Dmase

[Corvus]

As others have said, we all love Mason and couldn't be happier with what he has brought on the field to Baltimore over the years, but if I'm not mistakened, he'll be 38 at the end of the season. The only players who usually play that long are QBs, punters, and kicker, heh. I forsee Mason's role diminished to the aforementioned routes he excels at: curls, comebacks, etc.

The bottom line is our coaching staff cannot be scared with these young guys all the time. They obviously like something about all these young guys or they wouldn't have drafted them. I expect to see a lot more of David Reed, Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta (he broke Austin Collie's record for catches at BYU after it had been posted for 1 year for gosh sakes, dude can catch the ball) to go with Torrey, Tandon, and any of our practice squad guys that might make it. If not I might as well forget the rest of the season and pray Cam is finally fired if we have a repeat of last year...

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='Romo Ravens' timestamp='1304374358' post='680132']
I for one want Q to catch 100 balls and get 10 TD's and make another Pro Bowl. I think adding Smith and Doss to the equation will really help him catch a lot of underneath passes which will add up extremely quickly
[/quote]

I'd like to see it happen but it seems doubtful. Q has caught over 100 balls twice in his career. He did it as a rookie when he was Arizona's only quality offensive player and also in '05 when he and Fitzgerald were the team's go-to guys.

That's not the case here and the offense figures to be more efficient running the ball next season.

Anything's possible though.

[Corvus]

Just to add to what I was saying about these young guys and the coaching staff having no confidence in them last year, look at our arch rivals. The Steelers started the season last year with Ward, Wallace, Randle El, and Arnaz Battle atop their depth charts. Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown weren't even sniffing the starting line up at that point, doesn't mean they weren't involved in the rotation. Once the season went on, they weren't starting but they were valuable contributors, wasn't long until Battle was completely phased out (dunno if he was injured or not last year) and Randle El was the one with the diminished role due to these young guys getting the game experience they needed. Lo and behold, by the time the playoffs rolled around, well we all know the ending to that story...

[Milton145]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1304374285' post='680130']
Those are some pathetic numbers.

Even if teams are paying extra attention to him, the OC has to design plays to get him the ball. Not once last season did I see Boldin go in motion and catch a screen on the run like he frequently did as a Cardinal.
[/quote]

I absolutely HATE how we ran WR screens this year...the way we did it, you're practically set up for a negative yardage play. I agree, put him in motion or line up trips we can get some blockers to actually give him a chance to settle down and see the field after he catches the ball instead of getting popped as soon as he receives the catch.

[Suggs Package]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1304369378' post='680032']
I think you're forgetting about Rice. Also, he's not the player he was even in '07 but Boldin is still better after the catch than Heap in my opinion.
[/quote]
Yards Per Catch 2010:
Todd Heap: [b]15.0[/b]
Ray Rice: [b]8.8[/b]
Anquan Boldin: [b]13.1[/b]

I think you confused yards per catch with yards after catch, in which Heap kinda sucks haha, but he's our biggest down-field receiver.

[AwakenTheDemon]

[quote name='FerrariFan87' timestamp='1304368096' post='679998']
I want us in 3 WR sets at least 65% of passing plays next season.
[/quote]

Agreed.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='Milton145' timestamp='1304377824' post='680196']
I absolutely HATE how we ran WR screens this year...the way we did it, you're practically set up for a negative yardage play. I agree, put him in motion or line up trips we can get some blockers to actually give him a chance to settle down and see the field after he catches the ball instead of getting popped as soon as he receives the catch.
[/quote]

Seems like common sense.

I can only recall four WR screens that went for positive yardage last season. Two went to Houshmandzadeh and they came in the same game.

[quote name='Suggs Package' timestamp='1304378267' post='680201']
Yards Per Catch 2010:
Todd Heap: [b]15.0[/b]
Ray Rice: [b]8.8[/b]
Anquan Boldin: [b]13.1[/b]

I think you confused yards per catch with yards after catch, in which Heap kinda sucks haha, but he's our biggest down-field receiver.
[/quote]

I misread what you wrote. My mistake.

