[News] Eisenberg: The One Real Mystery Of The Ravens

[BR News]

There are plenty of unanswered questions as the Ravens enter training camp, but only one cannot be answered.

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[VermontRaven]

"For instance, I’m guessing Justin Forsett will start at running back, John Urschel at left tackle." Now, that would be quite a shock if Urschel is at left tackle!

[January J]

Just now, VermontRaven said:

"For instance, I’m guessing Justin Forsett will start at running back, John Urschel at left tackle." Now, that would be quite a shock if Urschel is at left tackle!

He probably meant guard but I wouldnt be shocked. Dude can play pretty much anywhere on the line. The article is obviously the question on everybody's mind- can we make it to September healthy? Injuries are going to happen during the year but its really demoralizing to lose key players before the season even starts. They need to get in shape and practice at full speed and what not but we also need to give our starters plenty of rest and off days. Sometimes its hard to find that balance.

[fusuymada]

Since this is an NFL problem and not a Ravens problem then there doesn't seem like there is a magic bullet that is going to change the way things are, as far as injuries are concerned. First off the players don't play through injuries like the used to. Granted a busted knee, a broken arm, torn achilles, etc... no one is playing through but it seems like every muscle pull, every broken fingernail, every stubbed toe is a reason for a player to take off for 4 weeks. In addition, with the fear the NFL has now regarding being sued by the NFLPA and players for everything, including irritable bowel syndrome, that trainers are erring on the side of caution and not letting players play. Used to be coaches could say, I want no one in the training room and I don't want trainers encouraging players to miss time. Now, every little thing is a reason to sit out another practice.

[b93333]

One more question... back up at left tackle?? Should Stanley be injured or ineffective what is the plan to keep Joe off the IR?

[stixfix69]

One more question... back up at left tackle?? Should Stanley be injured or ineffective what is the plan to keep Joe off the IR?

Lewis could be a option, he is nasty, and played LT at Neb.

[stixfix69]

Every year, every team faces question marks, as teams lose players due to the cap, retirement, or trades....If Stanley struggles i see TE help, until he can get up to speed....We also have cap space to sign a vet LT, if he really struggles, but to be fair he will have the growing pains that all rookies go through when facing proven pass rushers......My biggest concern is ILBer, and its not just about who starts, but the depth.....

[OzzieBisciotti]

We had the most people on IR in 2015 with 18 players out for the season, and we didn't come close to the playoffs.

The Squeelers had 16 players out for the season last year, and they made the playoffs.

The Patriots had 15 people on IR last year, and they also made the playoffs.

What does this mean? That the Squeelers / Patriots either had better coaching and/ or had a deeper, more quality roster because of better drafts in the past 5 years (when we didn't).

[VermontRaven]

One more question... back up at left tackle?? Should Stanley be injured or ineffective what is the plan to keep Joe off the IR?

According to Jamison Hensley, the Ravens just signed Jake Long. Not sure if he is the answer, but he is somebody else to compete for the job. http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/bal/baltimore-ravens

[hen826957]

Ravens have sign Jake Long. Not a bad veteran pickup. :-)

[bioLarzen]

3 minutes ago, hen826957 said:

Ravens have sign Jake Long. Not a bad veteran pickup. :-)

One of those typical low risk-high potential moves like Trent Richardson was back then. No downside, so why not? If we only consider all the things he may teach Stanley, it's already worth it.

Edited July 26, 2016 by bioLarzen

[bioLarzen]

As for a veteran addition to the ILB corps: does anyone know if Jameel McClain is still active? The last thing I remember about him is that the Giants released him last year, and now he's without a team. He was good when he was in Baltimore. What i don't know is if he's retired...

[ellicottraven]

I just knocked on wood so hard that my knuckles are bleeding purple!

[Crusader]

I know if they had a better offensive line two guys would not have gotten hurt. If they would have drafted better and gotten a better receiver to play, Steve would not have been over used and limited his wear and tear. So did the Ravens fix that much?

[The Beak]

3 hours ago, OzzieBisciotti said:

We had the most people on IR in 2015 with 18 players out for the season, and we didn't come close to the playoffs.

The Squeelers had 16 players out for the season last year, and they made the playoffs.

The Patriots had 15 people on IR last year, and they also made the playoffs.

What does this mean? That the Squeelers / Patriots either had better coaching and/ or had a deeper, more quality roster because of better drafts in the past 5 years (when we didn't).
 

Go ahead love your black and gold all you want, we still beat them twice last year....

