[News] Ravens Need Defensive Improvements

[BR News]

Haloti Ngata believes the Ravens’ defense is unstoppable on most occasions. Unfortunately, whenever a few members of that unit experience a small slip in concentration, opposing teams have made them pay.

[url=http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/Articles/2009/10/Ravens_Need_Defensive_Improvements.aspx]View the full article[/url]

[J-man]

We definiately need another defensive back. Walker is physical, but too physical. Carr is just too slow.

[Future Raven]

Blah Blah Blah Mattison
There was a reason why Rex blitzed so much
Because we had bad corners so he blitzed to protect them

[William Murderface]

you dont blitz to protect corners. You expose corners when you blitz.

[outkasts]

Carr was washed up when we got him!Walkers too slow and foxworth is not worth the contract he signed.Lets get WEBB in game!

[Catching Flacco]

Relax Ravens fans. You are either with the team, its players and its coaches or you are against them. I've got faith in all of our coaches, our players are have some of the best talent in the NFL and this is an awesome franchise to watch. Part of what makes the Ravens so great is our fans, don't make the mistake of acting like Philly fans running for the hills cause we lost 3 close games.

[Andrew Smith]

Just because a fan disagrees with the coaching staff doesn't make him any less of a fan than a blind follower. I like seeing fans and media question this team when they are clearly struggling on the Defensive front. Otherwise we mind as well put on some **** uniforms and drink K00l-AID all day

[Austin Sherfy]

Again, NE, Minnesota, and Cincy are not bottom dweller offenses. Any darn defense will struggle against these three teams in a row.

[Catching Flacco]

What I am really saying is that our players understand that they can and will do better, so do our coaches. They do not need fans to sit around and tell them where to get better, these are some of the best professional athletes in the world. If you don't think they are all in there analyzing tape like crazy trying to figure all this out you've lost your mind.

[Andrew Smith]

Fans need a way to vent after a loss and a way to celebrate after a win. Of course no one in this organization is going to even consider any of the thoughts or advice the fans give. I doubt anyone in the organization even visits this site or reads these comments. They get enough football during training and probably this is the last place they would visit. I enjoy hearing the different opinions and reading the criticism as well as the praise.

[Kevin Williams]

I am getting frustrated with the same song and dance every week about the defensive problems being correctable and that were trying to get better every week. Correctable or not we are suffering from the mistakes over and over. I am still drinking the I just used the EMB's #1 Cliche but if Kyle Orton makes us look bad in my opinion it might be time for something drastic, this team has too much potential.

[J-man]

We will fix it in the offseason, let's just see how this season plays out.

[baltimoreravensftw]

don't forget j-man. we said that last season. we tried fixing it in the offseason. so either ozzy and the staff made some mistakes or the dbs just haven't broke out yet....

[outkasts]

The fans were correct about brian billick?The fans who pay the ticket,which pays the player knows what they want to see on the field.Its the love for the team that makes them come here and post!Win or lose I,am that FAN.

[Steve H]

There is no way that Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard can make a top defensive unit go from 1st or 2nd in the league to below 20th by leaving the Ravens. A defense starts with coaching. Then the entire defensive scheme on the field starts in the trenches. The last four years that I have watched the Ravens there were plenty of passes over thirty yards. The difference this year is the qurterbacks do not need to keep one eye on the defensive linemen and the linebackers. They simply roll out of the pocket in many cases and just need to deliver an accurate pass. Big play quarterbacks like Favre, Brady, and yes Manning only need to make an accurate throw. Second and Third and longs did not figure into the equation until this year. The last four years an opponents success was a field goal. Those field goals are turning into touchdowns this year. The other teams are seeing something in the films that is allowing them to develop those two or three game breakers and in most cases they are becoming very successful. We need to ask ourself what are they seeing that we don't.

[ravenwildman]

My only (humble) advice to the team as a longtime fan is to play like you guys know how to play, and everything will fall in place. GO RAVENS!

