Next up : Cleveland Browns.

[BigMike]

Joe is my QB...we will win...that is all...

[Ravensfan23]

It's not adjusting to different styles. Kubiak's ZBS turned a below average run blocking O-line into one of the best last year. Our O-line was ranked in the mid 20s (now 19) after the Steeler's game scheme change. We need the running game to dominate to win games. Ogden himself said Castillo has our O-line conveted back to more man blocking when he visited them. Your whole "less informed fans" means nothing when we're obviously refering to Kubiak's scheme and how we've defiated from it. Whether Castillo uses a different type of ZBS is completely irrelevent. The point still stands that it IS different, and only a few of us have pointed out that Castillo is not running what Kubiak ran.

 

And Harbaugh DID change it back because he was desperate to not go 0-4. Our O-line will dominate the Browns with the new scheme change. I was right that it needed to be done. Harbaugh agreed. I didn't see you anywhere saying there was a change and that it needed to be corrected. I was the only one on the forum demanding it. It's all on the, "apologize to Castillo" thread. I deserve a badge. Forsett will rush for 125 yards against Browns

 

It's like me saying these cookies taste like crap compared to before and the recipe was changed, and then you come along saying but they're still cookies, just a different variation.

My response to "uninformed fans" wasn't directed towards you. It was directed towards people who say the Ravens have gone away from the ZBS. They haven't, they just aren't running the ZBS the same way as Kubes. Yes i agree 100% with you that they got away from that. But there is a reason. Kubes runs his offense through his oline and that's the reason why he carries his oline coach and TE coach with him from team to team to teach the system. Kubes route concepts, pass, run, everything runs off the zone action of the oline. If you don't run your offense like that it's nezt to impossible to do exactly what Kubes does. That's why even he is struggling to get the run ge going in Denver because he's asked to do things differently with Peyton. So if Kubes has "his zbs" in Denver but is struggling to get the run game going because it's next to impossible to run the outside zbs from the shotgun.

Kubiak's offense is unique to him and a handful of others who come from that Shanahan coaching tree. If the Ravens really wanted the offense to stay the same they should have kept Dennison or brought in Kyle. It's hard to run Kubiak's offense because many other aren't willing to run that slow developing pass game off the ZBS. Trestman runs the offense through his QB. I have no statical facr of this but i'd say Trestman has operated in more shotgun and empty sets in 4 games then Kubes did all season. Everyone can't get away with running that bland, vanilla offense that Kubes runs.

So yes the oline isn't blocking in Kubiak's ZBS but they aren't running Kubiak's offense anymore either. However it's still the WCO and ZBS being run it's just with different philosophies. Against the Steelers the Ravens ran a lot more Outside zone but they still ran a ton of inside zone as well. The biggest difference is the oline actually played well. KO got back to manhandling guys along with Yanda. The OTs did a better job sealing and Forsett was much more decisive.

[CalvinSmoke]

The run game worked last week because the Steelers constantly ran overload blitzes and they weren't being discreet about it. So trestman started running away from the blitz. The Steelers have always overloaded us on the weak side. Even on field goal block formations. The Browns don't do that, they don't even blitz very often.

[Kid87]

Pink & Black = Must Win

[ellicottraven]

Lately we seem to have lost a little bit of that home game mojo we seemed to have for the longest period. However, starting this game I hope we are able to recover that mojo. Having said that, this is the classic trap game for the Ravens, given that we are thin at WR and Joe isn't the Joe we have come to see over the last year. He is mistake prone and helpless at his receiving options.

[Guest]

For me it starts with building on the Pittsburgh run game results.  They are not a soft defense and we had nice gainers.  Cleveland was last vs the run in the league until the San Diego game.  Whether they suddenly got tough or San Diego didn't block is gist for debate.  I'm expecting a true Raven effort at home with Monroe back. (I think he'll be back.)

 

S.Smith will not play. It would not be fair to him to allow him to suit up off that multiple injury. They'll give him time.

 

It will be up to Joe to find the young receivers that are open. It will be up to the young receivers to run smart routes. We will see.

 

 

i expect us to make mccown and benjamin look like first team all pros. i think its gonna be a close game, whether we win or lose, but i expect those 2 to really make lightwork of our defense.

