What will the offense look like in 2013?

[5aiah]

Yea I kind of figured that, but wasn't  sure.

 

Why do defenses have to be bad for Joe to have great games? Was the Broncos defense bad last year? Was the 49ers defense bad? Were the Steelers bad during opening day in 2011? How about the Bengals last year? Do you look at QBs like Peyton, Brees, Brady and ARod and say or they are playing a good defense so they won't produce? No you look at that good defense and say they will have their hands full stopping those top QB.

Broncos, Niners, and Bengals all had flawed secondaries that worked in our favor and made it easy on Joe when it came to reading the defense and attacking it through the air. Especially the Broncos whose DB coaches couldn't see a hidden problem. It is more the coaching's fault then Rahim Moore. Again, Flacco isn't the General those guys are, not yet at least. He is Elite but he is still not those guys.

[Ravensfan23]

1. If Reed was on collie's level he would have played alot more but he just hasn't shown the hands yet. I see alot of fans expecting alot from Doss and Reed but there is a reason they haven't been able to push for more time.

2. We have relied on dickson as a number one TE before so there is that. We can expect him to catch 50+ passes and 5 TDs because he has done it before.

3. Texans and Ravens fan just understand Jacoby isn't a good WR2 though I love his hands combined with his speed his route running isn't on Torrey's level and the 51 catches was opposite the best WR of the past 5 years. I just wouldn't make that comparison because it has less to do with traditional stats and instead should be looked at on an advanced level.

4. Flacco is definitely not a consistent field general. He is not proven in that regard during the regular season at all. He struggles alot under pressure(one of the worst in the league) and to me a true Field General doesn't do that. Perhaps we just have different standards. He is a clutch strong arm QB until he proves greater. To be honest I don't need him to.

 

1. The reason is they didn't really fit Cam's offense. The main reason fans are expecting a lot from those guys are because the decision makers with the Ravens are expecting a lot from those guys. There is a reason a guy like lloyd wasn't signed. Again how can you prove anything on the bench. David Reed sucks so bad he got a 2yr 2million deal to return. Fact is the coaches see something they like whether you like it or not.

 

2. Yes Dickson did prove it but it was one year. I'm a huge Dickson fan and actually think he's the overall better TE on the roster, but my point is, his proven 50 catches should be no different then Jacoby's 50. 50 catches is 50 catches. Fact is we don't even know how many of these guys will be used and you nor I have seen even a 10th of what coaches see.

 

3. How do Ravens fans understand that Jacoby isn't a good #2 and we haven't even seen him in that role with the "Ravens". If we are solely basing our opinion on the views and opinions of Texans fans, then Jacoby wasn't a good Kick Returner either. Bottom line is Jacoby is a guy who has atleast proven he can produce 50 catches and that's as much as our #2 has done the last 2 years. Jacoby developed into a great returner with the Ravens coaching, who's to say the same can't be true at WR?

 

4. That pressure thing is one of the dumbest arguments anyone can make about a QB. New flash, all QBs struggle under pressure. Don't believe me, watch these highlights and tell me Brady didn't struggle under pressure. Peyton is notorious for struggling under pressure especially in the Playoffs. Drew Brees makes some of the most boneheaded plays outside of Brett Farve when he is under pressure. So i'm sorry you gotta come with a better argument then that. Also when you have a OC that doesn't tailor the offense to fit your game you are always at a disadvantage. It's not about what you need from him. Yes we are all happy with the wins Flacco puts up and the numbers don't matter, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been held back from producing at that level. Is it all on Cam? not by a long shot. But when you have a roster full of WRs who work better in space but your OC constantly ask the to win 1 on 1 matchups it hurts you as a QB.

[Ravensfan23]

Broncos, Niners, and Bengals all had flawed secondaries that worked in our favor and made it easy on Joe when it came to reading the defense and attacking it through the air. Especially the Broncos whose DB coaches couldn't see a hidden problem. It is more the coaching's fault then Rahim Moore. Again, Flacco isn't the General those guys are, not yet at least. He is Elite but he is still not those guys.

 

lol and what defense doesn't have a flaw. Seriously name one. That's the whole point. With Caldwell the Ravens are a offense that now can attack other defenses flaws. With Cam we were a offense that had one game plan and stuck to it no matter what the defense did most times. This is why Flacco and the offense had struggles against teams who weren't as good. imho

 

As great as the Ravens defenses of old were, we struggled with uptempo offenses. Any team that ran that had a great chance to win against our defense. The same is true for every defense. That's what good QBs and OCs do, they find the weakness and attack it until the defense makes adjustment. Flacco is no different and now that he has a competent OC that'll show.

 

You are really gonna have to find better arguments, because much like those defenses you named, this one is flawed.

 

Also it's funny how no other QB was able to attack the Broncos defense like Flacco did. Joe Flacco was the only QB to pass for more then 300 yds and 3TDs against the Broncos all year. That includes guys like Brady, Brees, Rivers, Ryan and Ben. Yet when Flacco touches them up, it's because their secondary was flawed. lol yea their biggest Flaw was the right arm of Joe Flacco.

[5aiah]

1. The reason is they didn't really fit Cam's offense. The main reason fans are expecting a lot from those guys are because the decision makers with the Ravens are expecting a lot from those guys. There is a reason a guy like lloyd wasn't signed. Again how can you prove anything on the bench. David Reed sucks so bad he got a 2yr 2million deal to return. Fact is the coaches see something they like whether you like it or not.

 

2. Yes Dickson did prove it but it was one year. I'm a huge Dickson fan and actually think he's the overall better TE on the roster, but my point is, his proven 50 catches should be no different then Jacoby's 50. 50 catches is 50 catches. Fact is we don't even know how many of these guys will be used and you nor I have seen even a 10th of what coaches see.

 

3. How do Ravens fans understand that Jacoby isn't a good #2 and we haven't even seen him in that role with the "Ravens". If we are solely basing our opinion on the views and opinions of Texans fans, then Jacoby wasn't a good Kick Returner either. Bottom line is Jacoby is a guy who has atleast proven he can produce 50 catches and that's as much as our #2 has done the last 2 years. Jacoby developed into a great returner with the Ravens coaching, who's to say the same can't be true at WR?

 

4. That pressure thing is one of the dumbest arguments anyone can make about a QB. New flash, all QBs struggle under pressure. Don't believe me, watch these highlights and tell me Brady didn't struggle under pressure. Peyton is notorious for struggling under pressure especially in the Playoffs. Drew Brees makes some of the most boneheaded plays outside of Brett Favre when he is under pressure. So i'm sorry you gotta come with a better argument then that. Also when you have a OC that doesn't tailor the offense to fit your game you are always at a disadvantage. It's not about what you need from him. Yes we are all happy with the wins Flacco puts up and the numbers don't matter, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been held back from producing at that level. Is it all on Cam? not by a long shot. But when you have a roster full of WRs who work better in space but your OC constantly ask the to win 1 on 1 matchups it hurts you as a QB.

