Super Bowl Hangover (or alternate reasons for poor performance in season's first quarter)

[flynismo]

Won't dispute the importance of a solid offensive line. The real issue is how ours has fallen apart with only a change at center? What's changed? Center and Offensive Line Coach....that's the first place to look.

Only 9 rushing attempts could be attributable to Ray Rice playing before he was truly ready, but the Raven's have been in a Rushing Yards Regression for some time now.

But the receiving corps is almost as ineffective. Flacco truly appears lost and there's a reason for that. He was undermined.

See Poe, you call it being undermined. I call it the ultimate vote of confidence.
Now granted, the FO made the erroneous assumption that the OL would continue to play well, and assumed a healthy Pitta. But they were reasonable assumptions to make.

Look Flacco is human and like Manning and Brady, he has his bad games. But also like Manning or Brady, if you protect him with a strong OL, it does not matter much -- to an extent-- who he is throwing it to, if he has time, he will destroy defenses.

THAT is where the FO screwed up - not being proactive with the OL.
And it is no surprise to me. For the last three years, I have been on this forum saying that this team will go as far as the OL takes it, because when you have talent like Flacco and Rice, you have all you need on offense, if your OL does its job.

[Poes Crows]

THAT is where the FO screwed up - not being proactive with the OL.
And it is no surprise to me. For the last three years, I have been on this forum saying that this team will go as far as the OL takes it, because when you have talent like Flacco and Rice, you have all you need on offense, if your OL does its job.

 

This is very close to the O-Line that won a Championship. 4 of them have rings. Something is going on that wasn't anticipated.  Add the Line woes to the ineffective receivers and it's a recipe for disappointment. 

 

I think everyone knows what I believe to be the key.  If it turns out as some have projected, Raven's fan's need to call for doing The right thing.  Something will clearly be amiss with management.