[EdTheMythicalOne]

We had the most people on IR in 2015 with 18 players out for the season, and we didn't come close to the playoffs.

The Squeelers had 16 players out for the season last year, and they made the playoffs.

The Patriots had 15 people on IR last year, and they also made the playoffs.

What does this mean? That the Squeelers / Patriots either had better coaching and/ or had a deeper, more quality roster because of better drafts in the past 5 years (when we didn't).

It isn't just about the number of injuries, but who is getting injured. Some talent is easier to replace than other talent. If a lot of your back ups and special teams guys are getting hurt, chances are you can find quality replacements. Think about what happened to the Ravens:

QB: Starter injured for the season. Any time this happens to any team for more than a couple of games it is a devastating loss.

HB: Starter injured for the season. Teams can usually overcome this if they have decent talent behind the starter and if the rest of the team remains relatively intact. But then the back up got hurt too. We were on our third and fourth options and West had to be picked up off the street.

WR: We were down to our 4th and 5th string options as starters. Street free agents were getting significant snaps. You might be able to live without one of your starting wideouts, but if you lose the first three options that alone will decimate your team.

LT: Starter injured for more than half the season: Tough to replace that guy, but that alone might not sink a season.

C: Starter injured for significant portion of time: Can be an issue without capable back up, this injury alone might not break a team.

OLB: Leading pass rusher out for the season: Vital position to any defense, this is a tough injury to overcome. In a vacuum this injury may not cost you a season.

CB: Both starters playing hurt. They were forced to play probably more than we would have liked, but that was an issue based on poor depth.

S: Numerous injuries to starters and backups. When you are replacing more than half of your entire secondary you've got some issues.

It was the culmination of who got injured. A lot of teams wouldn't recover from having their starting QB going down for a half dozen games or so.

[EdTheMythicalOne]

I think the only real mystery here is how John Eisenberg managed to get his name emblazoned upon the Ravens field at the 50 yard line.

[harfordravenfan]

3 hours ago, OzzieBisciotti said:

We had the most people on IR in 2015 with 18 players out for the season, and we didn't come close to the playoffs.

The Squeelers had 16 players out for the season last year, and they made the playoffs.

The Patriots had 15 people on IR last year, and they also made the playoffs.

What does this mean? That the Squeelers / Patriots either had better coaching and/ or had a deeper, more quality roster because of better drafts in the past 5 years (when we didn't).
 

If memory serves me correctly, they didn't lose their QB, best olb, center, best receiver, and starting rb just to name a few.

[harfordravenfan]

3 minutes ago, EdTheMythicalOne said:

It isn't just about the number of injuries, but who is getting injured. Some talent is easier to replace than other talent. If a lot of your back ups and special teams guys are getting hurt, chances are you can find quality replacements. Think about what happened to the Ravens:

QB: Starter injured for the season. Any time this happens to any team for more than a couple of games it is a devastating loss.

HB: Starter injured for the season. Teams can usually overcome this if they have decent talent behind the starter and if the rest of the team remains relatively intact. But then the back up got hurt too. We were on our third and fourth options and West had to be picked up off the street.

WR: We were down to our 4th and 5th string options as starters. Street free agents were getting significant snaps. You might be able to live without one of your starting wideouts, but if you lose the first three options that alone will decimate your team.

LT: Starter injured for more than half the season: Tough to replace that guy, but that alone might not sink a season.

C: Starter injured for significant portion of time: Can be an issue without capable back up, this injury alone might not break a team.

OLB: Leading pass rusher out for the season: Vital position to any defense, this is a tough injury to overcome. In a vacuum this injury may not cost you a season.

CB: Both starters playing hurt. They were forced to play probably more than we would have liked, but that was an issue based on poor depth.

S: Numerous injuries to starters and backups. When you are replacing more than half of your entire secondary you've got some issues.

It was the culmination of who got injured. A lot of teams wouldn't recover from having their starting QB going down for a half dozen games or so.
 

Not only did ya beat me to it, but you had the details... Well done sir

[RavensBaltimore]

We had the most people on IR in 2015 with 18 players out for the season, and we didn't come close to the playoffs.

The Squeelers had 16 players out for the season last year, and they made the playoffs.

The Patriots had 15 people on IR last year, and they also made the playoffs.

What does this mean? That the Squeelers / Patriots either had better coaching and/ or had a deeper, more quality roster because of better drafts in the past 5 years (when we didn't).