1.The coaches see something yes, as do I, but they are hoping someone steps up, its not a guarantee.

2. Actually 50 catches from someone who only runs streaks and seams and a few other routes from the Z and Y positions sucessfully is alot different then someone who catches 50 balls from the TE position or someone like Torrey who plays both X,Y and Z and has a much heigher ceiling route running wise and a better tree already.

3. Read up. You could ask any coach or analyst and they will tell you that instead of looking at just basic stats you need to go deeper. Jacoby's 50 doesn't match up to either Dickson or Torreys 50 and he just doesn't have the ceiling they do. This isn't baseball bro. The numbers you are using aren't so concrete. Also Jacoby could be a good stand in at WR2 just a limited one who benefits from the rest of the offense like in Houston where he fed off of Andre. But he will be replaced by a better version of himself next year with more upside,DT.

4. All QBs struggle under pressure but some do better with what they have. Flacco is one of the lesser QBs in dealing with it. Also mentioning Farve and Peyton who were playoffs pressure chokers doesn't help your point. I think you need to take a look at this, it will help you see the difference between Flacco and others over a longer period of time. Of course he did better in playoffs but who didn't on that Ravens team playing for Ray's going home party. Even Cary was good. Also think before you type Handling pressure is one of the biggest skills for a QB it can be what separates great from good, good from average, and average from bad. How is it a dumb argument? 

 

Check this out bro https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/05/29/examining-pressure-qb-play/

That will clear things up for you. Also hope you aren't taking things too seriously at the end of the day we are all Ravens fans.

[5aiah]

lol and what defense doesn't have a flaw. Seriously name one. That's the whole point. With Caldwell the Ravens are a offense that now can attack other defenses flaws. With Cam we were a offense that had one game plan and stuck to it no matter what the defense did most times. This is why Flacco and the offense had struggles against teams who weren't as good. imho

 

As great as the Ravens defenses of old were, we struggled with uptempo offenses. Any team that ran that had a great chance to win against our defense. The same is true for every defense. That's what good QBs and OCs do, they find the weakness and attack it until the defense makes adjustment. Flacco is no different and now that he has a competent OC that'll show.

 

You are really gonna have to find better arguments, because much like those defenses you named, this one is flawed.

 

Also it's funny how no other QB was able to attack the Broncos defense like Flacco did. Joe Flacco was the only QB to pass for more then 300 yds and 3TDs against the Broncos all year. That includes guys like Brady, Brees, Rivers, Ryan and Ben. Yet when Flacco touches them up, it's because their secondary was flawed. lol yea their biggest Flaw was the right arm of Joe Flacco.

Actually you are not attacking my arguments really. The broncos was less about their flaws and more about the coaching not seeing it themselves because of how well they had done against guys that you speak of. They overlooked fatal flaws because of victory in regular season and it cost them the game in regulation. Also all defenses have flaws yes but my point was these particular defenses had flaws that helped Flacco beat them when others couldn't. His strong arm combined with Torrey's speed against Champ while the defense is preoccupied with everyone else, is something who else has exactly? So you see its not that my arguments are flawed but that yours is and you don't know it, allowing me easy opportunities to pick through it. Much like Flacco did the broncos secondary. I stand on my opinion though that Flacco is not the general Arod,Brees, and Brady are. But that's ok he doesn't have to be.

[Ravensfan23]

1.The coaches see something yes, as do I, but they are hoping someone steps up, its not a guarantee.

2. Actually 50 catches from someone who only runs streaks and seams and a few other routes from the Z and Y positions sucessfully is alot different then someone who catches 50 balls from the TE position or someone like Torrey who plays both X,Y and Z and has a much heigher ceiling route running wise and a better tree already.

3. Read up. You could ask any coach or analyst and they will tell you that instead of looking at just basic stats you need to go deeper. Jacoby's 50 doesn't match up to either Dickson or Torreys 50 and he just doesn't have the ceiling they do. This isn't baseball bro. The numbers you are using aren't so concrete. Also Jacoby could be a good stand in at WR2 just a limited one who benefits from the rest of the offense like in Houston where he fed off of Andre. But he will be replaced by a better version of himself next year with more upside,DT.

4. All QBs struggle under pressure but some do better with what they have. Flacco is one of the lesser QBs in dealing with it. Also mentioning Favre and Peyton who were playoffs pressure chokers doesn't help your point. I think you need to take a look at this, it will help you see the difference between Flacco and others over a longer period of time. Of course he did better in playoffs but who didn't on that Ravens team playing for Ray's going home party. Even Cary was good. Also think before you type Handling pressure is one of the biggest skills for a QB it can be what separates great from good, good from average, and average from bad. How is it a dumb argument? 

 

Check this out bro https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/05/29/examining-pressure-qb-play/

That will clear things up for you. Also hope you aren't taking things too seriously at the end of the day we are all Ravens fans.

 

No never personal man just poking fun, excited for the season that's all. You can't use the stats are just numbers thing with Jacoby then provide me with numbers about Flacco handling pressure. Fact is, you are giving me reason after reason why Flacco doesn't stack up with the best and all those arguments have holes in it. Again, don't just read other peoples words and views actually watch football. When Brady, Brees, Manning, and ARod are facing heavy pressure from opponents, their OCs have the general smarts to call blitz beaters and quicker passes. When Flacco is facing pressure, Cam still ask Flacco to take deep drops to set up for deep passes. Watch a Patriot game when Brady is getting pressured and watch how the offense switches gears.

 

As for Jacoby, in a good offense everyone feds off each other. If your OC is smart enough then he'll use that to his advantage. What hampered Jacoby in Houston was his inconsistent hands. Is that cleared up now who knows, but no one will know until he is competing for that spot. He was targeted 55 times and only credited with 1 dropped pass last year. I personally don't think Jacoby will be the #2, so we are actually on the same page, but I don't understand how you can say, oh we saw in Hou that he isn't a #2 because it's two completely different offenses. That's like someone saying that Corey Graham wouldn't be a solid starter because he was basically a Special Teams guy in Chi.

 

Lastly nothing is guaranteed. But i wonder why most fans seem to think it's a guarantee that because these young guys haven't seen the field yet in their careers that they aren't good.

[GrimCoconut]

lol and what defense doesn't have a flaw. Seriously name one. That's the whole point. With Caldwell the Ravens are a offense that now can attack other defenses flaws. With Cam we were a offense that had one game plan and stuck to it no matter what the defense did most times. This is why Flacco and the offense had struggles against teams who weren't as good. imho

 

As great as the Ravens defenses of old were, we struggled with uptempo offenses. Any team that ran that had a great chance to win against our defense. The same is true for every defense. That's what good QBs and OCs do, they find the weakness and attack it until the defense makes adjustment. Flacco is no different and now that he has a competent OC that'll show.

 

You are really gonna have to find better arguments, because much like those defenses you named, this one is flawed.