 

We had four sacks vs Pittsburgh. Pressure rattles McCown, He must be pressured on pass downs. Benjamin has not been a Calvin Johnson. It will be up to our secondary to ensure he doesn't become Calvin for a week.

The run game absolutely dominated the Steeler's D-line and it's not like the Steeler's Dline is bad against the run. Forsett had over 5 ypc and 150 yards. The O-line looked like last years with great ZBS blocking. Harbaugh clearly made Castillo switch it back to Kubiak's ZBS. We have the same players as last on the O-line so theres no reason they can't play like last years.

 

Agree

In the last 5 seasons, the Ravens have put up 40+ points only 3 times. Browns will be stacking the box because we have absolutely no threats in the passing game. I'll be surprised if we score 25.

 

25 should be enough. 

Lately we seem to have lost a little bit of that home game mojo we seemed to have for the longest period. However, starting this game I hope we are able to recover that mojo. Having said that, this is the classic trap game for the Ravens, given that we are thin at WR and Joe isn't the Joe we have come to see over the last year. He is mistake prone and helpless at his receiving options.

 

We are home and the faithful are ravenous to cheer for a good home stand.

[Ravensfan23]

The run game worked last week because the Steelers constantly ran overload blitzes and they weren't being discreet about it. So trestman started running away from the blitz. The Steelers have always overloaded us on the weak side. Even on field goal block formations. The Browns don't do that, they don't even blitz very often.

That helped a ton. But they did have some success on plays that the Steelers didn't overload. I expect the running game to look a lot like it did in Oakland. If the Ravens successfully run from the shotgun it'll help create space for the WRs and TEs who aren't space creators themselves.

Lately we seem to have lost a little bit of that home game mojo we seemed to have for the longest period. However, starting this game I hope we are able to recover that mojo. Having said that, this is the classic trap game for the Ravens, given that we are thin at WR and Joe isn't the Joe we have come to see over the last year. He is mistake prone and helpless at his receiving options.

Yea they will definitely need that mojo back because they have a realistic shot at 4-4 or maybe even 5-3 over the next 4 games and then they'll have 5 out of 7 at home. As of right now (way too early) none of those 5 opponents have a winning record. Possible huge opportunity.

Not sure it's possible for a 1-3 team to have a trap game. That should be against the rules somehow lol, but i get what you are saying. Team finally got a win, they still believe they're a good team, two inferior teams coming up on the schedule and a huge statement have looming on MNF in a few weeks. But i don't think this team can nor will be looking forward to .500. I think they'll be looking towards 2-3 vs the Browns. Finding the right CB group, scheming up a respectable passing and those young guys probably will and should see this an huge career opportunities. Brown, Aiken and even Givens are at that point where if it didn't work out here they're done. The oline hasn't played to their potential and the front 7 is just starting to show that dominance. I don't think any area of this team can justifiably be thinking they can just show up and win this game.

As for Joe. He finally has a OC giving him exactly what he's wanted, control of the offense and i think he's pressing a bit with the added responsibility. Even with SR on the field, Joe has to raise his level of play because of the players around him. He has too be near perfect in everything he's doing. I think his turnovers and mistakes will reduce once the trust factor increases. These next couple games could go a long way in Joe starting to trust others outside SSR.

[callahan09]

That helped a ton. But they did have some success on plays that the Steelers didn't overload. I expect the running game to look a lot like it did in Oakland. If the Ravens successfully run from the shotgun it'll help create space for the WRs and TEs who aren't space creators themselves.

Yea they will definitely need that mojo back because they have a realistic shot at 4-4 or maybe even 5-3 over the next 4 games and then they'll have 5 out of 7 at home. As of right now (way too early) none of those 5 opponents have a winning record. Possible huge opportunity.

Not sure it's possible for a 1-3 team to have a trap game. That should be against the rules somehow lol, but i get what you are saying. Team finally got a win, they still believe they're a good team, two inferior teams coming up on the schedule and a huge statement have looming on MNF in a few weeks. But i don't think this team can nor will be looking forward to .500. I think they'll be looking towards 2-3 vs the Browns. Finding the right CB group, scheming up a respectable passing and those young guys probably will and should see this an huge career opportunities. Brown, Aiken and even Givens are at that point where if it didn't work out here they're done. The oline hasn't played to their potential and the front 7 is just starting to show that dominance. I don't think any area of this team can justifiably be thinking they can just show up and win this game.

