Sit Derrick Mason

[Mobtown]

Give The Man his 40 yards...



Derrick Mason, WR, Baltimore. His effort at Dallas Saturday night will go down as one of the heroic performances of this or any other season. Playing with a dislocated shoulder he aggravated twice during the game, Mason had the shoulder numbed with medication and made it through four quarters -- catching the third-quarter touchdown that gave the Ravens the breathing room they needed to control their playoff destiny.

"It hurts a lot right now,'' Mason said 90 minutes after the 33-24 win, trying to rest on the Ravens' plane. "It's going to hurt a lot more once this mediation wears off. But we were in a two-game playoff race starting tonight, and if you can run, you can play. I could run, so I played.''

Mason's line for the night: six catches, 66 yards, one touchdown. Hardly player of the week stuff. But Mason was an inspiration, playing the second half with his left arm looking like a wing, running downfield mostly with one arm churning like a piston and the other held tight against his body. "It's not going to get any worse, so I'm going to try to keep playing,'' Mason said.

The Ravens need him; he's become Joe Flacco's security blanket, and a playoff-clinching game against Jacksonville awaits Sunday in Baltimore. I sung Mason's praises a couple of weeks ago, but get this:[b][i] He's 40 yards from his seventh 1,000-yard receiving season (Steve Largent had eight), and 16 yards from 10,000 career receiving yards. Considering that only 30 men have 10,000 career receiving yards, that's a heck of a feat.[/i][/b]

[Ravnet]

It's disgusting how underrated Derrick Mason is. It's not all that surprising considering that he has played for Tennessee and Baltimore, but he still deserves more credit.

[Jesse Conroy]

We could beat Jacksonville with one arm tied behind our backs...

(oh wait, for Mason its kinda like that)

[Borris]

Well as much as I think Mason could use the week off and would benifit from it, the problem is once again that besides Clayton, we have no other viable receiver if we bench Mason. Heck, Claytons drawing double coverage all game anyways, you leave him out there without Mason to pair with him and we have no passing game.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='neepo13' post='111517' date='Dec 22 2008, 03:40 PM']It would be alot easier for everyone else to step up with Mason on the field because him being there takes the pressure off. Some players just have that impact. And Mason is that guy on our offense.[/quote]

But he's been on the field almost all year, and no one stepped up [i]then,[/i] other than Clayton's occasional big game. So, why would they step up this week [i]now[/i], of all weeks, if Mason [i]were[/i] to play? Even with the stakes as high as they are?

Mason being on the field arguably takes catches away from the other receivers; not necessarily a bad thing, but in this case, that makes him more susceptible to contact.

Again, the argument could be made that this game is a big enough must-win scenario to justify playing him.

But then again...no disrespect to the Jacksonville Jaguars and their fans, but it's the 5-10 Jacksonville Jaguars. And the Ravens can still get in the playoffs even with a loss to Jacksonville (and a little bit of help).

Are the Jaguars dangerous? Yes, especially with that losing record. But then again, the same could be said about the Cleveland Browns -- and they failed to be any real threat to the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday. Though Jacksonville may be interested in playing spoiler, if the Ravens deserve to be in the playoffs, they won't overlook the team and will get the job done.

Keyphrase: if they [u]deserve[/u] to be in the playoffs.

[kash96ravenstotalfan]

[quote name='ravensgirlx88' post='111079' date='Dec 21 2008, 09:36 PM']I agree that MASON should sit out. He's a tropper and deserves a week off,However, this is a VERY important game. YES the JAGS have nothing to play for, but this can sometimes be worse then if they DO. the Jaguars will bring the house. I think we need to do the same.[/quote]
Hi - Where have you been? Haven't seen a post from you lately.

[WACKO4FLACC0]

[quote name='RavenManiac73' post='111054' date='Dec 21 2008, 09:07 PM']Sorry, but your suggestion makes very little sense. He will not recover from a dislocated shoulder in one week. It is an injury that will require surgery eventually and 6-8 weeks of rehab after that. Also what good does it do to ret him if we don't make the playoffs by losing the game against Jacksonville without him. Mason will be the first player on the team to argue against your suggestion.[/quote]
He wont recover your are right... but play him in that game against the Jags where he may not play in the playoffs if he takes a hit or lands on his shoulder? That is what makes little sense.

[STL Raven]

[quote name='Ravnet' post='111545' date='Dec 22 2008, 03:38 PM']It's disgusting how underrated Derrick Mason is. It's not all that surprising considering that he has played for Tennessee and Baltimore, but he still deserves more credit.[/quote]
I love that he's quiet about his success. He could be in-your-face like Chad Johnson with nutty HOF jackets, but he's not. Mason is a lot like Torry Holt -- both are elite WRs who don't showboat. They get it done quietly.

[CP`C-Pain`CP]

I believe that he should sit out also, however that he should still suit up. Just incase it gets outta hand, If we dont make it into the playoffs it wont matter whether he is ready then or not. ONLY if we REALLY need him though, extreme condition. If not a week of rest would help a lot I'm sure. As already stated it would also be good for Flacco to have a week without him to try and get in sync with some of the other recievers like Clayton or Heap.

[Ravnet]

[quote name='STL Raven' post='111673' date='Dec 22 2008, 09:20 PM']I love that he's quiet about his success. He could be in-your-face like Chad Johnson with nutty HOF jackets, but he's not. Mason is a lot like Torry Holt -- both are elite WRs who don't showboat. They get it done quietly.[/quote]

While I agree with your statement, I think guys like Mason/Holt are underrated primarily because they do not play in glamorous cities.

