[News] What's Happening In The AFC North?

[BR News]

The Bengals may be without Andy Dalton the rest of the year. Steelers hot. Battle for No. 1 pick.

View the full article

[Hardhitters]

The ability to draft receivers reflects the records.

[jravens13]

The ability to draft receivers reflects the records.

WR wasn't the reason why this team couldn't get it done. Every good QB we faced tore us up in embarrassing fashion. We didn't capitalize enough on offense this year, and never finished teams off when we had the lead, but It was our defense that couldn't hold its own against the top offenses. Flacco has only been successful with a great defense. He doesn't need the best WR's in the NFL, he needs a possession WR, a Deep Threat, a Solid TE, and a good O-Line. Bosa or Ramsey Round 1. Oakman Round 2. Think about how we dominated Pittsburgh in the playoffs last year. The formula to win with Flacco has already been proven. This team needs more defensive talent. 

Edited December 16, 2015 by jravens13

[MadMaxDj]

WR wasn't the reason why this team couldn't get it done. Every good QB we faced tore us up in embarrassing fashion. We didn't capitalize enough on offense this year, and never finished teams off when we had the lead, but It was our defense that couldn't hold its own against the top offenses. Flacco has only been successful with a great defense. He doesn't need the best WR's in the NFL, he needs a possession WR, a Deep Threat, a Solid TE, and a good O-Line. Bosa or Ramsey Round 1. Oakman Round 2. Think about how we dominated Pittsburgh in the playoffs last year. The formula to win with Flacco has already been proven. This team needs more defensive talent. 

allow me to disagree...

 

what this team lacks is not talent, what this team lacks is COACHING...

 

how come we are not able to develop A SINGLE WR???

 

how come every DB that comes to the Ravens becomes a scrub and once he leaves (ihedigbo, stewart) he plays at a pro-bowl level?

 

i am one of the fieriest supporters of the "fire pees" wagon but I have to admit he is not the lone problem of our team...

[jravens13]

allow me to disagree...

 

what this team lacks is not talent, what this team lacks is COACHING...

 

how come we are not able to develop A SINGLE WR???

 

how come every DB that comes to the Ravens becomes a scrub and once he leaves (ihedigbo, stewart) he plays at a pro-bowl level?

 

i am one of the fieriest supporters of the "fire pees" wagon but I have to admit he is not the lone problem of our team...

I understand where you are coming from, but I think you are using bad examples. From what I have seen from Kamar Aiken and Jeremy Butler makes me believe they belong in this league. They are guys we have developed. But in order for us to truly develop a WR we have to invest a high draft pick in the position. Perriman is hurt so you can't really include him in the example. Torrey became a reliable deep threat who could draw penalties and score TD, but never was a physical possession WR. Under the Harbaugh era 2008-2015 we have drafted only two WR's in the first 3 rounds of the draft. (Perriman 1st Round, Smith 2nd Round). I would invest more draft picks in speedy WR's with great work ethic because that is what the game is moving towards. 

 

I thought Ihedigbo played great for us, but we let him walk. Stewart had a solid year also when the pass rush was working. He is just blessed that Denver has Von Miller and Demarcus Ware creating havoc for QB's. Jimmy Smith is a solid corner, but he needs a good pass rush for him to look better. Webb gets beat in man coverage far too often. Arrington was a bust, and we let Melvin walk through poor management. 

 

I think our CB's play soft coverage too often, yet they still get smoked. When I watch Arizona play I become envious of their defense. There DB's play like a bunch of mad dogs. They are in your grill and don't let you get anything easy. And they love to hit. I would be looking at their DB coaches and Defensive coaches trying to lure them in. We still lack talent its a long bleeding process after winning a super bowl, failing to adapt to the offensive minded penalties and pass happy schemes that littler the current NFL and missing on draft picks. I hope this pathetic season we put together is the reality check this team needs. Injuries are not the problem. Talent and coaching is. 

[Purple Dawg 96]

The AFC North is up to its usual except the Ravens aren't in the mix! "MAYBE" looking from the outside will open up some eyes now because im still ticked about our SB being thrown away in one simple pass when all they had to do was run it on that play! None of the things happening now would hurt as much if the Ravens had another ring on their fingers and it's looking very dark but it's gonna come back to the light with two speedy WRs and Givens and better play calling because the routes these WRs run are too short and do not confuse the safety!

[EliteRavens]

As bad as we're doing this year, we're still ahead of the Browns

[Crusader]

Whats happening? Pitts is getting stronger every year again, Bengals are remaining strong, and Cleavland might have a QB.

"As bad as we're doing this year, we're still ahead of the Browns" but for how long?

[steelcityraven]

Good chance we pick in the top three. With the state of the AFC North... Cleveland will likely finish ahead of us... sad to say but we may as well make the best of it! since Harbs says that it is time to start thinking about next year... lets consider how we match up with the sqeelers and Bengals if we can add a few guys like this to our current roster (and assuming we get rid of Pees):

1. Ronnie Stanley- T- ND (Plug in and play guy)

2. Kyle Fuller -CB- VTech (would be our 2nd best CB on draft day)

3. Noah Spence- OLB- EKU (would be 1st rounder but off field issues)

4. Maurice Canady- CB- UVA (could contribute right away)

5. Kyler Frackel- OLB- Utah St (giant guy with good athleticism / pass rusher)

6. Kolby Listenbee- WR- TCU (track speed / kid can fly)

7. Mekale McKay-WR- Cincy- (big and fast but very raw- martavius Bryant type)

[Winchester]

WR wasn't the reason why this team couldn't get it done. Every good QB we faced tore us up in embarrassing fashion. We didn't capitalize enough on offense this year, and never finished teams off when we had the lead, but It was our defense that couldn't hold its own against the top offenses. Flacco has only been successful with a great defense. He doesn't need the best WR's in the NFL, he needs a possession WR, a Deep Threat, a Solid TE, and a good O-Line. Bosa or Ramsey Round 1. Oakman Round 2. Think about how we dominated Pittsburgh in the playoffs last year. The formula to win with Flacco has already been proven. This team needs more defensive talent.

