[News] Eisenberg: Ravens' Identity Is Already Pretty Clear

[BR News]

Quarterback Joe Flacco admitted the Ravens are still figuring themselves out 'a little bit,' but columnist John Eisenberg says it’s easy to see who they are trying to become.

View the full article

[Dr. Kelley]

Yeah their identity is pretty clear- a mediocre team that cant close the deal at home and struggles against rebuilding franchises

[Steve32]

17 minutes ago, Dr. Kelley said:

Yeah their identity is pretty clear- a mediocre team that cant close the deal at home and struggles against rebuilding franchises

One game does not make the season.

The Ravens will be known as a Top 10 defense with an up and coming offense with several different playmakers on both sides of the ball.

In the first 3 games they did what it took to win the game in the end, unlike last year. Unfortunately, they came up just short this week.

I look for the Ravens to bounce back much like the Steelers did and blow the Redskins out this Sunday.

Edited October 4, 2016 by Steve32
misspelling

[Ravenshine]

On the need to have twice as much passing snaps vs rushing to succeed in today's NFL...someone needs to tell New England that so they can become a winning team :D

Truth is, it can be done if your offense trains for it...like NE has apparently. But is it right for Ravens? Maybe not, I think Harbs is possibly right in that the amount of passing plays vs running ratio currently being done here is about the right for THIS team as they've rained for it and stacked their roster to support a passing QB. But the 'effectiveness' of run game is still way below and that points to execution of plays then. No matter what, the run game is crucial and run yards gained covers for dropped balls and incompletions in the passing. In other words, we'll keep getting 1st downs if our run game becomes effective...cause guess what, in the NFL you only need 10 yards to get to your next set of downs barring any penalties. You don't need 60 yards all at once all the time every drive. You just need to keep making 1st down. AND, perhaps most importantly of all, until the O can figure out how to operate in the red zone, ANY plays - small or large yardage gains, won't matter. So basically we move the ball but continue to stall in red zone (send in Tucker...again).

Again, this is where run plays can and do factor in, in Red Zone where both teams tighten up play, but a solid run can burst open seams and move the ball closer, if not into, endzone. And lack of run yards gained in red zone have cost Ravens many points. Basically it feels, just based on listening to Harbs and some others...that to them, the run in today's league is not very effective even when it's going well. I disagree, I think the run saves games on many occasions because it keeps the drive going. Unless you can catch most of your passes. Thus far Ravens can't SO the run sure would help unless you change this trend.

On the "we wish we could play pretty but we can't" mantra...well, quit making this your mantra first of all...because you'll only achieve the results you set for yourself then.

[Dr. Kelley]

24 minutes ago, Steve32 said:

One game does not make the season.

The Ravens will be known as a Top 10 defense with an up and coming offense with several different playmakers on both sides of the ball.

In the first 3 games they did what it took to win the game in the end, unlike last year. Unfortunately, they came up just short this week.

I look for the Ravens to bounce back much like the Steelers did and blow the Redskins out this Sunday.

Its not one game. We struggles just to beat the bills, browns, and jaguars. Three teams that are perennially rebuilding. Everyone needs to face the fact that this is who we are as a franchise now. The team has been steadily declining since the Superbowl and this is just who we are now. Everyone needs to face facts

[Steve32]

  38 minutes ago, Steve32 said:

One game does not make the season.

The Ravens will be known as a Top 10 defense with an up and coming offense with several different playmakers on both sides of the ball.

In the first 3 games they did what it took to win the game in the end, unlike last year. Unfortunately, they came up just short this week.

I look for the Ravens to bounce back much like the Steelers did and blow the Redskins out this Sunday.

Its not one game. We struggles just to beat the bills, browns, and jaguars. Three teams that are perennially rebuilding. Everyone needs to face the fact that this is who we are as a franchise now. The team has been steadily declining since the Superbowl and this is just who we are now. Everyone needs to face facts

That's your opinion. Time will tell.

[Purple Dawg 96]

Your teams identity starts at the QB! He has to be a leader and bring fire and motivation to the team and that is something Joe Flacco lacks BIG time! Big ben leads the squeelers and brady leads the pats with Bellichick of course but it starts at the QB! Let Joe call his own plays he can survey the field and make adjustments because the middle of the field was open and I saw the throws going to WRs that had players surrounding them! It's Joe Flacco and the Ravens and nothing more! LETS GO JOE!

[Bat-mite]

"Fans want blowouts, but the Ravens haven’t won a regular-season game by more than one score since December 28, 2014."

