Torrey Smith

[dhstandard]

Large part may be his poor route running.  Doesn't come out of his cuts quick enough for Joe to target him.  He's fast but not quick.  Also Flacco probably  loves sure-handed guys like Pitta and Daniels who showed they are able to take big hits and hold onto the ball. 

 

Steve Smith gets those crucial yards after the catch which also will cause Flacco to target him more if he isn't too far open.  Torrey just needs to improve more.

[GrimCoconut]

I will say that because of his speed, CB play him tough and get jittery when they play him and end up drawing DPI as a result. That's a really big benefit. Still, I'd like our WR to do more than that. He needs to step up. I love the guy. I really don't want to see him play anywhere else.

[52N19]

torrey should have made the 3rd and 15 siedlein catch during the game. it was a tough catch but if you want to be a #1 receiver your need to make those catches. that was an important field position play.

[PurpleSnowman]

He better step up or else my fantasy season is done

[beanfigger]

It just seems like guys come in to Baltimore and build a strong chemistry with Joe quickly (Boldin, Smith Sr, even Marlon Brown last year). Flacco even throws more accurate deep balls to Jacoby, it seems. For some reason, things just aren't clicking between Torrey and Joe. Maybe it has to do with routes or inconsistent speeds, but Joe just can't figure this guy out after years of playing together. I can't imagine it's a work ethic thing. I just don't understand how those two are so often disconnected, either mentally or in terms of how far/short the ball is thrown.

[Bruce_Almty]

We're only 2 games into the season but as expected the TEs and Sr. are carrying the load with Forsett out of the backfield w/9. Torrey has 4 and Marlon Brown has zero. We may be carrying 7 WRs this season but we're only using 1 so far.

[rmw10]

We're only 2 games into the season but as expected the TEs and Sr. are carrying the load with Forsett out of the backfield w/9. Torrey has 4 and Marlon Brown has zero. We may be carrying 7 WRs this season but we're only using 1 so far.

 

Kamar Aiken has 4 catches himself.

[OLD SCHOOL SMASH BALL]

Physicality is not one of Torrey's strengths. His speed is. I was hoping a measure of toughness from Boldin would wear off on him. He is an amazing person, love him to death, kinda how I felt about Ed Dixon, but in this division you have to scrap and punch for every yard. I wonder if we would have taken Dez Bryant, what could have been.

[CalvinSmoke]

Torrey would have benefited from being picked up by the Patriots more than us having him. That being said he has the tools, I hope he finds his away around this wall

[Crabcakes&Football]

For now I'll chalk it up to the new scheme. Steve Smith is a longtime veteran so he knows a thing or two about making such a transition. Also his skills may be a better fit for Kubiak's WCO than Torrey's. As good as we looked last night, this offense is still not a finished product. As the season goes on and Kubiak becomes more familiar with what he's working with he's gonna work in guys like Juice, Marlon, Jacoby and others in addition to Torrey. 

[52520Andrew]

Torrey has usually been hit or miss so I wouldn't worry too much about him not doing much so far. He usually has his big games where he busts out and I am sure we will see him go off here in the next few weeks at some point. Maybe defenses will start keying on some of the other guys and Torrey gets more looks to take advantage of.

[3-4ravdef509]

Let me be clear, I want Torrey here in Baltimore. I wonder if the change in wr coach is something of an adjustment for him as well...the whole offense is adjusting, Torrey has always been a bit slow on the curve but he usually gets there through pure determination. I'll wait till about week 8 and retouch this subject, and we'll see if Torrey has made any improvements.

[Tru11]

torrey is good for drawing a big PI or 2 per game lol.

 

like other said he is getting doble coverage and his speed opens things up for the TE and smith in this case.

 

in the whole scheme of things , he is doing what he is supposed to do and it works.

 

i havent seen him run much crossing routes or slants  and such.

think those routes suite him fine  but o well.

[Gemini68]

I like to agree that he was being mauled by the Steelers and Bengals defenses the entire games. Not saying it is an excuse but when you are forced to make every catch with a single hand it is impossible. I replayed a bunch of his plays and almost all of them he had his left hand either held down or otherwise hindered so he had a single hand free to grab the ball. Other times he just simply could not get off of blocks to make space which is on him. Which is why i am glad Joe reacts quickly and can look at his 2nd and 3rd receivers (love our TE's this season). I think we will not be a big play making team this season but a clock management team and a very good one at that. Which would make Torrey a decoy all season to open up the middle of the field.

[3-4ravdef509]

I like to agree that he was being mauled by the Steelers and Bengals defenses the entire games. Not saying it is an excuse but when you are forced to make every catch with a single hand it is impossible. I replayed a bunch of his plays and almost all of them he had his left hand either held down or otherwise hindered so he had a single hand free to grab the ball. Other times he just simply could not get off of blocks to make space which is on him. Which is why i am glad Joe reacts quickly and can look at his 2nd and 3rd receivers (love our TE's this season). I think we will not be a big play making team this season but a clock management team and a very good one at that. Which would make Torrey a decoy all season to open up the middle of the field.

 

It's so weird to see that, but it's true - we've turned into a dink and dunk offense. Which is fine, but you think we could stand to take a few more shots.

 

We've gone from inefficient but dangerous to efficient but quiet. We could stand for a little of both worlds, and Torrey is a big part of that.

[Cillmatic]

Torrey's a speed receiver who can only run Sticks because he has trouble running routes. He's easily replaceable. Period.

[FerrariFan87]

I think that Kubiak needs to dial up some end-arounds, quick bubble screens, slants, etc. to get Torrey moving and in open space where he can use his speed... I just picked up his jersey, and I believe that he will continue to be a productive player for years to come.