We actually had 20 players on IR last season, and that doesn't include Pitta, and our top corner was a shell of himself because of the injury he sustained the previous year. The Steelers and Patriots had fewer total players and fewer starters out with injury than we did last year. By the end of the season, we literally didn't have a single starting WR, TE, QB, or RB that was healthy. That's all of our skill positions. The injuries the Pats and Steelers sustained were not comparable to that at all. When Gronk and Edelman had injury issues, the Pats were mediocre at best. Even back in 2014, the Pats were struggling until Gronk got healthy. I don't think their depth is better than ours. They just didn't have the majority of their top players out like we did.

[EdTheMythicalOne]

9 minutes ago, harfordravenfan said:

Not only did ya beat me to it, but you had the details... Well done sir

Thank you. Oh, and by the way, some of the back up corners got injured as well, so our depth was compromised that much more.

[EdTheMythicalOne]

6 minutes ago, RavensBaltimore said:

We actually had 20 players on IR last season, and that doesn't include Pitta, and our top corner was a shell of himself because of the injury he sustained the previous year. The Steelers and Patriots had fewer total players and fewer starters out with injury than we did last year. By the end of the season, we literally didn't have a single starting WR, TE, QB, or RB that was healthy. That's all of our skill positions. The injuries the Pats and Steelers sustained were not comparable to that at all. When Gronk and Edelman had injury issues, the Pats were mediocre at best. Even back in 2014, the Pats were struggling until Gronk got healthy. I don't think their depth is better than ours. They just didn't have the majority of their top players out like we did.

Boy, finding a capable back up QB alone was an adventure last season. After Flacco went down we got to witness the incredible and uncanny pick six machine Matt Schaub do what he did best. I cannot believe the propensity this guy had for not only throwing an interception, but for them to almost always get run back for a score. The manner in which they were returned for a score was epic as well. This isn't like he threw a ball from the 5 yard line into the flat and a guy jumped a route. Nope, this was a line backer catching a ball and somehow wiggling his way around everyone and running for 30-40 yards for a score. It was like Matt Schaub turned anyone who intercepted him into Ed Reed.

Then we got a cast off from Chicago in Jimmy Clausen. Poor guy. Hey man, you were a back up on another team, now you're gonna start for a team you never played for on only 4 days of practice behind a line that is make shift and with receivers you'd generally find on a practice squad. Based on all that I think Clausen deserves a lot of credit for being able to do as well as he did.

Then it was time for the mercurial Mallett. I think whenever he steps onto the field a song from Basement Jaxx should be blared over the PA system "Where's Your Head at?" After a messy break up with the Texans Mallet was cut and we decided to be his rebound fling. He did alright and earned himself a back up role this season. If he plays his cards right he might earn himself a gig on a team desperate for a potential starter next year. He's got the arm to play, it is just a question of having something above the neck operating at full capacity.

[billiejean]

  5 hours ago, VermontRaven said:

"For instance, I’m guessing Justin Forsett will start at running back, John Urschel at left tackle." Now, that would be quite a shock if Urschel is at left tackle!

He probably meant guard but I wouldnt be shocked. Dude can play pretty much anywhere on the line. The article is obviously the question on everybody's mind- can we make it to September healthy? Injuries are going to happen during the year but its really demoralizing to lose key players before the season even starts. They need to get in shape and practice at full speed and what not but we also need to give our starters plenty of rest and off days. Sometimes its hard to find that balance.

you are over estimating urschels abilities

[EdTheMythicalOne]

2 minutes ago, billiejean said:

you are over estimating urschels abilities

Urschel has filled in at LG for Osemele when he missed some time and he also played center while Zuttah was out. I think his future may be as a center if he has one in the NFL. He's not a mauler like Osemele or Yanda, but he's obviously very intelligent and will understand line assignments and such.

One thing for sure is that a healthy Jake Long is a much better option to back up LT than a healthy James Hurst who was the current in house option. Lewis is supposed to be more poised for guard work than tackle, especially LT in the NFL.

[EdTheMythicalOne]

I made a lot of posts here but none of them really addressed the main idea of Eisenberg's article. Allow me to do that now.

Let us hope that "The War on Injuries" does not become like "The War on Drugs." This is where we would spend a lot of money and resources on the issue for many, many, many years and have virtually no impact on the end result. Meaning millions will be spent on injury prevention theories and when all is said and done numerous guys will still be missing significant portions of the season.

The NFL is a collision league, not a contact league. Guys are flying around the field with armor on at speeds close to Olympic track and field participants with the strength of some power lifters and at some large sizes. Their job is to completely stop a guy running at him at full speed. Injuries are going to happen on the field and there isn't much you can do about that.

