31 replies to this topic

[Purple_ICE 81]

Harbaugh just had a presser talking about keeping our heads toward the furture and not to "dwell on the past". This is in some aspects a good state of mind to have, but I still can not understand some of his other points he addressed.

He mentioned "what did we play 2 or 3 teams who are fighting for there chance to get into the playoffs?" something along those lines then he talks about having "hope" that things will work out for the better.

Yes John, we did play 3 teams fighting for their right to get into the playoffs but WE LOST ALL 3. This isnt fantasy football where you can just plug players into a lineup and "hope" that they do good. You have to coach them and guide them towards playing good, and give them a sense of urgency. Of coarse the players have to do their part though.

Harbaugh didnt mention any of his plans or motives going into a huge game against the Giants, he just said we should have hope that the team will do good and not to look back at te last 3 games we lost, and who the hell wants to look back at those ugly losses anyway I think its a no brainer that us fans want to move on and win next week. And Harbuagh speaks of hope but he said we just lost to 3 playoff contenders in a row how are we going to win against the playoff contending Giants then????

Harbaugh didnt sound very convincing and sounded quite feebel minded IMO. If it was me I would be honest and pull a Bellicheck and say that we played like crap plain and simple...Here's what we are going to do to win next week..... With his always feeble attitude and pourous clock managment issues I question him as a head coach at times...wouldnt go as far as saying he needs to fired but it gets annoying that he never downplays a loss he always has nothing but good things to say.

Personally I really didnt care much about the Broncos game, I knew we were going to get beat, expected a blowout and we atleast held them to under 40pts. I knew that with a pitt loss we would clinch the playoffs thats why we as fans should have been a little less concerned, or atleast that was just my own point of view. But next week will tell a lot if we lose next week...Im not sure there is much else to look forward to this year.

Edited by Purple_ICE 81, 18 December 2012 - 12:58 AM.

[theFRANCHISE]

The thing is, coachspeak is something every coach does in press conferences. There's very little content to be gained from pressers, so take everything with a grain of salt.

That said, I'm honestly not that worried. Though my optimism is in short supply, bear in mind that this same book is written with a few playoff teams every year: regular season struggles lead to postseason concerns. However, the same cliche is spewed annually: the playoffs are a different beast entirely.

We assume that past performances indicate future success, but the future is impossible to predict. We can prognisticate all we want but this team has shown us that they can turn it up a notch in the postseason -- just look at how they killed the Patriots in New England.

[BloodRaven]

I don't care one way or another when it comes to coach speak. He just needs to make adjustments when something isn't working.

Edited by BloodRaven, 18 December 2012 - 01:41 AM.

[Ravensfan23]

He is not Belichek, so why try to be. If he tried to be like Bill he would come off even phonier then some of the people here think he is and that's the quickest way to lose your team.

I heard a coach that owned his teams poor performance. What exactly did you want from him, a presser that talked about how bad things have been and how his team will unleash Hell? You wanted him to give a full description of what the team will do this week to prepare for the Giants?

There is still hope for the season, so why wouldn't he give that message. Even though it didn't happen the way they wanted, the team just clinched a playoff berth, you're one win a home away from Clinching the divison and securing a home playoff game, 3 of the 4 season goal they set are still within reach.

If this team was undefeated, Harbs wouldn't be talking about how great they are, he continue to say that there are things they can improve on. So why should he talk about all the negative things can't now. I think he said it best when he said they are a 9-5 team, because thats what the record says.

[T3hRaven]

I have no time for Harbaugh or his blathering. Whatever nonsense he's spewing in press conferences these days is of little value.

[Ravensfan23]

The thing is, coachspeak is something every coach does in press conferences. There's very little content to be gained from pressers, so take everything with a grain of salt.

That said, I'm honestly not that worried. Though my optimism is in short supply, bear in mind that this same book is written with a few playoff teams every year: regular season struggles lead to postseason concerns. However, the same cliche is spewed annually: the playoffs are a different beast entirely.

We assume that past performances indicate future success, but the future is impossible to predict. We can prognisticate all we want but this team has shown us that they can turn it up a notch in the postseason -- just look at how they killed the Patriots in New England.

Exactly. The frustrating thing about the Ravens is that they are a really good team and the play just isn't showing that right now. Pit and Was could have easily been wins. With all things being equal, but Tucker doesn't miss a kick in Pit and Cousins gets stopped on the 2 point conversion, the Ravens 11-3 right now. Does that give the Ravens any better chance of having success in the playoffs? No.

Hell the Packers went into the playoffs as the best team in the NFL last year and got bounced by the team that backed into the playoffs. When does a team need to be playing well to ensure playoff success? My answer is whenever they take the field in the playoffs.

People always wanna talk about a team catching fire at the right time or peaking too soon. That means nothing. If the Ravens come out and blow away the Giants and then have another impressive win on the road against the Bengals, with some injured players coming back, somebody will say, the Ravens are peaking at the right time. However if they turn around and lay an egg first game of the playoffs, what did it mean?

Then by the same token, the Ravens could beat a young Indy team in the WC round. Then probably go onto to the Texans team who will probably have homefield locked up next week and will rest starters in week 17. With a 1st round bye, that's a 2 week lay off, if the Texans come out sluggish and Ravens jump on them early, the Ravens will probably win because the Texans aren't a good come from behind team. Now the Ravens are right back in the AFC Championship Game, who's giving a second thought to how they finished the season at this point?

