Joe's the Answer. Flacco OR BUST

[Purple_ICE 81]

I knew someone would get hurt today. Go to Rotoworld.com and read their pre-game injury report for the Ravens and tell me today wasnt jinxed!!! "The Ravens have the healthiest team in football". BOOM! We lose our heart and soul on defense, a potenital DPOY in Ngata for most likely a few games and the other ed reed lardarius webb.

Even when we had all of them in the beginning, after losing T-Sizzle in the offseason we all knew our D just wasnt going to be the same. So all the hype blew up about the no-huddle offense and that Flacco was going to bust out. Well HERE WE GO.

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare for what should be the full circle offensive domination. Also be prepared for a 32nd ranked run defense, although I feel like our secondary still might hold up. Lets look at the facts, last year the 15-1 packers had the 32nd ranked defense and they had a top 5 pass attack therefore resulting in 15 wins. The Patriots had the 31st defense and squeaked by us to lose in the superbowl, the 13-3 Saints who had the most high powered offense also had the 30th ranked defense...FOLLOWED by the superbowl winning Giants.

Bingo, there lies the key to success a high powered ultra effective non-conservative pass heavy offense. Our offense will be our new defense "the best defense is a good offense" and it will get us wins just aslong as a certain Cam doesnt screw it up. And just look how Joe has progressed this year.

Last year through 6 games flacco completed 50 percent of his throws for 1400 yards/8TDs/5INTs. Through 6 games this year Flacco has completed 61% of his throws for 1700 yards/8TDs/4INTs. So whats that say? Flacco is getting better, and it shows in the win column. Our defense has been letting runningbacks storm our d-line all year starting with The Law Firm week 1 (95yards TD), to the 400 yards(or close to it) we have allowed in the last 2 weeks. And Flacco can still get better.

We have Rice too who had 2tds today. So if we can find that harmony of Run/Pass ratio and keep doing it consistantly...I know we will finish this year strong. Hell we are 5-1!!! We just have to suck it up and realize that YES we are going to have a crummy D this year, it sucks because I cant remember the last time our D was this bad its pretty much a first time occurance. But look at our division, I think this is the first year we shouldnt dread playing the Squeelers they look terrible so far, I think we should be able to go for the clean sweep and get home field turf for the playoffs.

So lets just pray that Webb, and Lewis make good recoveries and that Ngata and Suggs can comeback strong soon and that our Offense can carry us to the SB for once! Close games terrible, ugly, paperbag on the head victories go as a W in the win column..and that will get us to the SB which I wouldnt care if flacco threw 9 interceptions and our defense gave up 700 total yards and 50 points in the superbowl, If we found a way to get [i]51 points[/i]...it would go down as the ugliest SUPERBOWL VICTORY in the NFL.

[SecretAgentMan]

We're so injured, I think Anquan or another guy may be on his way out for a trade. Hopefully not Anquan, but we need players, but a run stuffer is a big need without Lewis, and ngata. Webb was not a huge loss, especially if Jimmy keeps up his good play.

[The Raven]

Hate to put it this way, but you're absolutely right. Our defense isn't stopping anyone, and we're going to need our offense to carry more than their share this year. The offense begins with the quarterback. Time for Joe and his offense to show us what their made of. I believe in them. I know Joe can lead us to the #1 seed. Let's see how it goes!

[Purple_ICE 81]

[quote name='Mr. Irrelevant' timestamp='1350276479' post='1190619']
We're so injured, I think Anquan or another guy may be on his way out for a trade. Hopefully not Anquan, but we need players, but a run stuffer is a big need without Lewis, and ngata. Webb was not a huge loss, especially if Jimmy keeps up his good play.
[/quote]
Not gonna happen. That would be the act of a desperate team not thinking straight. Now, if the oppirtunity comes up that a team has one on the trade block for a reasonable draft pick I could see that happening. But all of the good GMs go with the "next man up" approach. Like I said, our defense is going to be a top 5 WORST most likely. So dont be surprised to see harbagh scrape the bottom of the barrell and look for practice squaders to fill the depth chart.

[Purple_ICE 81]

And its funny you mentioned trading Boldin I forgot to mention in the post that he is reverting back to his pro-bowl self due to the emergance of 2 deep threats in Jones and Smith. He has nearly half of what he had statistically the entire 2011 season right now with 429 yards and a TD. Boldin has more yards than Torrey Smith! Obviously torrey is our number 1 receiver but Boldin is still that beast possesion guy who can rack up the yards and is poised for a breakout season with the ravens.

[Dudeman]

I know most people are ready to give up on our defense but I still think we can turn the page on these past 2 games. My reasoning is simple enough in that history is a great indicator for what the future can bring.

