Still Worried About The Redzone Offense

[RavensAllTheWay]

So I'm really not sure what to say about the redzone issues. I mean, we have 6'4 Ed Dickson, we have Dennis Pitta, we have a physical threat in Boldin and we still can't score TDs inside the 20, except for running the ball which only works some of the time.

I think this should be the number one, and I mean far and away, the number one criticism of Cam Cameron. Does he really not have plays designed for these threats to be involved down there? Seeing us run into a mob on third and two from inside the ten after the bomb to Torrey, and then settling for the FG after the bomb to Boldin were frustrating.

Did the lockout make it harder to get to redzone work? Did it keep us from getting these plays down before the season started? Very weird, and not good. We just don't seem to have a plan for throwing the ball inside the 20, and especially inside the 10.

[I AM LEGEND]

Didn't u hear....Joe had a Great game ...offense is fine

[RavensAllTheWay]

[quote name='I AM LEGEND' timestamp='1318810807' post='825606']
Didn't u hear....Joe had a Great game ...offense is fine
[/quote]
lol, true to an extent.

[keebl3rs]

First drive of the game and we couldn't run the ball in at like the 1 yard line.. after multiple attempts. Luckily we got not one, but two penalties against the Texans D.. then Joe punched it in.

We REALLY stink it up in the redzone.

[sflegend89]

We need to FINISH in the redzone simple as that. Someone tell Cam that 1st down is a great passing down. You gotta take your shot on 1st down, that way you have a chance at a quick TD, but also allow your offense 2 more downs to either get a 1st or score. Remember against pitt when Haloti rocked mendenhall for the fumble? We came out went PA on 1 st down, TD Ed Dickson.

We need to utilize the PA on 1st down once we get in the redzone. A lot of defenses will bite on a PA 1st down because they think our M.O. is to give rice a carry 1st down. Also let's not be afraid of letting boldin climb the ladder and make a play on a fade. Look at how the lions throw fades to Calvin everytime they get in the redzone. Boldin may not be 6'5 but his superior athleticism and physicality gives him an edge over 95% of db's.

[John Farrar]

I think you are missing the big picture.....today shouldn't have made you worried, it should have showed how the Ravens are "evolving"....

In the past, we had to count on the Defense to win ANY games and that was even true with some of this season's games. However, with Smith back in the lineup (and others soon), it gives Flacco the opportunities like he had today with 2 long passes which put us immediately into Field Goal range. So combine those additional field goal opportunities and a few touchdowns combined with the defense and you've got a solid outing against most of the schedule....

[admartian]

Joe can have as good as a game he wants, but if the playcalling in the redzone is not optimal, then it's all for naught/wasted opportunities.

We can't rely on big bombs from Joe (as cool as they are to watch) for us to score. We need to be able to capitalise while we are there to be able to really put teams away.

[counts52]

those bombs aree glorious to watch torrey is LEGIT

[1/28/01]

[quote name='RavensAllTheWay' timestamp='1318810860' post='825608']
lol, true to an extent.
[/quote]
He was kidding...he loves any QB not named Flacco

[RavensAllTheWay]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1318816570' post='825789']
He was kidding...he loves any QB not named Flacco
[/quote]
yeah i know

[1/28/01]

[quote name='RavensAllTheWay' timestamp='1318816887' post='825796']
yeah i know
[/quote]
ha, gotcha...

[UMDan]

My biggest takeaway from the game was that our redzone offense still needs work. Yes, we have new weapons and some familiar ones but we need to finish and get in the end zone. Field goals do not win games, and luckilly our defense played good enough to not make this one too close. But in closer games we will have trouble if we can't complete drives. Maybe when Lee Evans comes in things will get better, but I don't think the playcalling in the red zone is appropriate. We're way too predictable running on first/second and throwing on third. The opposing defense knows exactly what we're going to do.

[Greatness]

We need to stop trying to be fancy. Line Ray Rice up behind Leech. I mean, look at that first drive... we had Leech over the RT, etc. Just line 'em up and play smashmouth football. Oh, Play-action would be awesome as well. I mean, since we do have a running game.

