Ravens Running Game

[Jabara]

It appears that our running game has been lacking, but perhaps it's just being saved and rested for the colder months, when more teams are expected to run the ball.
So our backs should be rested and healthy, since we've sort of at least appeared to have abandoned the running game, in order to use it in the colder months when throwing the ball is much more difficult.
If that is the case, we'll come back to our identity on offense while having explosive play action passes with the great receivers we do have.
This sort of brings up two questions.
Do you think Cam knew this all along, and planned for it, while gambling games, having many games come down to the last minute or overtime, while throwing the ball a lot to get our receivers and Joe used to making plays under those circumstances , when we would just resort in a positive way, back to the running game.
Was the first half of the season just a confidence thing, in the power of our team, at least our offense, and let a few games slip away, and then resort back to what we do well, as in running the ball.
Of course I realize the importance of winning every game, and not losing a single game, but is it possible that the first half of the season was to work out the new offense, while resting the RB's, in order to use them in the colder, tougher months, and the playoffs, in order to bring us a much more powerful and balanced offense.
If we can have the running game we usually do, since nothing has changed, and add the new passing game we have to it, we should do fairly well, meaning very good.
Hopefully good enough to get some rings.
The only question is, can our defense hold up.
And our defense is not horrible, it's just not what we are used to. So it's average, if not above average, but not like it has been.
I expect in these colder months to see some more running of the ball.

[codizzle]

No we didnt plan to just abandon the run and "lose" ganes just to try out our pass offense... We have a lot of new weapons on offense i think we Re just now starting to see the benefits of that...
If we had any kind of consistency on our o-line then it'd be a lot easier to get the running game going every game but as is our line is not getting the push to create enough holes for rice and crew

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

I think the running game has suffered simply because we have had to move Yanda outside to T. If he was still mauling at guard, the holes would be opening a lot more. On the plus side, we might see some of that today, what with Chester very unlikely to see all the snaps, I would like to see some of Oniel Cousins at T and Yanda at G. Then some running game success will be likely.

[Ravens549]

I wish our running came has been saving up. Unfortunately, I think it is deeper than that.
I'm very nervous about how Rice promised a big game today running-wise.

Personally I still feel McGahee is being under-utilized. But then again, how many times did he fumble this season in his limited role?

[harfordravenfan]

Yanda being moved outside surely hurt our run game. If only Gaither didn't put the team in that situation. Hearing that moll will be starting at right guard... guess they only wanted to have one change on the line but moll did ok in preseason at right tackle. Guess I just want Yanda back at guard where he dominates like everyone else

[RivenHale]

I love the change at guard. I mean, what we've been doing just wasn't working, run-wise. Why not see what happens now? I kind of wanted to give Oniel Cousins a chance, but strangely Harbaugh hasn't been returning my calls. So we'll go with Moll and we'll see what happens. Everything will have to be taken with a grain of salt, because it is, after all, the Carolina Panthers.

Even so, I'd love to see a big day out of Rice. Who wouldn't?

[Rav'n Maniac]

[quote name='RivenHale' timestamp='1290351446' post='545908']
I love the change at guard. I mean, what we've been doing just wasn't working, run-wise. Why not see what happens now? [b]I kind of wanted to give Oniel Cousins a chance, but strangely Harbaugh hasn't been returning my calls.[/b] So we'll go with Moll and we'll see what happens. Everything will have to be taken with a grain of salt, because it is, after all, the Carolina Panthers.

Even so, I'd love to see a big day out of Rice. Who wouldn't?
[/quote]
lol! Well Harbs told me when he returned my call that Cousins is our only backup to Oher on the left side and wouldn't be risked on the right side.

[da#1ravensfan]

The ravens seem to throw early in the season and run late to keep running backs fresh late ever since cam became the oc. Last year we didn't use rice early in the season but we ran a lot late. In 08 we didn't use mcclain early in the season we ran with mcclain late in the season. The ravens keep using the passing game early in the season to set up the late season surge of the run game.

[ravens_4life]

it is hard to tell. i think our running game is not really good right now. maybe it is going to be used more during the colder months, but if thats the case we couldnt get 100 yards total against carolina whos run d isnt very good what makes you think we can do it against a stronger run d opp. rice had 16 carries today, and had like 65 yards thats not good. i dont know what our running game's problem is, but the coaches better fix it with the playoffs approaching.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='ravens_4life' timestamp='1290381331' post='547185']
it is hard to tell. i think our running game is not really good right now. maybe it is going to be used more during the colder months, but if thats the case we couldnt get 100 yards total against carolina whos run d isnt very good what makes you think we can do it against a stronger run d opp. rice had 16 carries today, and had like 65 yards thats not good. [b]i dont know what our running game's problem is, but the coaches better fix it with the playoffs approaching.[/b]
[/quote]

The coaches can't "fix" anything this season. The team can only run the ball consistently well to the left side. That alone tells you how below average the right of the line is. Arguably the team's best mauler is playing RT and today, they started a backup guard.

[flynismo]

You dont bring in Boldin, TJ, Stallworth and draft two recieving TEs so that you can run the ball more. LMAO!

[Bltravens]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1290381656' post='547191']
You dont bring in Boldin, TJ, Stallworth and draft two recieving TEs so that you can run the ball more. LMAO!
[/quote]
Agreed, this is 2010 not 2000 we're not going to win a championship running the football 40-45 times a game. Nobody is, you have to be able to throw the ball. Having said that, our run blocking was pretty crappy today.

