The Offensive Line

[Warren2621]

anyone else think its time for Big Mac to get his job back?

before that final drive even started all i pictured was Trent Cole in flacco's [profanity deleted] and us coming up short.

4th and 2 final drive, both Osemele and Oher got worked

[SecretAgentMan]

At Rt yes. Oher has looked good

[RavensWin09]

Absolutely not. Both tackles looked great again. this is cole and babin at pass rusher we're talking here not kindle and kruger. they held up against those great pass rushers. because of 1 drive, that makes the o line terrible? the lack of no huddle didn't help them much.

[Yatagarasu]

I hope Gino learns fast and add some bulk because Birk looks like he was struggling out there.

[The Raven]

No. Oher held his own and definitely did not do terrible considering who he was going against. There is no sense at all in reshuffling our line when this line has proven it is at least competent. This line can do great things. Let them gel. Let them grow chemistry. Offensive lines aren't built in a day, or two games.

[Warren2621]

We have a rough schedule and have now dropped a game we shouldnt have. McKinnie played very well last season and his weight is down so the guy is committed. he needs to be out there. Osemele is a very good rookie, but I dont think he is so outstanding that he needs to take Oher's place and for Oher to take over for Big Mac.

Flacco looked horrible in the second half. Partly due to play calling, but dudes were in his face constantly. We needed two yards and both of our tackles got blown right by.

[Warren2621]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1347856526' post='1155745']
No. Oher held his own and definitely did not do terrible considering who he was going against. There is no sense at all in reshuffling our line when this line has proven it is at least competent. This line can do great things. Let them gel. Let them grow chemistry. Offensive lines aren't built in a day, or two games.
[/quote]

thats the thing, minus the LG spot, this group should have plenty of experience together if McKinnie was back out there

[redrum52]

Growing pains. No keep the line together. They did enough to win this game and other pieces didn't come through.

[flaccopoe]

The Ravens' 2nd half offensive woes had more to do with bad play calling/execution than with the o-line, who performed quite well against Rivera's d.

[Warren2621]

I just think McKinnie has too much talent to be riding pine.

[reediddy]

Couldn't disagree more. Making a brash decision like that after a loss causes more problems than it fixes. You might imagine that putting BM in there would solve something but it kills continuity, which is what makes an OL gel and become more comfortable communicating with one another. Keep the OL as it is, I thought they did a decent job overall especially in the run game. Our gameplan was flawed, not the OL play.

[Warren2621]

[quote name='reediddy' timestamp='1347870549' post='1155858']
Couldn't disagree more. Making a brash decision like that after a loss causes more problems than it fixes. You might imagine that putting BM in there would solve something but it kills continuity, which is what makes an OL gel and become more comfortable communicating with one another. Keep the OL as it is, I thought they did a decent job overall especially in the run game. Our gameplan was flawed, not the OL play.
[/quote]

I have no issue whatsoever with our run blocking. But when its time to move the ball in a hurry, I have no faith in our current tackle situation. Let Big Mac go back to Left, Oher to Right. They already have continuity with that lineup from last season. If the coaching staff likes Osemele that much, find a way to play him at guard. McKinnie needs to be in for pass protection, even if that means benching Oher.

Oher cannot pass block too well and we all know this. there were questions all through the off season and i remember posters dreading Oher at LT. While he has held up decently, the Bengals sacked us a few times, and today of course, Oher couldnt handle Cole when it mattered. They only rushed four at us and Flacco had no hope.

[Warren2621]

and yes, flawed gameplan per the norm around here. but point still being, we have to be able to pass when we decide to pass.

[BenMir]

I dont know. Oher's quick step really helped against Cole's burst. And we all know McKinnie's weakness is speed rushers..

[BloodRaven]

[quote name='BenMir' timestamp='1347871764' post='1155865']
I dont know. Oher's quick step really helped against Cole's burst. And we all know McKinnie's weakness is speed rushers..
[/quote]

I guess I must have just imagined Trent Coles strip sack? Now Oher is a solid player but he has days where he's beat like a drum too.

[RavensWin09]

with mckinnie out there is no sense of running the no huddle then. this is pure over reaction to great pass rushers who were getting pressure in the last couple of drives but i don't think 2 drives in a game should determine what our line should be. i have no worries with this line right now

[flynismo]

I am thrilled to say that -so far- Oher has proven me wrong. If he can play like he has been all season long, he'll be back in my good graces

[The Raven]

[quote name='Warren2621' timestamp='1347857987' post='1155771']
thats the thing, minus the LG spot, this group should have plenty of experience together if McKinnie was back out there
[/quote]

Yeah but McKinnie can't run block worth a damn, and he's old as dirt. We need to build a line for the future, and this line can be a great one by the end of the season.

