Ray Lewis Needs To Come Off The Field.........on 3Rd Down

[Militant X 1]

i said earlier that Ray "may" need to sit out on 3rd downs because of his speed decline which is obvious. sure, he is slower running sideline to sideline and when a RB or TE gets behind him he may can't make up the ground as quickly but overall, Ray is still holding the Ravens down over the middle.

~Mili

[757RavensFan]

I think the OP for this topic is Dustin Keller. LOL.

[wayne]

This thread still lives and there still isn't ay glaring proof that Ray is a liability in coverage and need to be taken off the field on 3rd downs. Like I said, I guess Timmons as well as other MLB's need to be taken off on 3rd downs too seeing how he got done in by Ray Rice. I have neva seen Ray Lewis get done like that and also, its impossible for any MLB to stop a RB from doing a little hitch route and catching the ball in the middle of the field for like a 3 yard gain ( I wil give up 3 yard catches any day of the week ) but the key is to make the solid tackle and its a plus to force a drop or a FF and Ray excels at this. Any time I have anyone on my Fantasy Football team that's going to face the Ravens that's a TE or a RB, I automatically take them out of my lineup b/c the Ravens excel in making those two positions a non-factor and it starts with Ray Lewis.

If there were a way we could prove the worth of MLB's on 3rd downs, I'm almost positive Ray would rank in the Top 3-5, if not #1. Of course Ray has lost a step but if speed meant everything the FO would do nothing but draft track stars at every position almost and the Raiders would be the best team every year. With the speed Ray lost, he has gained plenty of knowledge and this was a person that was pretty knowledgable already. He's like a Payton Manning on D, certain sets and formations, he knows what to expect from them, he has seen it all. Look at CBs like Revis and Nhandi and Woodson, a position where you would think speed is a must. They are not blazers by any means but they are very aware and smart and they are the best in the business.

[edreedfromtheu]

[quote name='bmore187' timestamp='1316392546' post='797311']
Now i know its hard to envision Ray Ray not playing every snap.......but i feel like he is a huge liability in the pass coverage department. Hes good at run stopping and blitzing, but he cant cover the middle of the field. Every time a team has like a 3rd n 6 (an obvious passing down) i know the opposition is going to attack us right n the middle of the field. Hopefully we can draft our next MLB superstar next April. I will always love Ray but i think the time has come to move on after this season.
[/quote]

Ray is older. Ray is slower.

Those are about the only things your got right.

"Bottom line..." is the Ravens have failed to find a young linebacker of the future. They've tried to get late round sleepers in the draft, and they haven't panned out. So until the Ravens have a linebacker who can do even one thing better than Ray Lewis, he's going to stay on the field. They don't have one linebacker who does anything better than Ray Lewis does it right now. They might be faster, but they miss tackles. Or can't fight off a block. Or over-run the play and don't maintain their assignments.

Ray Lewis isn't only on the field because he knows what he's doing... he's on the field because he knows what EVERYONE on the defense is supposed to be doing. He makes sure everyone else on the defense is in the correct spot. And if he doesn't like the look of the offense, or recognizes a play... he can audible and move people around on the fly.

Aging sucks, but the Ravens have no better options. And to be honest, not many teams in the NFL have better options than an older Ray Lewis. The guy is still great and the Ravens will win many more games because of him than they'll ever lose because of him.

[CHRISSY G69]

Why take a legend off the field when he can read the play like a book and share what he thinks is going to happen and so they can expect something? Also Ray has done good at stop the run up the middle on draws which is a common play for 3rd and short.

[Ravensstrike4424]

[quote name='Militant X 1' timestamp='1317911345' post='817383']
i said earlier that Ray "may" need to sit out on 3rd downs because of his speed decline which is obvious. sure, he is slower running sideline to sideline and when a RB or TE gets behind him he may can't make up the ground as quickly but overall, Ray is still holding the Ravens down over the middle.

~Mili
[/quote]

nope he isnt slower

[BloodRaven]

He's been the best ILB in the league so far this year, he's looking as intense and sharp as ever, but if you look back at the last two seasons his play declines into the second half. Keeping him fresh for the post season would be the only reason to bench him on passing downs.

