Why does the offense refuse to take more shots down field?

[Bump N Run]

When they do, good things seem to happen. Whether that be Torrey making a great catch or a welcomed PI flag. Jacoby was wide open down field on a ball Joe under threw. Other than those two plays, I don't recall seeing another downfield pass.

 

We have plenty of speed on this team and the predictable run up the middle on 1st down and the dump off to our back on 2nd is getting real old.

 

Spread the field and let it rip!!!!!!! In turn this would hopefully open up lanes for the run game.

 

It's pretty frustrating when you see Ryan light up the Bucs for 3 TDs with no run game and without his 2 top receivers and all we can muster is one late TD against a 1-4 Steeler team.

 

The offensive philosophy, coupled with questionable coaching decisions, and poor center play is killing this team.

[SuggsBarber]

Considering the state of our running game,throwing downfield should be a priority.PI's have been an integral part of this offense.

[Free Agent]

I've been hoping for the same thing. I'd love to see us spread things out and throw down field more, instead of using so many bunch formations when we have multiple receivers on the field. Besides today, we haven't been running very much no huddle, so the receivers stamina can't be the excuse.

[Dfence4champs2052]

Its awful play-calling. We must have a 5-6 play playbook.

[PuRock]

We probably still take more shots down field than the average team.  

 

But part of the reason why we have to reel it in is because of the O-line play.  

[T3hRaven]

You think we can pass protect long enough for a deep shot to develop?  I don't.

[rmw10]

You think we can pass protect long enough for a deep shot to develop?  I don't.

 

^ This.  OL isn't giving enough time for downfield plays to develop right now.  There was definitely improvement today, but in the past few weeks, Joe hasn't had near enough time to go deep.

[T3hRaven]

^ This.  OL isn't giving enough time for downfield plays to develop right now.  There was definitely improvement today, but in the past few weeks, Joe hasn't had near enough time to go deep.

 

It doesn't help that the run game is no existent.  Can't make the defense crowd the box when you can't run the ball, and that makes deep shots all the more difficult.

[PuRock]

It doesn't help that the run game is no existent.  Can't make the defense crowd the box when you can't run the ball, and that makes deep shots all the more difficult.

 

Yep.  Also, no run game means no effective play-action.  So between the run game and the O-line, getting the ball down field is a challenge.  

[rmw10]

It doesn't help that the run game is no existent.  Can't make the defense crowd the box when you can't run the ball, and that makes deep shots all the more difficult.

 

^ This too.

[HaX]

well we like to run up the left side for 1 yard a lot.  uhh... yeah.

[Ravenseconbeast]

Nothing we did today offensively went wrong.  

If you want that kind of play style.  Go back and watch the bills game.

[gabefergy]

I think Joe does take shots downfield, but in a smart manner. It's important to remember that we are dealing with a terrible running game so the ideal down & distance to look vertical has been few and far between. 

[H8R]

Joe and the Ravens THRIVE on play-action. With the hilarious joke, being our running game... nobody cares enough to honor it. We've taken a good amount of shots , just haven't converted enough.

[Guest RBates]

When they do, good things seem to happen. Whether that be Torrey making a great catch or a welcomed PI flag. Jacoby was wide open down field on a ball Joe under threw. Other than those two plays, I don't recall seeing another downfield pass.

 

We have plenty of speed on this team and the predictable run up the middle on 1st down and the dump off to our back on 2nd is getting real old.

 

Spread the field and let it rip!!!!!!! In turn this would hopefully open up lanes for the run game.

 

It's pretty frustrating when you see Ryan light up the Bucs for 3 TDs with no run game and without his 2 top receivers and all we can muster is one late TD against a 1-4 Steeler team.

 

The offensive philosophy, coupled with questionable coaching decisions, and poor center play is killing this team.

We need time to set up the down field stuff.  When we spread the ball out we are more dangerous instead of the Ray Rice dump offs and the 5 yard Dallas Clark catch and runs. 

 

Sidenote: with the under throw to Jacoby i was watching that and thinking, Boldin would have caught that. 

[arnie_uk]

Joe had to take a 10 yard drop to give himself time to attempt that pass to jones

[flynismo]

Joe had to take a 10 yard drop to give himself time to attempt that pass to jones

It's Harbaughs fault

[flynismo]

Sidenote: with the under throw to Jacoby i was watching that and thinking, Boldin would have caught that.

