Is Juan Castillo the problem?

[stone fresh]

I'm not going to go so far as to say Caldwell isn't part of the problem this year.  I don't know who it is that keeps forcing these runs for no gain up the middle.  The lack of variety in play calling is a problem, whoever's fault it is.  I don't know how bad it was yesterday though.  I'm still putting most of the blame on the offensive line.

Runs up the middle would be fine if the O-line could actually execute their blocks. They can't because none of them have the athleticism to play in a full zone blocking scheme.

Granted, we lost a proven guy in Matt Birk because of retirement, a proven guy in Kelechi Osemele due to back surgery, a proven guy in McKinnie (don't let Harbaugh fool you the problem was trying to change his style of play 10 years into his career. If you don't believe me look at Miami's last 2 games). We knew the old scheme worked for those players. Now we've got a makeshift O-line again now we don't know if going back to the old scheme will save us because of the new personnel. If we had run our old scheme the first 5-6 games we'd have a drastically better record and wouldn't have wasted draft picks on Monroe seeing as we aren't even sure he'll be back next year. We changed what wasn't broken and are paying the price. Plain and simple

Also can't forget when Caldwell took over last year he had play makers all over the field. He had Rice and Pierce for the short game, Torrey and Jacoby for the deep passes, and Pitta + Boldin for the middle of the field. We have nobody to make plays over the middle as consistently as Pitta and Boldin did. So Caldwell should be given benefit of the doubt seeing as hes lost our 2 most vital receivers from last season. 

[Free Agent]

I'm not going to go so far as to say Caldwell isn't part of the problem this year.  I don't know who it is that keeps forcing these runs for no gain up the middle.  The lack of variety in play calling is a problem, whoever's fault it is.  I don't know how bad it was yesterday though.  I'm still putting most of the blame on the offensive line.

 

It's hard to have a whole lot of variety in your playcalling when 1) your run game sucks and 2) you're playing from behind all the time.

[T3hRaven]

Its because Harbaugh's doghouse has gotten everyone scared into thinking the second they call him out they'll be on the bench. They weren't afraid of that with Ray and Ed around because they put a lot of power onto the players side (and if you think this isn't true, go read about last years "mutiny" when Ed and other players called out Harbs for having a padded practice, the players ultimately won and didn't practice in pads). Now Harbaugh has gotten rid of them and there is no safety net for the players. Harbaugh is playing judge, jury, and executioner. Flacco needs to become more vocal on this situation because he is the only one Harbaugh wont throw under the bus. If Flacco were to come out and say "we need to change our running scheme back to what worked. If it isn't broken, why fix it?" and I swear Harbaugh would actually listen.

 

For the record, the mutiny was about the lack of offensive consistency and Cam Cameron's play calling in particular.  That has leaked out over the past year despite the initial reports about the padded practice.  But there might be something to this.  It does seem like Harbaugh jettisoned all of the out-spoken players.  While Suggs is a character, he's not one to criticize the coaching openly.

[stone fresh]

I was wondering about the new coach too but I read an interview with Bryant McKinnie just before he left the team, stating that Coach Castillo did make a lot of changes & the players were struggling some, trying to learn to do things the new way.

But he said that they were starting to get it all together & should do much better in the 2nd half of the season.  Hopefully that will start being true ASAP.

He being spiteful and that entire comment was in jest. It was pretty much sarcasm

[T3hRaven]

It's hard to have a whole lot of variety in your playcalling when 1) your run game sucks and 2) you're playing from behind all the time.

 

While that's true, we were predictably running on first down quite often during the season.  That is an issue, and it's been talked about at length over the past few weeks.  Again, I don't know what the breakdown for yesterday was, but it was an issue.

[ravensgirl4shore]

It seems like we have the same problem/pattern no matter who the OC is....quarterback Joe is slow to start & the plays are predictable or easily read by the opponent...same as when Cam was there, but at least now they mix up the order a little......and another problem which we had improved last year.......penalties. ouch!

 

 

[Free Agent]

While that's true, we were predictably running on first down quite often during the season.  That is an issue, and it's been talked about at length over the past few weeks.  Again, I don't know what the breakdown for yesterday was, but it was an issue.

 

I agree with that. Not only has the halfback draw on every first down been very predictable, but also very ineffective. You'd think Caldwell would give it up at some point.