[RavenManiac73]

Sorry, but you are wrong, a separated shoulder takes surgery with 8-12 weeks of rehab on average, as an athlete let's give him 6-8 weeks, regardless, that's a lot longer than a week off will give him. So let him play in this game, as it's likely we'll need him to pull it out.

[quote name='Ravnet' post='111512' date='Dec 22 2008, 03:33 PM']I think some of you are missing the point. Should Mason play this Sunday, he's most certainly going to get hit hard; with no bye week, Derrick will have to limp into his second consecutive game and endure blow after blow aimed specifically at his separated shoulder.

Although a week will not get Mason back to 100%, six days of complete and total rehabilitation will most definitely put him in a better situation than he is right now.

We all know that Flacco locks in on Mason, so by playing him this week you're assuring some additionally painful shots. Although I doubt he'd get knocked out for the entire season, Mase would go into the Miami/New York/New England game just barely hanging on.

I'm interested in making a Super Bowl run, and a 65% Mason just is not going to do the job.[/quote]

[Ravnet]

[quote name='RavenManiac73' post='111687' date='Dec 22 2008, 09:58 PM']Sorry, but you are wrong, a separated shoulder takes surgery with 8-12 weeks of rehab on average, as an athlete let's give him 6-8 weeks, regardless, that's a lot longer than a week off will give him. So let him play in this game, as it's likely we'll need him to pull it out.[/quote]

I'm not a doctor, but I do know that six days of complete rest is a lot better for a shoulder than an hour of hard hitting.

[CP`C-Pain`CP]

Also as I heard pointed out on ESPN earlier today now that the opposing teams realize more that his shoulder is hurt they will go in for a jam on that. I don't care how tough he is that will set him back if they are hitting it every play. It's better to sit him and not let it get hurt worse than it already is.

[Ravnet]

[quote name='CP`C-Pain`CP' post='111694' date='Dec 22 2008, 10:16 PM']Also as I heard pointed out on ESPN earlier today now that the opposing teams realize more that his shoulder is hurt they will go in for a jam on that. I don't care how tough he is that will set him back if they are hitting it every play. It's better to sit him and not let it get hurt worse than it already is.[/quote]

Teams do that with any injured player, which is why a week of rest would do Mason justice. Again, I doubt Derrick would be knocked out for the season, but I want Mason as healthy as possible going into the playoffs.

It's a bit arrogant to overlook the Jaguars, but a 10-5 team one player down should be able to handle a 5-10 squad.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='Ravnet' post='111692' date='Dec 22 2008, 10:12 PM']I'm not a doctor, but I do know that six days of complete rest is a lot better for a shoulder than an hour of hard hitting.[/quote]
[quote name='CP`C-Pain`CP' post='111694' date='Dec 22 2008, 10:16 PM']Also as I heard pointed out on ESPN earlier today now that the opposing teams realize more that his shoulder is hurt they will go in for a jam on that. I don't care how tough he is that will set him back if they are hitting it every play. It's better to sit him and not let it get hurt worse than it already is.[/quote]
[quote name='Ravnet' post='111700' date='Dec 22 2008, 10:36 PM']Teams do that with any injured player, which is why a week of rest would do Mason justice. Again, I doubt Derrick would be knocked out for the season, but I want Mason as healthy as possible going into the playoffs.

It's a bit arrogant to overlook the Jaguars, but a 10-5 team one player down should be able to handle a 5-10 squad.[/quote]
I think all three posts combined make a great argument in favor of sitting Mason.

And again, I understand the must-win situation coming up, but as I've said repeatedly, this team needs to learn to play without Mason, especially when the opportunity presents itself in a limited-risk situation such as this.

When I say "limited-risk," I'm referring to, again, the Jaguars' 5-10. And again, that's not to overlook them, but it's keeping in mind the fact that the team is 5-10 for a REASON -- just as the Ravens are 10-5 for a REASON. If the Ravens deserve to go to the playoffs and WIN a playoff game, then they'll find a way to win without just ONE of their offensive weapons.

Note that I said just ONE offensive weapon -- there's still the ground attack to lean on. Not to mention Heap, Wilcox, Clayton...one of those three have to step up at some point again, so why not now?

[ravensfan1996]

I agree with those that think we shouldnt bench Mason. He has been playing with a dislocated shoulder for quite sometime now. You cant "save" him for the playoffs if we dont win sunday. If we had it all wrapped up, then yes sit of course sit him. But otherwise he is going to play, we need him to win, he did pretty well for one arm last saturday!

[catty112]

I don't think there will be anything you can say to Mason that will make him sit on the sidelines as he watches his team battle for that last playoff spot. That being said I think he will get his rest this week by staying out of contact drills and will start on sunday.

If the Ravens come out with a healthy lead early obviously Mason will be enjoying most of the game from the sidelines.

On a side note, if Yamon and Mason are taken out of the game won't that mean Smith would be the #2? I know he hasn't caught a ball all season but whenever I see him out there its usually for blocking or on 3rd downs and everytime the ball is thrown is way it is way uncatchable.

Anyone able chime in some info on Marcus Smith? I like his big build and I heard some good things about him before the season started but nothing since then.