As for Joe. He finally has a OC giving him exactly what he's wanted, control of the offense and i think he's pressing a bit with the added responsibility. Even with SR on the field, Joe has to raise his level of play because of the players around him. He has too be near perfect in everything he's doing. I think his turnovers and mistakes will reduce once the trust factor increases. These next couple games could go a long way in Joe starting to trust others outside SSR.

In an odd sort of way, I believe Steve Smith Sr is a big factor in WHY Joe has made so many mistakes this season.  Steve has been by far the best player on offense for this team this year.  And as a result of the relative weakness of everyone else that Joe could throw the ball to, Steve has commanded by far the most attention.  And defenses have been making Joe pay for the fact that Sr has to be the first read on every single play.  It enables defenses to play packages that set traps when we try to get the ball to Sr, and we have had little choice but to try to get the ball to Sr, so we've fallen into that trap too many times this year.  They don't have to do much to take away our other receivers, so when Joe has to try to get the ball to the same player on every play, it creates a very high possibility for the defense to make a play since they basically know what's coming.  In an odd way, not having that dominant receiver on the field that becomes the magnet for the football will help spread the ball around, which will prevent defenses from being able to hone in on the predictable throws we've had to force all year.  Granted, these guys all have to step up and make plays for that to work.  But it was working after Steve left the game in Pittsburgh, the offense was moving the ball really well and Flacco was making good throws and completing a lot of passes set up the game tying and game winning drives, along with the running game working like a well oiled machine.  The only thing I don't get is... if they can't get open when the defenses aren't even really trying to take them away because Sr is on the field, why was it working when he wasn't on the field?  Was it just that the play-calling for Sr being on the field didn't afford those guys god opportunities to get open?  Or was it that Joe wasn't trusting the other guys for whatever reason and so he wasn't looking to them soon enough in the progress to where he could unload it before the O line gave way (the O line has been trash protecting Joe this year)?  I dunno.  I just hope it works for us on Sunday!

Edited October 7, 2015 by callahan09

[Static]

Gary Barndige is someone to watch

[Ravensfan23]

In an odd sort of way, I believe Steve Smith Sr is a big factor in WHY Joe has made so many mistakes this season.  Steve has been by far the best player on offense for this team this year.  And as a result of the relative weakness of everyone else that Joe could throw the ball to, Steve has commanded by far the most attention.  And defenses have been making Joe pay for the fact that Sr has to be the first read on every single play.  It enables defenses to play packages that set traps when we try to get the ball to Sr, and we have had little choice but to try to get the ball to Sr, so we've fallen into that trap too many times this year.  They don't have to do much to take away our other receivers, so when Joe has to try to get the ball to the same player on every play, it creates a very high possibility for the defense to make a play since they basically know what's coming.  In an odd way, not having that dominant receiver on the field that becomes the magnet for the football will help spread the ball around, which will prevent defenses from being able to hone in on the predictable throws we've had to force all year.  Granted, these guys all have to step up and make plays for that to work.  But it was working after Steve left the game in Pittsburgh, the offense was moving the ball really well and Flacco was making good throws and completing a lot of passes set up the game tying and game winning drives, along with the running game working like a well oiled machine.  The only thing I don't get is... if they can't get open when the defenses aren't even really trying to take them away because Sr is on the field, why was it working when he wasn't on the field?  Was it just that the play-calling for Sr being on the field didn't afford those guys god opportunities to get open?  Or was it that Joe wasn't trusting the other guys for whatever reason and so he wasn't looking to them soon enough in the progress to where he could unload it before the O line gave way (the O line has been trash protecting Joe this year)?  I dunno.  I just hope it works for us on Sunday!

I've been saying all season that these guys are getting open but not getting the ball thrown their way often. It's the scheme imo. Sr gets schemed out a lot and we started to see Trestman go away from that a bit in the Steelers game with Camp clearly being schemed into the offense. On plays that Flacco is targeting Sr others guys are open at times as well, but why wouldn't you target Smitty, especially when you're still working on the comfort level of the offense? I honestly think both Aiken and Brown will step up big time because they'll start to get those schemed routes. Much like Roddy White is complaining in ATL, when you have a scheme based passing attack, even if the backside guy is open he may not see the ball because the play is designed to go to the #1 read.

