Ray Rice

[Suggs Package]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1305564646' post='687014']
This topic concerns Rice and his decline but I also factored in the line's issues in pass pro as Free Agent brought up Ben.

I noticed opposing teams started overloading Grubbs' and Oher's side relatively early in the season. The only reason I can think of why Cam didn't run to the right more is because hes didn't trust Chester to consistently make good blocks.
[/quote]

Good point. I probably wouldn't trust Chester either at least at Guard, although I think he can be a decent Center. I think having Grubbs pull to the right may have alleviated some of those problems though.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='Suggs Package' timestamp='1305567455' post='687037']
Good point. I probably wouldn't trust Chester either at least at Guard, although I think he can be a decent Center. I think having Grubbs pull to the right may have alleviated some of those problems though.
[/quote]

True. How often can you run a counter though, especially against good defenses? This isn't aimed at you but people seemingly forget defenses make plays too. The dives and slams for little yardage irked me too but they were the safest plays Cam could call, especially when it became clear Chester was such a liability.

[darklight1216]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1305563319' post='687004']
It's isn't hard to figure out. Gaither's injury had a ripple effect on the line. Oher played LT, a position he obviously isn't as strong at. The same could be applied to Yanda at RT. Birk was hurt most of the season. And Chester showed why he isn't starting material on a weekly basis.

As for Pittsburgh, Mendenhall actually averaged .1 less than Rice so he wasn't more efficient pounding the rock.

[b]Ben was sacked less than Joe but you have to wonder how many sacks he eluded on his own.[/b]
[/quote]
He's a better quarterback in adddition to being more mobile. Missing a quarter of the season probably helped too.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='darklight1216' timestamp='1305568148' post='687041']
He's a better quarterback in adddition to being more mobile. Missing a quarter of the season probably helped too.
[/quote]

Agreed with your first point. I had actually forgotten he missed games.

[Rav'n Maniac]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1305564646' post='687014']
This topic concerns Rice and his decline but I also factored in the line's issues in pass pro as Free Agent brought up Ben.

[b]I noticed opposing teams started overloading Grubbs' and Oher's side relatively early in the season. The only reason I can think of why Cam didn't run to the right more is because hes didn't trust Chester to consistently make good blocks.[/b]
[/quote]
Agreed. I also felt Birk hurt us to some extent. Whether it be due to injury, simply just age or a combination of both. Even with the jumbo packages we were unable to consistently get anything going on the right side.

[nk02442]

[quote name='Free Agent' timestamp='1305543225' post='686933']
I just couldn't understand how the Ravens offensive line struggled so badly with just the loss of Jared Gaither, and the Steelers offensive line was plagued with injuries yet Mendenhall and Roethlisberger barely had any problems in the running game and the passing game.
[/quote]


Mendenhall had the same yardage as rice, and les YPC. The only thing he beat him in is TD. If WM didnt siphon off of rays touches, he would have had 15 TD this year and prob been OPOTY.

TO have a horrible offensive line and still put up 1250 yards rushing and 650 recieving and 6 TD is simply amazing.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='Rav'n Maniac' timestamp='1305568724' post='687049']
Agreed. I also felt Birk hurt us to some extent. Whether it be due to injury, simply just age or a combination of both. Even with the jumbo packages we were unable to consistently get anything going on the right side.
[/quote]

Age hurt Birk but I really think his knee was a bigger factor. I forget when it was published but a Sun article discussed Birk's injury in detail and how he needed to have it drained once a week. Obviously, you're not going to be moving NTs or DTs much with a bum knee.

[Suggs Package]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1305568074' post='687040']
True. How often can you run a counter though, especially against good defenses? This isn't aimed at you but people seemingly forget defenses make plays too. The dives and slams for little yardage irked me too but they were the safest plays Cam could call, especially when it became clear Chester was such a liability.
[/quote]

Personally I wouldn't want us to go counter-crazy either as they are high risk/reward type plays, but just enough to keep the defense from keying in on dive plays. This is in an ideal world, but Chester is more athletic than strong, so you want him to be moving around more than trying to contain a DT.

More than anything though, Rice just needed some space. I'm no offensive coordinator, but I would've tried a lot more things like running outta 4 and 5 WR sets more. To me, everything was bunched, and our running game seemed geared towards a power back and not Ray Rice.

[757RavensFan]

You also have to factor in the defensive adjustments and game planning D Coordinators put in place for Ray Rice. Whenever a RB puts up 2000 offensive yards you better believe it will get the attention of D coordinators.

[Free Agent]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1305563319' post='687004']
It's isn't hard to figure out. Gaither's injury had a ripple effect on the line. Oher played LT, a position he obviously isn't as strong at. The same could be applied to Yanda at RT. Birk was hurt most of the season. And Chester showed why he isn't starting material on a weekly basis.

As for Pittsburgh, Mendenhall actually averaged .1 less than Rice so he wasn't more efficient pounding the rock.

