If you could change one thing right now, what would it be?

[ravensfan520]

This year is done... we are not going to make the playoffs. I say in the off season we trade Rice Ngata and Flacco free up a ton of money... use the picks to rebuild the team and start over... hey we had a good run but we should be able to see that turning the game over to Flacco and smith isn't going to work... they need more than just those two on offense. Resign Pitta Jones and Daryl smith extend torrey and find a real free safety.

But as of this year fire Juan.

[MissRay27]

Use the short passing game more [Joe was throwing to Deonte in the beginning of the game and got away from it] and get rid of Castillo.

[GrimCoconut]

I'd fire Castillo and Pees. Promote Wilbert Montgomery to OC. Demote Jim Caldwell back to QB coach. Let Joe run the passing offense. Let Montgomery tell the OL what blocking scheme he wants. He seems like a player coach. Perhaps promote Teryl Austin to DC or Ted Monachino.

The problem I see with this team is this: player execution. I don't think the players are buying in with what the coaches are saying. I don't think the coaches are players coaches. They need to go. Caldwell is a player's coach but he's not creative.

The players aren't fighting for their coaches. They're giving up. They're partially inexperienced but they're also mentally soft. I think if we got some players coaches in there then I feel like we'll see better success.

[MARYLANDMIKE21224]

i would find a running back who explodes when he gets the ball, at this point and as bad as they been i dont think its all on the line or the blocking scheme sometimes it looks like someone my age running the ball lol

[MARYLANDMIKE21224]

Bring back 2-a-days

LOL !! may make us twice as bad though

[rafahash]

I'd fire Caldwell, Pees and Castillo.

[TwinRivers]

Bring in a real offensive coordinator.

[mmcclend]

yeahhhh theres alot to fix lol. But id say 

 

 

 Juan the genius "self explanatory"

 

Or the fact that we seem so soft. I kind of feel like Haden meant that we arent as tough as we used to be and it showed by the way we got pushed around smh.  If anything I expected us to take that personal.

 

People are going to probably say im trolling but im being honest.

[GrimCoconut]

Also we need to find ways to get Torrey Smith open and feed him the ball. When he gets his touches Flacco catches fire. He's our new Ray Rice.

[jazz1988]

The whole coaching staff minus Austin and the linebackers coach.  I'm really starting to believe that Harbaugh is bringing guys in to be the scapegoats  for when things fall apart.  Release Castillo today, this is just ridiculous.  Don't hire anymore friends.  

 

I think what people don't understand at times is that John Harbaugh isn't the only head coach that hired friends/coaches he have work with in the past. I gurantee you  every head coach in  nfl right now has a staff of coaches whom may be his friend/  some one he has work with before on another team.

[rafahash]

I'd fire Pees, Castillo and Caldwell.

[jdynamite]

Ravens should experiment playing Rice at WR.
SAM was talking about this to me in the off season.
It makes a lot more sense now considering Rice's "production" in the run game.
At the very least, it gives him an opportunity to use his talents and make plays in space.

This has also surprised me, because I thought for sure even before the Pitta injury that Rice would have a huge impact in the passing game this year and perhaps his best receiving season.
We have even had the normal screen game with rice working.

After 8 games of football Rice doesn't even have 400 total yards. Crazy to me.

[jdynamite]

Fire Ozzie Newsome and DeCosta immediately and have the new G.M. select an interim head coach from within the organization, with full authority to hire his own new head coach during the off season.

Desperate times.

I've found that I am not enjoying NFL football as much this year. The Raven's mismanagement has something to do with that, but there is far more. I'm losing interest and I think its because of the so called "player safety" policies that are really nothing more than "lawsuit insulation" policies.

The Patriots never miss a beat do they? They've got to have some young minds in that organization we can harvest.

Lol kinda extreme. The Ravens were the only team in the league to win at least one play game each of the last 5 seasons, so those guys with that résumé have earned at least 1 down year...
As for the patriots the only difference between them and us is they have won the close games while we've lost them.

Last year we won most of the games that were 7 or less.

I think a lot of people forget that we had talented good teams with Billick but never had a QB to compete yearly so we had varying results each season. Some of those down years are what allowed us to build through the draft.

[jdynamite]

Juan Castillo needs to be fired and Gino Gradkowski needs to be riding the bench. Enough is enough. We have nothing to lose at this point.

I agree completely with this.
The Oline can't play any worse. Gino is so bad that Yanda tries to help him on almost every play and Yanda is missing blitz pickups for trying to help Gino.

I understand he's young player, but over the course of 8 games he hasn't shown much improvement.

[edreedfromtheu]

My answer is predictable. 

I'm not saying CUT Flacco... but I would really like to see what another QB could do with this same offensive line, same running backs, and same receivers. 

Because I honestly feel Flacco is not the right match for the rest of the team.