 

Also it's funny how no other QB was able to attack the Broncos defense like Flacco did. Joe Flacco was the only QB to pass for more then 300 yds and 3TDs against the Broncos all year. That includes guys like Brady, Brees, Rivers, Ryan and Ben. Yet when Flacco touches them up, it's because their secondary was flawed. lol yea their biggest Flaw was the right arm of Joe Flacco.

Denver Broncos: (Regular Season)

Passing YPG: #3, 199.6

PPG: 18.1

Completions: 321

Attempts: 559

Pct: 57.4

Att/G: 34.9

Yards Average: 6.4

TD: 25

INT: 16

1st Down: 183

1st Down %: 32.7

Long: 61T

20+: 39

40+: 9

Sack: 52

 

If we average these REGULAR SEASON stats over 16 games, then these are their stats: 

 

Denver Broncos: (Regular Season)

Passing YPG: 199.6

Completions/G: 20

Attempts/G: 559

Pct/G: 57.4

Att/G: 34.9

Yards Average: 6.4

TD/G: 1.5

INT/G: 1

1st Down/G: 11

1st Down %: 32.7

20+/G: 2.5

40+/G: 0.5

Sack/G: 3

 

So, how did we do in our postseason match against this defense?

 

Denver Broncos VS Baltimore Ravens: (Postseason)

Passing Yards: 324 compared to 199.6

Completions: 18 compared to 20

Attempts: 34 compared to 34.9

Pct: 52.9% compared to 57.4

Average: 9.7 compared to 6.4

TD: 3 (Just the passing TD included here) compared to 1.5

INT: 0 compared to 1.

1st Down: 21 (14 by passing) compared to 11. 

1st Down %: 41.2 compared to 32.7

20+: 4 compared to 2.5

40+: 2 compared to 0.5

Sack: 1 compared to 3

 

Now not all these numbers are favorable, but this is a very nice picture here. So not only did we not complete or attempt as many passes as the average other team, but Joe did it by not turning over the ball as much and also got significantly more 1st down & a greater number of big plays with less sacks & more TDs. That's more productivity for less. With a greater average of yards. 

[5aiah]

No never personal man just poking fun, excited for the season that's all. You can't use the stats are just numbers thing with Jacoby then provide me with numbers about Flacco handling pressure. Fact is, you are giving me reason after reason why Flacco doesn't stack up with the best and all those arguments have holes in it. Again, don't just read other peoples words and views actually watch football. When Brady, Brees, Manning, and ARod are facing heavy pressure from opponents, their OCs have the general smarts to call blitz beaters and quicker passes. When Flacco is facing pressure, Cam still ask Flacco to take deep drops to set up for deep passes. Watch a Patriot game when Brady is getting pressured and watch how the offense switches gears.

 

Flacco has been in the league for 5 years, do you honestly remember Brady and Brees in their first 5 years. No different from Joe. You can view stats or go back and what any old Pats or Chargers game to see.

 

As for Jacoby, in a good offense everyone feds off each other. If your OC is smart enough then he'll use that to his advantage. What hampered Jacoby in Houston was his inconsistent hands. Is that cleared up now who knows, but no one will know until he is competing for that spot. He was targeted 55 times and only credited with 1 dropped pass. I personally don't think Jacoby will be the #2, so we are actually on the same page, but I don't understand how you can say, oh we saw in Hou that he isn't a #2 because it's two completely different offenses. That's like someone saying that Corey Graham wouldn't be a solid starter because he was basically a Special Teams guy in Chi.

 

Lastly nothing is guaranteed. But i wonder why most fans seem to think it's a guarantee that because these young guys haven't seen the field yet in their careers that they aren't good.

Ok great glad to see we just Ravens fans with opposing views. Thing is numbers can be different. Those numbers I provided(via pro football focus, not my own) tell a more in depth story that is closer to what you see on the football field and alot of times better than what most people see on the field because they don't have a full view of the game. I use game rewind different angles like they do because the regular broadcast misses most of the story imo. Also I think Flacco stacks up with the best but just not as a field general. He is a top 5 QB because of his cannon and clutch play while the others are better reading defense, more accurate, and better at handling pressure. Also those guys you mentioned Switch the calls after reading blitzes themselves not always take cues from the OC like Flacco but now that he has grown we will see more perhaps. But at the end of the day he hasn't proven he is a general yet. This is his year to do so. Also again im not basing my view on Jacoby soley on his time in Houston. I'm saying he hasn't shown what it takes ANYWHERE, to be a WR2 whose job is to mainly be the X receiver. As a result he will be very limited and be less of a real WR2 but mainly a tool to help take the top off of defenses and open up others. Z and X like Mason and Clayton and Torrey and Boldin works very well. Boldin was WR1 but he played the X alot because of his physicality at the line and to make things easier on Torrey getting down the field. Expecting Torrey to be the X with Jacoby as the Z is what could happen but isn't the best solution. 

[Ravensfan23]

Actually you are not attacking my arguments really. The broncos was less about their flaws and more about the coaching not seeing it themselves because of how well they had done against guys that you speak of. They overlooked fatal flaws because of victory in regular season and it cost them the game in regulation. Also all defenses have flaws yes but my point was these particular defenses had flaws that helped Flacco beat them when others couldn't. His strong arm combined with Torrey's speed against Champ while the defense is preoccupied with everyone else, is something who else has exactly? So you see its not that my arguments are flawed but that yours is and you don't know it, allowing me easy opportunities to pick through it. Much like Flacco did the broncos secondary. I stand on my opinion though that Flacco is not the general Arod,Brees, and Brady are. But that's ok he doesn't have to be.

 

Ok umm. let me get this straight. So I pose a question of why does a defense have to be bad for Flacco to have success. Then I point to top defenses that he had much success against. You say the reason he had this success is because those defenses were flawed. I say all defenses have flaws and it's the job of the QB to take advantage of it. You then agree that all defenses have flaws. Please help me understand if Flacco is good enough to take advantage of the better defenses flaws, why then is he not good enough to take advantage of any defenses flaw? Which was my point in the first place, how is it that i'm now making your point. What did i miss?

 

Then I list a host of other top 5 and top 10 QBs who couldn't take advantage of the same Flaws that you said "helped" Flacco beat the Broncos defense. You then proceed to tell me how it's Flacco's strong arm and Torrey's speed that helped him take advantage of the flawed Broncos defense where others couldn't. Please help me understand your point. If i'm saying that Flacco is good enough to take advantage of any defenses flaws and you are disputing that, yet you turn around and tell me exactly why Flacco was good enough to take advantage of the flaws, how am I making your point?

 

Lets get back on track. I said Flacco is poised for a huge year and he's just as good a field general as any when given the chance. You on the other hand disagree and say he struggles with pressure and had help with the flaws of other teams. You are supposed to provide facts that help support your stance, not provide facts of why Flacco can do exactly what I said he can do. Ok, so just so we are clear my points: Flacco is just as good a field general as any.....Flacco is good enough to take advantage of any defenses weaknesses which is why I see him passing for 30TDs this year......Flacco exposed flaws in a top defense when other top QBs couldn't.