Well, Mr. E., strength of victory is a tie-breaker stat, and being in the AFC North, I think we need some blow-outs to ensure a playoff berth.

[Bat-mite]

Yeah their identity is pretty clear- a mediocre team that cant close the deal at home and struggles against rebuilding franchises

That sounds like an emotion-based opinion, and the stats do not bear that out.

[Bat-mite]

Flacco has 1072 passing yards, and is on a pace for 4288!

[Minionhunter]

We seem to play to the competition, we play down to poor caliber teams and play up to good caliber teams. We tend to make good adjustments at halftime, but have difficulty observing what is working and what is not During the game and adjusting to keep doing what works. Sometimes you have to just keep doing the same thing that is working until the other team proves it can stop it regularly.

Whatever John did or said at halftime this past Sunday, he should start the game this coming Sunday with that.

[eze17]

  1 hour ago, Steve32 said:

One game does not make the season.

The Ravens will be known as a Top 10 defense with an up and coming offense with several different playmakers on both sides of the ball.

In the first 3 games they did what it took to win the game in the end, unlike last year. Unfortunately, they came up just short this week.

I look for the Ravens to bounce back much like the Steelers did and blow the Redskins out this Sunday.

Its not one game. We struggles just to beat the bills, browns, and jaguars. Three teams that are perennially rebuilding. Everyone needs to face the fact that this is who we are as a franchise now. The team has been steadily declining since the Superbowl and this is just who we are now. Everyone needs to face facts

Yellow and black troll, or someone who has never watched a Raven's game until just this year?

The team that Eisenberg describes is basically the same product that the team has put out since they moved to Baltimore, only with a slight more emphasis on passing and a decrease in rushing attempts, which is how the league overall is responding anyways.We've ALWAYS played down to supposedly inferior teams and ALWAYS played gritty football against supposedly superior teams. Since Modell brought them here and Ozzie has been in charge. Very rare when the Ravens are involved in a blow-out, win or lose.

Give me some cold, hard statistics to back up your theory, not hot-flash opinions that any hater can scrape off the street...

[The Greek]

too much talent to not be scoring more points with a 9 year veteran and former sb mvp at qb. aside from the kubiak season the offense has struggled under the harbaugh regime. way too inconsistent. i sure hope they figure it out soon before we end up out of the playoffs. excuses are always made for the offense and its time to make the changes that will get the wheels turning in the 1st qtr and not when they are down by 10 plus and finally decide to wake up in the 4th. we have the receivers the te's and i believe west and dixon are good enough but joe and trestman need to get on the same page as far as playcalling and what the strengths of this offense are. LG & C play must improve

[griffrb]

If we're going to be passing team, we better improve the pass protection, Joe needs to make better throwing decisions and call more audibles, receivers need to gain better separation and hold on to the football, and we better develop a more effective running game to assist in play-action and keeping our defense of the field. Joe has been under siege all season while seemingly limited to dink and dunks by play-calling and poor protection. Whatever style of play it takes to win, I'm sure we all will go with that, but it's no secret when we throw 40+ times we lose.

[ravens4life86]

Eisenberg, Garbage article. Totally wrong. Ravens identity is not clear.
Yes they are always competative and never seem to win/lose more or less then 1 possession, but I put that on Ravens being historically built on a piller of Good to Great "Defense". Even last year with all the injuries to key players Ravens still had a respectable defense, and in key areas like redzone etc where they historically own.
While I agree "The narrative is its a passing league" look whos winning and winning in playoffs.. Vikes,Den,Pats,Ravens,Eagles all 3-1 or 4-0 teams with top flight Defenses. Broncos defending SB champs Defense, Pats&Seahawks yr before.."Legion of Boom v Revis&co..Defense.
So Defense still wins championships. The Ravens foundation is still Defense. They rebuild the defense into a no.1 defense this year through draft& free agency.

But the offense and 50 passes a game is unacceptable. Trestman is garbage. You have Joe Flacco complaining after every game talking bout miscommunication, not taking enough deep shots, not running enough..
So this offense can put up 30 a game if it had a legit OC

Enough excuses

[designermaryland]

too much talent to not be scoring more points with a 9 year veteran and former sb mvp at qb. aside from the kubiak season the offense has struggled under the harbaugh regime. way too inconsistent. i sure hope they figure it out soon before we end up out of the playoffs. excuses are always made for the offense and its time to make the changes that will get the wheels turning in the 1st qtr and not when they are down by 10 plus and finally decide to wake up in the 4th. we have the receivers the te's and i believe west and dixon are good enough but joe and trestman need to get on the same page as far as playcalling and what the strengths of this offense are. LG & C play must improve

forget just the harbaugh regime (but certainly included and equally as bad) ... ravens have just never been able to figure the offensive formula out under billick, harbs, marchibroda.

