[News] Ravens' Run Game 'A Work In Progress,' But May Be On The Cusp Of Breaking Out

[BR News]

Running back Justin Forsett said there’s not one thing to point to that’s gone wrong so far. Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda said the Ravens are mixing in different kinds of run schemes to try to find what works best.

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[RRRRRavens]

I wonder how much of our disappointing run production is due to the limited time this unit has had to drill together under game conditions during preseason. If that is the major culprit then our production should go up as the season goes on.

[b93333]

Watching the OL play... the key to the running game... it looks like a good bit of the problem lies with our center. tough to run when the center gets consistently beaten. Maybe try Urschel?

[Purple Dawg 96]

Everybody and they momma know Baltimore wants to run and they are waiting on it! Instead of run on 1st and 2nd pass on 3rd and punt how about passing on 1st and 2nd and run on 3rd and TOUCHDOWN! I really feel some people need to be patient with the running game because I like what I saw Sunday and that was Joe Flacco slinging that Rock! Face it the Browns played the run very well but I feel there is no reason to point fingers at anyone prematurely rite now! Me myself personally in all three regards want to see my QB light it up again this Sunday and then run it down their throats! 2-0 and they sniveling about more runs smh!

[poescrows]

this would be the week for the run game to make it's mark. Jax are weak vs the run.

[The Beak]

I for one am not blaming the rookies on the O-Line, what i see is a slower, less confident Forsett, he is just not seeing the run lanes, he more often than not, runs straight into the pile, or runs sideways instead of bursting into the hole, West has been the better RB, Allen should get more touches , I cant wait until Dixon gets back...

[Ravensfolyfe]

I hate to say this but Forsett runs like Ray Rice did when he had the hip injury.

[Ravenous_Ravens]

Everybody and they momma know Baltimore wants to run and they are waiting on it! Instead of run on 1st and 2nd pass on 3rd and punt how about passing on 1st and 2nd and run on 3rd and TOUCHDOWN! I really feel some people need to be patient with the running game because I like what I saw Sunday and that was Joe Flacco slinging that Rock! Face it the Browns played the run very well but I feel there is no reason to point fingers at anyone prematurely rite now! Me myself personally in all three regards want to see my QB light it up again this Sunday and then run it down their throats! 2-0 and they sniveling about more runs smh!

I completely agree. Most teams are expecting a run on first down and many times they have been correct. Flacco has the weapons to be throwing on on first down easily even if just short "extended hand-offs".

Other than that though, Trestman needs to blend the drop back looks of pass plays and run plays more so it is more difficult to see what is coming. It just seems the drop back right now largely gives away the play just before it happens. Joe can work on selling his fakes a bit better too IMHO. Should be selling them hard even if he isn't throwing the ball to draw defends deep and keep them off the ball carrier.

Lastly, cannot have Joe throwing from the shotgun so much. It makes the chances/odds of plays being a run significantly higher as soon as he steps back under center. That is no way to help the run game.

[purpledown]

Ill be happy when Dixon comes back. I think he can be the number 1 back, but the Ravens have to make a real effort to run the ball.

[sami]

I for one am not blaming the rookies on the O-Line, what i see is a slower, less confident Forsett, he is just not seeing the run lanes, he more often than not, runs straight into the pile, or runs sideways instead of bursting into the hole, West has been the better RB, Allen should get more touches , I cant wait until Dixon gets back...

if youre going by ypc, Forsett has been the better runner. The problem seems to me ( and I am by no means an expert on blocking schemes) that the O-line isn't winning the battle at the point of attack. The reason our RBs aren't running thru the holes is cuz there ARE no holes.

[20306cab]

Well at least they were able to stick with it just enough (about 25 carries for 80 yards each game) to keep the Bills and Browns off balance just enough, and to eventually run some time off the clock. 3.2 yards a carry probably ain't gonna cut it for the whole year however. At least it's not like in '13 when they couldn't gain a stinkin' yard most of the time, and just abandoned it several games. I think with a little more time together the OL should only improve. Also, I'm no coach, but seems like the call the run in obvious situations.