[hawkprey]

At this point, I trust Joe to throw the ball where he needs it to be but I don't trust Torrey to be there. He's been thrown to deep a few times with no success because he's struggled to get past the DB on single coverage. And this is supposed to be his big selling point.

[ravensnick]

Torrey's a speed receiver who can only run Sticks because he has trouble running routes. He's easily replaceable. Period.

Not not really a true evalution of his skills. He's certainly not the best route runner, but that statement is false. 

[arnie_uk]

Not not really a true evalution of his skills. He's certainly not the best route runner, but that statement is false.

i agree with it, he's a pretty awful route runner, and I'm not sure flacco trusts him at all. Flacco would rather throw to a blanketed Steve smith or pitta than torrey and Jacoby IMO

[jaege]

Lol even with a win we have to look at negatives. Torrey is just fine ... His speed on the outside takes the top off, opens up the underneath stuff for guys like Pitta and Daniels, which we saw. 

Besides, once teams start to go after Smith Sr, that will leave Torrey open and we can get some long passes going.

[JoeyFlex5]

its because he cut his hair.

[The Mom Gene]

Torrey's a speed receiver who can only run Sticks because he has trouble running routes. He's easily replaceable. Period.

It's times like these, that if you were to let a guy like Torrey go???  You would see just how valuable he is elsewhere.

[The Mom Gene]

I think that Kubiak needs to dial up some end-arounds, quick bubble screens, slants, etc. to get Torrey moving and in open space where he can use his speed... I just picked up his jersey, and I believe that he will continue to be a productive player for years to come.

Me too Ferrari.

[The Raven]

What Kubiak needs to do with Torrey is to use him more on drags, screens, and deeper routes. Torrey's still a weapon despite his shoddy route running. We need to find a way to feature his speed without limiting the playbook. 

[ratedr]

At this point Torrey does not deserve a huge contract. I love him as a person, but he's a one dimensional receiver. You see the connection that Flacco immediately has with great route runners like Smith Sr. and Daniels. It's been four years and he still doesn't have that with Torrey. True #1s find ways to make plays. Torrey just isn't there, and at this point I'm not convinced he ever will be.

[Ravensfan23]

At this point Torrey does not deserve a huge contract. I love him as a person, but he's a one dimensional receiver. You see the connection that Flacco immediately has with great route runners like Smith Sr. and Daniels. It's been four years and he still doesn't have that with Torrey. True #1s find ways to make plays. Torrey just isn't there, and at this point I'm not convinced he ever will be.

 

I don't know if i'd go as far to say he'll never get there, but I agree with you. Even Flacco has said his trust in Torrey on underneath routes isn't as good as he'd like. The bad part to me is that in 3 NFL season, he was never forced to learn how to route run. Now in his 4th season his OC and WR coach is putting an emphasis on route running and it's and adjustment for him. I don't think Torrey is terrible it's just an adjustment period for him. There were times in the Bengals game where he just didn't make the proper adjustment to coverage, but the same thing happened to Pitta who is a good route runner. So not only is it an adjustment for route running, it's also an adjustment to the overall system. Then in the Steelers game, there were times that Torrey was open and could have been targeted but Joe seemed to force feed Smitty(and for good reason). There was one play in the redzone that Torrey came open and it would have been a tight window throw but Joe didn't seem confident in the throw and just throw it out of the back of the endzone.

 

I think things will get better as the season goes on.

[rmw10]

There's no question that Torrey has to be better, though.  Whatever the reason - new system, still learning, etc. - he still has to be much better than he is right now.  I still believe that he's a priority FA and that we'll get something done, but I really hope we don't overpay.  I love the guy, but there's no way you can give him #1 WR money unless his play improves significantly.

[Ravensfan23]

There's no question that Torrey has to be better, though.  Whatever the reason - new system, still learning, etc. - he still has to be much better than he is right now.  I still believe that he's a priority FA and that we'll get something done, but I really hope we don't overpay.  I love the guy, but there's no way you can give him #1 WR money unless his play improves significantly.

 

agreed. But he still has 14 games to have a major impact in this offense and if he does the Ravens might have their hands tied in terms of overpaying a bit to keep him.

[PerpetuallyBored74]

At this point, I trust Joe to throw the ball where he needs it to be but I don't trust Torrey to be there. He's been thrown to deep a few times with no success because he's struggled to get past the DB on single coverage. And this is supposed to be his big selling point.

 

There's 2 reasons for this. First, Torrey turns his head to look back at Joe way too early when he's running a go route or a deep fade. Second, when Torrey does this, he slows down because you can't run at full speed when you twist your body to look behind you. The worst part is that DBs have picked up on this bad habit of Torrey's and are now instantly recognizing the route as either a go or fade (either way, it's deep down the sideline) so what DBs are doing is accelerating out in front of Torrey to box him out and position themselves for the interception. Torrey needs to stop tipping off the play to the DB, keep his head forward and run full speed and turn his head near the end of the route, not near the beginning.

He also needs to learn to not leave his arm where the DB can reach out and grab it to both slow him down and prevent him from reaching for the ball with two hands. You can't always count on the officials to throw the flag.

Torrey is talented, bit he lacks the size and quickness, he's more fast then quick, to rely on his physical talent. So, he needs to refine his technique. Which is what our previous coaching staff should have been focusing on with Torrey. If they'd done that, he'd be further along in his development. Well, at least when we resign him, he'll come cheaper because in this offense he's the #4 receiver option at best, so he's not putting up huge numbers ths year. Not unless he figures it all out real soon.