[stone fresh]

For the record, the mutiny was about the lack of offensive consistency and Cam Cameron's play calling in particular.  That has leaked out over the past year despite the initial reports about the padded practice.  But there might be something to this.  It does seem like Harbaugh jettisoned all of the out-spoken players.  While Suggs is a character, he's not one to criticize the coaching openly.

No matter what the mutiny was about it still represented the players being able to stand up to their coach and challenge him when they know he is wrong. Granted I can understand there were other reasons for cutting Ed such as his age and the fact he was on the decline. But when they cut Pollard I knew that move was to keep Harbaugh unquestioned by the rest of the players. Harbaugh wanted everyone gone involved in starting that mutiny to keep a stranglehold on the locker room and now its come back to bite us. Don't tell me it was the penalties because he hasn't had a problem with the myriad of penalties we commit every game now. Harbaugh saw Pollard and Ed as threats to the perception of his judgement. So then he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He could either get rid of Cam and prove the players right which would harm his image in the locker room, or he could have kept Cam and lost the locker room entirely. I don't think it was a coincidence they decided they were going to gut the defense around the same time the mutiny occurred. Harbaugh knew that if they started winning with Cam gone that players would continue to question his judgment so he nipped the "problem" in the bud. 

[MARYLANDMIKE21224]

i didnt know he also coached the secondary !!...LOL

[t45]

No matter what the mutiny was about it still represented the players being able to stand up to their coach and challenge him when they know he is wrong. Granted I can understand there were other reasons for cutting Ed such as his age and the fact he was on the decline. But when they cut Pollard I knew that move was to keep Harbaugh unquestioned by the rest of the players. Harbaugh wanted everyone gone involved in starting that mutiny to keep a stranglehold on the locker room and now its come back to bite us. Don't tell me it was the penalties because he hasn't had a problem with the myriad of penalties we commit every game now. Harbaugh saw Pollard and Ed as threats to the perception of his judgement. So then he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He could either get rid of Cam and prove the players right which would harm his image in the locker room, or he could have kept Cam and lost the locker room entirely. I don't think it was a coincidence they decided they were going to gut the defense around the same time the mutiny occurred. Harbaugh knew that if they started winning with Cam gone that players would continue to question his judgment so he nipped the "problem" in the bud. 

Word !!!

[ravensgirl4shore]

T3hRaven,  love your profile Pix! Went to my very first NFL game last night in Cleveland & your pix pretty much sums up how it felt, lol!

[stone fresh]

 

i didnt know he also coached the secondary !!...LOL

It all revolves around the offense:

The secondary would improve drastically if the pass rush could improve. The pass rush could improve if they didn't have to play conservatively the entire game. They could play more aggressively if we had a lead to work with. We don't have leads to work with because the offense cant score anything early in the game. That cycle leads us to playing from behind, which means the defense has to play conservatively, which is keeping us from forcing turnovers. From the offensive side, when we're playing from behind we have to constantly throw the ball, which doesn't work when your O-line doesn't give you time for routes to develop. 

So again, I still say the 90% of the problem with this team is the zone blocking scheme. If the O-line can block, the offense can run the ball, protect Flacco, sustain drives, and ultimately put up points. Long drives will keep the defense fresh, and putting up points will keep games close which will allow the defense to get after the ball.

 

 

[Guest RBates]

Is castillo fired yet?  Why are we waiting?  Sad shame. 

[ravensgirl4shore]

No matter what the mutiny was about it still represented the players being able to stand up to their coach and challenge him when they know he is wrong. Granted I can understand there were other reasons for cutting Ed such as his age and the fact he was on the decline. But when they cut Pollard I knew that move was to keep Harbaugh unquestioned by the rest of the players. Harbaugh wanted everyone gone involved in starting that mutiny to keep a stranglehold on the locker room and now its come back to bite us. Don't tell me it was the penalties because he hasn't had a problem with the myriad of penalties we commit every game now. Harbaugh saw Pollard and Ed as threats to the perception of his judgement. So then he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He could either get rid of Cam and prove the players right which would harm his image in the locker room, or he could have kept Cam and lost the locker room entirely. I don't think it was a coincidence they decided they were going to gut the defense around the same time the mutiny occurred. Harbaugh knew that if they started winning with Cam gone that players would continue to question his judgment so he nipped the "problem" in the bud. 

..well said, & I believe that also includes Boldin, he spoke his mind too....

[runamuk]

If you listen to the 4 pm presser by harbaugh don't expect any changes . I caught it live once its posted listen to it he has no intention of changing anything.