On Joe's int vs Pit it wasn't as good a defensive call as the commentator made it seem. It was just the defender banking on Sr being Flacco's top read and as you said he followed the ball. If Joe holds the ball a split second more and reads that coverage he would have found Brown wide open for a possible score for a 14-3 lead. Those are the plays i think he'll start to make without Smitty because he has no-one who he blindly trust right now. He's gonna have to see the entire field and throw some of these guys open. It'll be interesting to see the passing game against a talented Browns secondary.

[allblackraven]

Black jersey on Sunday.

[Gordo52]

Gary Barndige is someone to watch

Plays with a lot of grit. Very fundamentally sound. Deceptive speed

[PurpleCity5]

Getting Monroe back will be good news...man I miss him. 

[757RavensFan]

Did not practice today:  Gilmore, SSS, Perriman, Canty, Taliaferro(foot)

 

Monroe was a FULL participant today and Yanda was limited w/ ankle injury. 

Edited October 7, 2015 by 757RavensFan

[Cillmatic]

Did not practice today: Gilmore, SSS, Perriman, Canty, Taliaferro(foot)

Monroe was a FULL participant today and Yanda was limited w/ ankle injury.

Soon as one comes back another one goes down. Tis the life of the Ravens. Watch perriman come back a day after Joe gets a season Ender.

[Drew P]

Soon as one comes back another one goes down. Tis the life of the Ravens. Watch perriman come back a day after Joe gets a season Ender.

 

This is the absolute worst comment I have ever read on this board

[Cillmatic]

This is the absolute worst comment I have ever read on this board

Sorry it wasn't good enough for you my majesty. Art thou mad brothern? Edited October 7, 2015 by Cillmatic

[codizzle]

Plays with a lot of grit. Very fundamentally sound. Deceptive speed

A real lunch pail type of guy

[codizzle]

Oh and a 50 yard bomb to givens by no later than the 2nd drive

[Inqui]

A real lunch pail type of guy

Got the heart of a lion.

[Gordo52]

A real lunch pail type of guy

Some players just get it. And he gets it. A real pro's pro, Gary is.

Shouldn't be taken lightly.

[GrimCoconut]

I'd be really happy if we got Monroe back. We kinda need him.

[PurpleCity5]

This will be a big challenge for Joe. Two rookie as your starting TE and two undrafted players as your starting WRs, one of them is wildly inconsistent while the other has been pretty underwhelming. I got faith in my guys tho. Hopefully they come through with this W.

[Cillmatic]

This will be a big challenge for Joe. Two rookie as your starting TE and two undrafted players as your starting WRs, one of them is wildly inconsistent while the other has been pretty underwhelming. I got faith in my guys tho. Hopefully they come through with this W.

If Joe can pull the W this week I'll have my faith in him restored for sure.

[PurpleCity5]

If Joe can pull the W this week I'll have my faith in him restored for sure.

I'm confident he can. We're at home and we look to have the run game going. 

[GrimCoconut]

I'm confident he can. We're at home and we look to have the run game going.

I hope so. I'm beginning to wonder about our home field advantage. We didn't seem very energized out there against the Bengals. I understand the team continued to suck and struggle, but it's hard to necessarily call out the players if fans also don't bring energy.

[beanfigger]

Hypothetical: we win dominantly.

What are the odds the thread is still gonna be "The not so good, the horrible, and the horribly disgusting vs. the Browns" anyway with the way people are crapping on their own team?

A few more will step out of the shadows of despair, but there will still be loads of "It was just the Browns. People are too excited. We will still lose the rest of our games against better competition."

[Static]

We're wearing the Blacks so were going to win.

[PurpleCity5]

I hope so. I'm beginning to wonder about our home field advantage. We didn't seem very energized out there against the Bengals. I understand the team continued to suck and struggle, but it's hard to necessarily call out the players if fans also don't bring energy.

That is concerning, but I cannot fathom the team dropping this game. This is a must win and Forsett did say that the Steelers game felt like a confidence booster. I hope we bring the energy and we do have our Lucky All Black uniforms. 

[codizzle]

Got the heart of a lion.

Big if true imo