[Maryland]

Identity on offense: start slow, pass just a bit too much
Identity on defense: bend but don't break (until late in the 4th)

[designermaryland]

Eisenberg, Garbage article. Totally wrong. Ravens identity is not clear.
Yes they are always competative and never seem to win/lose more or less then 1 possession, but I put that on Ravens being historically built on a piller of Good to Great "Defense". Even last year with all the injuries to key players Ravens still had a respectable defense, and in key areas like redzone etc where they historically own.
While I agree "The narrative is its a passing league" look whos winning and winning in playoffs.. Vikes,Den,Pats,Ravens,Eagles all 3-1 or 4-0 teams with top flight Defenses. Broncos defending SB champs Defense, Pats&Seahawks yr before.."Legion of Boom v Revis&co..Defense.
So Defense still wins championships. The Ravens foundation is still Defense. They rebuild the defense into a no.1 defense this year through draft& free agency.

But the offense and 50 passes a game is unacceptable. Trestman is garbage. You have Joe Flacco complaining after every game talking bout miscommunication, not taking enough deep shots, not running enough..
So this offense can put up 30 a game if it had a legit OC

Enough excuses

I am not impressed by Trestman and think his play selection absolutely sucks, but frankly it seems like it has not really changed much from cameron, kubiak or anyone else. for some reason, they could just block slightly better under kubiak for whatever reason. we still cant execute a decent screen or quick slant, even though the entire league can. flacco cannot find an open down field receiver to save his life. everything is a struggle. unless the game plan is completely inept every single game, at some point the players have to execute the plays, no matter what they are, better. if he calls a dreaded stretch handoff for zero yards 3 times in a row, unless they block it is never going to work. if they block someone could break a run for 30 yards. it is all up to the guys on the field, and more importantly, if flacco can't audible out of a play destined to be bad, it would explain a lot about why they are so horrible all the time.

[FlocksGottaFeed]

I would agree with Eisenberg on the idea of what they want the Ravens to be "Play it conservatively close, minimize the offensive big play risks and rely on your kicker and defense to win...". If I'm interpreting this right - Boring, Measured Football.

They're not there yet and I hope they never get there. It seems this pursuit of controlled outcomes would eliminate any natural progression for the players to form their own culture or contribute to it.

Maybe our organization believes that's how future championship teams will be built based on 'analytic data', but without incorporating 'maximal risk', controlled chaos, unpredictability and allowing the dogs to set the attitude from time-to-time...we are playing ourselves.

If we didn't have the talent, I'd be okay with such a measured approach, but that's not the case. Let the talent play up to it's level! If that means we blow-out a team from time to time then so be it. That's a confidence builder not calculated in 'analytic formulas'. That's how winning cultures are formed.

[FloridalovesRavens]

I know one thing and that is Flacco can not continue to pass some 50 times a game. We need the run game to prevent that from happening. Imo he was getting murdered out there on Sunday. His knee will not take too much punishment.

[TheConquerorWorm]

Eisenberg, Garbage article. Totally wrong. Ravens identity is not clear.
Yes they are always competative and never seem to win/lose more or less then 1 possession, but I put that on Ravens being historically built on a piller of Good to Great "Defense". Even last year with all the injuries to key players Ravens still had a respectable defense, and in key areas like redzone etc where they historically own.
While I agree "The narrative is its a passing league" look whos winning and winning in playoffs.. Vikes,Den,Pats,Ravens,Eagles all 3-1 or 4-0 teams with top flight Defenses. Broncos defending SB champs Defense, Pats&Seahawks yr before.."Legion of Boom v Revis&co..Defense.
So Defense still wins championships. The Ravens foundation is still Defense. They rebuild the defense into a no.1 defense this year through draft& free agency.

But the offense and 50 passes a game is unacceptable. Trestman is garbage. You have Joe Flacco complaining after every game talking bout miscommunication, not taking enough deep shots, not running enough..
So this offense can put up 30 a game if it had a legit OC

Enough excuses

Yet the Ravens are 2nd in the NFL in deep shots...facts don't support your theory. Neither does history - the Ravens never had a high scoring offense under any OC or any Head Coach.

