He's the only Raven playing like a Raven.

This train wreck has been building for years. Ravens would've had to have had nearly no injuries (and maybe a different D coordinator) to have a shot at the playoffs this year. That is unrealistic. They are feeling the effects of several horrible drafts prior to 2014 (now is the time when vets from those classes should be making an impact). They are old and slow at all the wrong positions, and are saddled with nearly $22M in dead money so they couldn't make a splash in free agency. Also paying salaries for guys like Pitta, Ngata, Jacoby, John Simon, and Gino Gradkowski who either aren't suiting up or are actually helping other teams. Ozzie needs to get his player personnel house in order, and Harbs needs to take a very hard look at his coaching staff.