According to my calculations...

[PurpleCity5]

1 hour ago, Sherly_Tebow said:

Ravens (5-4)

Steelers (4-5)

Bengals (3-5-1)

A win next week would be huge. Let's get it!

A win next week for defy our season. If we were to even win a SB this year then this is a game I would look back on.

[nextgen_RavensFan]

8 hours ago, PurpleCity5 said:

A win next week for defy our season. If we were to even win a SB this year then this is a game I would look back on.

I for one am very glad the game is not prime time to have to listen to the broadcasters beat us up and tell us how we did so bad even if things are going our way. Collinsworth gets under my skin every time. Cannot wait to see us hand Dallas the loss Dak/Romo rants  LOL I would rather play verses Dak then Romo. His timing with Dez would kill us.

[Rav'n Maniac]

19 minutes ago, nextgen_RavensFan said:

I for one am very glad the game is not prime time to have to listen to the broadcasters beat us up and tell us how we did so bad even if things are going our way. Collinsworth gets under my skin every time. Cannot wait to see us hand Dallas the loss Dak/Romo rants  LOL I would rather play verses Dak then Romo. His timing with Dez would kill us.

I think I might have to listen to the local radio broadcast this week while watching the game even though the tv is delayed. I won't be able to handle all the slobbering and jock strap hanging the network analysts will be doing over the Cowboys for an entire game.

[callahan09]

Personally, I see us going anywhere from 7-9 to 9-7.  I think the only way we can win a playoff spot is if we do it as division winners.  I'd take it.  But we need that 9-7.  I see the Steelers waking up and winning most of the games the rest of the season, I think they will either finish 8-8 or 9-7.  If they end up 9-7, we really need to win that second game against them and ensure we have the tie-breaker.

[nextgen_RavensFan]

2 hours ago, callahan09 said:

Personally, I see us going anywhere from 7-9 to 9-7.  I think the only way we can win a playoff spot is if we do it as division winners.  I'd take it.  But we need that 9-7.  I see the Steelers waking up and winning most of the games the rest of the season, I think they will either finish 8-8 or 9-7.  If they end up 9-7, we really need to win that second game against them and ensure we have the tie-breaker.

The Steelers have some of the same woes we have but our wounds are healing. Their O'line just keeps falling apart. Their defense is really middle of the road at best and we all saw their special teams play.. lol  I really hope we shut them out this year.

[LosT_in_TranSlatioN]

If we make the playoffs(which I think we do. We can be first in the division as the bengals don't scare me. I think we can also beat the Dolphins and Eagles. Potentially that's four wins) a super bowl run is possible but highly improabable. The stars would have to align, but the Ravens faced great adversity in 2012 so anything is possible really. Here's what would need to happen.

That being said, I can also see us at 7-9. This team isn't too far away from being dangerous, but it needs to get there. 

1. Elvis Dumervil has to come back in some capacity as a good pass rusher-doubtful but possible. If he shows up that makes an already good defense better. 

2. Another recieving option has to emerge. Whether Dennis Pitta shows up again, or Nick Boyle proves to be a good option with his route running and sound hands(still think he takes the #2 spot), or Perriman suddenly becomes a monster, we need another threat other than Wallace and Steve. Both are good and both serve a roll. Steve being the #1 guy who's a good route runner and pretty reliable. Wallace being the threat to score on every play due to his speed. Defenses have to respect him. If one or two options can establish themselves, then that makes the games a lot easier. 

3. Oline needs to start run blocking better. This is a given. As much as I hate the fact that Alex Lewis went down, it gives Jensen an opportunity to start, and he's honestly a better run blocker. I think this is going to bode well for a run game that is in desperate need of a push. We establish the run, it's easier to establish the passing game too. 

4. One of Kenneth Dixon or Terrence West needs to establish himself full time. West has struggled in recent weeks(I don't blame the Jets game on him. I don't know why Marty decided to use Lorenzo, now there's a draft pick I disagree with. What? Just because my catchphrase is "I'm glad the fans don't run this team" doesn't mean I'm an Ozzie homer. I've called him out for stuff we've had disagreements on and he's usually right. I was just right this time.). I really like both, but I think it'll be Dixon. Sorry @-Truth-. I think West is a feature back caliber talent, but Dixon could bring more to the offense because he's also an excellent recieving back while West is not. 

5. We need to stay totally healthy.

 

Sadly... That's a lot to ask for.  I'm an optimist, and quite frankly we're a hell of a lot better than last year so we've made progress, and we're not too far away from being a contender again(I love the fact that we have a young core on defense going forward).

