An upside to the Ravens offense

[52N19]

the Ravens have pretty much been playing without a tight end all year. the defense has been able to sit on Torrey smith. with Torrey and jacoby stretching the field the addition of pitta would add a material enhancement to our offense. i was in favor of letting pitta take the year off for his long term health but the way we have clawed back in to the playoff race pitta would be a huge upgrade.

[JoeyFlex5]

don't put all ur eggs in the pitta basket, we don't know how pitta handles game contact and game speed, and we don't know what how hes gonna respond when that balls in the air and he needs to push off that hip and go up to grab the ball, and then drop back down and land on that hip.

 

a major injury like that can damage a players psyche, and I love pitta, hes the reason I could care less about losing boldin, but I just don't know if we should get our hopes up until we see about 2 games with a decent snap count from him. anything could happen

[CalvinSmoke]

Our offense isn't really in that much trouble anymore, we just need to get the ball in the end zone. But we move the ball now

[SeaHawk]

Our offense isn't really in that much trouble anymore, we just need to get the ball in the end zone. But we move the ball now

 

I agree. Our Oline is actually looking better too (with the exception of Oher... but Oher is always the exception every year). If Pitta gets back to even half of what he was, we'll have better red zone TD percentages because we'll have that underneath/middle of the field receiver we've been missing.

[hawkprey]

Our offense is good whenever we pass on early downs and use the up-tempo. I've been saying this since the middle of last year and it's still true. We inexplicably got rid of the no-huddle to start the season. 

[SeaHawk]

Our offense is good whenever we pass on early downs and use the up-tempo. I've been saying this since the middle of last year and it's still true. We inexplicably got rid of the no-huddle to start the season. 

 

Yeah, I don't particularly understand why we stopped going up-tempo and got rid of the no huddle myself.. Caldwell said during the offseason that he was a huge fan of that. Unless the intention was to bring the new players up to speed at a slower pace, it just seems like a crazy idea.

[Gtown Purple]

Cohesion is starting to come back. I think it's downhill from here.

[Tank 92]

The run game is still mediocre at best and that is worrisome. I keep waithing for someone to throw the switch and turn RR back on.  Wouldn't that be sweet!

 

With Jacoby's new role and Dickson actually catching some passes there is much improvement in the pass. I hope that Torrey's spate of drops ends quickly. And it's a shame Stokley can't stay healthy.  I was excited to see him make clutch catches and could see him as an extremely valuable, move the chains kind of guy down the stretch.

 

O line?  I guess there is some improvement, but they need to get much better for us to go deep.

[Inqui]

Reality is that we're a team designed for the playoffs. I suspect we'll look even better in three weeks time (and not just because we're playing the Patriots. :p ).

[Bobby]

Getting better the past few weeks.  Against the Steelers we were moving the ball well on almost every single possession....just need to get TD's instead of FG's!  Love me some Tucker, but I would love a game where we score 28 points and he only has 4 of them! : )

[Ravensfan23]

Ok guys we just had a "Offense" thread shut down because it turned into a "Flacco" thread. I'm not saying his name can't be mentioned but lets not hijack this thread. Let's keep to talk to the offense in general.

 

 

don't put all ur eggs in the pitta basket, we don't know how pitta handles game contact and game speed, and we don't know what how hes gonna respond when that balls in the air and he needs to push off that hip and go up to grab the ball, and then drop back down and land on that hip.

 

a major injury like that can damage a players psyche, and I love pitta, hes the reason I could care less about losing boldin, but I just don't know if we should get our hopes up until we see about 2 games with a decent snap count from him. anything could happen

 

Couldn't agree more. I think he'll be on a small snap count, even smaller then Jocaby's when he returned. I can see us using him on 3rds and in the redzone a lot, but nothing where he's a major part of the game plan until he proves he's the White TE of old.

 

 

 

Yeah, I don't particularly understand why we stopped going up-tempo and got rid of the no huddle myself.. Caldwell said during the offseason that he was a huge fan of that. Unless the intention was to bring the new players up to speed at a slower pace, it just seems like a crazy idea.