[JoeCool#5]

Yeah, the running game is not hitting on all-cylinders. The run blocking by the OL has been bad. Especially on 3rd and inches, we cant get any push. Ravens are forunate to have a soliding passing attack couresty of the talented receiver core. Heap and Q is playing like a pro-bowlers. They need to start getting the running game going cause that will be key for a deep playoff run. Balance attack for the win

[ravens_4life]

its been bad all season mvp. our passing attack is fine. its frustrating becuase i am a huge ray rice fan even during his college years.

[hammer]

I dont sense that the running game was poor today. They ran when they had to and they ran hard when the holes were there. The Panthers loaded up the line of scrimage. thats how Flacco got 300+ passing yards.

The Ravens still controlled the time of possesion 34 min to 25 min. They did what they had to do today.

I think the balance was good. 33 passes to 31 runs. It was a good game to me. They didn't dominate the game but they got their jobs done. IMO.

[RLewis52]

Our running game isnt as good as last year but it is because we went out and got WR's last year Rice was the only weapon Flacco used mainly, now he has so many targets Rice dooesnt get as many chances, and thats ok because were still winning and thats all that matters

[omar586]

[quote name='Jabara' timestamp='1290325024' post='545876']
It appears that our running game has been lacking, but perhaps it's just being saved and rested for the colder months, when more teams are expected to run the ball.
So our backs should be rested and healthy, since we've sort of at least appeared to have abandoned the running game, in order to use it in the colder months when throwing the ball is much more difficult.
If that is the case, we'll come back to our identity on offense while having explosive play action passes with the great receivers we do have.
This sort of brings up two questions.
Do you think Cam knew this all along, and planned for it, while gambling games, having many games come down to the last minute or overtime, while throwing the ball a lot to get our receivers and Joe used to making plays under those circumstances , when we would just resort in a positive way, back to the running game.
Was the first half of the season just a confidence thing, in the power of our team, at least our offense, and let a few games slip away, and then resort back to what we do well, as in running the ball.
Of course I realize the importance of winning every game, and not losing a single game, but is it possible that the first half of the season was to work out the new offense, while resting the RB's, in order to use them in the colder, tougher months, and the playoffs, in order to bring us a much more powerful and balanced offense.
If we can have the running game we usually do, since nothing has changed, and add the new passing game we have to it, we should do fairly well, meaning very good.
Hopefully good enough to get some rings.
The only question is, can our defense hold up.
And our defense is not horrible, it's just not what we are used to. So it's average, if not above average, but not like it has been.
I expect in these colder months to see some more running of the ball.
[/quote]
i can see what your saying, but u have to get the running game going now, so the o-line and RBs have that chemistry and feel comfortable with it. haven't said that, i think not running the ball have led to teams like the bills and panthers hang around too long, i mean w/ panthers they were down 7 pts in the 4th qt, and our offense stunk it up when we need them the most, they went 3&outs

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='omar586' timestamp='1290468274' post='548326']
i can see what your saying, but u have to get the running game going now, so the o-line and RBs have that chemistry and feel comfortable with it. haven't said that, i think not running the ball have led to teams like the bills and panthers hang around too long, i mean w/ panthers they were down 7 pts in the 4th qt, and our offense stunk it up when we need them the most, they went 3&outs
[/quote]

I can't comment on the Panthers game as I didn't watch most of the game but the Bills "hung around" because the Ravens were getting torched defensively. Also, the Ravens could have put them away after Ed's second pick but Joe and McGahee botched the hand-off and Buffalo recovered the ball, giving them new life.

[gabefergy]

I dont think our run game is bad, its just not our Bread and Butter like it used to be. We have a really good QB with some great receivers. I think Harbs put it best a few weeks back when he essentially said, "we arent a running team or a passing team, we are just going to go with what is working"

The key is to have a balanced attack, and I think so far Cam is doing a good job with the weapons he has on offense. Rice may not be carrying the ball that often, but he is still getting touches in the short passing game which in many ways is even more effective.

[Jabara]

It's getting colder and colder each week, which usually leads teams to start running the ball more, Rice even mentioned that they're built for Dec. and Jan.
Being that we haven't run as much as we are used to seeing, our RB's should be fresh.

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

Our RBs will get hot this Sunday, Ravens will run all over the Bucs from start to finish. With some passing bombs in between.

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='horus13corvineus' timestamp='1290690279' post='550519']
Our RBs will get hot this Sunday, Ravens will run all over the Bucs from start to finish. With some passing bombs in between.
[/quote]

I want to see a few more short passes to Rice and McGahee, too. Hopefully, we won't keep it close until the end. This would be in the Bucs' favor as they have outscored their opponents in the 4th Qtr. We don't need another Falcons ending. Hopefully, we will have a few more pick 6s in our bag of tricks. I fully expect us to win by 14 pts.

[UMDan]

As much as I want and would love for our running game to step it up and become an integral part of our offense like last year... I feel like we're saying this week after week against weak running defenses, and we still haven't been that productive. What we're doing is working right now. I think attempting the running game is great, but you have to surprise the defense... let them think we're gonna throw and then run it, let them think we're gonna run it and then throw. We can't be so predictable.

[RavensWin2052]

[quote name='CapoRocky' timestamp='1290834745' post='551518']
I want to see a few more short passes to Rice and McGahee, too. Hopefully, we won't keep it close until the end. This would be in the Bucs' favor as they have outscored their opponents in the 4th Qtr. We don't need another Falcons ending. Hopefully, we will have a few more pick 6s in our bag of tricks. I fully expect us to win by 14 pts.
[/quote]

I agree Rice only has 1 onehundred yard rushing game this season and all of that lies on the coaches hand beaause they fail to give Ray enough carries Only 16 a game isnt going to cut it and with 16 carries he is getting 65 yards on. If You give him 30 a game hell easily have 100 yards. We need to get the run better toward these cold winter months.