Biggest Loss From Our SB Roster

[Willbacker]

I was torn between Birk and Ray. I chose Birk.

Was surprised to see that Birk is the consensus so far.

Shows you what people think of the job the OLine did this year. Now lets just hope they can fix this preferably with a veteran.

[HoldingCall]

Yup! Making this post, I realized that Birk's impact was ASTRONOMICAL!!! Our o-line, as well as Gino looked confused ALL season. Part of our porous run game.

I wonder how Castillo presence would have impacted Birk, especially since every lineman took a step backward.

[jimmypowder]

I'll be the first to say I completely took Matt Birk for granted on the line . I think many people, like me , we're not concerned about the Center position when he retired . I said to myself , yeah Gino is undersized but we will be ok . That's what the coaches clearly thought too. That was by far the biggest blunder of the offseason and likely cost us a 6th straight playoff appearance . Q comes in a distant second . Pitta third . Ray Lewis 4th .

[Alexir]

I'll be the first to say I completely took Matt Birk for granted on the line . I think many people, like me , we're not concerned about the Center position when he retired . I said to myself , yeah Gino is undersized but we will be ok . That's what the coaches clearly thought too. That was by far the biggest blunder of the offseason and likely cost us a 6th straight playoff appearance . Q comes in a distant second . Pitta third . Ray Lewis 4th .

 

Birk had about 5 pounds on Gino. That's it, Gino is also 6'3".

 

Pouncey is 6'4", 305. 5 pounds heavier than Gino.

 

Mack is 6'4", 311. 11 pounds heavier than Gino.

 

Cook is 6'3", 310. 10 pounds heavier than Gino.

 

Height wise he is not undersized and he is
"undersized by league average of 7 pounds".

 

I am not saying Gino wasn't an issue but I am saying it was a lot more mental and learning to play at the higher level than his biometrics.

[ratedr]

Birk and it's not even close. Gino stinks.

[redrum52]

There is no way we know Birk would have played any better in this scheme early.  We do know Boldin would make contested catches and find holes in zones, but I did think about putting Birk.  The problem is the WHOLE o line looked terrible early.  Birk was also old and a year removed from looking very old.

[TonyTone1192]

No offense but I don't even know how it's possible for someone to look at this team, the offense, and specifically the offensive line and even think that Ray was the biggest loss.

 

News flash! Ray Lewis doesn't play center, guard, or tackle!

 

Birk and maybe Boldin or a healthy Pitta are the only ones that could have made a difference. 

 

I agree with you man. We took a huge hit on offense losing Pitta, Birk and Boldin.

 

But our defense took a huge loss as well. Our defense didn't play bad for the first 3 and a half quarters of games, but the last 4 minutes of a game when we needed a stop, we had no leadership to get our unit off of the field.

[Seseau]

Whoever voted for Boldin and not Pitta shame on you.

[TonyTone1192]

What a great question! From a leadership standpoint its a no brainer - we miss Ray the most. From an impact on the field standpoint, its close between Ray and Q but I'd still give an edge to Ray. When folks like Ray, Q, Ed and Matt Birk leave, it makes you appreciate their talent that much more. 

 

Yup.. I was very foolish to think that our team would still be okay with all that we lost. I mean, we didn't have an awful season. But I guess to our standard then we did. Hopefully this season was a wake up call to a few soon to be leaders.

[jaege]

Birk and there's really no argument.

 

Yeah, although I put Boldin pretty high up there too. He caught, 7 or 8 TDs this season. Could we have used those? Would an extra TD in half the games have made a difference? But Birks ability to lead that line made a world of difference for our run game and our passing game.I am one who also underestimated the value of a good center. Are there any decent centers in the draft?

[TonyTone1192]

Can I say
"Ray Birkbolden "

On field I think we have done just fine with out Ray.
I think as a coach, teacher, leader, mentor, I feel we have really missed him.

On field Birk and Bolden absence is impossible to argue.

 

Yup I agree, from a production standpoint Smith filled in quite nicely. But from a leadership standpoint, we were lacking it BADLY.

If I had to go with strictly production, then I would've picked Birk.

[The Raven]

Yeah, although I put Boldin pretty high up there too. He caught, 7 or 8 TDs this season. Could we have used those? Would an extra TD in half the games have made a difference? But Birks ability to lead that line made a world of difference for our run game and our passing game.I am one who also underestimated the value of a good center. Are there any decent centers in the draft?

 

Boldin, I'll concede that there is an argument, Pitta too.

 

As for centers in the draft, there's like two I know of. I'm told that Tyler Larsen and Travis Swanson are good center prospects in the mid rounds. 

[TonyTone1192]

I'm actually REALLY shocked that Pitta has NO votes.

 

I definitely understand no votes for Kruger, Reed and Pollard. I'm 100% sure that Ellerbe vote was a joke.

 

But no love for Pitta? lol

[shawn ny]

I voted for Ray Lewis not because of his play on the field but because of his ability to motivate and challenge his teammates into taking their game play to the next level.  A leader such as Ray is very rare, maybe even a once in a lifetime gem.  I hope and pray that the Ravens can someday find another leader with the same elite charisma and integrity that Ray provided to his team.

[HoldingCall]

Birk had about 5 pounds on Gino. That's it, Gino is also 6'3".

 

Pouncey is 6'4", 305. 5 pounds heavier than Gino.

 

Mack is 6'4", 311. 11 pounds heavier than Gino.

 

Cook is 6'3", 310. 10 pounds heavier than Gino.