 

This is the exact reason imo. We started off using the uptempo and no huddle early in the season but it was placing way too much on Flacco at the LOS. He was literally directing the offense. Now don't get me wrong, that's what we want from Flacco and that's what he wants, but when you have to actually tell guys what their assignment is before each play, it makes it hard to run that style offense because everyone isn't on the same page. Brown, Stokely and Clark were so knew to the offense, then even Doss and Smith were getting adjust to somewhat new roles. Plus we had a oline that was learning a new system of their own. So it was just way too much imo. I expect to see it a lot over these last couple games and into the playoffs, providing the weather isn't crazy.

 

 

The run game is still mediocre at best and that is worrisome. I keep waithing for someone to throw the switch and turn RR back on.  Wouldn't that be sweet!

 

With Jacoby's new role and Dickson actually catching some passes there is much improvement in the pass. I hope that Torrey's spate of drops ends quickly. And it's a shame Stokley can't stay healthy.  I was excited to see him make clutch catches and could see him as an extremely valuable, move the chains kind of guy down the stretch.

 

O line?  I guess there is some improvement, but they need to get much better for us to go deep.

 

Yea the run game is mediocre, but I don't think that fact is as bad now that the pass game is picking up. We're having much more success on early downs now and those 2-3 yard runs don't hurt as much. Getting RR back would be great, but I still think it's BP who has to have a larger role going forward.

 

Yea if we can get both Stokley and Pitta back, we'll have much more success underneath and on 3rd downs. I can't wait to see what this offense looks like once it has all it's intended weapons available.

[redrum52]

Yeah, I don't particularly understand why we stopped going up-tempo and got rid of the no huddle myself.. Caldwell said during the offseason that he was a huge fan of that. Unless the intention was to bring the new players up to speed at a slower pace, it just seems like a crazy idea.

I think that was the plan.  Get the young guys to learn the playbook to run the uptempo offense.  Now that guys are getting in rhythm, we seem to be seeing it more and the offense seems to be running smoother, well that and the o line play as well.  Before the offense just wasn't getting the job done, now they just need to start converting those tds instead of fgs.

[Ravenseconbeast]

Having receivers that understands where to be helped a lot @ steelers game. Most notably stokley. He caught 3rd down conversions 3 times in 3 drives.

He was the difference maker imo.

[SeaHawk]

Having receivers that understands where to be helped a lot @ steelers game. Most notably stokley. He caught 3rd down conversions 3 times in 3 drives.

He was the difference maker imo.

 

He extended drives, and that is the most important thing to do on offense... keep the drive alive. He was the X-factor.

[Ravensfan23]

Having receivers that understands where to be helped a lot @ steelers game. Most notably stokley. He caught 3rd down conversions 3 times in 3 drives.

He was the difference maker imo.

 

He extended drives, and that is the most important thing to do on offense... keep the drive alive. He was the X-factor.

 

Yea I have to admit I loved the Stokley signing when it first happened for just this reason. But then once Doss started to perform a bit, I thought maybe Stokley would be cut and because of the injuries I didn't have a issue with it.

 

But this guy could be so huge for us going forward and if PItta can come back even close to what he was last year, those two guys will be difference makers in the playoffs imo.

 

Not sure what has happened to Doss and Brown. I thought Brown was really starting to turn it on, but it seems the rookie wall has caught up to him and understandably so. He's not even accustom to playing a full college season because of his injury history, so I can see how he's be slowing down.

 

Doss seems like he's having confidence issues again. This is the time when the team needs him the most because with both Torrey and Coby getting the deep game working, we need someone who can stabilize the offense with controlling the middle of the field, but he's too inconsistent to be "that guy", right now.

 

Last year the offense really clicked when we made those changes to the oline. I think getting both Stokley and Pitta back as close to 100% as possible will be what gets this offense clicking heading to the playoffs this year.