[The King]

In the red zone we might be able to put it in from 5-10 yards by lining up Ray Rice in the slot and hitting him on a quick slant across the middle. Rather than waiting for him to get out of the backfield to check down make it a quick-firing play. Up on the goal line it's just a matter of getting leverage and shoving the D-line back a bit.

[Ravensstrike4424]

nope we are fine

[wayne]

[quote name='Greatness' timestamp='1318827061' post='825897']
We need to stop trying to be fancy. Line Ray Rice up behind Leech. I mean, look at that first drive... we had Leech over the RT, etc. Just line 'em up and play smashmouth football. Oh, Play-action would be awesome as well. I mean, since we do have a running game.
[/quote]

This^^^^^^! With how good are O-lineman are at run blocking having the greatest run blocking FB in the game, just simplify things when we get down there. Either do the Power O or the PA Power O where the FB hits the flats with a TE doing a post above him with the weak side TE doing a drag route across the middle. ....or do a dive or a FB dive ..... thats as simple as Cam should do it. Occasionally do a fade route with Boldin/ Dickson/ Pitta or the back shoulder pass.

[RavensAllTheWay]

[quote name='wayne' timestamp='1318840184' post='826051']

This^^^^^^! With how good are O-lineman are at run blocking having the greatest run blocking FB in the game, just simplify things when we get down there. Either do the Power O or the PA Power O where the FB hits the flats with a TE doing a post above him with the weak side TE doing a drag route across the middle. ....or do a dive or a FB dive ..... thats as simple as Cam should do it. Occasionally do a fade route with Boldin/ Dickson/ Pitta or the[b] back shoulder pass.[/b]
[/quote]
We never seem to run back shoulder throws.

[nk02442]

I dont understand why joe wont sit in the pocket and throw to an open reciever. Watch any good QB and they will find someone open. Its like if they dont run, they throw a fade toa pre determinded spot.


That is what seperates the decent from the Best.Being able to find the open man, get the ball and letting the reciver make the play. No defense can lock down every reciever and there is always someone open.

That 6 attempts at the one yard line was attrocious. Run Dickson or Pitta to the egde and let them fight for the ball. Joe needs to learn what open is and allow his recievers to make plays. Being able to put the ball in tight windows is going to be the only way to win agaisnt the top teams.

Watch what brady does with his tight ends. They have a defender on them, but they are still open. Joe needs to watch and learn. I Still havent seen much progress from him.

[1/28/01]

[quote name='nk02442' timestamp='1318864361' post='826225']
Watch what brady does with his tight ends. They have a defender on them, but they are still open. Joe needs to watch  and learn. I Still havent seen much progress from him.
[/quote]
Thats cool....but most others have seen continued progression. Its consistency that should be questioned, if anything.

[Ed_Reed20]

Has the offense run any screens or picks/rubs this season?

[nk02442]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1318864499' post='826227']
Thats cool....but most others have seen continued progression. Its consistency that should be questioned, if anything.
[/quote]

What a few more yards per year and more TD's? That is more the system then him. He still makes rookie mistakes, has bad pocket awareness, and cannot read the field for piss. Seeing wide open recievers on almost every snap and he goes back to the dump off. He is better the boller, and better then anything we had here minus Mcnair, but we will NOT with a SB with joe as the QB. Its not going to happen. He has not developed to the point where we can trust him.

Take brady out of NE or Rodgers out of GB. Do you think they would allow Joe to be their franchise QB? I dont either.

[1/28/01]

[quote name='nk02442' timestamp='1318864989' post='826237']

What a few more yards per year and more TD's? That is more the system then him. He still makes rookie mistakes, [b]has bad pocket awareness[/b], and cannot read the field for piss. Seeing wide open recievers on almost every snap and he goes back to the dump off. He is better the boller, and better then anything we had here minus Mcnair, but we will NOT with a SB with joe as the QB. Its not going to happen. He has not developed to the point where we can trust him.

Take brady out of NE or Rodgers out of GB. Do you think they would allow Joe to be their franchise QB? I dont either.
[/quote]
You lost me here (bold above).....this is the one area where he has shown MASSIVE improvement this year. But, you go ahead and continue thinking he's a "stopgap". That was just funny!!

