Lost Identity

[BohBalmerOsbohs]

Exactly. Our corners don't suck because of the coach, they suck because they suck And yes how would the Team have a standout receiver? Punctuation is your friend.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='BohBalmerOsbohs' date='20 November 2009 - 12:27 PM' timestamp='1258738034' post='287464']
Exactly. Our corners don't suck because of the coach, they suck because they suck
[/quote]

Webb doesn't suck but I agree that the other corners are average to below-average.

[Child Of Humanity]

I would ask this question. Do you believe the Bengals are a good football team this year? I think if you seriously analyze the team you would have to answer yes. Well both games we played against the Ravens were trench warfare. The final score of either game was not close to lopsided. Take the first game of the season in Cincy. We had a one point lead with less than a minute to play against Denver. A freak (flukish) play resulted in a touchdown. Now if the ball bounced left instead of right, it was game over and the Bengals would be 8-1. I really believe it is the same with the Ravens. A bad bounce here or there and things would be different. Take the hand check in the endzone which should have given the Ravens first and goal at the 1 yard line. Refs blew the call and the rest is history. What is my point? Simply this. The Bengals are getting bounces our way this season that went the other way last season. I don't for one minute believe that the Ravens are as bad as some here feel. If they step it up one notch then they turn things around. And winning is contagious. Once you do it you just can't stop

I know some of my fellow Bengals fans will think I am nuts for saying this but I would love nothing better than to see 3 AFCN teams in the post season. I believe it would produce some of the best post season games in recent memory.

[BohBalmerOsbohs]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' date='20 November 2009 - 12:28 PM' timestamp='1258738130' post='287465']
Webb doesn't suck but I agree that the other corners are average to below-average.
[/quote]

Yes of-course, exception of him. Hes an all around player that can do just about anything on the field. He was all over the place on mnf.

[bce086]

[quote name='BohBalmerOsbohs' date='20 November 2009 - 12:27 PM' timestamp='1258738034' post='287464']
And yes how would the Team have a standout receiver?
[/quote]

I'll take Edwards... he made that move pretty quick. But the chances of us landing him here in Bmore would have been ALOT less likely.

[CorvusCorax]

[quote name='Ravens_Fan13' date='20 November 2009 - 12:14 PM' timestamp='1258737249' post='287454']
Ok i have pretty much figured out why we arent playing with the drive and smash mouth of old lets see here when bilick was the coach he was a bad mouth hard ****** and that carried over to our team we have lost our swagger and why u ask lets see harbaugh comes in and wants stand up guys in here which is ok but the best players seem to be bad boys heres my thought harbaugh has done great no doubt about it but sit back and ask yourself what we would be if we hired rex as head coach instead of harbaugh i will tell you what would have happend we would have good corners bart scott alot of bad attitude and a smash mouth bad ****** ravens squad that no body would want to play on sunday also would by now have a stand out WR rex gets to it harbaugh is pissing me off we dont even have a kicker we can trust thats sad.
[/quote]

Run on sentence much? It's hard to read what you wrote.

[flynismo]

[quote name='Child Of Humanity' date='20 November 2009 - 01:33 PM' timestamp='1258738396' post='287471']
I would ask this question. Do you believe the Bengals are a good football team this year? I think if you seriously analyze the team you would have to answer yes. Well both games we played against the Ravens were trench warfare. The final score of either game was not close to lopsided. Take the first game of the season in Cincy. We had a one point lead with less than a minute to play against Denver. A freak (flukish) play resulted in a touchdown. Now if the ball bounced left instead of right, it was game over and the Bengals would be 8-1. I really believe it is the same with the Ravens. A bad bounce here or there and things would be different. Take the hand check in the endzone which should have given the Ravens first and goal at the 1 yard line. Refs blew the call and the rest is history. What is my point? Simply this. The Bengals are getting bounces our way this season that went the other way last season. I don't for one minute believe that the Ravens are as bad as some here feel. If they step it up one notch then they turn things around. And winning is contagious. Once you do it you just can't stop

I know some of my fellow Bengals fans will think I am nuts for saying this but I would love nothing better than to see 3 AFCN teams in the post season. I believe it would produce some of the best post season games in recent memory.
[/quote]


As wild as it sounds, its very possible the AFCN could be sending three teams to the playoffs. That would make my day, that would lay to rest the debate about which division is the toughest in the league.

[darklight1216]

[quote name='Child Of Humanity' date='20 November 2009 - 12:33 PM' timestamp='1258738396' post='287471']
I really believe it is the same with the Ravens. A bad bounce here or there and things would be different. Take the hand check in the endzone which should have given the Ravens first and goal at the 1 yard line. Refs blew the call and the rest is history. What is my point? Simply this. The Bengals are getting bounces our way this season that went the other way last season. I don't for one minute believe that the Ravens are as bad as some here feel.
[/quote]
Shoulda, woulda, coulda, didn't. Yes, we're almost really good, we're nearly a great team with a fantastic record, but fact is that we aren't. We are a mediocre team.
[quote name='flynismo' date='20 November 2009 - 01:27 PM' timestamp='1258741671' post='287518']
As wild as it sounds, its very possible the AFCN could be sending three teams to the playoffs. That would make my day, [b]that would lay to rest the debate about which division is the toughest in the league.[/b]
[/quote]
Unless of course the Eagles, Giants, and Cowboys went to the playoffs too, like they've done before.

[PSU RAVEN]

How about a new motto??

[b]PLAY LIKE last year's RAVENS[/b]

[BRYAN1146]

[quote name='PuRock' date='19 November 2009 - 01:44 PM' timestamp='1258656246' post='286664']
Over the course of most of our seasons (prior to 2009), our identity was simple. Run the Ball. Play shut down defense.

