Vonta Leach Gets 3 Snaps Vs. Detroit

[FlocksGottaFeed]

The thing I really love about this guy is his class and maturity. He never complained once about reduced playing time. That's quiet leadership and trusting enough in the team to know that when it's the right time - it'll be the right time. Vonta is such a class act. This may be 'the right time' to unleash him. If so, look for 100+ rushing for the team and big blocks and catches for Leach.

 

GO Ravens!!! We Got This.

[PurpleCityLights]

Should have kept Boldin for all this......

[jazz1988]

Yea I'm thinking the same thing. Everything you ask Leach to do at this point is exactly what you brought Juice in for. It can't be the fact that he's a rookie because we have Elam, A. Brown, M.Brown and Wagner seeing time, plus it's not like he'd have a large role. I could understand if you'd want his route running better for the things you want to take advantage of with him, but he still could do what Leach is asked to do just as well if not better at this point. 

 

Maybe it's just one of those things where we just don't even think about Juice on offense right now. Kind of like Doss.

 

Im kinda surprised the ravens haven't been using Tandon  Doss or Deonte Thompson in the offense a little more but I understand that they want to keep Marlon Brown and Jacoby Jones on the field on offense at all times.

[redlobster]

I would like us to get creative regardless of the personnel, not "cute" mind you with trickery, but tactical. Case in point Jaws just broke down a Panthers play from the weekend on PTI where CAR Left Tackle Trevelle Wharton played all but one snap at LT. When CAR inserted him at Right Guard for that ONE play, it just so happened to be a screen pass to the right and D. Williams with Wharton throwing the lead block, scampered 72 yards to the house.

Regardless of whether Caldwell can or or cannot handle situational football, I am disappointed that we don't consistently maximize personnel groupings for mismatches over the course of a game.

Not to nitpick but when did Wharton start playing Lt over Jordan gross for Carolina?

[Fred Sanford]

Wishbone and other sets Vonta was involved in just were not working this year and much of last year.  Our o-line just isn't good enough to outman people.  It's not the entire o-line, all it takes is one guy getting into a block a half-step slow, and instant tackle for -2 yards, that's how good defenders are.  We don't exactly have a Mark Bruener at tight end with Dickson just being ok, Clark almost useless for run blocking.  The only solution was to spread out defenses and try to catch them playing pass.  As stated, Flacco has always been more effective out of the gun as well.

 

Leach was surprisingly ineffective at times this year also, getting beat more than expected.  He's a great lead blocker, but not necessarily a Sam Gash or Lorenzo Neal who NEVER failed to smash a guy that I saw.

 

That being said, I've hoped we would bring him back and see how it goes in heavy run sets, after having sort of hit the reset button, particularly with other teams not gameplanning for his presence, but it hasn't really happened.

 

I'd love to see us running 60% of the time with Yanda and Leach pimp slapping defenders all over the place and Rice Pierce slashing all over, but it just hasn't worked out like you'd hope this season, and I don't blame us for getting away from it.

[Ravensfan23]

Im kinda surprised the ravens haven't been using Tandon  Doss or Deonte Thompson in the offense a little more but I understand that they want to keep Marlon Brown and Jacoby Jones on the field on offense at all times.

 

Well you gotta figure Doss was cut in favor of Brown and once Jacoby got back in the full swing of things his chances would be even fewer. We've used him as much as we used Stokley when healthy, he's just not one of those guys that presence a lot of confidence for Flacco imo so he's not targeted as often as Stokley was when he'd be healthy enough to play. I saw Doss in for a couple snaps in the Lions game. I wouldn't be surprised to see them use him a bit more because having Pitta back will open things up for guys like him.

[wayne]

Maybe this is one of the reasons why the run game has taken nose dive. Maybe we need to get back to two Wr sets at times to try to get the run game going to have Joe working off the PA like years past. They showed a segment on NFL Network on how bad the Ravens O-line is doing in the run blocking department and Rice and Pierce doesn't stand a chance. How can we go from one of the best run blocking teams in the league to what we have become? Was Birk that important?

[cobrajet]

I am at a loss why they do not use Vonta more. They guy can pound and the guy can catch and make things happen because he is hard to bring down in space.

[Ravensfan23]

Maybe this is one of the reasons why the run game has taken nose dive. Maybe we need to get back to two Wr sets at times to try to get the run game going to have Joe working off the PA like years past. They showed a segment on NFL Network on how bad the Ravens O-line is doing in the run blocking department and Rice and Pierce doesn't stand a chance. How can we go from one of the best run blocking teams in the league to what we have become? Was Birk that important?

 

I don't know if you were paying attention to this team early but that's exactly what got us into so many 3rd and longs and 3 and outs. 2WR sets with Leach on the field. This running game has actually improved without Leach being involved as much. Also the PA is still working very well for us right now it just comes from more of a Shotgun Pistol style.

 

Yes Birk was important but it's much more then just his loss. The implement of Castillo's scheme just hasn't taken as quickly as we'd hope. Plus looking at the injuries and rotation of players, it just hasn't been a good year for the oline. What we are doing now is best for this offense imo. 

[Ravensfan23]

I am at a loss why they do not use Vonta more. They guy can pound and the guy can catch and make things happen because he is hard to bring down in space.

 

Again are you guys watching the 2013 version of Leach or are you thinking about the guy you are used to seeing? Leach hasn't been a good blocker this year at all. Now much like the RBs the oline and new scheme has a lot to do with it because he has to read just like a RB. But his impact on the field has been minimal.

 

At this point using Leach more would be equivalent to saying even though the running game isn't working we still need to pound it at least 30 times a game. That's just not productive and even the so called experts that suggest this are crazy imo.

 

I'm not saying Leach sucks but he just doesn't fit what we do now and when we use him he's not effective. Yes we could use him more, but to do so you are looking at us taking a guy like Pitta, Brown or Jacoby off the field to put Leach in. That doesn't put your offense in a good position imo.

[PoeDinkum]

Not to nitpick but when did Wharton start playing Lt over Jordan gross for Carolina?

Good catch, thanks for reading. I meant to say LG.