[blackbird29]

Call me a fair weather fan or whatever you like but I don't think I can watch another Ravens game until Castillo is gone. Now understand this isn't simply because they're losing. Its because they're losing and making literally ZERO effort to fix anything. I can't stand by and watch my beloved Ravens suffer because of blatant stubbornness. I fully believe we have the players to be a good team but the coaching staff refuses to use players to their strengths and go back to what worked for the last 5 years. If they were playing full football games to their full potential and losing it wouldn't be so bad, but to put out a mediocre unit week in and week out then cry when you're losing is just ridiculous.

I don't blame you at all. Problem is that in Harbum's eyes they ARE playing to their full potential. Read the comment in the twitter page. It's the same every week. He believes that the team played better regardless of stats, points or wins vs losses.

[stone fresh]

..well said, & I believe that also includes Boldin, he spoke his mind too....

I didn't throw him in there because I don't think Harbaugh would have let Jim take Boldin if he thought Boldin was the kind of guy who would be detrimental to his brother's team. Also I don't want it to sound like I don't support Harbaugh as our coach because I know hes a good coach even though he can be stubborn at times. I think his heart was in the right place but his head was not, and now we're paying for it. This season may be pretty much tanked but I think Harbaugh will come out a better coach because of it and ultimately will make things right again. One bad season does not a bad coach make

[blackbird29]

Is castillo fired yet? Why are we waiting? Sad shame.

You will be waiting a long time if you want that to happen.

[redravenfan]

You will be waiting a long time if you want that to happen.

In today's press conference Harbaugh said " we blocked really well yesterday . he was saying something about scheme I missed it but your correct he's not changing it he's putting it on the team for not executing it

[blackbird29]

In today's press conference Harbaugh said " we blocked really well yesterday . he was saying something about scheme I missed it but your correct he's not changing it he's putting it on the team for not executing it

Of course. He won't take the blame or admit he is wrong. He wants to be the hero. The leader. Blame everyone but the true guilty party. Himself and his BFF.

[stone fresh]

I don't blame you at all. Problem is that in Harbaugh's eyes they ARE playing to their full potential. Read the comment in the twitter page. It's the same every week. He believes that the team played better regardless of stats, points or wins vs losses.

I don't think he believes they actually played better so much as he thinks there is room for improvement. 4 of our losses have been by a combined 14 points. I figure he sees it like this:
If we had cut down on the mental mistakes (turnovers, drops, etc), we probably would have won those games and be 7-1. The problem with that mindset is now we're 10 weeks into the season and we have not corrected those mistakes. As the head coach, you have to put your foot down at some point. I think Harbaugh doesn't care how ugly we play as long as we win. Most of us don't. But you can't survive that way in the NFL for long, let alone all 16 games. 

The Ravens are playing consistently mediocre. Consistency is worthless if you're consistently bad. A team needs to have those great games and those horrible ones. They can't meander through the season as an average team because that will get you 8-8

[stone fresh]

Lets be honest. The Ravens played poorly last regular season too except they came through when it mattered (4th and 29 being the epitome of last season). The main difference this season is they aren't coming through when it matters and Harbaugh sees it being as simple as that. Come through when it matters and our record would be practically inverted. The problem it isn't that black and white. The players aren't being put into a position to come through when it matters because they are constantly fighting an uphill battle by being forced to not play to their strengths. Harbaugh will figure this out, granted he might figure it out too late for THIS season but in the future we'll be okay.

[stone fresh]

 

i didnt know he also coached the secondary !!...LOL

It all revolves around the offense:

The secondary would improve drastically if the pass rush could improve. The pass rush could improve if they didn't have to play conservatively the entire game. They could play more aggressively if we had a lead to work with. We don't have leads to work with because the offense cant score anything early in the game. That cycle leads us to playing from behind, which means the defense has to play conservatively, which is keeping us from forcing turnovers. From the offensive side, when we're playing from behind we have to constantly throw the ball, which doesn't work when your O-line doesn't give you time for routes to develop. 

So again, I still say the 90% of the problem with this team is the zone blocking scheme. If the O-line can block, the offense can run the ball, protect Flacco, sustain drives, and ultimately put up points. Long drives will keep the defense fresh, and putting up points will keep games close which will allow the defense to get after the ball.

 

 

[donkeyking64]

smh at that guy. just real bad. do people think that if we give him the time it needs, the situation will be better and we'll have 2 1,000+ yard backs?