Right now this team is very remniscent of the '06 Colts that beat us in the play-offs. Remember that team with the WORST run D of all time to make the play-offs? Remember how at that time Peyton Manning was over-rated, but everyone feared the no huddle offense so much that they game planned to keep Peyton off the field by doing nothing but call running plays?

This is what no huddle offense does to a team defense. A couple of three and outs is all it takes to put a defense on the field one too many times and they tire, break, make a mistake, or give the other team one too many chances.

Before the season even began people were comparing Flacco to Manning, and having Manning's mentor has been a boon for Flacco. But make no mistake that right now our defense is suffering for that reason and that is also compounded by veteran depatures, scheme changes, and injuries.

So what are the Ravens to do? They gotta win on offense, hold it together on defense, and make things happen on special teams. I think by the end of the season our defense will have a return to form, similair to what happened to the '06 Colts. Remember it's not how you start the season but how you finish!

Let's go Baltimore, beat those Texans next week!

[PolishRifle]

Brady had one of the best OL in the league for a long time. He also benefited by sharing a division with the Jets, Bills and Dolphins. Our OL performed well against the Cowboys, but how about the KC game or the Browns game, not to mention that out divisional games tend to be hardfought close games (even the games against the Browns).
The Packers were LOADED on great receivers last season. Their backup QB played one game with Rodgers starting lineup and he looked like record breaking QB out there. Plus their schedule was very easy and included alot teams prone to self-destructing.

None of those offensive powerhouses won the SB last year. It was the Giants, who were good on both sides of the ball.

[ravefan52]

No more 3 and outs for this offense. We need to be more consistent. Im not saying score on every drive, but at least get some first downs and keep some rhythm going.

[redrum52]

Not for nothing but this is why I said we needed to win it last year. If you look at our health throughout the years last year was the first time the key players stayed off the injury report. In the end though sometimes things like this bring the team together. I really hope the Webb injury isn't an acl tear though I'm pretty sure it will be. Those injuries are nagging due to recovery time. I just hope nothing like this happens to any of our key cogs on offense.

[Purple_ICE 81]

[quote name='PolishRifle' timestamp='1350277595' post='1190640']
Brady had one of the best OL in the league for a long time. He also benefited by sharing a division with the Jets, Bills and Dolphins. Our OL performed well against the Cowboys, but how about the KC game or the Browns game, not to mention that out divisional games tend to be hardfought close games (even the games against the Browns).
The Packers were LOADED on great receivers last season. Their backup QB played one game with Rodgers starting lineup and he looked like record breaking QB out there. Plus their schedule was very easy and included alot teams prone to self-destructing.

None of those offensive powerhouses won the SB last year. It was the Giants, who were good on both sides of the ball.
[/quote]

Overall last year the giants were ranked 30th on defense. They heated up in the playoffs last year and near the end of the year. But how about the NFL record of comeback victories that were lead by Eili manning? Just my whole point, no matter how bad your defense is, as long as your offense makes up for it you can put W's on the board. And this is the best group of receivers our team has ever had and we have one of the best running games in the league so we should be able to bruise our way to the superbowl with Joe and Co. leading the way.

[Purple_ICE 81]

[quote name='redrum52' timestamp='1350277866' post='1190643']
Not for nothing but this is why I said we needed to win it last year. If you look at our health throughout the years last year was the first time the key players stayed off the injury report. In the end though sometimes things like this bring the team together. I really hope the Webb injury isn't an acl tear though I'm pretty sure it will be. Those injuries are nagging due to recovery time. I just hope nothing like this happens to any of our key cogs on offense.
[/quote]

Yea Webb has an ACL tear, and Lewis has a triceps tear both season enders.

[BMORElegacy]

[quote name='Purple_ICE 81' timestamp='1350276785' post='1190625']
Not gonna happen. That would be the act of a desperate team not thinking straight. Now, if the oppirtunity comes up that a team has one on the trade block for a reasonable draft pick I could see that happening. But all of the good GMs go with the "next man up" approach. Like I said, our defense is going to be a top 5 WORST most likely. So dont be surprised to see harbagh scrape the bottom of the barrell and look for practice squaders to fill the depth chart.
[/quote]Not to mention. Why would you trade a top offensive target to help a D that we all acknowledge is beyond repair. Focus on keeping the offense intact and beat them through the air.

[PDO]

Bang on.

I don't want to say that losing a guy like Webby for the year, along with potentially Lewis/Ngata for some amount of time, is a good thing.

It's not.

But.... it's a hell of a way for the torch to be passed. And it sure as hell just was. Fully. This team isn't Ray's any more. It's Joe's. He's the horse, and we're riding him the rest of the way.

