58 replies to this topic

[funky141]

Raven's nations is going through a crisis and many want to jump ship. Relax, you have your franchise QB and you build around him. The offense is the future with Rice, Smith, Pitta and the key guy Flacco.
I went through it with the Peyton years, it is what it is.

The Ravens are now a OFFENSIVE team...

[CalvinSmoke]

It's so crazy to imagine but yessir. I think your right.

[dhstandard]

If you are going to overpay anybody (which Flacco isn't) you overpay the Franchise quarterback. I love how people bash the Flacco deal while their teams spend 8 million per season for a 2nd string player.

Our offense hasn't really gotten much worse. Our O-line should be better and all were missing is a LT. Our defense needed to start over. Even if we signed everybody back we would just be paying extra money for the 17th ranked defense.

I'm just more upset that we have to let guys go but it was necessary. Killed me to see that Boldin (who doesn't bs) was upset about being traded.

Edited by dhstandard, 14 March 2013 - 07:08 PM.

[Yatagarasu]

But you don't overpay the Mark Sanchezes, the Matt Cassels, or the Ryan Fitzpatricks.

At least Flacco delivered us a championship. So we know how big Flacco's potential, which is a Hall of Fame multiple Super Bowl winning QB. But, we also know what his floor, which is a Super Bowl MVP.

[Yatagarasu]

I say we invest in a LT or more protection, while getting Flacco more toys to work around with.

Also a solid defense won't hurt either.

Good thing our special team is set up for next year.

[wademan2636]

it's time for flacco to start playing like a superstar. if he doesn't, he's a waste of every dollar we paid him. in order for us to win games, he has to have a career year.

[funky141]

A left tackle is out there and I'm willing to bet Ozzie will draft heavy on the defensive side.

[Free Agent]

Kinda strange that we traded away Boldin, in that case. Still, if we can add a WR in first few round of the draft who can start for us, I could definitely get behind an offensive identity.

[K-Dog]

Old Ravens = " You cant score on us. We get a score we win. "

New Ravens = " You cant out score us "

[PolishRifle]

This thread will end really well. But I do agree.

Edited by PolishRifle, 14 March 2013 - 07:34 PM.

[melvinmelon123]

Kinda strange that we traded away Boldin, in that case. Still, if we can add a WR in first few round of the draft who can start for us, I could definitely get behind an offensive identity.

We are getting younger, and it could be that Caldwell doesn't feel Boldin is the correct type of player for our offense going forward. We may be looking for more speed.

[Free Agent]

We are getting younger, and it could be that Caldwell doesn't feel Boldin is the correct type of player for our offense going forward. We may be looking for more speed.

I really don't think that was the case. Surehanded, physical WRs are always the correct type of player for any offense, there aren't enough of them.

The trade was because of Boldin's $6 million salary, which I personally think he was worth.

[Yatagarasu]

Old Ravens = " You cant score on us. We get a score we win. "

New Ravens = " You cant out score us "

New Ravens: Don't let us hang around in the 4th quarter.

I say we weren't the best team last year, but we were the most clutch team since we clawed and fought ourselves out of holes to win last minute.

[GrimCoconut]

I agree with you and yet also very much disagree with you.

You say "build around Flacco" and I answer with a resounding "YES". We are no longer the defensive team as we were, but what we have now is different. We are building this team with one idea: around Joe. That permeates throughout the entire team, even the defense.

We are still a defensive team, though. It sounds nice to make a definitive statement that we are not about defense, but we are. What we are doing is changing with the offense to complement it not counter it. We are getting faster on defense to combat the offense's no-huddle, quick-paced speed. To have older, and also slower players who don't have the speed or endurance to keep up with the offense would be a detriment and not a benefit going forward.

That is why I believe we are making these moves: to make our defense complement our offense, not making our weaknesses more obvious. That was the problem, I feel, this year. We lacked the speed on defense to match the speed on offense. I think we are moving in that direction now.