Which Boldin? The Boldin that did nothing all regular season, or the one that had a few nice grabs in the playoffs last year?

[SuRihtanil]

When you lack a clutch WR that can go up in coverage and catch the ball its hard to take wild shots down field.  Boldin bailed Flacco outta more times than I could count.   The Ravens don't really have that.  Q could go up in traffic and make a 1 handed catch and still breaking off a 10 yard run.  The Ravens just have Smith, and when a team only has 1 major weapon its not hard to shut him down.  Rice and Smith are the only playmakers on offense right now... Joe Flacco needs Pitta back or someone needs to step up and be a big part of moving the chains on 3rd down. 

 

Plus you're never going to beat a team like the Steelers when their LBs are in the back field stopping the run every other play... poor offensive line and Ravens not being able to run cost them this game.  I see Ravens going into this draft and taking a couple lineman.

[PurpleCorsair]

We need time to set up the down field stuff.  When we spread the ball out we are more dangerous instead of the Ray Rice dump offs and the 5 yard Dallas Clark catch and runs. 

 

Sidenote: with the under throw to Jacoby i was watching that and thinking, Boldin would have caught that. 

Boldin wouldn't have been that far down field...

 

The truth is our offense played well enough to get the win. They were by no means flawless, but it is still the Steelers and I was happy that we didn't turn it over. However these suggestions Boldin would somehow have been able to magically win us this game are just special.

 

For the second straight week the defense couldn't stop a team when we needed it most. Perhaps more alarming than that is the fact that our run defense appears to have evaporated.

[jdynamite]

Which Boldin? The Boldin that did nothing all regular season, or the one that had a few nice grabs in the playoffs last year?

My thoughts exactly on Boldin..

[flynismo]

When you lack a clutch WR that can go up in coverage and catch the ball its hard to take wild shots down field. Boldin bailed Flacco outta more times than I could count. The Ravens don't really have that. Q could go up in traffic and make a 1 handed catch and still breaking off a 10 yard run. The Ravens just have Smith, and when a team only has 1 major weapon its not hard to shut him down. Rice and Smith are the only playmakers on offense right now.

Rice is a playmaker? The same Rice whose longest run of the season is 11 yards? Lol!

Btw, in reference to the Boldin comment -- that tells me you can't count past two. At most.

[jdynamite]

Yesterday although the first half stats didn't show it, the offense actually put together a couple of solid drives unfortunately they could not get it in the end-zone.
It seems like every week we get a couple of big plays then we can't capitalize finish the drive with a TD.

Settling for FGs isn't cutting it, especially since we're one dimensional.

[jdynamite]

Joe had to take a 10 yard drop to give himself time to attempt that pass to jones

Yeah I said that during the game feed. I was like looks like oh school Madden, jump in shotgun roll back 10 more yards and then chunk it deep. I don't blame Flacco at all every week an inside blitz comes straight down the middle untouched, Gino smh.

[izvoodoo]

Yesterday although the first half stats didn't show it, the offense actually put together a couple of solid drives unfortunately they could not get it in the end-zone.
It seems like every week we get a couple of big plays then we can't capitalize finish the drive with a TD.

Settling for FGs isn't cutting it, especially since we're one dimensional.

It's the run blocking.  It's just brutal

[RedFire]

Most long shots down field in the NFL is off of play action...cause otherwise you praying for broken coverage and miscommunication.

Get the run game together and then it opens up with the extra man in the box.

[dirtybird10]

Joe had to take a 10 yard drop to give himself time to attempt that pass to jones

 

I did notice that. He was really far back on that one, probably because of the pass protection, and possibly why he was about 5 yards short on that throw.

[dirtybird10]

Yeah I said that during the game feed. I was like looks like oh school Madden, jump in shotgun roll back 10 more yards and then chunk it deep. I don't blame Flacco at all every week an inside blitz comes straight down the middle untouched, Gino smh.

 

Well Rice did totally wiff on Woodley on that play. It was like ray was trying to cut him, and was treated like a speed bump. 

[T3hRaven]

I did notice that. He was really far back on that one, probably because of the pass protection, and possibly why he was about 5 yards short on that throw.

 

He probably couldn't get set the way he wanted to, but he said he misjudged the throw in the press conference.  He has the arm to sling it all over the field though, that shouldn't be a problem for him.

[ThePurpleWall]

offense is good.