Ben was sacked less than Joe but you have to wonder how many sacks he eluded on his own.
[/quote]

Gaither's injury wasn't all that damaging on the line. Oher and Yanda were solid at worst at OT, Birk was hurt but still played, and Chester struggled but wasn't awful. The Steelers lost several starters on their offensive line, not just one, and still had better pass protection than the Ravens. And the fact that their line was almost as good as, if not as good as, ours in the run blocking department is also disappointing.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='Free Agent' timestamp='1305593381' post='687267']
Gaither's injury wasn't all that damaging on the line. Oher and Yanda were solid at worst at OT, Birk was hurt but still played, and Chester struggled but wasn't awful. The Steelers lost several starters on their offensive line, not just one, and still had better pass protection than the Ravens. And the fact that their line was almost as good as, if not as good as, ours in the run blocking department is also disappointing.
[/quote]

Gaither's injury was damaging. Had he not got hurt, do you think the coaches would have felt the need to start Cousins or Moll even once?

Oher had no real issues in run blocking but he struggled mightily in pass protection. Forget sacks allowed, opposing pass rushers frequently beat him for hurries as well.

Yanda had his leaky moments as well.

Obviously Birk played but can you say he excelled as a run blocker? Other than a few situations and most of the Saints game, do you remember Rice or any of the backs running through holes up the middle?

Chester [i]was[/i] awful. I've never noticed an o-lineman either on his butt or giving ground to a pass rusher as much I saw it happen to him last season.

Like people have discussed, Ben was able to avoid numerous sacks because he's a better QB and more difficult to bring down.

[Free Agent]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1305599426' post='687308']
Gaither's injury was damaging. Had he not got hurt, do you think the coaches would have felt the need to start Cousins or Moll even once?

Oher had no real issues in run blocking but he struggled mightily in pass protection. Forget sacks allowed, opposing pass rushers frequently beat him for hurries as well.

Yanda had his leaky moments as well.

Obviously Birk played but can you say he excelled as a run blocker? Other than a few situations and most of the Saints game, do you remember Rice or any of the backs running through holes up the middle?

Chester [i]was[/i] awful. I've never noticed an o-lineman either on his butt or giving ground to a pass rusher as much I saw it happen to him last season.

Like people have discussed, Ben was able to avoid numerous sacks because he's a better QB and more difficult to bring down.
[/quote]

If the line was as bad as you say it was last season, then things won't be much better this year. Oher will still be at LT, Birk will still be at C, and instead of Gaither or Moll/Cousins at RT, we will likely have rookie Jah Reid. The only good news is that Yanda will be able to move back to guard.

I don't think that the Ravens line was all that bad last year, but it was disappointing that the Steelers had more success with a worse offensive line.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='Free Agent' timestamp='1305640783' post='687420']
If the line was as bad as you say it was last season, then things won't be much better this year. Oher will still be at LT, Birk will still be at C, and instead of Gaither or Moll/Cousins at RT, we will likely have rookie Jah Reid. The only good news is that Yanda will be able to move back to guard.

I don't think that the Ravens line was all that bad last year, but it was disappointing that the Steelers had more success with a worse offensive line.
[/quote]

There's no reason Oher can't improve at LT.

Birk will be another year older but if he's flanked by Grubbs and Yanda, his decline may not be as noticeable. We just have to hope he doesn't break down. Hopefully, a veteran or UDFA center is signed.

If Reid starts, there will undoubtedly be growing pains but the Ravens have historically had success drafting o-lineman and Ozzie and company must have seen a lot they liked to be as excited about him as they've admitted.

You don't have to agree that the Ravens' o-line was that bad last season but the team YPC being what it was and Joe routinely getting pressured speaks for itself.

Again, a really good QB can offset problems along the o-line to an extent. Ben obviously can do that better than Joe. In terms of running the football, even with their injuries, I don't see why it's so surprising Pittsburgh's interior lineman, especially with the presence of Pouncey probably outperformed their Ravens counterparts.

[63bru]

I think the o-line will be significantly better this year in general. Evidently Grubbs and Birk were injured, Yanda was out of position, and Oher was getting acclimated to the blindside. That's kind of the perfect storm of issues there. I'm very concerned with Birk's decline, and I wouldn't be surprised if Chester takes his place during the year. Regardless, the o-line will be better. Hopefully Ray Rice will know what to do with open holes, since he hasn't really run with open holes in over a year.

[scrock]

No problem with Ray Rice, he made yards out of nothing, he gained positive yards out of negative plays, the O-line was not any good at getting any push off the ball, no holes to run through....that may be partly because they leaned more towards passing and they emphasized pass protection more in camp, idk.

I think this year will be different, I think the run game will be back because we have more explosion as a whole on offense with Torrey Smith able to open up the defenses...less people to black when Joe drops back and more lanes for Ray Rice to run though...