[omar586]

don't put all ur eggs in the pitta basket, we don't know how pitta handles game contact and game speed, and we don't know what how hes gonna respond when that balls in the air and he needs to push off that hip and go up to grab the ball, and then drop back down and land on that hip.

 

a major injury like that can damage a players psyche, and I love pitta, hes the reason I could care less about losing boldin, but I just don't know if we should get our hopes up until we see about 2 games with a decent snap count from him. anything could happen

i agree, it takes time for a player mentally to get comfortable, and remember this freak injury that happened to him, without anyone touching him,

[Ravenseconbeast]

Yea I have to admit I loved the Stokley signing when it first happened for just this reason. But then once Doss started to perform a bit, I thought maybe Stokley would be cut and because of the injuries I didn't have a issue with it.
 
But this guy could be so huge for us going forward and if PItta can come back even close to what he was last year, those two guys will be difference makers in the playoffs imo.
 
Not sure what has happened to Doss and Brown. I thought Brown was really starting to turn it on, but it seems the rookie wall has caught up to him and understandably so. He's not even accustom to playing a full college season because of his injury history, so I can see how he's be slowing down.
 
Doss seems like he's having confidence issues again. This is the time when the team needs him the most because with both Torrey and Coby getting the deep game working, we need someone who can stabilize the offense with controlling the middle of the field, but he's too inconsistent to be "that guy", right now.
 
Last year the offense really clicked when we made those changes to the oline. I think getting both Stokley and Pitta back as close to 100% as possible will be what gets this offense clicking heading to the playoffs this year.

I wouldnt read to far into stokley. It was just one game..but it seems like receivers and joe are getting into the right groove & the right time. Not just stokley but other receivers too, like jacoby..

[Ravensfan23]

I wouldnt read to far into stokley. It was just one game..but it seems like receivers and joe are getting into the right groove & the right time. Not just stokley but other receivers too, like jacoby..

 

Actually it's not just one game, he's been a guy who can move the chains for us in games where he's been healthy enough to see a quality snap count. You might look at him and say well he only had 1 catch for a first down in the Jets game, but he only played 9 snaps. He was only credited for 5 snaps in the Steelers game, but he also left early in the second quarter with a knee injury so that's why I say if he can stay healthy enough to play quality snaps.

 

Stokley won't have a large role, but keeping the chains moving on third downs is something that often goes unnoticed compared to the deep strikes and touchdowns. But the more this offense can stay on the field, the better chances of Flacco getting into a rhythm with guys and having a sure handed guy like Stokley helps a lot in that area.

 

Also i agree that Joe is getting more comfortable with other guys as well. Imo that has nothing to do with the impact that guys like Stokley and Pitta could have because their roles are much different. Most of Torrey's and Coby's routes are deeper and long developing routes. They don't often run the short quicker routes inside that a QB often needs to get comfortable. Go back and watch Flacco wired from the Jets game. Listen to his conversation with Tyrod and Hostler around the 1:00 mark. He basically said how we couldn't continue to run 7 routes(in that game) because the defense was doing a good job of getting quick pressure. He needed more routes over the middle and quick routes that allow him to get the ball out and get comfortable. Stokley and Pitta would help a lot in that area if healthy.

[SeaHawk]

Yea I have to admit I loved the Stokley signing when it first happened for just this reason. But then once Doss started to perform a bit, I thought maybe Stokley would be cut and because of the injuries I didn't have a issue with it.

 

But this guy could be so huge for us going forward and if PItta can come back even close to what he was last year, those two guys will be difference makers in the playoffs imo.

 

Not sure what has happened to Doss and Brown. I thought Brown was really starting to turn it on, but it seems the rookie wall has caught up to him and understandably so. He's not even accustom to playing a full college season because of his injury history, so I can see how he's be slowing down.

 

Doss seems like he's having confidence issues again. This is the time when the team needs him the most because with both Torrey and Coby getting the deep game working, we need someone who can stabilize the offense with controlling the middle of the field, but he's too inconsistent to be "that guy", right now.