The season is lost... so I feel it' really the perfect chance to find out what Tyrod Taylor can do with a sufficient amount of games to play with the starting offense. 

But if you really think this team needs so many changes to the offensive line, running backs, defense.... imagine how much help trading Flacco could bring with all the draft picks you'd get.  Assuming you don't further drive down his value by continuing to let him play the way he is currently playing. 


There's a slim chance they start a hot streak.... but with games against Patriots, Jets, Steelers, and Bengals TWICE.... I doubt they turn the corner after the post-BYE performance the just gave.

No change will happen this week.  But if the Ravens lose to the Bengals this upcoming weekend, I'd rally like to see Flacco benched.  At the very least... it's a wake-up call to the entire team.  Gives your starting QB a break from being "battered" every week since apparently he's the only QB who gets hit in the NFL.  If you aren't winning games, and he is the QB of the next 5 years then no sense in exposing him to meaningless games with potential injury.

[K-Dog]

i would find a running back who explodes when he gets the ball,

Sheesh.

Heck of a visiual on that one.

[Militant X 1]

Scheme. Both our offensive and defensive schemes are completely broken. We are getting out coached every week and teams superior schemes are a big part of it. The scheme issues are a big reason we can't run the ball and why we can't generate turnovers on defense. We have a blocking scheme that doesn't generate running lanes and a coverage scheme that allows QB's to pick our secondary apart because there is no pass rush due to us playing super soft coverage all the time. The few times we dialed up the blitz we had success getting to Campbell and at least forced him to make a quick throw (which is how you generate int's). When the QB has all day to scan for open wr's the chances he's going to throw into traffic are extremely low and even if you make a coverage stop you still aren't going to force any turnovers.

 

Pees is a push over and the fact that we didn't completely scrap Cam Cameron's playbook in the offseason has come back to bite us more times then I can count this season. The problems have to do with coaching/scheme almost more so then then players not executing, I think a lot of players are doing their best to execute, the scheme they are executing just sucks.

great post! 

 

Harbaugh even mentioned the "soft" or "loose" coverage in his presser.  but, I have said this over and over again...that what the Ravens are running (scheme wise) offensively does not fit this personnel!  scrap this crap!  smh!

 

#Mili

[The Raven]

I'd fire Castillo and Pees. Promote Wilbert Montgomery to OC. Demote Jim Caldwell back to QB coach. Let Joe run the passing offense. Let Montgomery tell the OL what blocking scheme he wants. He seems like a player coach. Perhaps promote Teryl Austin to DC or Ted Monachino.

The problem I see with this team is this: player execution. I don't think the players are buying in with what the coaches are saying. I don't think the coaches are players coaches. They need to go. Caldwell is a player's coach but he's not creative.

The players aren't fighting for their coaches. They're giving up. They're partially inexperienced but they're also mentally soft. I think if we got some players coaches in there then I feel like we'll see better success.

 

I like this. An actual logical suggestion with some sound rhetoric. This is a great idea. Thank you for momentarily restoring my faith in this board. So much better than just "rah rah fire everyone Harboo."

 

I'd like to see Austin or Monachino at DC. I'd even be okay with Spags at DC. That dude can design a blitz like the best of em. 

 

Offensively, we need a coaching revamp, except Caldwell. Fire all of them except Montgomery. I still maintain that he is at least an adequate OC, and adequate OCs should be held on to until a proven improvement comes along. 

[GrimCoconut]

I like this. An actual logical suggestion with some sound rhetoric. This is a great idea. Thank you for momentarily restoring my faith in this board. So much better than just "rah rah fire everyone Harboo."

I'd like to see Austin or Monachino at DC. I'd even be okay with Spags at DC. That dude can design a blitz like the best of em.

Offensively, we need a coaching revamp, except Caldwell. Fire all of them except Montgomery. I still maintain that he is at least an adequate OC, and adequate OCs should be held on to until a proven improvement comes along.

Yeah. It's my experience that when you're losing, one of five things are to blame: poor communication, poor execution, poor talent, poor development or poor belief.

This team has talent. It's got issues in the other four areas but the biggest one seems to be belief and resilience. That's our greatest struggle. We're not losing every week by big margins. It's a score or less.

[Guest RBates]

I think what people don't understand at times is that John Harbaugh isn't the only head coach that hired friends/coaches he have work with in the past. I gurantee you  every head coach in  nfl right now has a staff of coaches whom may be his friend/  some one he has work with before on another team.

They say if you hire enemies they will work harder for you.  An enemy will always feel he has something to prove and he will try to outshine you.  Just food for thought.  

[HoldingCall]

1. The team needs a big, strong, break-away TE with good catching ability (Pitta).

2. Blocking schemes that fit the OL personnel.

3. Use plays that fit the offensive situation 

4. Be more creative and aggressive on offense

[billick]

Fire Harbs.