[huntrgathrr]

It's not about running the ball, it's about dominating the line of scrimmage. We are not doing this and hence we can't run the ball or give Joe reliable protection. So Trestman needs to change his mentality and play calling to give our O line the advantage. Accept the fact that we are not going to bludgeon people to death with our offensive line and start calling plays that keeps the defensive front seven guessing and gives our offense the element of surprise. Predictable, vanilla schemes need to be discarded. We have the playmakers at the skill positions to put defenses on their heels.....start exploiting this advantage.

[harfordravenfan]

10 minutes ago, sami said:

if youre going by ypc, Forsett has been the better runner. The problem seems to me ( and I am by no means an expert on blocking schemes) that the O-line isn't winning the battle at the point of attack. The reason our RBs aren't running thru the holes is cuz there ARE no holes.

Exactly Sami, the "no cut blocks" rule change has been the biggest challenge to our run game in my opinion

[harfordravenfan]

Omg, did I just agree with Sami?

Lol, just kidding but still kind of odd 

[huntrgathrr]

  2 hours ago, Purple Dawg 96 said:

Everybody and they momma know Baltimore wants to run and they are waiting on it! Instead of run on 1st and 2nd pass on 3rd and punt how about passing on 1st and 2nd and run on 3rd and TOUCHDOWN! I really feel some people need to be patient with the running game because I like what I saw Sunday and that was Joe Flacco slinging that Rock! Face it the Browns played the run very well but I feel there is no reason to point fingers at anyone prematurely rite now! Me myself personally in all three regards want to see my QB light it up again this Sunday and then run it down their throats! 2-0 and they sniveling about more runs smh!

I completely agree. Most teams are expecting a run on first down and many times they have been correct. Flacco has the weapons to be throwing on on first down easily even if just short "extended hand-offs".

Other than that though, Trestman needs to blend the drop back looks of pass plays and run plays more so it is more difficult to see what is coming. It just seems the drop back right now largely gives away the play just before it happens. Joe can work on selling his fakes a bit better too IMHO. Should be selling them hard even if he isn't throwing the ball to draw defends deep and keep them off the ball carrier.

Lastly, cannot have Joe throwing from the shotgun so much. It makes the chances/odds of plays being a run significantly higher as soon as he steps back under center. That is no way to help the run game.

Accept the fact that our O line will not be punishing anyone. Use unexpected schemes and play calling to give them an advantage. We have the skill players to accomplish a great variety of offensive schemes. Keep the defense guessing. Establishing the run when everyone knows it is coming just won't work.

[Ravensfolyfe]

I think if we can't run the ball we should use the screen game until the run gets back on track. In time we will get better.

[Purple Dawg 96]

this would be the week for the run game to make it's mark. Jax are weak vs the run.

Yeah we run Jags throw smh their QB is averaging 300 yds a game great just great! Playing down to the competition again smh! PUT THEM AWAY first then run it down their throats!

[Purple Dawg 96]

I for one am not blaming the rookies on the O-Line, what i see is a slower, less confident Forsett, he is just not seeing the run lanes, he more often than not, runs straight into the pile, or runs sideways instead of bursting into the hole, West has been the better RB, Allen should get more touches , I cant wait until Dixon gets back...

Did you watch the game Sunday the holes were there the LB ers cleaned it up! It was all on the replays from ground level! I think some of you want a blocking back again and this is slowing us down and stopping the Ravens from becoming greater! OK the running gets 150 yds and we loose will yall be happy? ! The Browns played the run well or can some of you believe that or are the Ravens the only team to stop the run and no one else? ! Come on yall OPEN IT UP the run will be rite on time! WE THE BEST!

[ravenpic]

First and foremost, I'm concerned about the pass protection. But what has happened to the zone block scheme that was so successful in the run game? I thought Trestman was suppose to continue with it. Improve upon it. I don't see it. Trestman is no Gary Kubiak.