 

I still think we make the playoffs and win a game. Only one I don't see us able to win is vs. The Patriots to be honest. I think we can beat dallas(even though I have it penciled as a loss), I think we can beat the Eagles, I think we can beat Miami, I think we can beat the Bengals twice. The two I'm unsure about are Pittsburgh when Ben is fully healthy again, and New England, and I don't see either being blowouts either.

 

 

[VermontRaven]

4 hours ago, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

As much as I hate the fact that Alex Lewis went down, it gives Jensen an opportunity to start, and he's honestly a better run blocker.

Based on recent history where Jensen was inactive behind Ducasse and Urschel, I find it highly doubtful that Jensen gets the start.  I haven't analyzed the play of Urschel, Ducasse, and Jensen, so I am not saying Jensen should or shouldn't start, but it appears the coaching staff does not favor him over the other 2 options.

[Rav'n Maniac]

25 minutes ago, VermontRaven said:

Based on recent history where Jensen was inactive behind Ducasse and Urschel, I find it highly doubtful that Jensen gets the start.  I haven't analyzed the play of Urschel, Ducasse, and Jensen, so I am not saying Jensen should or shouldn't start, but it appears the coaching staff does not favor him over the other 2 options.

I think the reason the Ravens continue to play Urschel is because they consider him a better pass pro option than the other 2. Jensen and Ducasse are both road graders but, I feel they gave Ducasse a shot since it was against the Browns D and doesn't necessarily mean Jensen wouldn't start if both Lewis and Yanda are out. 

[VermontRaven]

40 minutes ago, VermontRaven said:

  5 hours ago, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

As much as I hate the fact that Alex Lewis went down, it gives Jensen an opportunity to start, and he's honestly a better run blocker.

4 minutes ago, Rav'n Maniac said:

I think the reason the Ravens continue to play Urschel is because they consider him a better pass pro option than the other 2. Jensen and Ducasse are both road graders but, I feel they gave Ducasse a shot since it was against the Browns D and doesn't necessarily mean Jensen wouldn't start if both Lewis and Yanda are out. 

 

You have a good point there.  I think the Ravens really like Urschel at LG, probably because of his pass protection.  If Yanda plays, I don't see Jensen starting and it would be between Jensen and Ducasse for the backup G spot, with probably only 1 of them being active on gameday.  If Yanda can't play, it's probably a toss up between Ducasse and Jensen at RG.  Ravens have only been keeping 7 active linemen and Hurst now is the only option as a backup T with Lewis out.

I highlighted Urschel and Ducasse being active ahead of him because, @LosT_in_TranSlatioN referred to Lewis going down as an opportunity for Jensen to start.  I think Jensen would only possibly have that opportunity if Yanda is out as well.

 

[Cawtious]

2 minutes ago, VermontRaven said:

 

You have a good point there.  I think the Ravens really like Urschel at LG, probably because of his pass protection.  If Yanda plays, I don't see Jensen starting and it would be between Jensen and Ducasse for the backup G spot, with probably only 1 of them being active on gameday.  If Yanda can't play, it's probably a toss up between Ducasse and Jensen at RG.  Ravens have only been keeping 7 active linemen and Hurst now is the only option as a backup T with Lewis out.

I highlighted Urschel and Ducasse being active ahead of him because, @LosT_in_TranSlatioN referred to Lewis going down as an opportunity for Jensen to start.  I think Jensen would only possibly have that opportunity if Yanda is out as well.

 

Jensen won't even dress if Yanda is good to go, based on current conditions.  Urschel will start at LG, Hurst and Ducasse will be the backups.  I don't understand that at all.  Ducasse didn't exactly shine vs. Browns.........and their D-Line isn't exactly a world class line.  Jensen was grading out pretty well, so not sure what transpired to push him down the depth chart. 

[VermontRaven]

10 minutes ago, Cawtious said:

Jensen won't even dress if Yanda is good to go, based on current conditions.  Urschel will start at LG, Hurst and Ducasse will be the backups.  I don't understand that at all.  Ducasse didn't exactly shine vs. Browns.........and their D-Line isn't exactly a world class line.  Jensen was grading out pretty well, so not sure what transpired to push him down the depth chart. 

Definitely will be interesting to see who is active between Ducasse and Jensen if Yanda is good to go.  The question is:  Was it a 1-game audition for Ducasse or do they clearly favor him over Jensen?  We very well may find out on Sunday, but it definitely appears that Jensen has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff.

