Go Spread And Utilize Your Best Weapon More: Ray Rice

[Milton145]

Ray Rice isn't built for those jumbo packages Ravens run. That's not his style. While he can certainly be a physical back, he is more of a finesse runner who is a killer in space. So why not use him in space MORE. To me, Ray Rice is a back that should be used more in draw plays simply because it spreads out the defense and gets him the space he needs to make a play. Moreso than the jumbo package. That delayed draw he get for his longest run of the night is a perfect example.

Also, put him in the slot more and make him run a quick slant or go route. There is NO Linebacker in the league that can cover Ray Rice in one on one passing situations IMO. If you can think of one then tell me but Ray Rice is WAY faster than people give him credit for and his burst is a thing of beauty to watch. It saved our *** in Pitt last year. He got a pretty nice catch out of it against the Panthers a few weeks ago that went for a big gain. And it worked against the Texans.

Putting Rice in the slot is way more dangerous than the checkdown to him out of the backfield IMO.

[ravensfan160]

You would think that would work. Even with poor o-line play, quick passes from a spread formation should work. Only one problem, this is the Ravens offense.

I still can't believe, against the worst team in the league at stopping TEs, our TEs were MIA.

[Milton145]

[quote name='ravensfan160' timestamp='1292340293' post='574750']
You would think that would work. Even with poor o-line play, quick passes from a spread formation should work. Only one problem, this is the Ravens offense.

I still can't believe, against the worst team in the league at stopping TEs, our TEs were MIA.
[/quote]


I think our absence of Heap has something to do with that. Harbaugh even said that he doesn't do the same things with Dickson that he does with Heap in the game. Heap's absence has no doubt hurt us.

EDIT - Also, Flacco and Pitta need to do some work together in the offseason. Their connection is just plain bad.

[CorvusCorax]

What I can't understand, and some football "expert" can help me understand, is why do they continue to run up the freaking middle every time?

Run play. Up the middle.

[FWalkerHOF]

If we can get protection issues figured out, then certainly we should be in the spread a lot more. It utilizes all of our best weapons... the three WRs, and the good pass catching RB.

It's a very large "if" though. Our o-line seems to have all the players in place, even in the veteran experience at center which helps... but we can't block anybody.

[Jamal]

When you have protection problems, you spread em out and try quick passes.

This is information that goes over Cams head for some reason....

[Militant X 1]

no one wants to admit this but the Ravens have lost their "identity" on offense.

they have forgotten that they are a "run-first" team that utilizes the playaction and not a "pass-first" team. to me....their challenge this entire season has been to determine.....when do we run and when do we pass? sure, we have all of these new toys in Boldin, Stallworth and Housh and our rookie TEs for the passing game and yet, we still have Rice, McGahee and McClain for the running game. have they forgotten about our so-called; "3-Headed Monster" in the backfield? they gotta find a balance.

[Jamal]

[quote name='PITCH52BLACK' timestamp='1292344029' post='574893']
no one wants to admit this but the Ravens have lost their "identity" on offense.

they have forgotten that they are a "run-first" team that utilizes the playaction and not a "pass-first" team. to me....their challenge this entire season has been to determine.....when do we run and when do we pass? sure, we have all of these new toys in Boldin, Stallworth and Housh and our rookie TEs for the passing game and yet, we still have Rice, McGahee and McClain for the running game. have they forgotten about our so-called; "3-Headed Monster" in the backfield? they gotta find a balance.
[/quote]
Identities are overrated IMO. The problem is that we can't run the ball even when we try, and Oher hasn't done too well ao LT.

Gaither is missed dearly by the whole offense.

[Militant X 1]

[quote name='Jamal' timestamp='1292344287' post='574908']
[b]Identities are overrated IMO[/b]. The problem is that we can't run the ball even when we try, and Oher hasn't done too well ao LT.

Gaither is missed dearly by the whole offense.
[/quote]

i don't think that identites are overated. think about it:

-Patriots....we know their identity...AIRING IT OUT!
-Saints......we know their identity...AIRING IT OUT!
-Colts.......we know their identity...AIRING IT OUT!
-Falcons.....we know their identity...AIRING IT OUT!

now...of course the above teams mentioned will mix in a few runs here and there but for the most part, to beat these teams....you gotta put points on the board.

-Steelers.....we know their identity...GET THE LEAD AND POUND THE BALL TO CONTROL THE CLOCK!

our Ravens identity on offense "use-to-be" to pound the rock and the defenses identity "use-to-be" if the Ravens Offense gets them a huge lead...the game is over!

not anymore!

[Jamal]

[quote name='PITCH52BLACK' timestamp='1292344828' post='574920']
i don't think that identites are overated. think about it:

-Patriots....we know their identity...AIRING IT OUT!
-Saints......we know their identity...AIRING IT OUT!
-Colts.......we know their identity...AIRING IT OUT!
[b]-Falcons.....we know their identity...AIRING IT OUT![/b]

now...of course the above teams mentioned will mix in a few runs here and there but for the most part, to beat these teams....you gotta put points on the board.

-Steelers.....we know their identity...GET THE LEAD AND POUND THE BALL TO CONTROL THE CLOCK!

our Ravens identity on offense "use-to-be" to pound the rock and the defenses identity "use-to-be" if the Ravens Offense gets them a huge lead...the game is over!

not anymore!
[/quote]
I'd say the Falcons are more balanced than airing it out. They do well on both, so there identity might be the most balanced in the NFL.

[Militant X 1]

[quote name='Jamal' timestamp='1292345255' post='574935']
I'd say the Falcons are more balanced than airing it out. They do well on both, so there identity might be the most balanced in the NFL.
[/quote]

umm Jamal...i did say in my post that the above mentioned teams mix in runs. LOL!

[Jamal]

[quote name='PITCH52BLACK' timestamp='1292345560' post='574955']
umm Jamal...i did say in my post that the above mentioned teams mix in runs. LOL!
[/quote]
But the Falcons don't mix in the run. That is there bread and butter.

They let Matt Ryan take care of it in the 4th, but they like running more than passing.

You probably are thinking about the Ravens game, but the Falcons don't pass that much very often. They just found a weakness and attacked it.

[DBOWSRAVENS]

The spread offense would work cuz we have the weapons to do so. Boldin, mason, housh, stallworth, reed, and all three tight ends. Stay in the shotgun spread the field and this will do a few things. This stack the box up and blitz the safety off the edge now stops. We will have mismatches all across the board in pass coverage and when the defense leaves the box, one of three runnig backs gets the draw. Not to mention, flacco's strength is from the shotgun and will allow him more time to read the field. We are not a power football team anymore, we are a run and gun team.