And given how good I think he is... I think we're just fine.

[flynismo]

All comes down to our OL.
They need to protect Flacco, since he is the best player on our offense and our QB, and open up holes for Rice.

We'll go as far as our OL takes us.

[ThePurpleWall]

[quote name='PDO' timestamp='1350278720' post='1190653']
Bang on.

I don't want to say that losing a guy like Webby for the year, along with potentially Lewis/Ngata for some amount of time, is a good thing.

It's not.

But.... it's a hell of a way for the torch to be passed. And it sure as hell just was. Fully. This team isn't Ray's any more. It's Joe's. He's the horse, and we're riding him the rest of the way.

And given how good I think he is... I think we're just fine.


[/quote]

Good luck with telling Ray that.

[TXRaven]

If Flacco has time he can carry this team. Things may be bleek on the injury front but we are 5-1 and We Ain't Done Yet. Just have to find a way to keep winning. It does not have to be pretty. Just find a way to get the W.

[good_n_purple]

Remember when Bisciotti said he "liked the thought of Cam under pressure"? Well his wish is being fulfilled in spades. Don't get me wrong. We have a really good QB, and our skill players are the best we have had, so if we can muster some decent o-line play its up to Cam to game plan and adapt on the fly appropriately. Here's hoping! Anything's possible.

[Ravensfan23]

Things look bad right now, but over the long haul of the season and the future, it'll turn out to be a really good thing. I know it's crazy to lose your best players and think of it as a positive, but it can be.

I think the Ravens have really good young talent. Defensively, I'm not sure what it is about Pees' scheme that has taken our physicality away, but it has to be corrected right now. Its not all on Pees, this young guys have to understand that playing Raven Football is a privledge and not a right. They play as if people aren't supposed to run the ball or make any plays because we're the big bad Ravens. Well we gotta earn that and not with all the pushing and shoving after the whistle, but with hard play.

It's like these guys are playing with the attitude of...All we gotta do is catch that pass this year and we'll be in the Super Bowl. It doesn't work like that. Each season is its own road to travel and they'll never be identical.

So why do I think this can be a good thing for the Ravens? Because it should get us to lose that since of entiltement. I've heard Ray say often this year that all the yards don't matter because at the end the D stands tall. That was the Ravens defense of old, this team doesn't have any closers defensively, even the last 2 years, the Ravens struggled to get off the field when it counted.

So this guy can't take the "yards don't matter" approach, because just like yesterday, all those yards means, your offense stays off the fielld and your to worn down to stop anyone. The injuries to Ray, Ngata and Webb should make these guys realize that the opportunity that's in front of them is rare and they need to take full advantage.

From a offensive stand point. The OP is right, its squarely on their shoulder's and hope that forces Cam to lose that, let's just do enough to win mentality. We need to get creative to score early and often. There is no reason why any team should be able to stop us by playing man coverage. This offense is plenty good enough to lead the Ravens to the SB, they just gotta do it.

[1/28/01]

We need to rattle off 35+ each game from here on out. I dont care if its in the air, on the ground or if JJ runs back 3 kicks a game. Just score!!!

This is so strange and gross to watch. NOT Ravens football. At all!!!

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1350304424' post='1190821']
We need to rattle off 35+ each game from here on out. I dont care if its in the air, on the ground or if JJ runs back 3 kicks a game. Just score!!!

This is so strange and gross to watch. NOT Ravens football. At all!!!
[/quote]

31 points sounds like the magic number so far... only pats scored 30 on us with tommy and their freaking offense... so even with the very bad D we got, if we score 31 then will get the win

[BirdWatcher]

Reminds me of '97. Our offense could score at will, but our defense was so bad they'd give up 40+ points a game and couldn't get off the field to put the ball back in the hands of the offense.

[jdynamite]

It's starting to bother me how people make comparisons to Giants defense ranking lowly most of last season and playing well in playoffs. The giants defense really doesn't do anything great except get to the QB, which results in drives being stalled for FGs, FF at times , INTs do to pressure. Our defense currently generates no pressure.
Right now our defense compares more to Patriots, Saints of last year, but not for the same reasons , we have a solid secondary they cover well throughout the game ( Cary and jimmy give up a lot underneath ) but there are plenty of times they cover well downfield and the lack of pressure leads to a completion downfield. Yesterday was perfect example 3rd & 10, 4th & 10, 3rd &27, 4th & 12 there was no pressure at all, romo had all day and then tackles were missed downfield. We need better tackling overall.

Another reason that some of those teams defenses ranked so lowly was because their offense often jumped to quick double digit leads, which meant the opponents began to throw more to score and catch up, defense couldn't stop them consistently but teams playing catch-up will throw more.