[Ravenslifer]

We've been building around Flacco for several years now, just hasn't totally worked out. In 2009 we thought we were drafting his blindside protector for the next decade, and at this point it looks like that's not the case. In 2010 we traded to finally get him a top weapon in Q, plus we thought we were getting bargains in Housh and Donte, and unfortunately all three were badly misused in Cam's offense (plus Donte was injured the entire season) and probably never amounted to what they could have been had they been running routes that played to their strengths. That year we also brought in Ed and Dennis. 2011 we brought in Torrey, and this past year we brought in Jacoby. The biggest things that became clear this season is that we need a long term solution at left tackle in addition to the fact that this offense works best in the style that Jim is going to install to a greater degree next year.

[funky141]

I agree with you and yet also very much disagree with you.

You say "build around Flacco" and I answer with a resounding "YES". We are no longer the defensive team as we were, but what we have now is different. We are building this team with one idea: around Joe. That permeates throughout the entire team, even the defense.

We are still a defensive team, though. It sounds nice to make a definitive statement that we are not about defense, but we are. What we are doing is changing with the offense to complement it not counter it. We are getting faster on defense to combat the offense's no-huddle, quick-paced speed. To have older, and also slower players who don't have the speed or endurance to keep up with the offense would be a detriment and not a benefit going forward.

That is why I believe we are making these moves: to make our defense complement our offense, not making our weaknesses more obvious. That was the problem, I feel, this year. We lacked the speed on defense to match the speed on offense. I think we are moving in that direction now.

You just wrote about the Indy defense when Peyton was there to a T. Build the defense to fit the offense(Flacco). Let Flacco put points on the board then let the defense fly to the ball. Caldwell was there when Manning would get a lead then let a younger Freeney and Gary Brackett rush to the QB. Its all the same, build the team to fit Flacco. Your not paying him all that money to run the football.

[mgridda]

Flacco is a very confident guy. He has a quiet, "no-brainer" type of confidence. I bet he feels like if the Ravens would have just given him control of the offense he would have exploded a long time ago. And I bet he feels like he doesn't need Anquan to be elite. I think he also gets to prove that.

I bet a big smile spreads across his face when he thinks about Matt Ryan with Roddy White and Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez and how he'll play even better with just Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss and Pitta or something. I do believe we need to keep him upright though. LT is a huge need. Hopefully we fill it through FA, or trade up.

Flacco believes in himself. I just hope they start going to work from now and he links up with Reed/LaQuan/Streeter/Smith/Doss in the off-season. Peyton Manning did that quite a bit. Working off the clock w/ your receivers to build rapport.

[Greatness]

it's time for flacco to start playing like a superstar. if he doesn't, he's a waste of every dollar we paid him. in order for us to win games, he has to have a career year.

This is a joke, right? Right?!

[wademan2636]

This is a joke, right? Right?!

he hasn't had a great regular season yet. and now, he doesnt have boldin, who was a big part of why flacco was so good in the postseason. and with the defensive overhaul, the whole team rests on his shoulders right now. 22 tds and a 59% completion percentage gets you nowhere if you dont have a good defense. flacco has yet to have a monster regular season, and now that he has this contract, its about time for him to throw 30 tds and finally have his first 4000 yard season.

a 4 game postseason run was nice and everything, but we wont even make it back there if he doesnt step it up in the regular season.

Edited by wademan2636, 14 March 2013 - 09:48 PM.

[berad]

he hasn't had a great regular season yet. and now, he doesnt have boldin, who was a big part of why flacco was so good in the postseason. and with the defensive overhaul, the whole team rests on his shoulders right now. 22 tds and a 59% completion percentage gets you nowhere if you dont have a good defense. flacco has yet to have a monster regular season, and now that he has this contract, its about time for him to throw 30 tds and finally have his first 4000 yard season.

a 4 game postseason run was nice and everything, but we wont even make it back there if he doesnt step it up in the regular season.

We didn't exactly have a good D this season. I agree Flacco and the offense need to step up, especially with the D in flux, but we won games with an average defensive unit last year.