You build around Flacco & New Team Identity

[cwfRaven]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1363308717' post='1397296']
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.
[/quote]

Well said.

[TonyTone1192]

[quote name='funky141' timestamp='1363305774' post='1397179']
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...
[/quote]

I wouldn't jump so far to say OFFENSIVE. The Saints are Offensive, but I think Oz wants us to become a more balanced team.
We won't be known as a defensive team anymore.

[SecretAgentMan]

Yes, we have an offense where if Joe Flacco gets going, and if Streeter/Doss/Tomphson develop and we draft a WR (Tavon Austin), it could be unstoppable. Even without Boldin

[flynismo]

[quote name='wademan2636' timestamp='1363319887' post='1397759']
its not stats. flacco only started playing like a superstar when the playoffs started. he was good during the season,[b] but if we didnt win the super bowl, he wouldn't have gotten that big a contract, due to his regular season play. the only reason he got that huge contract was because we won the superbowl.[/b] he is not as good as peyton manning, tom brady, drew brees, or aaron rodgers. however, he is getting paid more than those guys. its about time he starts playing like them, or he's not worth this kind of money. if he doesn't, super bowl or not, he's not worth the money we paid for him.
[/quote]

Interesting, since reportedly, we offered $17M/year BEFORE the season and Joe turned that down. It seems the FO disagrees with your view of Flacco

[beanfigger]

[quote name='ravens_4life' timestamp='1363320227' post='1397767']
this whole thing sucks. we lost a lot of players and i dont understand why. its going to be preseason football all year. i seriously doubt we make the playoffs next year.
[/quote]

I think that is a big overreaction for the second week of March. Starting with our defensive losses: Losing Ray Lewis cannot be overstated in terms of its impact, but what can you do? Guys can't play forever, and his body was starting to break down a little with the injuries that last couple seasons. He wasn't the force he once was on the field production-wise, but we will lose his leadership. All that stuff goes for Reed, as well, even though he still has a little more left in the tank (and he hasn't officially left, yet). As for Pollard, he made some big plays, yes, but he wasn't a great cover guy, and we had to hide his ineffectiveness in the pass-game a lot. His production wasn't worth the headaches he gave his coaches off the field, and Ihedigbo can give us near his production without any of those issues. The other free agents we lost on defense (Kruger, Ellerbe and Williams) deserved to cash in on their respective career seasons, but I'm glad we weren't the ones overpaying them. None of those guys were rookie or second-year guys, and they gave us very little impact before this season. They were all very viable injury replacements, and injured players (Suggs, McClain, Webb) should be coming back full strength next season. We helped ourselves up front with the Canty signing, and we still have time in free agency, not to mention the draft, to add depth in the middle of the defense.

As for the offense: I don't love the Boldin trade, and I wonder if the front office had it to do over again they would do things differently here considering that we found out Ellerbe's price tag ended up being way too high to justify. However, it doesn't kill us. We still have solid outside guys in Smith and J. Jones, along with a decent stable of young receivers looking to prove themselves, not to mention our quality TEs are still going to be around, most likely, because of their tenders. We already had a replacement lined up for Birk in Gradkowski. Our biggest need is at left tackle, but that is nothing new for us. If we fill that spot and get some more depth along the whole line, that side of the ball should be more than ok. We should be a top-10 offense next year under Caldwell. Don't follow the other doomsday naysayers off the bridge just yet.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='wademan2636' timestamp='1363319887' post='1397759']
its not stats. flacco only started playing like a superstar when the playoffs started.
[/quote]

And I'm perfectly fine with that.

As long as the team is good enough to make the playoffs and Flacco works his magic in the postseason, that's all that matters. Regular season performances are overrated if you miss the playoffs. Flacco could lead the league in INTs in the regular season but none of that would matter if he's lights-out in the postseason and keeps winning.

[beanfigger]

[quote name='wademan2636' timestamp='1363319887' post='1397759']
its not stats. flacco only started playing like a superstar when the playoffs started. he was good during the season, but if we didnt win the super bowl, he wouldn't have gotten that big a contract, due to his regular season play. the only reason he got that huge contract was because we won the superbowl. he is not as good as peyton manning, tom brady, drew brees, or aaron rodgers. however, he is getting paid more than those guys. its about time he starts playing like them, or he's not worth this kind of money. if he doesn't, super bowl or not, he's not worth the money we paid for him.
[/quote]