 

Last year the offense really clicked when we made those changes to the oline. I think getting both Stokley and Pitta back as close to 100% as possible will be what gets this offense clicking heading to the playoffs this year.

 

Brown had an excellent screen catch and run the other night that extended a crucial drive for us. He showed how explosive he can be on that play. I don't know what's been going on with his usage.

[billick]

GEE, who forced them to carry only 1 tight end.

[The Raven]

GEE, who forced them to carry only 1 tight end.

 

....what...?

[Ravensfan23]

Brown had an excellent screen catch and run the other night that extended a crucial drive for us. He showed how explosive he can be on that play. I don't know what's been going on with his usage.

 

It hasn't been his usage, it's been his play. He's still getting the 2nd most offensive snaps at WR next to Torrey, but his play most improve before the ball starts coming his way more. Especially in crucial situations. The Jets game wasn't the only time he ran the wrong route, it was just the most noticeable because he was the intended target. He's not running his routes as strong as he was to start the season. He's definitely still a play maker with the ball in his hands, but he's not ready to be a guy that we can focus a gameplan around, thus he only gets opportunities usually when he's open. If you go back and watch the long pass to Torrey from the Steelers game, Brown runs a delayed route that looks like it's an option route, but he just looks lost on the play. Now that's only one play and I have no way of knowing if it indeed was to be an option route, but just knowing how the offense works and the abilities they give the WR to run their routes based off the defensive look, I feel it was intended to be an option route.

 

He still does a good job of some of the little things you hope to see from your #2 WR, like blocking down field when asked, executing pick routes without getting flagged etc. Which is why I'm excited to see him next year going forward.

[1/28/01]

GEE, who forced them to carry only 1 tight end.

1 TE? We're talking about the Ravens here. You must be confused with another team. We have 2.5 TE's (Juice being the .5) and Pitta about to come back.

[The Mom Gene]

We can actually get back to our 2 TE set.  I love that!

[waxytaxi]

cant wait to get pitta back, he'll help in the red zone and on 3rd down, hope he gets back to form quickly 

[JoeCool#5]

IF the running game ever becomes just average (4.3 yards/carry - the NFL averages), this offense could be pretty ridiculous. Middle linebackers will have to come up to respect the PA/run. 

[ravens533]

The o-line took a big step forward against the Steelers. They were giving Joe time to throw those deep passes that required time to develop. They were also blocking better on running plays. They seem to be getting into sync and working as a unit. Not sure what is up with the run game. They are making some holes - I think Ray is just not hitting them fast enough before they get closed down again. I might be wrong about that but that is what it looks like to me.

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

would it hurt us to look at Tashard Choice now that the Bills released him?

[Ed_Reed20]

would it hurt us to look at Tashard Choice now that the Bills released him?

 

He's not a dynamic back any more and with the way the o-line blocks, he'd bring nothing to the offense. 

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

Yeah, I don't particularly understand why we stopped going up-tempo and got rid of the no huddle myself.. Caldwell said during the offseason that he was a huge fan of that. Unless the intention was to bring the new players up to speed at a slower pace, it just seems like a crazy idea.

I truly believe its because we don't like to show our hand early in the year.

I think we start out with a base offense and the slowly build onto it, saving some cards for when we need to pull something out in a must-win scenario.

I think we've done this for the past few years, the difference this year is that we don't have the experience we had the past few years to finish out the close ones and make us the 9-3 team we absolutely could be right now.

I cant stress enough that I truly believe this to be the case and that plan is to do enough to get in the playoffs and save as much of our hand as possible for the playoffs so teams don't have as much tape on what we're going to do.

I don't think our players miraculously got better last year in the playoffs, I just think we started using the packages and plays that suited our teams' and players' strengths best - some of which is by design. And I see the same thing happening this year just a little earlier bc I don't think they anticipated losing that many close games.