[beanfigger]

I would love to see what Flacco does if he gets wide receivers that actually get open for him.  It seems if he doesn't have time to wait for his speedsters to run behind the defense, then he is always forced to throw into coverage or choose a check-down option like a TE or RB.  Boldin was great in traffic, but Boldin was ALWAYS in traffic.  I want someone to run precise routes and gain separation underneath, or even in intermediate patterns in the 8-15 yard range.  Maybe Torrey will continue to show improvement here and become consistent at beating man coverage.  Maybe one of the young, unproven guys will step up and do this.  Maybe we sign a Brandon Lloyd or a post-camp cut veteran to be that guy.  I just hope we put an emphasis on finding someone to do that.  Along with our speed on the outside and sure-handed TEs and RBs, a guy who can beat man coverage consistently when we need a big 3rd and 9-12 conversion will allow our passing offense to be incredibly efficient and lethal.  That is assuming our OL stays relatively healthy and effective like they did in the last postseason.  Castillo will be great for our run game, which is now complementary to our passing attack.

[5aiah]

Denver Broncos: (Regular Season)

Passing YPG: #3, 199.6

PPG: 18.1

Completions: 321

Attempts: 559

Pct: 57.4

Att/G: 34.9

Yards Average: 6.4

TD: 25

INT: 16

1st Down: 183

1st Down %: 32.7

Long: 61T

20+: 39

40+: 9

Sack: 52

 

If we average these REGULAR SEASON stats over 16 games, then these are their stats: 

 

Denver Broncos: (Regular Season)

Passing YPG: 199.6

Completions/G: 20

Attempts/G: 559

Pct/G: 57.4

Att/G: 34.9

Yards Average: 6.4

TD/G: 1.5

INT/G: 1

1st Down/G: 11

1st Down %: 32.7

20+/G: 2.5

40+/G: 0.5

Sack/G: 3

 

So, how did we do in our postseason match against this defense?

 

Denver Broncos VS Baltimore Ravens: (Postseason)

Passing Yards: 324 compared to 199.6

Completions: 18 compared to 20

Attempts: 34 compared to 34.9

Pct: 52.9% compared to 57.4

Average: 9.7 compared to 6.4

TD: 3 (Just the passing TD included here) compared to 1.5

INT: 0 compared to 1.

1st Down: 21 (14 by passing) compared to 11. 

1st Down %: 41.2 compared to 32.7

20+: 4 compared to 2.5

40+: 2 compared to 0.5

Sack: 1 compared to 3

 

Now not all these numbers are favorable, but this is a very nice picture here. So not only did we not complete or attempt as many passes as the average other team, but Joe did it by not turning over the ball as much and also got significantly more 1st down & a greater number of big plays with less sacks & more TDs. That's more productivity for less. With a greater average of yards. 

Again my point is that we were able to attack them through the air(including on the miracle play) because of overlooked flaws that weren't exposed during the season as much for a reason pertaining to our personnel more so than Flacco ripping em apart like hes some Super General. Our numbers are good because of a huge flaw in Denver's defensive scheme that was exploitable via Torrey Smith and Jacoby. You actually back up my argument.

 

No never personal man just poking fun, excited for the season that's all. 

 

Lastly nothing is guaranteed. But i wonder why most fans seem to think it's a guarantee that because these young guys haven't seen the field yet in their careers that they aren't good.

I am too bro. We have had so good debates hope to have more in the future. I am just looking for the other side of things, everyone to me seems to be so optimistic that I'm hearing things like 14-2 to 12-4. While I would love that I want to know exactly how good we are instead of relying on my optimism so I challenge anything Raven and try to take a deeper look usually opposite of what I'm hoping. I hope Flacco is a full on field general but I'm not gonna say he is till he fully proves it. Also my friends aren't Ravens fans so I hear a lot of the "Ravens fans are homers" stuff so I like to get both sides and play Devils Advocate a bit to make sure I'm seeing things right. 

[GrimCoconut]

Again my point is that we were able to attack them through the air(including on the miracle play) because of overlooked flaws that weren't exposed during the season as much for a reason pertaining to our personnel more so than Flacco ripping em apart like hes some Super General. Our numbers are good because of a huge flaw in Denver's defensive scheme that was exploitable via Torrey Smith and Jacoby. You actually back up my argument.

I am too bro. We have had so good debates hope to have more in the future. I am just looking for the other side of things, everyone to me seems to be so optimistic that I'm hearing things like 14-2 to 12-4. While I would love that I want to know exactly how good we are instead of relying on my optimism so I challenge anything Raven and try to take a deeper look usually opposite of what I'm hoping. I hope Flacco is a full on field general but I'm not gonna say he is till he fully proves it. Also my friends aren't Ravens fans so I hear a lot of the "Ravens fans are homers" stuff so I like to get both sides and play Devils Advocate a bit to make sure I'm seeing things right.

Yeah but every team and defense has a flaw. It's the QB job to exploit it. That's what separates good from great QBs.

[Ravensfan23]

Also think before you type Handling pressure is one of the biggest skills for a QB it can be what separates great from good, good from average, and average from bad. How is it a dumb argument? 

 

Check this out bro https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/05/29/examining-pressure-qb-play/

That will clear things up for you. Also hope you aren't taking things too seriously at the end of the day we are all Ravens fans.

 

I said saying a QB struggles with pressure is one of the dumbest. Despite those numbers Flacco handles pressure well because he doesn't get rattled. He doesn't go away. Just like the olineman for the Pats said on the sideline of the AFC Championship game, he'll stand tall in the pocket and deliver the ball even while taking a shot. That's handling pressure. That's what separates QBs. Every QB can't and doesn't do that. That link you provide is based off stats and numbers not what you see when watching the game. Flacco plays in a low percentage offense with Cam, with WRs who don't get open quick. The idea of a blitz is to force the QB to throw quick or get sacked. Can you see how this could be a problem? so his numbers aren't gonna be good when his coach is asking him to take deep drops even against a blitz. That doesn't mean a guy that throws a quick screen vs the blitz handles the pressure better then him.

[5aiah]

Ok umm. let me get this straight. So I pose a question of why does a defense have to be bad for Flacco to have success. Then I point to top defenses that he had much success against. You say the reason he had this success is because those defenses were flawed. I say all defenses have flaws and it's the job of the QB to take advantage of it. You then agree that all defenses have flaws. Please help me understand if Flacco is good enough to take advantage of the better defenses flaws, why then is he not good enough to take advantage of any defenses flaw? Which was my point in the first place, how is it that i'm now making your point. What did i miss?