Not an oakman fan. And if ravens had a playmaker and confidence to sustain drives then the ravens could have finished those teams off. The ravens won several shootouts to get into the playoffs and the Superbowl run. The offense came together when a left tackle played well and sparked dominating offensive line play!! And Boldin\Pitta went on a run. In today's NFL you must be able to win a shootout no matter how vaunted the defense is!! That is how the NFL wants it!! and continuously change rules to encourage high octane scoring. At some point any playoff team will face a hot qb\Offense!! How many times did Joe Cools star studded defense let him down in the playoffs?? Then receivers drop throws and fail to create separation?? Seattle and the panthers are teams with vaunted defenses yet most likely headed for a shootout in the playoffs. Even teams with very impressive throwing Stats have trouble sustaining drives cuz of no balance and failure to sustain methodical balanced drives. An Oline that dominant and formidable gives an advantage most great offenses never fronted.

The hottest shutdown dbacks are usually surrounded by defensive pro bowlers. But eventually cool off and get roasted time to time like any other dback. And find themselves part of a shootout. I like the idea of Tunsil completing a formidable mauling Oline yet with athleticism to zone block. Then a receiver in round2 like Boyd Doctson or Thomas. The ravens will be trendsetters with not only a potent offense but an offense that could be counted on to sustain drives with balance of run and throw. AND put teams away with precise balanced scoring drives. Not to mention limiting opponents scoring opportunities with long drives. Then ravens could focus on mostly defense rounds 3-7 and try to hit on some defensive players. Perhaps after Osemele is signed the ravens could afford Zach Brown. To give the defense a tandem of 3 down LBs that run like safety's.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Winchester

[Winchester]

BTW in my opinion Bengals will be fine with AJ McCarran.

[jravens13]

Not an oakman fan. And if ravens had a playmaker and confidence to sustain drives then the ravens could have finished those teams off. The ravens won several shootouts to get into the playoffs and the Superbowl run. The offense came together when a left tackle played well and sparked dominating offensive line play!! And Boldin\Pitta went on a run. In today's NFL you must be able to win a shootout no matter how vaunted the defense is!! That is how the NFL wants it!! and continuously change rules to encourage high octane scoring. At some point any playoff team will face a hot qb\Offense!! How many times did Joe Cools star studded defense let him down in the playoffs?? Then receivers drop throws and fail to create separation?? Seattle and the panthers are teams with vaunted defenses yet most likely headed for a shootout in the playoffs. Even teams with very impressive throwing Stats have trouble sustaining drives cuz of no balance and failure to sustain methodical balanced drives. An Oline that dominant and formidable gives an advantage most great offenses never fronted.

The hottest shutdown dbacks are usually surrounded by defensive pro bowlers. But eventually cool off and get roasted time to time like any other dback. And find themselves part of a shootout. I like the idea of Tunsil completing a formidable mauling Oline yet with athleticism to zone block. Then a receiver in round2 like Boyd Doctson or Thomas. The ravens will be trendsetters with not only a potent offense but an offense that could be counted on to sustain drives with balance of run and throw. AND put teams away with precise balanced scoring drives. Not to mention limiting opponents scoring opportunities with long drives. Then ravens could focus on mostly defense rounds 3-7 and try to hit on some defensive players. Perhaps after Osemele is signed the ravens could afford Zach Brown. To give the defense a tandem of 3 down LBs that run like safety's.

Tunsil would be great to pick up, and so would Doctson, but if we don't address the defense it will look even worse than it has. You might not remember because we haven't played that many great teams this year, but I promise you we will get dominated if we can't make the crucial stops, particularly on 3rd Down. Go back and look at our season. Carr torched us, Palmer Torched us, McCown torched us, Dalton torched us. In every game you could argue that our offense played good enough to win yet we couldn't stop good QB's when it mattered. Playoff QB's will eat us up. It will look like the Russel Wilson show is back in Baltimore every time we play a good passing offense. The worst way to lose is a blowout because you can't even make excuses. You simply have to admit you weren't good enough. That is exactly what this team is. 

[Winchester]

True and I do not want to ignore defense. Just it is better to build a formidable Oline and a receiver first. A dominating Oline will allow the offense to sustain drives and keep the opposing offense off the field. Even teams with VERY PROLIFIC numbers throwing the ball around are having an extremely tough time sustaining drives and putting the game away. That will not be a problem with An Oline fronting Tunsil Osemele Urschel Yanda Wagner!! And Gilmore and Max at TE!! And a receiver like Doctson or Boyd. No matter how vaunted a defense is every team will need to win a shootout at some point in the playoffs in today's NFL. Everybody agrees the Broncos will not make the Superbowl unless the offense picks it up. The patriots let Revis Browner walk and are actually better team when the offense is intact. All for finding some players on defense the rest of the draft once Tunsil and then Doctson or Boyd is drafted. As good as Broncos defense is nobody thinks the broncos will have a chance against the patriots in the playoffs when Gronk and Edelman return. How many times did Joe Cool carry a star studded defense?? Then his weapons and run game did not help Joe Cool put the game away.