Seven things we learned (offense and defense)

[rmw10]

Jimmy Smith is straight up balling right now, and if it's not too bold to say, he may be playing better than Webb. I'm glad he's finally using his physical tools.

 

I don't think it's bold.  He is playing better than Webb right now, which is incredible, because Webb is playing very well.  You can tell he's still a bit rusty, but we're slowly getting the old Webb back.  The fact that Jimmy is playing better than him is a testament to how well he's actually playing.  Not to mention, he's been on the number 1 receiver for the past few weeks.

[izvoodoo]

The hit on Woods in the endzone that prevented a touchdown was very impressive. Past Jimmy would have given up on the play.

My concern is we're so thin at corner we have him over the slot, which is not ideal.  He is an outside corner.

 

Corey Graham's play has SHOCKED me.  He was a high quality corner last year,

[ravensfan160]

I don't think it's bold.  He is playing better than Webb right now, which is incredible, because Webb is playing very well.  You can tell he's still a bit rusty, but we're slowly getting the old Webb back.  The fact that Jimmy is playing better than him is a testament to how well he's actually playing.  Not to mention, he's been on the number 1 receiver for the past few weeks.

I don't think Webb is 100% yet. I seem to recall hearing that somewhere. Webb is still working his way back but there is no doubt Jimmy is playing great ball right now.

[GrimCoconut]

Jimmy is currently our best player in the secondary.

[arnie_uk]

Jimmy is currently our best player in the secondary.

was just about to type this, currently our third best player on the entire team. Sizzle smith then jimmy

[Cville-Raven]

Jimmy is currently our best player in the secondary.

The funny thing is that people will actually still bash him. 

[GrimCoconut]

was just about to type this, currently our third best player on the entire team. Sizzle smith then jimmy

Daryl Smith or Torrey Smith?

[arnie_uk]

Daryl Smith or Torrey Smith?

daryl, I'd say torrey is fourth and that's through no fault of his own really

[GrimCoconut]

The funny thing is that people will actually still bash him.

People have a blind hate for Jimmy Smith. He's had some rough patches but I'd like someone to name one player on this team who hasn't. He's the fan scapegoat. I just roll my eyes most of the time.

[flynismo]

You need to read the terms of Brady's restructure. Not only did he not take less money, the new structure guarantees him more than before the restructure. The Pats just kicked the can down the road.

Very noble of him.

[GrimCoconut]

daryl, I'd say torrey is fourth and that's through no fault of his own really

Hmm. I'm not sure. I have to think there. Arthur Jones, Chris Canty, Suggs, Daryl Smith, Jimmy Smith, Webb, Torrey Smith, Joe Flacco, Marshal Yanda, and Tucker are our top 10 players at this moment. Even then, I'd say the clear best player is Suggs. The rest have all made mistakes that have caused us to lose points in some fashion. Regardless, that's our top 10.

[flynismo]

Jimmy is currently our best player in the secondary.

I would like to take this opportunity to pat myself on the back and remind everyone that I picked him as our "breakout player" this season, assuming he remained healthy, while everyone was nitpicking every little thing he did in preseason.

[GrimCoconut]

I would like to take this opportunity to pat myself on the back and remind everyone that I picked him as our "breakout player" this season, assuming he remained healthy, while everyone was nitpicking every little thing he did in preseason.

Not going to pat myself on the back, but I've been defending Smith from the irrational hate as well. He's made mistakes but he's not a bum some exaggerated him to be.

[flynismo]

See Tom Brady doing taking less than market value, now that's a leader. That's a champion! Flacco isn't even close to his level, yet he's paid more. Look at what Brady is doing with his nonames. ......Winning.

Throwing rookies and fellow teammates under the bus, not only in front of his co-workers, but in front of the cameras, you think that is what a leader does? Would you look at your boss and say "what a great leader" if he chewed you out in front of your co-workers?
No, a leader does exactly what Flacco has done all year -- he took the heat off of the guys around him and made himself accountable for their screwups.

[NaveSenrag]

Throwing rookies and fellow teammates under the bus, not only in front of his co-workers, but in front of the cameras, you think that is what a leader does? Would you look at your boss and say "what a great leader" if he chewed you out in front of your co-workers?
No, a leader does exactly what Flacco has done all year -- he took the heat off of the guys around him and made himself accountable for their screwups.

Brady chewed out his receivers on the sideline for dropping passes during a divisional game, but cooled off in time to talk to the media. That's how it should be.

Not to imply that Flacco is a saint. Just this year, he chewed Doss out in front of the cameras for a mistake in the preseason, and all of America got to see his frustration during the opener when Clark dropped the TD.