 

Then I list a host of other top 5 and top 10 QBs who couldn't take advantage of the same Flaws that you said "helped" Flacco beat the Broncos defense. You then proceed to tell me how it's Flacco's strong arm and Torrey's speed that helped him take advantage of the flawed Broncos defense where others couldn't. Please help me understand your point. If i'm saying that Flacco is good enough to take advantage of any defenses flaws and you are disputing that, yet you turn around and tell me exactly why Flacco was good enough to take advantage of the flaws, how am I making your point?

 

Lets get back on track. I said Flacco is poised for a huge year and he's just as good a field general as any when given the chance. You on the other hand disagree and say he struggles with pressure and had help with the flaws of other teams. You are supposed to provide facts that help support your stance, not provide facts of why Flacco can do exactly what I said he can do. Ok, so just so we are clear my points: Flacco is just as good a field general as any.....Flacco is good enough to take advantage of any defenses weaknesses which is why I see him passing for 30TDs this year......Flacco exposed flaws in a top defense when other top QBs couldn't.

Flawed in his favor bro. Those defenses were godly. Lol. But not all defenses are that weak vs the Deep Passing game and he will have to become a QB who can consistently work the intermediary routes. They are working on that this offseason because they know it will be key. Flacco was good enough to take advantage of the same flaw on each of those defenses because it is his specialty but im saying now he will have to prove how much hes grown and that he is a true elite by attacking ANY teams flaws. Not just one that comes most naturally to him. My points: Flacco has to become just a good a field general as the other elite QBs.......Flacco has to be better than last season when it comes to dealing with pressure(near bottom of league)......Flacco hasn't proven good enough to take advantage of any teams defensive weaknesses but can build on the playoff run and do so......Flacco will always expose flaws in a defense thats weakness is his strength.......Flacco has what other top QBs don't, a Cannon and Balls. He is well equipped. He is a true Raven. 

[5aiah]

Yeah but every team and defense has a flaw. It's the QB job to exploit it. That's what separates good from great QBs.

Flacco hasn't exploited all flaws though just the ones pertaining to his strengths.

 

I said saying a QB struggles with pressure is one of the dumbest. Despite those numbers Flacco handles pressure well because he doesn't get rattled. He doesn't go away. Just like the olineman for the Pats said on the sideline of the AFC Championship game, he'll stand tall in the pocket and deliver the ball even while taking a shot. That's handling pressure. That's what separates QBs. Every QB can't and doesn't do that. That link you provide is based off stats and numbers not what you see when watching the game. Flacco plays in a low percentage offense with Cam, with WRs who don't get open quick. The idea of a blitz is to force the QB to throw quick or get sacked. Can you see how this could be a problem? so his numbers aren't gonna be good when his coach is asking him to take deep drops even against a blitz. That doesn't mean a guy that throws a quick screen vs the blitz handles the pressure better then him.

Well its not like we drafted or signed a bunch a good receivers, Flacco is gonna have to work with what we give him. Yes he has composure in the pocket it is beautiful, but so far in the regular season he just hasn't show us the complete package of getting it done under pressure. Like I said building off of the playoffs run, I'm hoping he will this year. Also i watch all the games, have them recorded, and have nfl game rewind(with the better angles) so I know Flacco very well. His receivers were as much a problem as Cam was and he also didn't read the field well at times. I will go back and check all the film later but I have seen most of the season in coach mode.

[Ravensfan23]

Ok great glad to see we just Ravens fans with opposing views. Thing is numbers can be different. Those numbers I provided(via pro football focus, not my own) tell a more in depth story that is closer to what you see on the football field and alot of times better than what most people see on the field because they don't have a full view of the game. I use game rewind different angles like they do because the regular broadcast misses most of the story imo. Also I think Flacco stacks up with the best but just not as a field general. He is a top 5 QB because of his cannon and clutch play while the others are better reading defense, more accurate, and better at handling pressure. Also those guys you mentioned Switch the calls after reading blitzes themselves not always take cues from the OC like Flacco but now that he has grown we will see more perhaps. But at the end of the day he hasn't proven he is a general yet. This is his year to do so. Also again im not basing my view on Jacoby soley on his time in Houston. I'm saying he hasn't shown what it takes ANYWHERE, to be a WR2 whose job is to mainly be the X receiver. As a result he will be very limited and be less of a real WR2 but mainly a tool to help take the top off of defenses and open up others. Z and X like Mason and Clayton and Torrey and Boldin works very well. Boldin was WR1 but he played the X alot because of his physicality at the line and to make things easier on Torrey getting down the field. Expecting Torrey to be the X with Jacoby as the Z is what could happen but isn't the best solution. 

 

I think at this point it's just what your preference is regarding Joe. As you said, I also enjoy watching game rewind to see different angles and seeing how a play comes together. My stance on Flacco being just as good in those areas as others really come from what I've seen in games where he was allowed to do those things. Mainly home games and games where the Ravens needed late drives. Joe Flacco is one of the top QB in the NFL at running the 2 minute offense. During the 2 minute offense he is running the offense from the LOS. Things like that show me he's a really good field general, but if you aren't allowed to do so consistently then most people don't see as much because honestly 80% of fans don't really know how to break down plays.

 

Listen to guys like Jaws talk about how Cam has held back Flacco. Think back to 2011 when both TJ Housh and Stallworth publicly talked about how Cam just wouldn't allow Flacco to make chances at the LOS. Hell even after Cam was fired reports were that Cam was way too controlling. The different between those other QB is that they had OC that gave them that freedom. Flacco had a OC that basically wanted a game manager until it was time to win the game. Now I guess you could say that Flacco should have just bucked the system and did his own thing against Cam, but that's not the smart thing to do imo.

 

Bottomline for me is that although I like stats and think they have their place, I usually form my opinion from what I see. I see a QB that when he is playing at home or in any game where he is allowed to run the offense from the LOS he is lights out. Just because he hasn't been allowed to do it consistently doesn't mean he isn't among the best at it.

[Ravensfan23]

I would love to see what Flacco does if he gets wide receivers that actually get open for him.  It seems if he doesn't have time to wait for his speedsters to run behind the defense, then he is always forced to throw into coverage or choose a check-down option like a TE or RB.  Boldin was great in traffic, but Boldin was ALWAYS in traffic.  I want someone to run precise routes and gain separation underneath, or even in intermediate patterns in the 8-15 yard range.  Maybe Torrey will continue to show improvement here and become consistent at beating man coverage.  Maybe one of the young, unproven guys will step up and do this.  Maybe we sign a Brandon Lloyd or a post-camp cut veteran to be that guy.  I just hope we put an emphasis on finding someone to do that.  Along with our speed on the outside and sure-handed TEs and RBs, a guy who can beat man coverage consistently when we need a big 3rd and 9-12 conversion will allow our passing offense to be incredibly efficient and lethal.  That is assuming our OL stays relatively healthy and effective like they did in the last postseason.  Castillo will be great for our run game, which is now complementary to our passing attack.