I just want to know where all these fans are getting the exact play calls from? Can you share your source? If a deep play is called for Perriman but he's double covered and Flacco has to check down to Pitta for 8 yards, is that not a deep ball play call? If a deep play is called for Wallace but the o-line can't block and Flacco has to dump it off to the RB in the flat, is that a "dink & dunk" offense? If a deep play is called for SSS but Flacco audibles at the line of scrimmage to a run play, does that count? Almost every pass play usually has some sort of deep route in it, so if Joe decides to hit the underneath WR instead of the deep one, does that count?

Take the 1st series against the Raiders - 3 run plays for 8 yards - 3 pass plays for 52 yards. You still gonna call more run plays the next series when your WR are getting open?

Nobody outside of the Ravens locker room knows what the actual play calls are. Just because you don't see them on the TV during the game, doesn't mean they aren't called. Anybody that's ever played at an advanced level knows that play calling is fluid - you call the plays that are working the best during THAT series against THAT defensive personnel. If teams are stacking the line (like the Raiders the 1st half), you call more pass plays than run plays. You also call plays based on your personnel - Forsett & West are average RBs, they are not explosive and they are not AP, Zeke, etc. So, if you have average RBs but All-Pro QB & WR, why would you run the ball more than pass? Bottom line, saying Trestman doesn't know how to play call is idiotic.

[Tower of Power]

Can't be a passing team (let alone a blow-out one) with the O-line we had on the field last sunday, and just barely the weeks before. We still need to improve all five positions - three of them possibly with the players we have, two (LG, C) we still have to find.

[Militant X 1]

“You’re going to gain more yards throwing the football. You’re going to score more touchdowns and score more points,” Harbaugh said recently.

^ Then how come it's not happening John?

[Ugly Ball]

When they cut Monroe, I thought that may come back to bite us.
I guess I may have been right.

[Ravens Raver]

"Good enough to compete with pretty much everyone, but not dominant enough to win by a mile."

Perfect description of the Ravens since the Super Bowl.

[Crusader]

Yea too bad they will not "compete" with Washington this weekend. Their loaded with receivers.

[sizzlingdoom]

When they cut Monroe, I thought that may come back to bite us.
I guess I may have been right.

O you mean the 10 million dollar distracted injury that retired???????? Nice try

[sizzlingdoom]

Yea too bad they will not "compete" with Washington this weekend. Their loaded with receivers.

yeah. Too bad......smh. laaaaame post

[January J]

20 hours ago, Bat-mite said:

Flacco has 1072 passing yards, and is on a pace for 4288!

Nice stat but not many TD passes. I would trade yards for TDs all day.

What makes me sick though is seeing all these qbs across the league throw these simple little crossing routes and watch their receiver break a tackle or make guys miss for 60 and 70 yard TDs bulking up their stats. Rarely have any of our players been good at getting yards after the catch.( aside from sss maybe and he's not that fast and the smallest receiver we got) help a brother out and show some heart. Make some damn plays. I've also seen Joe drop the ball right in the bread basket several times only for it to be dropped. People criticise him for throwing off his back foot a lot but everytime he steps into a throw and puts some mustard on it the receivers don't make the catch. ( hence the Aiken drop that would have sealed the deal and had us sittin pretty at 4-0) fact is Joe puts us in position to come away with a victory every single game. It might not always be pretty, but somehow he always atleast gets us in position to win one way or another. Usually we have to rely on a defensive stop or tuckers foot to seal the deal...but Joe makes every  game winnable and usually doesn't get much help. We scratch and claw our way back into that game against Oakland and need  one defensive stop at home mind you and we let them march straight down the feild with no hesitation or resistance whatsoever. And even after that Joe STILL puts us in position to win and his receivers drop 2 crucial balls. Joe is not to blame so stop it with the nonsense.  The play calling is questionable, and if it were me I would've ran the ball with west on third down..tried to catch them offguard and then depending on the yardage he gained we could've either went for a shorter 4th down conversion or sent Justin out for a 60 + yarder. Who knows west could've busted out with a 30 yard run or even taken it to the house. Running the ball atleast gives you a guaranteed shot at yardage,  and west had the hot hand. 4 passes in a row was foolish. I really blame Moore for the drop, BC if he catches that then we likely do run it on third down if he doesn't pick up the first anyway. But I also blame Trestman. Joe is NOT at fault here. This is just one of those games that will  leave a bad taste in my mouth for a loonnng time, being that close to a 4-0 start and beating a potential wildcard team.

Edited October 5, 2016 by January J

[Rav'n Maniac]

Sorry, I'm not a fan of Trestman. Don't care for his schemes or his playcalling. Something about the way he carries himself and the way he talks, it's just, just Creepy.

Reminds me of one of those "He was a quite man, but..." dudes.

Edited October 5, 2016 by Rav'n Maniac