[News] Late For Work 6/19: 8 Things We Learned From Minicamp

[BR News]

Oher says ‘The Blind Side’ has hurt his career. Schaub helps Flacco. Steelers plan to return to feared unit.

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[DomMcRaven]

Steelers plan to build "feared defense" again. And we're not???? Just like how Steelers fans question our WRs, I question their entire defense.

[salamander]

Joe's demeanor throughout OTA's and mini-camp has consistently seemed very confident and on top of things with the transition to a new OC and a bunch of new receivers. As far as the offense goes, if Joe is positive and comfortable, there's no significant cause for me to worry about what this offense can achieve. If Joe's chillin',  I'm chillin'.

Edited June 19, 2015 by salamander

[Dorota]

Maxx Williams banged up how?

[The Mom Gene]

Michael is responsible for Michael's Football... Not the movie "The Blind Side"

[Ravensfansince03]

I think id be better at back up QB than Shaub smh

[trevorsteadman]

Steelers plan to build "feared defense" again. And we're not???? Just like how Steelers fans question our WRs, I question their entire defense.

I agree they lost several play makers like Polamalu, Taylor,Keisel, Worilds... Honeslty I think they are going to be fighting to be a top 25 defense this year. Their offense is top notch no doubt they have amazing play makers in Bell and Brown but if you stop one of those two guys and keep their offense one dimensional they will stall and probably lose the game as long as your offense puts up a couple scores and your defense isn't worse than theirs. Even with Brown running loose all the time in the play off game the Ravens still killed the Steelers with the lack of Bell which I don't think would have made much of an outcome to that game considering how great Baltimore's run defense was all year long.

[Ravensfansince03]

Maxx Williams banged up how?

Huh?

[trevorsteadman]

Huh?

Tweaked hamstring in practice it was announced yesterday... Boyle took the rest of his snaps. Doesn't sound good at all. It puts him a step back behind the rest of the offense.

[stixfix69]

if it's not a tear, Maxx should be okay for camp, he has 6 weeks to get it fixed...

[fusuymada]

I agree they lost several play makers like Polamalu, Taylor,Keisel, Worilds... Honeslty I think they are going to be fighting to be a top 25 defense this year. Their offense is top notch no doubt they have amazing play makers in Bell and Brown but if you stop one of those two guys and keep their offense one dimensional they will stall and probably lose the game as long as your offense puts up a couple scores and your defense isn't worse than theirs. Even with Brown running loose all the time in the play off game the Ravens still killed the Steelers with the lack of Bell which I don't think would have made much of an outcome to that game considering how great Baltimore's run defense was all year long.

One thing I think people are forgetting is that they lost Dick LeBeau.  I remember when they switched offensive coordinators making Bruce Ariens retire the same way they forced LeBeau to retire.  It took a good three years for the offense to adjust to Haley and his new scheme and there were some tense moments between Ben and Haley for a couple years.  There are still a lot of Steelers who are sour on the idea of LeBeau being forced out including a bunch who jumped ship and went with him.  Those that stayed are going to have the same adjusting pains that the offense went through and not only do they have to adjust to a bunch of new faces, they have to adjust to a new scheme and a new way to practice which makes me believe TrevorSteadman is right on the money and if they break the top 25, I personally will be shocked. 

[Popeye the sailor man]

Thank GOD there no major Impact Injuries, these Mini Camps can be more brutal than an actual game in my opinion when everybody Is out to show what they can do and earn a spot on the team, pacing themselves Is the best thing to do. Watch out when training camps starts. I can't believe that Michael Oher is blaming the movie [ Blind Side ] for his failure as a football player, that's a bullcrap comment he made. Steve Smith Sr Is one hell of a man, he's a teacher, a friend, a family man, did I leave anything out, he Is a blessing to the Ravens and takes the Initiatives on his own.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Popeye the sailor man

[Bandit666]

Suggs better show up for camp in shape and ready to kick butt if he wants that ring. offense looking good.

Pitts is a year or two away from a fearful defense

[Halshayeji]

Suggs better show up for camp in shape and ready to kick butt if he wants that ring. offense looking good.

Pitts is a year or two away from a fearful defense

And until that day comes. I hope we run the ball down the steelers throat 30 times every time we face them!

[stixfix69]

Suggs is a 13 year Pro, he knows what kind of shape he has to be in to be a force....He will be fine.....

[alexbayrobin]

And until that day comes. I hope we run the ball down the steelers throat 30 times every time we face them!

wow. I like your attitude. Let Yanda and Osemele lead the way.

[BMORE = BEASTING]

Mr. Off-Sides states that a movie hurt his career. Yeah sure it had nothing to do with not possessing snap count rhythm.