 

this is exactly why I don't think most QBs could have had much more if even the same success with out offense as Flacco did. Brady, Ryan, Eli, Brees and others would have really struggled with our offense imo because those guys don't have the ability to drive the ball into tight spaces consistently like Joe. Flacco is like a luxury car in Baltimore City. Because of the rough streets and stop lights you never really get a chance to really enjoy that bad boy. But get it out on a highway or county road and you'll have the ride of your life. With Flacco under Cam we only saw flashes of what he can do, now he's unchained. I think the sky's the limit.

[Ravensfan23]

Again my point is that we were able to attack them through the air(including on the miracle play) because of overlooked flaws that weren't exposed during the season as much for a reason pertaining to our personnel more so than Flacco ripping em apart like hes some Super General. Our numbers are good because of a huge flaw in Denver's defensive scheme that was exploitable via Torrey Smith and Jacoby. You actually back up my argument.

 

I am too bro. We have had so good debates hope to have more in the future. I am just looking for the other side of things, everyone to me seems to be so optimistic that I'm hearing things like 14-2 to 12-4. While I would love that I want to know exactly how good we are instead of relying on my optimism so I challenge anything Raven and try to take a deeper look usually opposite of what I'm hoping. I hope Flacco is a full on field general but I'm not gonna say he is till he fully proves it. Also my friends aren't Ravens fans so I hear a lot of the "Ravens fans are homers" stuff so I like to get both sides and play Devils Advocate a bit to make sure I'm seeing things right. 

 

That's cool, like I said it's all fun spirited with me. With me, I try my best to give insightful views on why a guy will produce a certain way or not. Most people don't understand why I'm so high on David Reed, but it's because I watched him in College and the type of offense he came from is the same type of offense Flacco had success at while at Delaware. Those same blitz beaters and quick passes that we never saw with Cam, he excels at. It's just that was never really apart of Cam's offense. Now that Caldwell is here I'm down right giddy.

 

With Flacco it's all about the times Cam actually allowed him to open things up. Think Falcons of 09, Vikings, Cardinals, Steelers winning drive, Steelers opening day, Rams, and so many more games where Flacco was lights out. The problem is, most of those performances came because we had to. Cam really held Flacco back imo.

[Ravensfan23]

Flawed in his favor bro. Those defenses were godly. Lol. But not all defenses are that weak vs the Deep Passing game and he will have to become a QB who can consistently work the intermediary routes. They are working on that this offseason because they know it will be key. Flacco was good enough to take advantage of the same flaw on each of those defenses because it is his specialty but im saying now he will have to prove how much hes grown and that he is a true elite by attacking ANY teams flaws. Not just one that comes most naturally to him. My points: Flacco has to become just a good a field general as the other elite QBs.......Flacco has to be better than last season when it comes to dealing with pressure(near bottom of league)......Flacco hasn't proven good enough to take advantage of any teams defensive weaknesses but can build on the playoff run and do so......Flacco will always expose flaws in a defense thats weakness is his strength.......Flacco has what other top QBs don't, a Cannon and Balls. He is well equipped. He is a true Raven. 

 

But that's the thing, it's not just the deep ball. Even though it's a small sample. Go back to the NYG game. There weakness was Rolle on Boldin in the slot and Webster on Smith outside. All Flacco did was read their defense all night and take advantage of what they gave him.

 

Think about the Colts playoff game. The Colts had a plan to stop us and in the second half the Ravens changed it up. My whole point is that with what I expect, because none of us know what Caldwell will bring, but going back to my initial post of this thread, if offense is as spread open like the last 6 games last year then we'll resemble the Colts a lot because we have a lot of guys who are good at the yards after catch aspect of the offense. This will now allow the Ravens to attack any defenses weakness and actually put so much stress on the defense to stop us.

[Ravensfan23]

Flacco hasn't exploited all flaws though just the ones pertaining to his strengths.

 

Well its not like we drafted or signed a bunch a good receivers, Flacco is gonna have to work with what we give him. Yes he has composure in the pocket it is beautiful, but so far in the regular season he just hasn't show us the complete package of getting it done under pressure. Like I said building off of the playoffs run, I'm hoping he will this year. Also i watch all the games, have them recorded, and have nfl game rewind(with the better angles) so I know Flacco very well. His receivers were as much a problem as Cam was and he also didn't read the field well at times. I will go back and check all the film later but I have seen most of the season in coach mode.

 

Oh i don't disagree with you. Flacco isn't prefect, he'll make his fair share of mistakes, but so does every QB. Remember both Brady and Rogers lost to the Browns I think 2 years ago. Brady has had some poor games against the Bills. So it happens to all of the best. There are times that Flacco just miss guys and read.

 

However I put a lot on Cam because the offense was just so stagnant for most of the time. I hear people say Flacco is a rhythm QB and i'm like no kidding, every QB is a rhythm QB. The difference with Flacco is his OC never helped him get into that rhythm. It's like a 3 point shooter just making a lay up to get himself going. Other QB have easy drive starters, Flacco didn't start getting those until Caldwell took over.

 

If the Ravens can really take advantage of the short and intermediate passing game like I think they will, Flacco will be unstoppable imo. That's not me being a homer, that's something I can really see happening.

[cushrinada1986]

Here is why I think the offense will be as successful as that 2004 Colts team. Of course that was a record breaking season for Peyton but I viewed it from an overall stand point not just the QB and passing game.

 

Peyton didn't really pass the ball a lot that year, he just maximized his opportunities and i definitely see that with Joe. Flacco averaged 14 yards per completion under Caldwell, Peyton was at 13.5 that year. That offense passed 527 times and ran 427 times. That's about as balanced as you can get in this league. For so long we've all be saying the Ravens need a big #1 type WR. Well Ozzie consistently adds these 6'0" 180-200lbs guys and looking at the Colts while Caldwell was there, those are the same type guys they had. I compared the talent we have to the talent the Colts had over the years and while i'm not saying that each player will produce the same way, I do see a lot of similarities. I left Marvin Harrison out because I think he's one of the best to play and I don't think we have that type game on our roster. Yet.

 

Torrey Smith 6'0" 205 - Reggie Wayne 6'0" 200. I think Torrey and Reggie have a lot of similarities and the Ravens are gonna have to use Smith in a similar fashion to take full advantage of  his speed this year as the #1 WR. Short, intermediate, middle, deep, screen etc, he has to use the full route tree because team will play him deep.

 

David Reed 6'0" 195 - Austin Collie/Anthony Gonzalez 6'0" 195. I went with the combo of Collie and Gonzalez with Reed because of that shifty and tough returner type style. Much like the Colts used those guys, I can see Reed playing inside or outside. Space in the offense is his best weapon and plays bigger then his listed size.

 

Deonte Thompson 6'0" 203 - Pierre Garcon 6'0" 213 Both guys have a solid build, above average route runners and are fast. I think DT is faster. Much like with Reed, working in space will be his dream and defenders nightmare. Short, Deep, intermediate, I think you can work the entire field with him. This highlight video doesn't really showcase what DT is capable of imo.