[mmcclend]

we are so soft smh

[Guest Omerta]

They say if you hire enemies they will work harder for you.  An enemy will always feel he has something to prove and he will try to outshine you.  Just food for thought.  

 

That does not really jive with the team cohesion mantra that almost all successful franchises have though. 

[gabefergy]

I think I would start Pierce at RB.

[Militant X 1]

imo, there has been a lot said about the Ravens present ZBS.  but I think that the one thing that is rarely being mentioned is that our scheme is also rooted in that old Cam Cameron "Air Coryell" system of constantly throwing deep routes.  that's seems to still be in place!  that is why we don't throw short quick slants over the middle or screens, ins, outs and curl routes etc.  the deep routes take too much time to develop while the receivers are working hard to get open down field.  the O-line has to be stout in pass protection for this to be effective.  ours is not! 

 

I'd switch that up to the other type of " West Coast" offense.  the one developed by Bill Walsh which specialized in the "timed" quick, short horizontal passing routes instead of the running plays.  the 49ers ran that to perfection back in the day (80's) and those types of passes really opened up the long runs for the backs and the deep passes.  I believe that this would help the ENTIRE offense.  the O-line wouldn't have to attempt to hold blocks for too long because the pass would be out quickly!  i'm talking about the ball coming out of his hands by 2, 3 and 5 step drop backs!  Joe wouldn't have to run for his life!  but he would have to become more accurate. 

 

the receivers wouldn't have to try to always speed and blow by their defender down the field to try and get open.  short, quick routes would do the trick!  sort of nickel and diming defenses!  this type of play also frustrates defenses!  the running game would improve cause the backs (i.e. Rice and Pierce) would also be used in the passing game as well...allowing them to beat the LBs 1 on 1.  and then...the deep routes would begin to open up as well.  we have the personnel to run this!  and imo, we could become quite dangerous the rest of the way!  just my thoughts!

 

#Mili

[GrimCoconut]

I think I would start Pierce at RB.

I wouldn't mind him starting but he seems hesitant as well. I think both RBs and the QB have lost their confidence in the OL. I'm not sure what the issue is, but I'm guessing the OL has lost its swagger and it's trying to get its moxie back but it's having a hard time. We need to give them some Viagra or something. You know. Get them going. They seem Flacco. They're weak. No RB is going to find success behind the OL because they seem mentally defeated. 

 

I'd like to see an OL shake-up in some form. I'm not sure how, but perhaps it would be for the best. I have no ideas here other than putting Yanda at center, perhaps putting Gradkowski at RG or LG and then plugging someone else at the other guard spot. 

[Militant X 1]

imo, there has been a lot said about the Ravens present ZBS.  but I think that the one thing that is rarely being mentioned is that our scheme is also rooted in that old Cam Cameron "Air Coryell" system of constantly throwing deep routes.  that's seems to still be in place!  that is why we don't throw short quick slants over the middle or screens, ins, outs and curl routes etc.  the deep routes take too much time to develop while the receivers are working hard to get open down field.  the O-line has to be stout in pass protection for this to be effective.  ours is not! 

 

I'd switch that up to the other type of " West Coast" offense.  the one developed by Bill Walsh which specialized in the "timed" quick, short horizontal passing routes instead of the running plays.  the 49ers ran that to perfection back in the day (80's) and those types of passes really opened up the long runs for the backs and the deep passes.  I believe that this would help the ENTIRE offense.  the O-line wouldn't have to attempt to hold blocks for too long because the pass would be out quickly!  i'm talking about the ball coming out of his hands by 2, 3 and 5 step drop backs!  Joe wouldn't have to run for his life!  but he would have to become more accurate. 

 

the receivers wouldn't have to try to always speed and blow by their defender down the field to try and get open.  short, quick routes would do the trick!  sort of nickel and diming defenses!  this type of play also frustrates defenses!  the running game would improve cause the backs (i.e. Rice and Pierce) would also be used in the passing game as well...allowing them to beat the LBs 1 on 1.  and then...the deep routes would begin to open up as well.  we have the personnel to run this!  and imo, we could become quite effective and dangerous the rest of the way!

 

#Mili

[1/28/01]

Ray unretire and instantly go back to being 26. Ed take $3M a year and get healthy. Pitta skip practice that day. Birk stay around another year or two. Boldin restructure. Pollard just shut up and play football. Tell Juan to go away when he text JH looking for a job. Oh yeah, hand out lollipops at all home games along with free Guinness to all attendees.

[The Raven]

Ray unretire and instantly go back to being 26. Ed take $3M a year and get healthy. Pitta skip practice that day. Birk stay around another year or two. Boldin restructure. Pollard just shut up and play football. Tell Juan to go away when he text JH looking for a job. Oh yeah, hand out lollipops at all home games along with free Guinness to all attendees.

 

Amen.