[RavensAllTheWay]

I have no time for Harbaugh or his blathering. Whatever nonsense he's spewing in press conferences these days is of little value.

Hasn't it always been that way?

[flynismo]

I don't care one way or another when it comes to coach speak. He just needs to make adjustments when something isn't working.

You mean like firing the OC?

[BloodRaven]

You mean like firing the OC?

Exactly, but he should have been fired 2 years ago.

[flynismo]

Exactly, but he should have been fired 2 years ago.

Very true. Better late than never though

[SecretAgentMan]

I like, Harbs, but an in your face coach mentality suits the team better, Marine Drill Sergant kinda coach. Agressive. Harbs at time isn't aggressive.

[BloodRaven]

Very true. Better late than never though

Yeah at least it's something. But thats still his biggest flaw, he's loyal to his guys to the point where it can backfire and hurt the team.

[Ragin'Raven]

He's never going to be as outwardly fiery as his brother or as outspoken as some of his coaching mentors when he talks to the media, but I think behind the scenes, he's still both of those things. I see him as a mini Tony Dungy, but with a tad more passion on the sidelines.

[Militant X 1]

typical coach speak. i was almost able to say everything he was going to say.

~Mili

[CapoRocky]

I have no time for Harbaugh or his blathering. Whatever nonsense he's spewing in press conferences these days is of little value.

He might be the one on the *list if we don't win the division and/or get 1 and doned in the playoffs.

Edited by CapoRocky, 18 December 2012 - 10:35 AM.

[Twistidfunk]

I think he might be delusional. I know it is all coach speak but don't play us like we are stupid.

Truth is this is NOT a good football team. The offense has not improved at all. The defense has regressed to one of the poorest in the league. Even though we are still decent in the red zone we can not finish games. Even when we were healthy we were not a dominant defense. Teams exploit the middle of the field and our linebackers. We have not shut down any running game.

We managed to win some close games and kudos for them getting it done but the problems we have been complaining about are still there. The record just gave the team something to hide behind.

Well, they can no longer do that. This is week 16. There is no more time to "improve", "get better every week", "have better communication".

It is all the same crap we have been pointing out all season. TIme to own it Ravens. We all heard Ed Reed after the game. He owned it. Time for the coach to own it!

[The Prestige]

Hope is based on things unseen.

Before Sunday, I'd hoped I'd never see a Ravens team have seven three-and-outs in a game.

The common thread among the best offenses in the NFL is that they never throw with 2 or fewer fast players on the field. The Ravens do this at least 70% of the time. I love Pitta, Boldin and especially Leach. However, on passing downs with a RB in the backfield, only one of them should be out there. You don't see the Packers, Patriots, 49ers, Saints, or Cowboys keeping their speed on the bench unless they are getting great blocking along the O-line and/or they are executing a designed play.

[nextgen_RavensFan]

You take anything Harbaugh says as a coach with a grain of salt. He is a politician in the NFL. He states of issues and endeavors that by luck he may achieve. Everyone in the NFL knows we are the luckiest team in the league this season where we should be less then 500 but we caught every break and our defense, special teams and Tucker have carried us through. Joe has been a coach riding on the defense and this year the defense is not able to carry the team so Joe needed to step up and he has not. I never listen to his talks as you know it is just crap to appease the fans. Wonder what he would do if we stopped supporting his less then stellar leadership.

Even though we are stuck with him and Flacco for some reason there is always a bright side and it finally will be shown to us just how average they are. This year the defense was not strong and He and Joe needed to carry the team and i know some users here say Joe does not have a lot of tools but in reality he does. It has been up to Flacco to win now and we will see just how far he can carry us. He might want to send Big Ben a Thank you card or something because he did not win his way into the Play offs. And now that Torrey is on the sideline hopefully not long we will get to see Joe at his best.

The numbers will probably look like this
Passer Rating around 40 to 45 %
2 turnovers per game
1 TD per game
3rd down conversions 30%

Now that is something to look forward to huh

[AsianRice]

Exactly. The frustrating thing about the Ravens is that they are a really good team and the play just isn't showing that right now. Pit and Was could have easily been wins. With all things being equal, but Tucker doesn't miss a kick in Pit and Cousins gets stopped on the 2 point conversion, the Ravens 11-3 right now. Does that give the Ravens any better chance of having success in the playoffs? No.

Hell the Packers went into the playoffs as the best team in the NFL last year and got bounced by the team that backed into the playoffs. When does a team need to be playing well to ensure playoff success? My answer is whenever they take the field in the playoffs.

People always wanna talk about a team catching fire at the right time or peaking too soon. That means nothing. If the Ravens come out and blow away the Giants and then have another impressive win on the road against the Bengals, with some injured players coming back, somebody will say, the Ravens are peaking at the right time. However if they turn around and lay an egg first game of the playoffs, what did it mean?

Then by the same token, the Ravens could beat a young Indy team in the WC round. Then probably go onto to the Texans team who will probably have homefield locked up next week and will rest starters in week 17. With a 1st round bye, that's a 2 week lay off, if the Texans come out sluggish and Ravens jump on them early, the Ravens will probably win because the Texans aren't a good come from behind team. Now the Ravens are right back in the AFC Championship Game, who's giving a second thought to how they finished the season at this point?

Yep, media and fans only remember who is the ultimate winner in the end, so I hope our team wil bouce back and play with fire......

[Ravens<3]

If we can't beat 3 teams fighting for the playoffs, while we're in the position to clinch our division and be able to rest a banged up team down the strech, how do we expect to win a playoff game?