[srjames71]

Regaurdless of what they say our secondary is the issue. When a quarterback knows that they can just throw up a hail marry in Frank Walker's direction and get a PI call he doesn't even have to fear if the ball is incomplete or even interceted. The problem I see with Walker is he needs to play the ball not the receiver. The Second PI call that he got in the game Sunday that Rice actually caught was underthrown and if Walker would have been playing the ball, not Rice, he would have easily been able to stop step in front of Rice and pick that ball off without even making contact with Rice. The other problem I saw with the secondary was when the Vikings got inside the 10. We stuffed the Vikings on two straight run plays only for Favre to through a touch down on the slant because Landry went to cover a receiver in the corner of the endzone that was already covered. There is no excuse to leave someone that open in the endzone. But fear not my fellow Ravens fans, if these short errors are fixed and the defense steps up their game we will go far this year. I am predicting that both the Steelers and the Bengals will lose this week and we will be tied with them and after beating the Broncos after the bye week and going into Cincy and beating them worse then they beat us we will be back in first place with only the Steelers to worry about. If we beat Cincy in Cincy and can take at least one of two of our games with the Steelers I predict that we will win the AFC North, hang in there Ravens fans, the best is yet to come!

[RavensCountry]

Well I could continue to say what I think is wrong or watch the football games to see whether or not the players and coaches actually have fixed the problems. I still have honestly not seen a complete collapse on one side of the football like this. If football is a mental game - and it is - some of these lapses in concentration make me glad that it's only a game. You know what? If what my ex-girlfriend said to me holds any clout, it may be universally applicable. Quit forcing things to happen the way you want them to and let them happen naturally. Anyone remember that Ed Reed didn't get hot until the latter half of last season? That's because teams that weren't mathematically eliminated from the playoff race put the ball in the air more frequently than they normally would, and were, more often than not, playing from behind in a tightly contested match. Looking at the interceptions, most all of them caught everyone by surprise, obviously in a positive way. I think that may come to fruition again, but we need to be on the plus side of .500 after the end of the "second quarter" of the season AND, like Haloti says, "play with discipline", then we'll see a potential playoff run from our Ravens in 2009.

[#20 Big Mike #52]

Despite what everybody says about improvements, i just love watching my boys go out there and play the game! I hate living in arizona and not being able to watch all there games, so i watch the updates on the NFl website! I love what john harbaugh has brought to the dinner table. Last year he led the team to the semi finals and almost went to the super bowl! And that is what he is going to do this year! For the fans out there, i would ljust like to say the coaches and players know what needs to be done and they will do it! All we do is watch the game, and say this should of been done..well news flash its harder than us fans think! Like a guy said down there these guys are some of the best atheletes in the world and they will turn it around and go all the way! they have lost very very close games! good luck ravens! and god bless the team! lets take the super bowl!! oooo rah

-Big Mike Lopez

[Guest RBates]

Bottom line i hear the talk about this is correctable that is correctabile do it this week or there will be changes i can almost guarantee it. The worst part about our defensive woes is that we don't even have a coach on the roster that can assume the position, ain't that right Harbaugh. As much as ravens fans love you i still don't see you as a coach sorry coaches coach you manage. I really dont care about the negative marks i get just tell me that im not right then prove it.

[POPS1]

“Whatever struggles we’ve had on defense are not due to who’s not here,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve got plenty of good coaches and plenty of good players to play good defense." Unfortunately, that argument isn't sound. What is the difference between last year's defense and this year's? A new DC, the absence of Scott and Leonhard, and a new corner. Did the other eight guys suddenly unlearn how to play football? Of course having three new starters and a new DC is, if not the entire problem, certainly a huge chunk of it. As for "transition" periods. That's all well and good but this problem has gone on for six games. When does the transition period end?

[Hammar88]

I am like most fans and players disappointed in the D this year. But, does anyone actually think that Ray Lewis,Ed Reed,Haloti Ngata,etc. wants to lose games intentionally? Well I don't. Yes I am pissed , but after the Vikings performance I can't get too upset with the players.You can't wait until the 2nd half to figure out an offense or there will be no playoffs.So let's do some homework and kick Denvers butt next week and shut everyone up. Later...