[HoldingCall]

Oh I totally agree with you its not just on Flacco.  
 
But as Flacco, you have seen it happen in Pittsburgh and New York were Qb's take huge contracts and their team falls apart. I just wish he and his agent made a  contract that will guarantee he flourishes in his career in Baltimore.  Meaning, you have to pay his help.  The one thing that he could've done that would have cemented his legacy as the leader on this team and the QB of the future was come public and say no matter what Torrey, Anquan, Pitta, Rice stay put. 
 
With so much money invested in the QB, CB, D-line, RB  we can't make moves to help him, so he has to figure it out.

You make a very good point about teams that fell apart. The team problems may go beyond the conscience and into the sub conscience of some players. Joe getting a 120 million contract must sound like a lot of money to players getting 500,000 to 1,000,000 per year(250,000-500,000 take home). Perhaps the amount of the contract has an affect on a sub conscience level of the support players. Most if not all live with a greater risk of suffering a career ending injury and have a much shorter career than most QB's. Just a thought!

As for asking for players to stay put. Its a good ideal but I'm sure management and egos would not allow that to happen.

[PolishRifle]

Gregg Rosenthal from NFL.com actually had a good point!

 

Joe Flacco can't throw to Ed Dickson because the tight end already has six drops this season. He couldn't throw to Brandon Stokley because the slot receiver was inactive. As a result, Tandon Doss and Dallas Clark combined for 18 targets. Clark was on his couch when the preseason started. Doss couldn't last through final cuts. The Ravens desperately need Marlon Brown and Deonte Thompson to gain Flacco's full trust.

[PolishRifle]

Brady chewed out his receivers on the sideline for dropping passes during a divisional game, but cooled off in time to talk to the media. That's how it should be.

Not to imply that Flacco is a saint. Just this year, he chewed Doss out in front of the cameras for a mistake in the preseason, and all of America got to see his frustration during the opener when Clark dropped the TD.

 

 

Really? That's even comparable? Brady looks like a spoiled child.

[NaveSenrag]

 

 

Really? That's even comparable? Brady looks like a spoiled child.

1. It's about as comparable as a divisional game and a preseason game.

2. If you're going to only show what Flacco did while on the field, it would be fair to do the same for Brady wouldn't it?

[The Raven]

1. It's about as comparable as a divisional game and a preseason game.

2. If you're going to only show what Flacco did while on the field, it would be fair to do the same for Brady wouldn't it?

 

I saw what Brady did on the field, and it makes him look worse.

 

Flacco is handling his situation with much more maturity than Brady, and it is not even arguable. 

[NaveSenrag]

I saw what Brady did on the field, and it makes him look worse.

 

Flacco is handling his situation with much more maturity than Brady, and it is not even arguable. 

If Flacco reacted like Brady did, I'd be concerned. Because only one of them was reacting to plays that had any significance.

[flynismo]

I'm just going to say that Brady is not a true leader, and leave it at that. There is a reason why he is known as "CryBrady".

[443hurricane]

My question is Castillo was a great OL coach. I mean he worked for 16 straight years in the NFL. That means he's consistent.

I expect more from our OL especially the interior.

 

KO started the game off with a penalty.. Unacceptable!!!

[omar586]

A lot of things were learned today.... So let's start off with things that are really obvious

 

1. Joe Flacco = This generation's Troy Aikman.

 

He's average in the regular season, and will put up some of the worst games at the worst moments. But he will win enough games to get us to the playoffs.

 

 

In the big game, he'll step up. But he will play down to his opponents

 

 

2. The running game absolutely sucks

 I mean, what the hell right.

      All Pro RB in Rice

      Tons of Promise with Pierce

      Best FB in the NFL with leach.

 

How are we faltering?

 

3. Yep, it's the ZBS

Whatever scheme we are running is absolutely horrible.  We were OK last year, we could at least establish a running game of sorts.

 

Now, we can't. The oline is putrid.  Even Yanda had a bad game. 

 

We need to switch. Really need to switch.

 

4. We can't call plays on the road.

 

Run Run Pass Punt.

 

We're too predictable on the road.  The porous Bills saw this coming.

 

5. Torrey Smith is the real deal

Torrey Smith, while playing a weak defense, was double covered all day. Even if the CBs both suck, double coverage is tough to beat.

 

We got ourselves a #1. He's on pace to break 1000 yards easy.

 

6. Marlon Brown is a capable possession WR

Rookie, 6'5. Not a #2 WR, but a possession WR. Flacco needs to throw it to him more. He's an absolute monster in the red zone.

 

7.Gradkowski might be a bust

I'm doubting Gino now.