[RaRaRavens]

I'm not confident in Trestman as OC AT ALL. There was all this talk how he would continue with Kubiak's system that worked so well. But little by little he's just demolishing it. It looks as if slowly, but steadily we are turning into the Bears of his tenure.

Running game obviously struggles for second consecutive year now. Last game Trestman couldn't figure out how to get the passing game rolling either, until Flacco had to go to him and point it out. That's not much of a confidence booster in your OC.

It's still early in the season so he has time, but Trestman must improve. We can't afford to waste another year of Flacco's career to a clueless OC. Flacco would be TOP 3 QB in the NFL if he had a decent OC.

[throwback2000]

8 hours ago, ravenpic said:

First and foremost, I'm concerned about the pass protection. But what has happened to the zone block scheme that was so successful in the run game? I thought Trestman was suppose to continue with it. Improve upon it. I don't see it. Trestman is no Gary Kubiak.

Agreed!

[throwback2000]

Also, what is Talieferro's status?

[ThatssoRaven1990]

Not when trest keeps calling these shotgun sweeps, every time one was called on Sunday it literally went nowhere.

[Rav'n Maniac]

First and foremost, I'm concerned about the pass protection. But what has happened to the zone block scheme that was so successful in the run game? I thought Trestman was suppose to continue with it. Improve upon it. I don't see it. Trestman is no Gary Kubiak.

The zone blocking scheme is no longer as effective since the NFL eliminated cut blocks this year. Without the cut blocks, running lanes don't open up as much as they were.

[RavenSwag]

Whether it has something to do with the playcalling or not I'm just not a big fan of Trestman. His playcalling is all over the place and its not creative at all. I rarely see any motioning, stacked formations etc.

[ellicottraven]

I think the run game also depends on how quickly the O-line with 2 rookies on the left side can adapt to complex run schemes. It may very well be that our run schemes are plain enough that the defenses are accounting for it quickly and plugging the run lanes. Hopefully with a few more games under their belt, we'll be able to break off a few big runs. That is all that is needed to improve the YPC average.

[Derrel]

I think the run game also depends on how quickly the O-line with 2 rookies on the left side can adapt to complex run schemes. It may very well be that our run schemes are plain enough that the defenses are accounting for it quickly and plugging the run lanes. Hopefully with a few more games under their belt, we'll be able to break off a few big runs. That is all that is needed to improve the YPC average.

agree but I hope we aren't seeing this 4-5 games from now. The Ravens have a tendency to stay with schemes too long. Look at the last few years....continuing to run the same plays for weeks. It's on the coaches to figure out how to use the players they have effectively even with two rookies on the left side. Bet they have been working on the pass schemes primarily.

[Derrel]

I'm not confident in Trestman as OC AT ALL. There was all this talk how he would continue with Kubiak's system that worked so well. But little by little he's just demolishing it. It looks as if slowly, but steadily we are turning into the Bears of his tenure.

Running game obviously struggles for second consecutive year now. Last game Trestman couldn't figure out how to get the passing game rolling either, until Flacco had to go to him and point it out. That's not much of a confidence booster in your OC.

It's still early in the season so he has time, but Trestman must improve. We can't afford to waste another year of Flacco's career to a clueless OC. Flacco would be TOP 3 QB in the NFL if he had a decent OC.

you may be right, wonder how Flacco would do in Belicheck's system? He seems to be able to get top performances out of any QB.

[Jonah DeVito]

4 hours ago, throwback2000 said:

Also, what is Talieferro's status?

Man I thought I was the only one thinking this. I can't find anything on him and haven't heard anything since being put on the regular season pup. I'm hoping the Ravens give him a shot to rejoin the team because if that tank of a man stays healthy I believe he can improve the run game. 

[ravenpic]

8 hours ago, Rav'n Maniac said:

The zone blocking scheme is no longer as effective since the NFL eliminated cut blocks this year. Without the cut blocks, running lanes don't open up as much as they were.

Interesting.