[RavensHITHARD]

I'm a true Ravens Fan. We finally have a offense that can move the ball down the field. Flacco is the man and I'm not just saying that because he's on my home team. I know Talent when I see it.

As for the Defense... The problem is the DC "Greg Mattison" Seems as though he has no fire like Rex and that's the way Our Defense has been playing with out any Fire, that desire to go out there and hit the other team in the mouth. To be hones they look soft this year and it's sad to see such a talented group get smacked around back to back weeks. I can honestly say two of our losses came from the defense playing stupid. Question: Why is it they look confuse most of the time? Where on earth is the exotic blitzing? Why is it our DBs couldn't cover ANYONE even if they had a blanket? What the hell are they teaching these guys in practice? Everyone in the NFL knows if you wanna win against the Ravens just throw the ball and throw it deep. Chances are the ravens corners will have pass interference everytime.

The head coach tells us the samething at every press conference " We need to play better football" Quit saying the samething after every loss.

Why did they chance to 3.4? change it back to 4.3,as you can see the changes you guys( the coaches) made is not working. I have an idea. How about we play ravens football which is smash mouth. Run the ball with our "3" RBs,BLITZ more not just around the sides but up the middle and throw when you have to.

All I'm saying is do what you did last year that got us to the AFC championship game.

[Virginia Ravens Fan]

Hey Ravens Fans,

The Ravens could use this weekend to make a trade. I am a full blooded, bleeding black and purple, American Ravens fan!! I'll make it very simple, Tampa Bay is 0-6 and is going nowhere, nowhere. Ozzie calls them and says how about Troy Smith, Chris Carr, and Jalen Parmalee for Aqib Talib. The Bucs will not flinch and make the trade.

Then Ozzie turns around and gets on the phone with the Skins and say how about Kelley Washington, Demetrius Williams, and Dominique Foxworth for DeAngelo Hall. The Skins will not flinch as it gives them reasons to drop Antwan Randel El. Now when they release Antwan Randel El, the Ravens pick him up as their third string QB/Everything Else.

Problems Solved for three teams!!

[ravens615]

cut walker. sign c-mac or mcquarters.

its our secondary.

[coreyadams]

This is the first year since 1996 my Ravens defense look like garbage. Rank 17 on defense. I remember winning against teame with scores like 14 to 10. Our defense was the stingiest out there. Now we are giving up 28+ points a game. What happenned??? Its you Mattison! I hate to see my defense struggle...

[HardKnocks]

(Corners)My opinion is that we have good cornerbacks, they are just not insync with with one another. Walker is our most physical corner-his only problem was, not turning his head around, now that he turn his head he don't have help over top, so he was forced to grab. Foxworth and Washington both have speed-use that speed to stay next to receivers not 3-4yds( u'all over over-estimating yall speed).
(Safeties)Reed is best in business, just can't be everywhere all the time. Laundry is physical- I think it's worth taking a shot when it's 3rd and 4-8yds that we make Laundry the nickle and bring in Zibby or Nukamura as the safety and tell them to keep everything under them.

[andthencamethen]

It was lame to have ever let Mcalister go, okay so he got hurt, but before that happened that man was money for us, fabian washington needs to go to nickel and we should never have picked up foxworth, the front 7 is fine, its the d-backs. Reed cannot do everything by himself, and landry is ungodly slow. Get mcalister back, and start lardarius because he cant do any worse than fabian and foxworth. I also think mattison needs to go back to linebackers coach, i had the feeling we were going to be all offense this year, and i was right.

[Catching Flacco]

haha, so you are saying that C-Mac is so good that Ozzie missed it, so did all the other GM's in the league? If C-Mac is still so good and Ozzie made such a mistake letting him go, why aren't we seeing him tear it up on some other team? I'd lover to see Nakamura or Zibs, or Webb get some more opportunities, but the coaches know what they are looking at

[eeput1]

I have one problem with the ravens defense.The cornerbacks, is it me or do the ravens corners seem to give up on plays too early. Most people talk about the lack of size that Foxworth and Washington have. In my mind they can compensate their lack of height with determination.