[FerrariFan87]

I'm not that worried. The Texans have the #1 Red Zone Defense in the NFL... we're still growing as an offense. If we're still struggling in December, I'll be more worried.

[nk02442]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1318865117' post='826241']
You lost me here (bold above).....this is the one area where he has shown MASSIVE improvement this year. But, you go ahead and continue thinking he's a "stopgap". That was just funny!!
[/quote]

I guess you forgot about the fumbles and the sacks that he takes instead of getting rid of the ball. While he did make a nice dance move to avoid the sack, that shouldn't happen. If the Oline is hot holding up he needs to get his passes out quick or throw them away. Its not just the fumbles and the sacks, its the hits. He is getting banged up and is going to get injured sooner or latter holding onto the ball like he does. IF he could read the defenses, get the ball to the open reciever (there is always atleast one open most of the time), he wont get hit as much. If Joe was on any other team but the ravens , everyone here would be blasting him and putting him in the same class as Freeman and Campbell.

[1/28/01]

[quote name='nk02442' timestamp='1318865468' post='826249']

I guess you forgot about the fumbles and the sacks that he takes instead of getting rid of the ball. While he did make a nice dance move to avoid the sack,  that shouldn't happen. If the Oline is hot holding up he needs to get his passes out quick or throw them away. Its not just the fumbles and the sacks, its the hits. He is getting banged up and is going to get injured sooner or latter holding onto the ball like he does. IF he could read the defenses, get the ball to the open reciever (there is always atleast one open most of the time), he wont get hit as much. If Joe was on any other team but the ravens , everyone here would be blasting him and putting him in the same class as Freeman and Campbell.
[/quote]
I like how you speak for the masses and also answer your own questions. In addition, this was brilliant - "there is always atleast one open most of the time".

[RavensAllTheWay]

[quote name='nk02442' timestamp='1318865468' post='826249']

I guess you forgot about the fumbles and the sacks that he takes instead of getting rid of the ball. While he did make a nice dance move to avoid the sack, that shouldn't happen. If the Oline is hot holding up he needs to get his passes out quick or throw them away. Its not just the fumbles and the sacks, its the hits. He is getting banged up and is going to get injured sooner or latter holding onto the ball like he does. IF he could read the defenses, get the ball to the open reciever (there is always atleast one open most of the time), he wont get hit as much. If Joe was on any other team but the ravens , everyone here would be blasting him and putting him in the same class as Freeman and Campbell.
[/quote]
Wait a minute. Are you saying HE took those sacks yesterday? I'm sorry, but from my point of view (biased or not), I hardly agree with any of your criticisms of the guy. I know when I see Joe play poorly, and yesterday was not one of those games.

He has shown much better pocket awareness this season. And he hardly had any time to throw, and took all those hits on the 97 yard opening drive while going 7 for 8 and marching us down the field. That shows us toughness, which I would be hard pressed to ever question out of Joe. It also shows us what he CAN do, and WILL do in the future. I would agree with 1/28/01 in saying that consistency is the missing piece.

And secondly, how in hell can you be upset with throwing for more yards and more TDs with less INTs every year? How can that possibly be a bad thing, or not a good thing? He's in his fourth year. I'm sorry, but QBs just are not done after four years. Look at Alex Smith in SF.

[berad]

Haha Flacco's lucky he got some of those passes out, as is. Yesterday, I distinctly remember Barwin flying off the edge (unblocked) to hit the QB but Flacco getting the ball out of his hands to a receiver.

[SideStep77]

That first touchdown we scored was just ugly in my opinion. We got so lucky for those penalties so that tall Joe could just lean over and get it. We really should have been held to a field goal. And what was the deal bringing Ngata in but not running to the side where he was blocking? I don't know I was really not impressed yesterday.

[keebl3rs]

I'm still waiting for them to implement the "Suggs Package". You want TD's in the red zone? Sizzle.

[CalvinSmoke]

As soon as we get Ed Dickson more involved he will own the endzone, he can't be guarded.