 

Height wise he is not undersized and he is
"undersized by league average of 7 pounds".

 

I am not saying Gino wasn't an issue but I am saying it was a lot more mental and learning to play at the higher level than his biometrics.

 I say the main problem for Gino was adapting to a new O-line coach and blocking scheme. All player don't fit all schemes or all coaching styles.

 

1. Boldin

2. Birk

 

I am not totally convinced the new coach and scheme would not have affected Matt like all others on the line.

[wayne]

Ray's absence took a huge chunk away from the team's spirit.  He has and will always be considered the leader of the Ravens throughout his tenure.  Birk's knowledge of reading defenses and holding the OL together was desperately missed last season.  Boldin was missed due to his obvious fortitude at his position being a hard-nosed physical receiver who fought tooth & nail for the ball.  Pitta left a serious hole in our offense as everyone over-depended on him to be Joe's man/blanket.  

 

 All in all, the four players I mentioned have all been missed to equal degrees.  But, you know how opinions go....

Well said....

[TonyTone1192]

I voted for Ray Lewis not because of his play on the field but because of his ability to motivate and challenge his teammates into taking their game play to the next level.  A leader such as Ray is very rare, maybe even a once in a lifetime gem.  I hope and pray that the Ravens can someday find another leader with the same elite charisma and integrity that Ray provided to his team.

 

Agreed. I'm almost certain that everyone that voted for Ray did it solely for his leadership and not his production. 
Ray Lewis' come along once in a lifetime and Ozzie and team has their work cut out for them looking for another leader half as great as Ray.

[bauer77]

Birk. Silly me for thinking Gino could just step right in and produce well enough to offset the loss. My god, was i wrong or what.

 

Boldin is definitely 1A though. 

[tolucaraven]

Birk not even close.

[izvoodoo]

With the loss / purge of all the starters last year, a light draft was the last thing the Ravens needed.  You never know when a 4th or 5th round draft pick is going to hit for the winner.

 

Just additional evidence of what really needs to be done.

The 4th and 5th round pick probably kept Joe healthy throughout the year.  We can't afford to put him in their behind Bryant McKinnie.  I thank ozzie for the move.

[jimmypowder]

Boldin is one tough dude he is putting a hurting on the Panthers

[Tru11]

Yeah, although I put Boldin pretty high up there too. He caught, 7 or 8 TDs this season. Could we have used those? Would an extra TD in half the games have made a difference? But Birks ability to lead that line made a world of difference for our run game and our passing game.I am one who also underestimated the value of a good center. Are there any decent centers in the draft?

 

with boldin i doubt there would be a marlon brown.

[JohnnyBoy8102]

Birk by a landslide. The offensive line was in shambles all season which led to both Rice/Pierce being unable to do anything all season and led to Joe taking a beating all season long.

[Sami84]

If The 49rs win you can thank our FO.

Boldin is a number 1 receiver. Marlon brown will never be a boldin.

[edthehead]

Now I did vote MATT BIRK,,,but are you looking at the game bolden is lighting up the panthers,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Ravenslifer]

I'm going to go with an option that's not up there - chemistry.  I think all Superbowl winning teams have it, and it takes time to develop.  Last year we had 3 receivers who'd worked with Joe for 3 seasons and two playoffs, we had a healthier running game anchored by a veteran center and left tackle (when we finally put him in) that had both played the game 10+ years.  We had anchors on the defensive side of the ball, yes even Kruger and Ellerbe, that had played in the system and knew what to do. Now from what I saw, a guy like Daryl Smith is more physically talented now than Ray was last year, same with a guy like Gino over Birk or Monroe over McKinnie.  Unfortunately it takes time to build a rapport with your teammates no matter what position you play, and we were breaking in a rookie starting receiver, a rookie safety, a rookie inside linebacker, etc - all of the positions where we had maybe the most experience and chemistry were suddenly those with the least.  Not to mention injuries kept a revolving cast of players coming in and out all season.  This was supposed to be a sort of reloading year, and we did well to go 8-8 in my opinion, and a lot of guys gained a lot of experience that will make them much better next year, but there isn't a single player we lost that we hadn't adequately replaced in terms of production.  Lack of experience and subtleties were the keys IMO.

[jaege]

with boldin i doubt there would be a marlon brown.

 

 

Brown was a draft pick. He had nothing to do with Boldin being released or paid. We got Huff, and Spears, and Dumervil for the Boldin money. Yeah, great pick ups those. Spears and Huff were a waste of time and money. Dumervil was a great pick up but I think we could have kept Boldin and still work out Doom.

 

 I have been watching the 49ers/Panthers game and Boldin sure looks good. Not that the Ravens needed a feisty receiver that could fight for the ball and get TDs.Things like that lead to victories and post season play. Nasty stuff. 

 

Water under the bridge.Just sucks seeing Q help that idiot Kapernick win. I hate that egotistical turd.

[JoeyFlex5]

Brace yourselves, the cries for boldin are coming

[JoeyFlex5]

Three for me Birk Boldin Pitta , I think we could have ended the season differently wih those three guys. I definitely underestimated the value of an experienced center til this year.

for some reason I still believe boldin was not as big of a loss and ravens fans think, maybe I'm crazy. But I agree with the center remark, I never believed center was a huge concern, but man the difference after Bork left was mind boggling

[Guest RBates]

Are you guys even watching the 49er's game?  The biggest lost is Boldin.  Who is responsible for letting him go?  SMH