[DomMcRaven]

I agree they lost several play makers like Polamalu, Taylor,Keisel, Worilds... Honeslty I think they are going to be fighting to be a top 25 defense this year. Their offense is top notch no doubt they have amazing play makers in Bell and Brown but if you stop one of those two guys and keep their offense one dimensional they will stall and probably lose the game as long as your offense puts up a couple scores and your defense isn't worse than theirs. Even with Brown running loose all the time in the play off game the Ravens still killed the Steelers with the lack of Bell which I don't think would have made much of an outcome to that game considering how great Baltimore's run defense was all year long.

Steelers fans will be quick to say that they would have won if Bell was playing. But yet they don't want to talk about our injury-riddled secondary. That's the only reason why Big Ben threw 6 TDs. But speaking of 6, they're so quick to forget about week 2 when they could only muster up 6 points against a healthier secondary. Last time I checked, Bell was playing too.

[trevorsteadman]

Steelers fans will be quick to say that they would have won if Bell was playing. But yet they don't want to talk about our injury-riddled secondary. That's the only reason why Big Ben threw 6 TDs. But speaking of 6, they're so quick to forget about week 2 when they could only muster up 6 points against a healthier secondary. Last time I checked, Bell was playing too.

I'd give them Bell and the other 2-3 players they had on IR going into that game if they gave us back all 19 players we had on IR at the end of the season.

[berad]

Think Oher's professional career was positively influenced by the movie. An accurate representation? Perhaps not. However, I remember he was always a leader in the fan-vote portion of the Pro Bowl, had national name-recognition, and IF he had taken off as a player he'd be a huge star. It didn't work out that way but the movie deflects from that, not adds to it imo.

And we'll see about the Steelers, I've heard it's a 'dumbed down' defense.

[rmcjacket23]

I'd give them Bell and the other 2-3 players they had on IR going into that game if they gave us back all 19 players we had on IR at the end of the season.

Always been a misleading number though...

 

What percentage of those 19 players would you say would have been "integral" to our success even if they were healthy?

 

You've essentially got four "starters"... Pitta, Jimmy, Wagner, and Asa.

 

You've got three rookies who probably would have been "role" players at best.... Taliaferro, Urban, and Brooks.

 

The rest is basically just a long group of backup players and depth who wouldn't have played even if they were healthy. Guys like Gorrer were only even on the roster because of injuries to other players.

 

Keep in mind also that while it sounds like a lot from a volume perspective, there were still 6 other teams in the league that had more players on IR, and I'd argue that from a "key personnel" standpoint, it was one of our healthier seasons in recent years.

 

We won a SB without full seasons out of Ray Lewis, Webb and Suggs, who was the reigning DPOY.

[nevermorebmore]

I think we can all agree, the Oher comment is silly news. Bust is a potential label for all first rounders regardless of their box office numbers. I'm sure Ozzie watched more tape than "The Blind Side" before he entered the pick.

With both Ravens and Steelers D rebuilds, pundits are always going to give the benefit of legacy. The difference is that Steelers have rebuilt their D over decades, so that line of credit is a little deeper with critics. Setting aside legacies, the Ravens are clearly in a better immediate position in restocking their D - proven older leadership vets (Suggs, Dum, D. Smith), a couple selfless vets willing to restructure or give hometown discounts (Webb, J. Smith), a huge group of talented young guys who are already performing, AND continuity in coaching. My favorite part of these couple years has been watching Ozzie and Harbaugh perfect the art of a player/coaching pipeline. I don't think the steelers have consistently hit on all cylinders the way the Ravens FO has recently. Ask the other perennial AFC powerhouses who they currently fear. The answer is probably the dudes in purple and black!

[DomMcRaven]

I'd give them Bell and the other 2-3 players they had on IR going into that game if they gave us back all 19 players we had on IR at the end of the season.

That's what I'm saying. To his credit, Tomlin isn't about excuses (so he claims) so why should their fans? Games got to be played though...

[berad]

Always been a misleading number though...

 

What percentage of those 19 players would you say would have been "integral" to our success even if they were healthy?

 

You've essentially got four "starters"... Pitta, Jimmy, Wagner, and Asa.

 

You've got three rookies who probably would have been "role" players at best.... Taliaferro, Urban, and Brooks.

 

The rest is basically just a long group of backup players and depth who wouldn't have played even if they were healthy. Guys like Gorrer were only even on the roster because of injuries to other players.

 

Keep in mind also that while it sounds like a lot from a volume perspective, there were still 6 other teams in the league that had more players on IR, and I'd argue that from a "key personnel" standpoint, it was one of our healthier seasons in recent years.