 

Defensive

 

1. Suggs is back

Forget the BS penalty at the end of the game. Suggs is back. And he's really good. Might win DPOY. Sack every game.

 

2. We are missing Brown

Bynes sucks.

I said it, good MLB #3. But he sucks. Not a starter

We need Brown back BADLY. He adds a lot to the table as a run defender, and in coverage.

 

Run defense sucked today, and missing Brown hurt

 

3. Webb is injury prone.

His injury isn't too serious, but he's prone to injury.

 

Our injury prone

 

4. Jimmy Smith is not the problem.

Smith played well. Had to go one on one vs Johnson all game, and he was a non factor.

 

He rebounded. Not the problem

 

5. Corey Graham on the other hand

Is the liability in the secondary. He got TORCHED by Woods. TORCHED.

 

I wonder if we start Asa when he comes back. Graham is getting burnt almost as bad as Williams.

 

6. We are FINE at the Safety Position

Elam played very well for a rookie, and looks good in run support

 

Diggs looks good in run support too.

 

7. Art Jones and Smith need to be resigned ASAP.

Those two are just play makers. Jones is coming into his own and Smith is a beast.

 

 

 

 

Oh, and most importantly,

ALL IS NOT LOST.

 

Buffalo has talent, lots of it. They're just young. We should have slaughtered them, but we played down to them.

i agree, u forgot one thing: cut DICKSON promote furstengberg, he can't do any worse.

[PolishRifle]

2. If you're going to only show what Flacco did while on the field, it would be fair to do the same for Brady wouldn't it?

 

Oh, you're right. Much better.

 

 

I get, that Flacco just had the worst game in his carreer, but you're being ridiculous here. Brady, who is well known for being a whiner and throwing hissy fits compared to Flacco, who is known for being stoic? Yeah, right.

[The Raven]

I never thought I'd see the day that we'd actually be comparing the maturity levels of Flacco and Brady.

[NaveSenrag]

Oh, you're right. Much better.



I get, that Flacco just had the worst game in his carreer, but you're being ridiculous here. Brady, who is well known for being a whiner and throwing hissy fits compared to Flacco, who is known for being stoic? Yeah, right.

I don't suppose you have a .gif of Flacco's reaction to the Clark TD drop? As I recall, it was pretty similar to this one.

All I'm saying is that sometimes a leader needs to yell at his troops. You shouldn't throw your guys under the bus, but poor performance is nor something that cam be tolerated at this level.

[callahan09]

Flacco whined that he needed more autonomy.... Flacco complained that he was worth top dollar and got it.  Flacco got his guy in as OC.  Flacco got the keys to the offense, problem is he wrecked the car.  This man is trying so hard to be an elite quarterback. He lacks the awareness and field vision the greats do.  Being great isn't a pay check it's performance and I know the Flacco apologists here hate to hear it but Flacco is in way over his head and the team will suffer for it.

 

 

Flacco had two interceptions dropped and was throwing into double  and triple coverage all day.  Quality quarterbacks don't do that consistently.  Flacco is an average quarterback, nothing more.

 

Flacco demanded so much money that the team couldn't afford to help him with weapons needing to get their cap in order for future seasons. .  It's the chicken and the egg argument.

 

Sorry it's all on Flacco.  He talks a good game but unfortunately for him they play it and employ statisticians.

 

I'd love for Ozzie to see if there's any suckers out there that would give the Ravens a draft pick and move on from the front offices mistake.

 

All the talk about learning from the 2000 championship, they are in worse shape in coming seasons with the Flacco albatross contract hanging over them.

Your atrocious comment actually contains one very relevant and important statement of fact: "Flacco ... was throwing into double  and triple coverage all day."

 

There's a reason for that: The receivers weren't getting open in anywhere near the amount of time the offensive line gave Flacco before he had to make a decision because of the pressure in his face.  When you have no time to throw and no open receivers, you have three options: Take the sack, throw the ball away, or force the throw into coverage.  Well, the first two are the safe/smart plays, but only if you're not already losing on the scoreboard and you have confidence that you will actually have plays with open receivers and time to throw on future downs.  Well, that isn't the case with this offense, and especially last Sunday.  When every single down sees every receiver covered and you have no time to throw, eventually you realize you aren't going to win taking a sack or throwing the ball away every down, you've got to force the throw to try to make a play.  And when you are put in that position, 99 out of 100 times you are going to get burned, and that's exactly what happened.

[redravenfan]

See Tom Brady doing taking less than market value, now that's a leader.  That's a champion!   Flacco isn't even close to his level, yet he's paid more.  Look at what Brady is doing with his nonames. ......Winning.

http://www.patriots.com/

[Cville-Raven]

http://www.patriots.com/

LOL