The only thing you can hope to do is to stop the off field things and some soft tissue things like cramps and ligament pulls. Even then I bet there are many different schools of thought on how to do this.

I think changing back to natural grass will have some positive effect. I know in the past guys have said that playing on turf is hard on the knees. I also know that the rebound of having your head slammed to the turf and rattling around inside the helmet is also more dangerous. Then there is the notion that grass gives where turf does not, so eventually what would give is a tendon or two.

One thing for sure is that doing nothing and just hoping for the best isn't exactly a great way to approach the issue. At least this way the Ravens can say they are being proactive and trying everything they can think of to keep guys on the field. In the end I doubt very seriously we will see another roster decimated by this many injuries for quite some time. It was a freak/fluke type of thing.

[Ravensfan23]

 

33 minutes ago, EdTheMythicalOne said:

Thank you. Oh, and by the way, some of the back up corners got injured as well, so our depth was compromised that much more.

You missed the TE position, the fact that Wagner played hurt as well, Tucker(best K in the NFL) had a down year and your new OC not only had to learn player but he had to learn the actual offense. You did a terrible job... no serious that was a good job really showcase how the injuries the Ravens dealt with last year would have hampered any team. 

[EdTheMythicalOne]

Just now, Ravensfan23 said:

 

You missed the TE position, the fact that Wagner played hurt as well, Tucker(best K in the NFL) had a down year and your new OC not only had to learn player but he had to learn the actual offense. You did a terrible job... no serious that was a good job really showcase how the injuries the Ravens dealt with last year would have hampered any team. 

Well, we all knew Pitta was going to be out before the season started. Gillmore played for most of the season and then we had Maxx Williams and Nick Boyle to step in.

Last year was just the Ravens version of Lemony Snickets...A series of unfortunate events. I just hope we aren't penning the sequel any time in the near or distant future.

[mearzunkies]

We had the most people on IR in 2015 with 18 players out for the season, and we didn't come close to the playoffs.

The Squeelers had 16 players out for the season last year, and they made the playoffs.

The Patriots had 15 people on IR last year, and they also made the playoffs.

What does this mean? That the Squeelers / Patriots either had better coaching and/ or had a deeper, more quality roster because of better drafts in the past 5 years (when we didn't).

Who were the players G... You missing that.

[mearzunkies]

I look at it this way Raven fans, They were in just about every game WITH all those starters out. They will be a playoff team in 2016

[OzzieBisciotti]

7 hours ago, EdTheMythicalOne said:

9 hours ago, OzzieBisciotti said:

We had the most people on IR in 2015 with 18 players out for the season, and we didn't come close to the playoffs.

The Squeelers had 16 players out for the season last year, and they made the playoffs.

The Patriots had 15 people on IR last year, and they also made the playoffs.

What does this mean? That the Squeelers / Patriots either had better coaching and/ or had a deeper, more quality roster because of better drafts in the past 5 years (when we didn't).
 

It isn't just about the number of injuries, but who is getting injured. Some talent is easier to replace than other talent. If a lot of your back ups and special teams guys are getting hurt, chances are you can find quality replacements. Think about what happened to the Ravens:

QB: Starter injured for the season. Any time this happens to any team for more than a couple of games it is a devastating loss.

HB: Starter injured for the season. Teams can usually overcome this if they have decent talent behind the starter and if the rest of the team remains relatively intact. But then the back up got hurt too. We were on our third and fourth options and West had to be picked up off the street.

WR: We were down to our 4th and 5th string options as starters. Street free agents were getting significant snaps. You might be able to live without one of your starting wideouts, but if you lose the first three options that alone will decimate your team.

LT: Starter injured for more than half the season: Tough to replace that guy, but that alone might not sink a season.

C: Starter injured for significant portion of time: Can be an issue without capable back up, this injury alone might not break a team.

OLB: Leading pass rusher out for the season: Vital position to any defense, this is a tough injury to overcome. In a vacuum this injury may not cost you a season.

CB: Both starters playing hurt. They were forced to play probably more than we would have liked, but that was an issue based on poor depth.

S: Numerous injuries to starters and backups. When you are replacing more than half of your entire secondary you've got some issues.

It was the culmination of who got injured. A lot of teams wouldn't recover from having their starting QB going down for a half dozen games or so.
 

Broncos won the SB with a pitiful Peyton Manning as QB- no excuses....

Edited July 27, 2016 by OzzieBisciotti