I'll be surprised if Todd comes close to that mark next season.

[ellicottraven]

I think it really is up to Cam Cameron how successful the Ravens offense is going to be. It also depends on Joe Flacco's ability to start calling plays on his own depending on what he sees on the field. If these two elements are in place, we will be unstoppable regardless of who is at receiver. I think we are pretty set at receiver for a few years to come with the players we have!

[Ravenslifer]

All I'm really hoping for is that whoever is on our roster, Smith, Doss, Brandon Jones, etc., they see the field.

[scrock]

[quote name='ravens rule' timestamp='1304365396' post='679951']
so next year does mason start or play on third downs/ slot type because no way do i want two receiver sets with him and boldin on passing downs that just doesn't scare defenses
[/quote]

The best player is going to play, Mason isn't as fast as he once was..well he was never very fast but he is sure handed, he catches most everything that is thrown his way.

If another WR can outplay him you bet your @$$ he will get the nod over Mason, maybe we go more 3 WR sets too..we have the depth, not to mention the young TEs we got last year...Flacco sure has a lot of weapons to use, our offense is going to be pretty decent this year...

[jazz1988]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1304369194' post='680028']
Mason wasn't productive in the play-offs though. Brandon Flowers and Ike Taylor sat on his routes in both games and he couldn't get any separation.

Forcing targets to WR to keep him happy isn't the way to go. The most talented players should get their looks, like you said. It irked me to no end watching Houshmandzadeh and Mason combine for more screens than Boldin got last season.

Mason isn't unreliable but with what he brings to the table, he shouldn't be a split end or flanker anymore.

I agree completely with you last point.
[/quote]

Mason had a bad hernia to in those two playoff game and having a bad hernia isnt no joke its very painful and can slow you down. Mason had to get surgery after the play off game so he wasnt nearly a 100 percent in both those games a alot of people are saying that Mason can only do routes that only get you 10 yards or less but thats is not true he has beating pretty good cornerbacks on vertical routes before and even had a 60 yard catch in the steelers game at their home stadium last year

[Ronthekeys]

Remember Harbaugh said he will have some input on the offense this year.. I think we will see a 3 WR set more often this year because of all the new weapons we got. If anything I know he won't allow the same thing to happen to the offense that didn't work last year for us. He was high on smith and I think Doss can start right now for us.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='jazz1988' timestamp='1304474024' post='681122']
Mason had a bad hernia to in those two playoff game and having a bad hernia isnt no joke its very painful and can slow you down. Mason had to get surgery after the play off game so he wasnt nearly a 100 percent in both those games a alot of people are saying that Mason can only do routes that only get you 10 yards or less but thats is not true he has beating pretty good cornerbacks on vertical routes before and even had a 60 yard catch in the steelers game at their home stadium last year
[/quote]

The sports hernia definitely affected him but that's the wear and tear of age. Being another year older, the chances of him getting hurt and the injury lingering aren't going to decrease.

I'm not saying Mason can't beat CBs deep occasionally but that doesn't happen very often at all. His bread and butter plays are curls, comebacks and outs and on top of that, he isn't great after the catch anymore. It's not surprising the Ravens were among the bottom of the pile in big plays from their starting WRs last season.

As for the big play against the Steelers in Week 4, that was actually a 42-yard catch.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1304526906' post='681372']
The sports hernia definitely affected him but that's the wear and tear of age. Being another year older, the chances of him getting hurt and the injury lingering aren't going to decrease.

[b]I'm not saying Mason can't beat CBs deep occasionally but that doesn't happen very often at all. His bread and butter plays are curls, comebacks and outs and on top of that, he isn't great after the catch anymore. It's not surprising the Ravens were among the bottom of the pile in big plays from their starting WRs last season. [/b]

As for the big play against the Steelers in Week 4, that was actually a 42-yard catch.
[/quote]

Yea not only did the Ravens not have Speed at the WR position last year, but we looked down right slow and old towards the end of the season. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Mason's catches go down to about 35-40 this year, with one of those young guys matching his catch total but having much more production at about 16.5 yards per catch.