But in 2009 it seems like we are confused about our identity. Some games we come out slinging the ball. Some games we want to establish the run. Some games we play great D, others we can't stop anyone.

What is our current identity? Playoff teams have identities. They aren't inconsistent about game plans every week.

If you look at the top teams in the league. You can easily spot what they do well. You look at the Ravens, its confusing. Defense? err, No. Running Game, Sometimes. Passing Game, Erratic. We never know what type of team we will be week to week.

Most of our prior success has come from the running game and defense. Should we continue down this path because its worked before? Or has this become such an offensive league (& QB league) that we should adapt to the times and change our prior identity, especially since we added Flacco and have a defense that's coming up short?

What are your thoughts? Old school or New School? Whatever it is, we need to stick to it.
[/quote]

i agree the first three games our offenses was well balanced we ran the ball in fact willis mcgehee was leading the leage in tds at that point and it seemed as soon as we lost the next game all the espn guys started saying this and that like let joe throw the ball more or why arent they throwing to todd heap and then thats what we did and then as we lost more games they said we should run the ball more get back to the run blah blah blah . i think the one BIG HUGE thing we are missing is were not taking the long shots down the field . even if you dont make the completion it still keeps the defense honest and it sets up other plays . we cant keep dumping the ball of underneath on every play plain and simple . and i also think if our offense comes out and plays well ray and the guys well find a way to hold there own.

[hammer]

[quote name='PuRock' date='19 November 2009 - 09:20 PM' timestamp='1258680041' post='286982']
Hammer man. I think you misunderstood me. Personally,I'm leaning towards a new identity. When I say "Lost" I mean confused. One day they want to be a passing O, then the next they think they will be better off with sticking to the run.

What I'm saying is. If our identity is going to be a passing offense. Let's do it then. We need to be running more 3 and 4 WR sets. What type of passing offense uses a majority of 2 WR sets?

I agree with all your points. Our D isn't keeping us in games. The league is shifting towards an offensive/QB league. I think it fits us best.

I'm not saying stick with the Run & D. I think we need to change. But we have to establish it and stick with it. We look confused week in and week out.

But like many people stated. Maybe we are going through growing pains while making the transition. We need to add the right pieces during this off season.
[/quote]


I know [b]this is an odd development on this board[/b][u][/u], but after watching the Ravens play yesterday against the Colts..... I MUST IN ALL GOOD FAITH AND HONESTY, RETRACT MY OPPOSITION AND FALL INTO AGREEMENT WITH YOU.

Cam has absolutely lost his way and Joe is regressing. The offense is all over the place, with no clear direction of [b]WHAT THEY ARE EVEN TRYING TO DO.[/b]

My Bad.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='hammer' date='23 November 2009 - 10:47 AM' timestamp='1258991259' post='291298']
Cam has absolutely lost his way and Joe is regressing. The offense is all over the place, with no clear direction of [b]WHAT THEY ARE EVEN TRYING TO DO.[/b]
[/quote]

I disagree. If the [b]players[/b] executed like they're paid to do on the goal-line, the Ravens would likely have won the game. Or had Joe made a better read before he threw the interception, the Ravens could've one.

There were a few head-scratching plays the offense ran yesterday but Cam put the the team in position to win and they didn't execute.

As for Joe, maybe it's the homer in me but I don't think he's regressed. He has missed throws yes, but when no one on the team besides Rice and Mason can consistently make plays, the QB's options become limited. Heap doesn't have the legs to get open as much as he used to, Clayton simply can't get open against good coverage and it seems like teams have taken Washington away.

[PuRock]

[quote name='hammer' date='23 November 2009 - 10:47 AM' timestamp='1258991259' post='291298']
I know [b]this is an odd development on this board[/b][u][/u], but after watching the Ravens play yesterday against the Colts..... I MUST IN ALL GOOD FAITH AND HONESTY, RETRACT MY OPPOSITION AND FALL INTO AGREEMENT WITH YOU.

Cam has absolutely lost his way and Joe is regressing. The offense is all over the place, with no clear direction of [b]WHAT THEY ARE EVEN TRYING TO DO.[/b]

My Bad.
[/quote]

That's all I'm trying to say. I'm confused to what sort of team we will be any given week. The team we saw yesterday was yet another version I have yet to see this year.

Decent Defense. No Guts on offense. Rely on the Run.

It was the sort of form we'd expect from prior years. But just another face altogether this year.

We have lost an identity. Any identity.

[hammer]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' date='23 November 2009 - 11:55 AM' timestamp='1258991737' post='291309']
I disagree. If the [b]players[/b] executed like they're paid to do on the goal-line, the Ravens would likely have won the game. Or had Joe made a better read before he threw the interception, the Ravens could've one.

There were a few head-scratching plays the offense ran yesterday but Cam put the the team in position to win and they didn't execute.

As for Joe, maybe it's the homer in me but I don't think he's regressed. He has missed throws yes, but when no one on the team besides Rice and Mason can consistently make plays, the QB's options become limited. Heap doesn't have the legs to get open as much as he used to, Clayton simply can't get open against good coverage and it seems like teams have taken Washington away.
[/quote]

Obviously execution falls upon the players, but this offense has no RHYME, REASON OR RHYTHEM. It has ONLY looked comfortable in the "no-huddle" in the past four weeks. Look at the points, 17 pts against Cin, 16 pts against Browns and 15 pts against Colts. This comes after averaging 28-30 points for most of the year.

It is a FAAAAR stretch to compare this to the Billick years, but Cam has INDEED lost his way, by his OWN STANDARDS, not Billicks.