[flynismo]

[quote name='BloodRaven' timestamp='1347887746' post='1156000']


I guess I must have just imagined Trent Coles strip sack? Now Oher is a solid player but he has days where he's beat like a drum too.
[/quote]

He has way too many days where he gets pummeled. Every year he has a 3 - 4 game stretch where he plays well....which is why I will remain skeptical until November or December

[silverwolf]

I'm surprised nobody has been laying any of the blame on the offensive line. I think they looked bad last week and even worse this week. The difference in time in the pocket for Flacco and Vick was ridiculous. Flacco rarely had more than 2 or 3 seconds before being forced to scramble or throw the ball away and our run game was getting stuffed, especially in the second half. The reason the offense worked well in the first game, despite the mediocre play by the O-line, is that we were running an up-tempo no huddle offense, Flacco was making quick passes to avoid pressure and the opposing defense was too winded and too out of sync to stop Rice.

I don't think there is a good solution to the O-line problems, except to hope that they get better as the season goes on. The no huddle offense seemed to work pretty well and should be used more in the future, which means McKinnie isn't the answer at LT. Harewood has only played two games at LG and may get better as the season goes on, and I don't think Bobby Williams would be any better anyway. Birk is showing his age for sure, but putting a rookie in at center will definitely not improve things. The one bright spot is Marshal Yanda at RG. Osemele has the makings of a beast RT and is playing well for a rookie. Fingers crossed that the O-line plays better in the future...

[flynismo]

[quote name='silverwolf' timestamp='1347891184' post='1156071']
I'm surprised nobody has been laying any of the blame on the offensive line. I think they looked bad last week and even worse this week. The difference in time in the pocket for Flacco and Vick was ridiculous. Flacco rarely had more than 2 or 3 seconds before being forced to scramble or throw the ball away and our run game was getting stuffed, especially in the second half. The reason the offense worked well in the first game, despite the mediocre play by the O-line, is that we were running an up-tempo no huddle offense, Flacco was making quick passes to avoid pressure and the opposing defense was too winded and too out of sync to stop Rice.

I don't think there is a good solution to the O-line problems, except to hope that they get better as the season goes on. The no huddle offense seemed to work pretty well and should be used more in the future, which means McKinnie isn't the answer at LT. Harewood has only played two games at LG and may get better as the season goes on, and I don't think Bobby Williams would be any better anyway. Birk is showing his age for sure, but putting a rookie in at center will definitely not improve things. The one bright spot is Marshal Yanda at RG. Osemele has the makings of a beast RT and is playing well for a rookie. Fingers crossed that the O-line plays better in the future...
[/quote]

I think the reasons for that are they are doing a great job opening lanes for Rice, and it is also an improvement over what we have seen over the past two years.

But the main reason is simply that despite what we may think of their performance, it was still horrid game planning and poor throws that cost us this game. And noob refs

[RavensWin09]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1347892451' post='1156108']
I think the reasons for that are they are doing a great job opening lanes for Rice, and it is also an improvement over what we have seen over the past two years.

But the main reason is simply that despite what we may think of their performance, it was still horrid game planning and poor throws that cost us this game. And noob refs
[/quote]

those refs cost us about 50 yards in penalties because they didn't know what pass interference was. only illegal contact was in their vocabulary but yet when they hold our receivers, our wr is the one called for the PI. take care of all these lockouts! Its exhausting.

[redlobster]

I feel bad, birk seems like a really great guy and probably a great locker room prescence but he is just getting man handled, the announcers even made mention of him getting worked during the game. Gradkowski better bulk up and get ready.

[BloodRaven]

We need Oher and Osemele for the future, but we also need a left tackle.

Off topic: Remember how we made Jason Brown an offer in free agency and he decided to wait until after the draft? yeah he's still waiting.

We should invite him back to retire as a Raven on say, the 5th of never.

[Guest RBates]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1347888813' post='1156018']
I am thrilled to say that -so far- Oher has proven me wrong. If he can play like he has been all season long, he'll be back in my good graces
[/quote]Finally!!!!!! I told you.........This would be the other time i was right. Sorry about rubbing it in.

[Gordo52]

Yeah our oline looked horrible out there yesterday. Oher looked solid though surprisingly. Gotta remember it's a young inexperienced group we got, and the Eagles have one of the best front 4 of pass rushers in the league.

[silverwolf]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1347892451' post='1156108']
I think the reasons for that are they are doing a great job opening lanes for Rice, and it is also an improvement over what we have seen over the past two years.

But the main reason is simply that despite what we may think of their performance, it was still horrid game planning and poor throws that cost us this game. And noob refs
[/quote]

I absolutely agree that the majority of the blame goes on the horrible play calling, poor throws by Flacco and terrible refs. I'm just surprised that I haven't seen many people talking about the lack of time Flacco had in the pocket.

[flynismo]

[quote name='RBates' timestamp='1347895973' post='1156235']
Finally!!!!!! I told you.........This would be the other time i was right. Sorry about rubbing it in.
[/quote]

I would love it if you rubbed it in every single week. That means he is playing well, and I want nothing more than to be wrong about Oher.

[Guest RBates]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1347898362' post='1156327']
I would love it if you rubbed it in every single week. That means he is playing well, and I want nothing more than to be wrong about Oher.
[/quote]He is a beast he will show you. That was the best pass rusher in the league last year (as far as sack total is concerned). Michael did a very good Job against him. But i won't rub it in anymore I'm over it.