 

Tandon Doss 6'2" 207- Blair White 6'2" 205I used this comparison from a pure size view point and how the White was used by the Colts. I think Doss is the much better WR. He's a lot faster and shifty then he gets credit for and I think now that he's healthy he'll show it. Again another guys who will benefit from Caldwell putting these guys in space, because consistently winning 1 on 1 matchups isn't their game right now.

 

Dennis Pitta 6'4 245 - Dallas Clark 6'3" 250 The Colts did a great job of moving Clark around and allow him to take advantage of the play action moving the LBs. Pitta will greatly benefit from this as well. I don't think he plays as much slot as people thing, but he'll definitely be a favorite target of Flacco's. He'll be a matchup nightmare just like Clark was for Peyton.

 

Bernard Pierce 6'0" 218 - Edge 6'0" 219 BP is being compared to Peterson right now, but a more accurate comparison might just be Edge. Both are big physical guys with just enough speed. Do a great job of reading the blocks out of the single back set. BP is really good running behind that zone blocking and does a great job getting skinny through the holes. Quick feet and a powerful finish. I love what I see from BP. Let him run in a spread offense and it's gonna be trouble.

 

I didn't compare Rice, Jacoby and Dickson to anyone because I really can't remember the Colts having those type players. I could have used Marshall Faulk to compare with Rice but he wasn't around when Caldwell got there. I honest think Rice, Jacoby and Dickson set the offense apart because they add so much more. The Ravens have so many options that game planing to stop these guys should be a nightmare.

 

I dont know if reggie is a great comparison. Wayne is an assassin on his routes, quick & clean while Smith is almost there with his routes but not yet. I would Say Smith is more like Mike Wallace. Has the speed to make the entire secondary back off and with incredible amount of potential. I think all the others are pretty solid, especially pitta and clark, cant get anymore identical then those two. I really hope DT can produce the same way in 2013 because having DT and smith opposite each other should be something every D in the NFL should be scared about.

[5aiah]

I dont know if reggie is a great comparison. Wayne is an assassin on his routes, quick & clean while Smith is almost there with his routes but not yet. I would Say Smith is more like Mike Wallace. Has the speed to make the entire secondary back off and with incredible amount of potential. I think all the others are pretty solid, especially pitta and clark, cant get anymore identical then those two. I really hope DT can produce the same way in 2013 because having DT and smith opposite each other should be something every D in the NFL should be scared about.

He is better than Mike Wallace though. But yeah that is what I wanna see the most. Torrey as the X and DT as the Z with Doss/Jacoby as the Y,depending on what we need. But DT might have just been talked up this offseason. It all depends on how good his route running and hands really are. He is without doubt the fastest on the team. I think he is more Mike Wallace if anything.

[Ravensfan23]

I dont know if reggie is a great comparison. Wayne is an assassin on his routes, quick & clean while Smith is almost there with his routes but not yet. I would Say Smith is more like Mike Wallace. Has the speed to make the entire secondary back off and with incredible amount of potential. I think all the others are pretty solid, especially pitta and clark, cant get anymore identical then those two. I really hope DT can produce the same way in 2013 because having DT and smith opposite each other should be something every D in the NFL should be scared about.

 

It's more about the offensive system then the player imo. If Cam was still the coach then I would agree with the Mike Wallace comparison Torrey would be nothing more then a one trick pony much like Wallace and Djax. The Ravens want Torrey Smith to become a more well rounded complete WR and with the system I feel we are moving to, you'll have to be used like Reggie Wayne. Is his talents consistent with Reggie's? I don't think he's as polished as Reggie right now, but he's getting there.

 

Although I do believe Reggie is a really strong route running, if you look at the Colts offense closely, they do a great job of moving Reggie to create space for him to work, as well as playing off his quickness to get him open. This is how I envision the Ravens using Torrey Smith. Torrey has top 10 ability and he's developing his game each year. Pair him with a OC that's good at scheming the offense to get your best WR the ball every game and he'll take off imo. He'll be much better then Mike Wallace.

[5aiah]

He'll be much better then Mike Wallace.

He already is.

[Ravensfan23]

He is better than Mike Wallace though. But yeah that is what I wanna see the most. Torrey as the X and DT as the Z with Doss/Jacoby as the Y,depending on what we need. But DT might have just been talked up this offseason. It all depends on how good his route running and hands really are. He is without doubt the fastest on the team. I think he is more Mike Wallace if anything.

 

Agreed on DT. The thing we have to guard against with him is exactly what you said, him just being the flavor of the month. We have to remember that all of the DT talk has been media driven for the most part. When I hear Ozzie mention DT it's basically in the same breath as the other WRs, but nothing special. Whenever a coach was quoted for praising DT, he was always following a question from the media about DT. I can't remember one coach voluntarily saying how impressed they were with DT. So i'm not saying the guy is all hype, but the media has a way of hitching they're wagon to one guy and riding him all offseason. Then you get article after article of how impressive he is, but in reality he's not preforming no better then the other guys. Everyone is attracted to speed and that's the first thing that sticks out about DT, but his game has to be able more then speed when pads come on. 

 

And yes Torrey is already better then Mike Wallace, I was just basically saying that with Caldwell this year, he'll be widely recognized as being better then Wallace.

[Gordo52]

-Joe Flacco's offense. 60/40 pass. Will still run the ball as long as we can do it effectively. We finally have a OC that can make good in game adjustments, so I don't think we start playing conservative in the 3rd quarter anymore.

-Rice and Benard split it 65/35 Rice. Great backfield, both RB's stay fresh and give defenses headaches. Also preserves Rice's longevity which is especially important after that huge contract. I wouldn't be surprised though to see Pierce get an increase in carries as the season rolls on.

-A lot of 2 TE sets with Rice & Juice in the backfield in short yardage situations. So many receiving threats everywhere, LB's will have a lot of trouble and Pitta is too big for a lot of CB's.

- Torrey develops further into an all around receiver. He'll not only run 9's and screens but also work the middle a lot. He'll obviously be Joes go to WR.

- Gut feeling we'll try a lot of comeback routes between Torrey and Jones like Mason used to always do. I think Jones is our 2nd best WR but in 3 WR sets I hope he plays in the slot.

-Dickson becomes a true threat in the passing game. Next year we'll have the best TE combo in football, stat wise. I think Dickson is the key component to our offenses (besides McKinnie) success. It would be huge if he stepped up.

- If McKinnie comes back in shape and is ready to play then I think we have a great o-line. It all truly rests on how he does. Gino looked good vs the Bengals, he had two all pro guards next to him so in not worried about him. Oher is heading into the season knowing he'll be the RT, and is in a contract year. I'm expecting a career year out of him.

I say we have a top 5-10 offense this year. Anywhere in between there. Deadly passing & running game. I'm feeling a Saints 2011 offense. ;)

[Ravensfan23]

-Joe Flacco's offense. 60/40 pass. Will still run the ball as long as we can do it effectively. We finally have a OC that can make good in game adjustments, so I don't think we start playing conservative in the 3rd quarter anymore.