 

We won a SB without full seasons out of Ray Lewis, Webb and Suggs, who was the reigning DPOY.

But that's partially the point. It got so bad in the secondary, I was almost surprised there wasn't a call for open tryouts.

[Minionhunter]

To illustrate the lunacy, that SI writer Patriot lover also thinks the Steelers are going to be at the top of the pack. Can't think of his name right now. It's Nonsense though. Likely setting up the excuse for the Patriots loosing to the steelers week one when they have to trot out Jimmy Garapolo.

[bioLarzen]

No, Michael, it weasn't the movie that hurt yolur career. It was you career motto: "Offside. Offense, number 75. Five yard penalty." that hurt your career big time.

[balfan23]

Always been a misleading number though...

 

What percentage of those 19 players would you say would have been "integral" to our success even if they were healthy?

 

You've essentially got four "starters"... Pitta, Jimmy, Wagner, and Asa.

 

You've got three rookies who probably would have been "role" players at best.... Taliaferro, Urban, and Brooks.

 

The rest is basically just a long group of backup players and depth who wouldn't have played even if they were healthy. Guys like Gorrer were only even on the roster because of injuries to other players.

 

Keep in mind also that while it sounds like a lot from a volume perspective, there were still 6 other teams in the league that had more players on IR, and I'd argue that from a "key personnel" standpoint, it was one of our healthier seasons in recent years.

 

We won a SB without full seasons out of Ray Lewis, Webb and Suggs, who was the reigning DPOY.

True, stating the number of total players injured is not telling the story.

 

In the end, we were able to fill the gaps for all injuries ... except the secondary and that was our undoing. In the end, it was a position of weakness with little or no depth. Losing two starters there, obviously most significantly Jimmy, cost us dearly. So it really doesn't matter how many others went down as we tried to patch it all together. 

 

When he went down, many in the sport said the same thing and said that our chances at a championship dwindled dramatically. Jimmy had points during the year where he was able to take the opponents best WR out of the game. Replacing that type of player with cast-offs from other teams isn't going to work. That was as big a "key personnel" loss as I can think of next to anyone's franchise QB. 

 

Honestly, we're really not in much better shape this year. Arrington is the only real addition. If goes down again - we're in deep trouble again. I still think going into this year that Jimmy is still the #2 key guy next to Joe. We simply have to have him healthy to have a solid chance at being a contender. 

[dirtybird66]

[profanity deleted]! DICK LEBEAU GONE,the offense will be licking their chops!,I hope.to me he would be hard to replace,alway's respected him.

[steelcityraven]

Glad Butler had a great Minicamp....he will have his work cut out for him. Not sure how many WR's we keep this season but 6 is probably the max. 1. SSS 2. BPerriman 3. Marlon 4. Aiken that leaves Campanaro, Butler, DCarter, DWaller, and more to compete for two spots THat is tough and even tougher when you consider that Waller and Camp are draft picks (who the Ravens do not like to give up on). Carter has been highly touted! Not saying that Butler cant make it... just that he has a very uphill climb! Good Luck!

[Ravensfan23]

In terms of the Ravens vs Steelers games, injuries happen and they will always happen. No reason to use them as a reason for defeat. Nobody is running around saying if the Ravens had a healthy Jimmy Smith it would have made a difference in the Pats game. They just call Brady great and move on. So that's what we should do with that Steelers playoff game, it played out like it was supposed to. 

 

In terms of what we learned from mini camp, honestly nothing much. The Ravens always have fast and physical practices, so i'm not surprised to see the guys come out and compete hard. Flacco is always a stud in OTAs and Minicamps. People don't realize just how tough it is to develop young players in a new offense every year because Flacco makes it look so easy. Which is why I don't have a concern about Schuab right now. Imo it's the same as comparing Melvin to Jimmy Smith, there is no way Melvin stacks up to what Jimmy is, but he'll be able to play well enough to help you get back, until he doesn't play well. Schuab will be fine as a backup because if we have to truly rely on him, we're screwed anyway. 

 

No at all surprised about the WRs either. Extremely pleased but not surprised. All these guys are talented and following the lead of Smitty means they are working extremely hard. I love the hunger of this group. We're hearing a lot about these guys, mainly, Brown, Perriman, Aiken and Butler, so we'll see how these guys translate this into TC and preseason work. 

 

In terms of the reports of certain guys getting first team reps, I'd caution people from reading too much into it. With the way that Harbs runs practice he wants to get guys as many reps as possible, and any guy who could see time at all or offense or defense will get 1st team reps at some point.