[Bltravens]

[quote name='BloodRaven' timestamp='1317949356' post='817816']
He's been the best ILB in the league so far this year, he's looking as intense and sharp as ever, but if you look back at the last two seasons his play declines into the second half. Keeping him fresh for the post season would be the only reason to bench him on passing downs.
[/quote]
Thats the biggest thing, his stamina will never be where it was when he was 25-30. Maybe all the cycling he did will help, but next time we pump a team like the Rams theres no real point to keep him on the field in the 4th quarter. Save those legs, he doesnt want another All Pro birth he wants a Super Bowl. Well he probably wants both actually but I assume the Super Bowl is higher on the list.

[Guest ArmyRaven52]

If you take him out it is going to get ugly, nobody on the field besides another all pro, has his vision, his awareness, heck even his presence makes a huge difference, Dustin Keller did not seem to want any part of that reception when he detected 52 was in the area. And what if on 3rd and long the run a draw a screen or what have you, ya know the plays Ray usually snuffs out.

[ravensdfan]

Lewis still makes plays. He makes guys change direction. He makes receivers think twice about making that catch in the middle (aka Dustin Keller). While he has changed his style some as he has gotten older, I don't see any significant drop off in performance to warrant taking him out on 3rd down.

[JohnnyBoy8102]

Ray's statistics in coverage this season:

136 Drop Backs, 7/12, 89 yards (54 YAC), 0 TD, 1 int, 3 PD, 46.9 QB Rating

Not "too" bad I suppose....

[Ravenslifer]

I don't what the Ravens' plans with Ray are going forward, but we definitely need to add a playmaker next to him (hopefully in next year's draft). It doesn't sound like he plans to retire after this season, and if that's the case, we have to get somebody next to him who can take at least some of the pressure off of him and maybe learn to take over his spot when (shudder) he retires.

[berad]

[quote name='JohnnyBoy8102' timestamp='1318025032' post='818367']
Ray's statistics in coverage this season:

136 Drop Backs/7/12, 89 yards (54 YAC), 0 TD, 1 int, 3 PD, 46.9 QB Rating

Not "too" bad I suppose....
[/quote]

Plus a FF

[Fred Sanford]

It's true that you don't want him covering a fast tight end or running back on a drag route and so forth, but that doesn't mean he has to ride the pine. The line calls, ability to read the game, turnover causing big hits, delayed blitzes, intimidation are all there.

Coach Pagano said the leadership alone is worth it, and the guy still makes plays. I hear what you're saying about being singled out trying to run with guys at times. It's less an issue of Ray coming off the field than being used the correct way. It's glaring on occasions, but doesn't happen too often, so he and the rest of the defense aren't letting it be a liability, really.

[BeastMode]

no... he shouldnt, why would we take one of if not our best defensive player off of the field on the biggest down. just stop

[Ravensstrike4424]

[quote name='BeastMode' timestamp='1318044155' post='818604']
no... he shouldnt, why would we take one of if not our best defensive player off of the field on the biggest down. just stop
[/quote]

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

Blitzing Ray on third down more often is another one of Pagano's good moves. I don't think he's been a weak link in coverage at all the past couple of weeks.

[MsMarvel73]

He may need to but would he want to?

I'd answer that question with a resounding NO.

[marylandmike12]

[quote name='bmore187' timestamp='1316392546' post='797311']
Now i know its hard to envision Ray Ray not playing every snap.......but i feel like he is a huge liability in the pass coverage department. Hes good at run stopping and blitzing, but he cant cover the middle of the field. Every time a team has like a 3rd n 6 (an obvious passing down) i know the opposition is going to attack us right n the middle of the field. Hopefully we can draft our next MLB superstar next April. I will always love Ray but i think the time has come to move on after this season.
[/quote]
that is so not true we do not need another mlb well if you say ray is good at blitzing chuck pagonos blitzing guts will let him havent you forgot about jarret johnson knocking hines ward and ed reed doing his thing

[marylandmike12]

[quote name='bmore187' timestamp='1316392546' post='797311']
Now i know its hard to envision Ray Ray not playing every snap.......but i feel like he is a huge liability in the pass coverage department. Hes good at run stopping and blitzing, but he cant cover the middle of the field. Every time a team has like a 3rd n 6 (an obvious passing down) i know the opposition is going to attack us right n the middle of the field. Hopefully we can draft our next MLB superstar next April. I will always love Ray but i think the time has come to move on after this season.
[/quote]
if ray lewis heard that why did he jack up dustin keller oh yah real bad coverage

[Marc2k6]

Nope Ray can stay!

[BmoreRaised]

[color=#800080]Ray can stay and you can go! he's still making big plays for us which games have you been watching?[/color]

[marylandmike12]

i think people are so afraid of lewis they will drop the ball (dustin keller)