I did a little research at the beginning of the postseason. I wish more people comparing Flacco to these other big-name QBs would pay more attention to what these QBs did in their first five seasons in the league rather than using their entire careers as evidence of their superiority. Peyton came in as a starter right from the start just like Flacco, and his stats were lights out. However, he didn't win a playoff game, or even make the playoffs every year, during those first five years. Rodgers sat for three seasons before he even became a starter, and Brees and Brady both sat their rookie years. That makes Flacco's rookie season, which is his only season that can be considered "poor", look a little better because he started every game, went 11-5, and won two road playoff games. Even more research reveals that his statistics in years 2-5 are comparable to Brady, including the fact that they share the record for most playoff wins after five seasons (though Brady has the edge with three SB rings). However, the real comparison should be with Brees. In years 2-5 of both Brees and Flacco's careers they played under coordinator Cam Cameron. If you go back and look at the stats for Brees during that time and compare it to Joe over the same time period in his career, Flacco has the edge in every single passing category. All of them. Yards, TDs, Ints, Rating, big plays, etc. We've seen what happened when Brees left Cameron, and I don't see why Flacco can't make a similar leap in production, starting next year as the defending Superbowl MVP.

[Greatness]

[quote name='wademan2636' timestamp='1363315678' post='1397573']
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.
[/quote]

Don't know if you knew, but our defense was ranked like 17th this year. We were giving up 4 and 500 yards a game in one stretch. I also don't understand this talk about Boldin did this and that. Must I remind everyone that he was abusing the Colts below average corners and murdering the other teams 3rd CB's for the most part of his stretch, too? He made a lot of money off of William Gay.

Flacco gives you a solid season year in and year out. Before these past two years where Killa Cam wanted to go deep all day, Flacco career completion percentage was 60%. But I get it, Fantasy Football rules the day and everyone must throw for 10,000 yards and 50 TD's to be accepted. But yeah, I get it.

[Yatagarasu]

Cam killed Flacco's fantasy stats.

I see big things now that we got a taste of what Caldwell can do.

We got two vertical threats in Jones and Smith, which actually opens up a lot of different plays for Flacco. However, we need to find the protection to give Flacco enough time to throw those bombs. Our Super Bowl run turned out perfectly, when everyone played out their best.

[Yatagarasu]

If you used Flacco's playoff stats and expand it to a regular season, they he would have numbers that compares to All-Pro QBs.

4560 yards and 44 TDs

That is the potential that Flacco is being paid to do along with being able to deliver games in the playoffs.

[Jitamon]

[quote name='funky141' timestamp='1363305774' post='1397179']
Raven's nations is going through a crisis and many want to jump ship.
[/quote]
Good riddance I say, fairweather fans that panic like this can go find another team to stress about.The Ravens are a class organization, they know what they are doing. Unlike most of the armchair GM's I hear forecasting doom and gloom for our beloved Ravens on the HOME boards. Shheze you would think we just went 0-16 or something..

Flacco is the man.. accept it , makes things easier for all those that are stressed

[PolishRifle]

Being in the playoffs every season is "playing like a Raven". I don't care how the team does it, I just want them to compete.

[Raven146]

No matter how good the offense is , the defense has been completly gutted with two exceptions, so were setting with the 32 pick except for a additional 6th round pick which is probley 31, with one of the least talented rookie classes to come out in years. And we think that they will good enough to be starters in September. It took the coahing staff a full season to do what the fans knew needed done by the third game last year to play McKinnie. So as Oz goes cheap and the coaching staff strokes it's ego it will be the fans that suffer though the season.

[codizzle]

[quote name='Raven146' timestamp='1363342989' post='1398001']
No matter how good the offense is , the defense has been completly gutted with two exceptions, so were setting with the 32 pick except for a additional 6th round pick which is probley 31, with one of the least talented rookie classes to come out in years. And we think that they will good enough to be starters in September. It took the coahing staff a full season to do what the fans knew needed done by the third game last year to play McKinnie. So as Oz goes cheap and the coaching staff strokes it's ego it will be the fans that suffer though the season.
[/quote]
Cool story, bro

[mgridda]

We didn't trade Boldin for Ellerbe.

Trading Boldin kept Pitta, Dickson, Reed and Arthur Jones Jr. Due to the Boldin trade we were able to put tenders on all those guys.

[BloodRaven]

[img]http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s480x480/269250_597769573584377_282142399_n.jpg[/img]

[Ragin'Raven]

[quote name='BloodRaven' timestamp='1363348660' post='1398037']
[img]http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s480x480/269250_597769573584377_282142399_n.jpg[/img]
[/quote]

I saw a similar picture that just had Joe Flacco sitting on empty bleachers. It's a witty idea, whoever did those. Unfortunately, the team will look different in several areas next year, with some fan favorites missing.

[PurpleCityLights]

[quote name='Gashman' timestamp='1363319031' post='1397718']
What is it?

[/quote]


In 3 years its going be Flacco & the no name Ravens.....

