[News] Dean Pees: Secondary's Improvement Will Surprise People

[trevorsteadman]

10 hours ago, OLD SCHOOL SMASH BALL said:

And Smith and Webbys injuries the past few years, they count?

Sure but other teams have just as many injuries. Losing Webb in 2012 hurt and then Jimmy Smith in 2014. They have been dinged up here and there but that is to be expected in the NFL. 2014 was the year several of the cornerbacks were injured but last season wasn't the case, the area that got killed last season was the offense at almost every position.

[steelcityraven]

Our improvement in the secondary last year was more to do with who we played then how we played. Our secondary just has not been good under pees. I hope that he is right and I am hopeful that the addition of Leslie frizzier will pay dividends and that the addition of weddle will be transforming. I really do like the picks of Tavon and Cannaday and I have high hopes there. I always that TBrooks showed a lot of potential and still holding out a slim hope for Elam... I like the additions from last season of Sharece and think Will Davis can shock all of us.... so I acknowledge all of the reasons for optimism. The one area of pessimism that I have remaining however is Dean Pees and his schematic issues. The bend but don't break mentality and the lack of short zone and bump and run defense. I am really hoping that all of the additions out weigh the original problem (PEES)

[steelcityraven]

Big difference between "surprised" and "impressed". They sucked so badly last year, I'm still having nightmares about them this coming year.

Agreed... the proof is in the performance. It remains to be seen. I like the additions... the ingredients are quality, now lets see if the baker (pees) knows what to do with these ingredients and can turn them into a finished product?

[redrum52]

They're playing against Mallett in practice.  We hear this EVERY YEAR about a position group.  I'm pretty sure in 13 there was hype around the OL and last year about the ABUNDANCE of wrs.  Let's see them play.

[OzzieBisciotti]

Did Pees say Elam is going to be All Pro this year? They may look good because they are going up against 2nd tier receivers, save for Wallace. We aren't making the playoffs again until 2017 or 2018.

[huntrgathrr]

I was saying this even before Powers was lighting it up in mini camps... Barring any injury, the Ravens have a top 5 cornerback core in the NFL. You have a top 7 (if not top 5) cornerback in Jimmy Smith who has proven to shut down everybody when he is healthy, you have a guy like Shareece Wright who played strong last season and is a great compliment player, and now add in Jeraud Powers who I didn't even think was still available when we signed him. I scratched my head when I first saw the notification that we signed him because I knew he is that good. Sure he was bad last season and you can look at stats or what not, but he was injured and the Cardinals' pass rush was non-existent. That is without Sheldon Price, Maurice Canaday, and Tavon Young who have all impressed so far in OTA's and mini camps. Also a guy in Will Davis who started strong before getting injured.

Add in an all-pro in Eric Weddle, a solid cornerback going back to his old position in Webb, and a Kendrick Lewis who is wherever you ask him to be and a solid tackler. You have a great group going. I've been saying it all along that this is the strength of the team. If the Ravens can get anywhere near the 49 sacks they did in 2014... The Ravens will have the top defense in the league.

I agree about the secondary. They should be very good . The DL is also deep and very talented. But I'm worried about the LB group as a whole. Lots of question....Will Suggs recover? Who plays next to Mosely? Can Correa or Smith set the edge and effectively replace Upshaw?? I don't want to see Brown, Orr or McClellan on the field unless they are much improved which is optimistic. Also Davis and Moore need to show big improvement in order to join the rotation up front. Also will Correa and Kaufusi live up to expectations??
Until these questions are answered on the field IMO we really can't be sure how good this defense will be.

[runcontrol]

Our improvement in the secondary last year was more to do with who we played then how we played. Our secondary just has not been good under pees. I hope that he is right and I am hopeful that the addition of Leslie frizzier will pay dividends and that the addition of weddle will be transforming. I really do like the picks of Tavon and Cannaday and I have high hopes there. I always that TBrooks showed a lot of potential and still holding out a slim hope for Elam... I like the additions from last season of Sharece and think Will Davis can shock all of us.... so I acknowledge all of the reasons for optimism. The one area of pessimism that I have remaining however is Dean Pees and his schematic issues. The bend but don't break mentality and the lack of short zone and bump and run defense. I am really hoping that all of the additions out weigh the original problem (PEES)

I'm not sure if are secondary really improved because of who we played. In the beginning of the season they had two good games, one against the Broncos and one against Michael Vick and the Steelers The other 6 games in the first part of the season were pretty bad. They managed to make bad qbs, Keap and Josh McCown, and average qbs, Carr and Dalton, look like pro bowl players. And he other two games were against two qbs, Rivers and Palmer, that have always given the Ravens issues.

But in the second half they were pretty much able to limit what the opposing qbs were able to do. The only qb that had any success against the Ravens secondary was Russell Wilson. After that Rothisburger had the second most yards with 220, and McCown was third with 212. If you can stop NFL qbs from getting over 220 yards, you are doing something right.

[Purple Dawg 96]

Me myself personally in all three regards feel like to much pressure is put on an individual in the secondary instead of playing like a team! The Ravens "SHUTDOWN" the hottest team in football rushing four no more than five and spread out the rest! Now I know they can't play like that every week but when it comes down to teams making a run for the Super Bowl it's whom Defense can rush four and spread the remainder and take home the Lombard Trophy! This is not Algebra we good with whom we have just have to "UTILIZE" them better and spread them out! Big ben caught a bad case of the INT's from all over the field and dalton is next! This our year!