-Rice and Benard split it 65/35 Rice. Great backfield, both RB's stay fresh and give defenses headaches. Also preserves Rice's longevity which is especially important after that huge contract. I wouldn't be surprised though to see Pierce get an increase in carries as the season rolls on.

-A lot of 2 TE sets with Rice & Juice in the backfield in short yardage situations. So many receiving threats everywhere, LB's will have a lot of trouble and Pitta is too big for a lot of CB's.

- Torrey develops further into an all around receiver. He'll not only run 9's and screens but also work the middle a lot. He'll obviously be Joes go to WR.

- Gut feeling we'll try a lot of comeback routes between Torrey and Jones like Mason used to always do. I think Jones is our 2nd best WR but in 3 WR sets I hope he plays in the slot.

-Dickson becomes a true threat in the passing game. Next year we'll have the best TE combo in football, stat wise. I think Dickson is the key component to our offenses (besides McKinnie) success. It would be huge if he stepped up.

- If McKinnie comes back in shape and is ready to play then I think we have a great o-line. It all truly rests on how he does. Gino looked good vs the Bengals, he had two all pro guards next to him so in not worried about him. Oher is heading into the season knowing he'll be the RT, and is in a contract year. I'm expecting a career year out of him.

I say we have a top 5-10 offense this year. Anywhere in between there. Deadly passing & running game. I'm feeling a Saints 2011 offense. ;)

 

I could definitely see Jacoby surprising many and being a solid #2, but it'll be important how Caldwell plans to use him. I too think we'll see guys resemble a lot more of what we got from Mason moreso then Boldin. With Jacoby, if you like him in the slot in 3WR sets, who are you putting outside?

 

I could see a open offense similar to the Saints, but I don't think we'll ask Flacco to throw the ball nearly as much as Brees does to pad his stats.

 

What do you think Dickson's potential is? Much like you I really think he shines this year.

[NaveSenrag]

Yea I kind of figured that, but wasn't  sure.

 

Why do defenses have to be bad for Joe to have great games? Was the Broncos defense bad last year? Was the 49ers defense bad? Were the Steelers bad during opening day in 2011? How about the Bengals last year? Do you look at QBs like Peyton, Brees, Brady and ARod and say or they are playing a good defense so they won't produce? No you look at that good defense and say they will have their hands full stopping those top QBs.

 

We as Ravens fans need to wake up and realize what type of QB Cam has been holding back for years. I know it's hard to see without the consistent evidence, but Joe is that good. Over the last 2 years the Ravens have opened things up for Flacco at home and in the playoffs. With Cam he either allowed Joe to run the offense at home or when the team's back was against the wall. Caldwell will allow Flacco to run the offense every game and that will solve the consistency issue. If we are talking about Cam running the offense then I'm worried about the defenses we face. But with Caldwell I don't worry.

 

What defenses do you look at and say Flacco won't be able to produce against this year?

I'm not saying that defenses have to be bad for Joe to have great games. I'm saying that for Joe to have a 35-40 TD year we need a stable and experienced receiving corps and we need to not play against some of the best defenses in the league for the majority of the season. We had a very good game against the Bengals last year, but for the first half of the season their defense was mediocre. If we had played a real second game against them, I don't think we would have topped  25 points.

 

As for defenses that I see us struggling against this year, the Texans were a problem last year, Cinci and Pitt should both be in the top ten in terms of points and yards allowed, the Broncos upgraded  their secondary which was a problem for them last year, and the Bears were the best in the NFL at forcing gamechanging TO's for most of last season. And like I said, most of the rest of the defenses we play vary from above average to very good.

 

I'm not saying Joe will be bad or that Caldwell won't have an impact, in fact I see us being successful against almost all of the defenses that we face this year, but I just don't think 35-40 TDs is in the cards for Joe this year.

[Ravensfan23]

I'm not saying that defenses have to be bad for Joe to have great games. I'm saying that for Joe to have a 35-40 TD year we need a stable and experienced receiving corps and we need to not play against some of the best defenses in the league for the majority of the season. We had a very good game against the Bengals last year, but for the first half of the season their defense was mediocre. If we had played a real second game against them, I don't think we would have topped  25 points.

 

As for defenses that I see us struggling against this year, the Texans were a problem last year, Cinci and Pitt should both be in the top ten in terms of points and yards allowed, the Broncos upgraded  their secondary which was a problem for them last year, and the Bears were the best in the NFL at forcing gamechanging TO's for most of last season. And like I said, most of the rest of the defenses we play vary from above average to very good.

 

I'm not saying Joe will be bad or that Caldwell won't have an impact, in fact I see us being successful against almost all of the defenses that we face this year, but I just don't think 35-40 TDs is in the cards for Joe this year.

 

I just don't don't think it'll matter who we play, Flacco will be good for at least 2 TDs getting off the bus and that's 32 for the season. I look at how the offense was run under Caldwell and Flacco has so much more control and options. Flacco is much more comfortable passing in the redzone under Caldwell and that improves the overall Redzone opportunities because the defenses are on their toes.

 

Flacco throw 15 TDs in the 6 games played under Caldwell. 8 of those 15 TDs came inside the Redzone. With more opportunities to pass down around the goal line that's more TD chances.

[Gordo52]

I could definitely see Jacoby surprising many and being a solid #2, but it'll be important how Caldwell plans to use him. I too think we'll see guys resemble a lot more of what we got from Mason moreso then Boldin. With Jacoby, if you like him in the slot in 3WR sets, who are you putting outside?

I could see a open offense similar to the Saints, but I don't think we'll ask Flacco to throw the ball nearly as much as Brees does to pad his stats.

What do you think Dickson's potential is? Much like you I really think he shines this year.

Yeah agree about Flacco not throwing as much as Brees did. I'm pretty sure they were top 5 in running & passing that year. Just me being a optimistic homer lol

I don't know who we would put outside. I'm hoping Thompson or Doss can be that guy. I just hope we use jacoby every where this year, not just fly routes. It would be ideal to have a real #2 on our team, but I think we'll be fine. With having Pitta, Dickson and a receiving FB & RB on our team, I don't think we're stressing it. I just hope Dickson steps it up so he can be relied on. Juice is unknown at this point but from what I've seen of him I really believe he'll help us out a lot. If one of the young receivers step it up a notch then that would be sugar on top for me.

Dickson showed flashes of what he could do late last year. I read reports somewhere that he's been working really hard this offseason. I'm not expecting him to have a 2012 Pitta like season but if he improves his route running and catching then I'm hoping to see something like 40+ catches, 400 yards and a few TD's. I'd like to use him a lot on short yardage passing plays. Occasionally send him down the field for some big plays. He's in a contract year as well and I really believe that makes a big difference for players and their mindsets during the season.
But if Dickson has a good year, I think that would mean our whole offense is too.