[gkyle06]

I have said build around flacco for quite some time, hell we did it with Ray on the defensive side for years, bringing in guys like reed, suggs etc. Now they need to give joe unlimited talent to help grow the team and lean alittle more on the offense. I will admit Im alittle ticked about the turnover on defense but the unit wasnt that good last season and I cant be the only one who noticed the defense couldnt stop a nose bleed.

[Moderator 3]

The only "identity" we need is WINNERS. This whole "team identity" is a load.

[rlh445]

[quote name='Raven146' timestamp='1363342989' post='1398001']
No matter how good the offense is , the defense has been completly gutted with two exceptions, so were setting with the 32 pick except for a additional 6th round pick which is probley 31, with one of the least talented rookie classes to come out in years. And we think that they will good enough to be starters in September. It took the coahing staff a full season to do what the fans knew needed done by the third game last year to play McKinnie. So as Oz goes cheap and the coaching staff strokes it's ego it will be the fans that suffer though the season.
[/quote]

I, uh....what?! I am by no means happy about what's going on and am probably more pessimistic than most of the other posters here but this post is pretty silly. While you are correct that our defense has been hampered a bit, let's face it: the defense was just good enough to win and wasn't really a showstopper by any stretch. So we're gonna reload it. What other choice do we have, anyway? There are A LOT of great young rookie talents in the draft this year and a lot of them are in key positions we need filled. Linebackers, safeties and some linemen. I think we're gonna come away with some great picks. If we had started McKinnie all year, he would have been gassed by the end and wouldn't have had any motivation at all to play and we would have never won the Superbowl. Period. Ozzie doesn't go cheap to massage his and the other coaches' egos, he goes cheap because it's a strategy he's been using for a long time. Hey, sometimes it doesn't work out but he's not doing it for anything more than trying to get as many good players for the least amount as possible. In this cap age, doesn't sound like a bad idea to me.

[wademan2636]

[quote name='theFRANCHISE' timestamp='1363323691' post='1397827']
And I'm perfectly fine with that.

As long as the team is good enough to make the playoffs and Flacco works his magic in the postseason, that's all that matters. Regular season performances are overrated if you miss the playoffs. Flacco could lead the league in INTs in the regular season but none of that would matter if he's lights-out in the postseason and keeps winning.
[/quote]

don't get me wrong, i think flacco deserves the money he got. however, now that our defense is in rebuilding mode, the pressure is on him to step it up in the regular season. if he doesn't have a career year, the defense may not be good enough for us to get back to the playoffs. flacco and the offense have to be huge this year in order to have another playoff run

flacco deserves all the money we gave him, but now that he's been paid, its time for him to take over and be the best player on the team.

[Raven146]

Last year the Raven were 25 in salary paid out at 98 million with a cap level of 120.6 million. this year the cap was increased to 123 million. With Flaco get the 14 million a year increase from the 6 million he made last year , the Ravens would still be 8 million under last years cap, and 11 under this years, paying the same wages they paid last year.

[jaege]

[quote name='wademan2636' timestamp='1363306577' post='1397211']
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.
[/quote]

Did he have a career year this past season? Because I certainly remember us winning a couple of games in the 2012/2013 season.

[jaege]

[quote name='Ragin'Raven' timestamp='1363349189' post='1398041']
I saw a similar picture that just had Joe Flacco sitting on empty bleachers. It's a witty idea, whoever did those. Unfortunately, the team will look different in several areas next year, with some fan favorites missing.
[/quote]

But there will be new fan favorites. Pitta, Boldin, Jones, Torrey, none of these guys walked in the door as fan favorites. They became fan favorites and soon there will be more new ones.It is sort of sad, but exciting to see what all this new blood will accomplish.

[Bazooka Joe]

Before we call this an all offensive team, we still have a lot of talent on defense.

Suggs, Upshaw, Webb, Jimmy Smith, Art Jones, McPhee, Canty, along with young guys like Hamilton and McAdoo with high upside.

[BloodRaven]

One year ago I said Brees 20 million a year was disgusting ego money, I feel that way about Joe's contract too. Lets hope he can put the team on his shoulders and repeat.

[Bazooka Joe]

[quote name='BloodRaven' timestamp='1363361254' post='1398377']
One year ago I said Brees 20 million a year was disgusting ego money, I feel that way about Joe's contract too. Lets hope he can put the team on his shoulders and repeat.
[/quote]


He seems to play well with this kind of motivation. Last year it was prove that he's elite. He's done that. Now it's prove he can lead this team and that he's worth his contract. He'll do that.

[BloodRaven]

[quote name='Bazooka Joe' timestamp='1363361397' post='1398381']
He seems to play well with this kind of motivation. Last year it was prove that he's elite. He's done that. Now it's prove he can lead this team and that he's worth his contract. He'll do that.
[/quote]

Off topic: You need an avatar, how you gonna have 1000 posts looking like a guest?