[hn68wb4]

3 hours ago, Cawtious said:

Jensen won't even dress if Yanda is good to go, based on current conditions.  Urschel will start at LG, Hurst and Ducasse will be the backups.  I don't understand that at all.  Ducasse didn't exactly shine vs. Browns.........and their D-Line isn't exactly a world class line.  Jensen was grading out pretty well, so not sure what transpired to push him down the depth chart. 

I think Ducasse did fine last week, he provided about as much as you'd expect from a backup lineman, and probably similar to what Jensen could have done. He and Jensen pretty much provide the same things as blockers, great run blocking, poor pass blocking - the only real difference is that Ducasse would rather take a holding call than give up a sack.

[Cawtious]

37 minutes ago, hn68wb4 said:

I think Ducasse did fine last week, he provided about as much as you'd expect from a backup lineman, and probably similar to what Jensen could have done. He and Jensen pretty much provide the same things as blockers, great run blocking, poor pass blocking - the only real difference is that Ducasse would rather take a holding call than give up a sack.

Filmstudy saddled him with an F.  I'd say he didn't do fine at all.  Jensen has graded out pretty well in his last two starts.  Ducasse pitched an F against a terrible Browns team.  He blew 7 blocks in that game.  He engages at the point of attack and then (when he wasn't called for holding) releases players instead of finishing the block.  To say he provides the same thing as Jensen did.......that may be a stretch.  Taking a holding call ensures a play nullification.  Sometimes not holding is the right answer.......I'd say it's almost always the right answer unless your QB is going to get smoked.

[Cawtious]

4 hours ago, VermontRaven said:

Definitely will be interesting to see who is active between Ducasse and Jensen if Yanda is good to go.  The question is:  Was it a 1-game audition for Ducasse or do they clearly favor him over Jensen?  We very well may find out on Sunday, but it definitely appears that Jensen has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff.

I think Castillo is trying different combinations to see what puzzle pieces play the best together.  I think they give Ducasse another shot this week.  Between he and Jensen, they are the only two OL currently on the 53 that aren't nursing injuries right now.  In a stretch run, it's not a bad idea to have your backup interior guys getting some time on the field, and keeping them motivated.  I don't think this is a "fallen out of favor" situation as much as it is seeing how the different pieces fit together and keeping guys motivated and ready to play.

[-Truth-]

12 hours ago, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

4. One of Kenneth Dixon or Terrence West needs to establish himself full time. West has struggled in recent weeks(I don't blame the Jets game on him. I don't know why Marty decided to use Lorenzo, now there's a draft pick I disagree with. What? Just because my catchphrase is "I'm glad the fans don't run this team" doesn't mean I'm an Ozzie homer. I've called him out for stuff we've had disagreements on and he's usually right. I was just right this time.). I really like both, but I think it'll be Dixon. Sorry @-Truth-. I think West is a feature back caliber talent, but Dixon could bring more to the offense because he's also an excellent recieving back while West is not.

 

 

Not sure that I agree with this sentiment. I don't believe that either back has to establish themselves as the clear No.1 option. I think it would be mostly preferable for a team to have a feature back, but I personally don't consider it as a necessity by any means. They two complement each other well, and moving forward with two quality backs in a time-share may very well benefit our offense. With regards to West' recent performances, I'd pin at least two on the offensive line. The Jets and Steelers games had no running lanes for either runner as neither averaged over 1.4 yards, and I felt that West played better than the numbers indicated against the Browns. 78 of the duos combined 103 yards were after contact and PFF praised both among top performers on our offense last Thursday. The words, "offensive line struggled mightily to open holes," found in the post-game report unfortunately weren't overly surprising (Thank God that Marshal Yanda practiced in full). Obviously Dixon is a better receiver, but there's no reason why we can't utilize both to their strengths down the line and in the future without phasing one out significantly.

Edited November 17, 2016 by -Truth-

[LosT_in_TranSlatioN]

10 minutes ago, -Truth- said:

Not sure that I agree with this sentiment. I don't believe that either back has to establish themselves as the clear No.1 option. I think it would be mostly preferable for a team to have a feature back, but I personally don't consider it as a necessity by any means. They two complement each other well, and moving forward with two quality backs in a time-share may very well benefit our offense. With regards to West' recent performances, I'd pin at least two on the offensive line. The Jets and Steelers games had no running lanes for either runner as neither averaged over 1.4 yards, and I felt that West played better than the numbers indicated against the Browns. 78 of the duos combined 103 yards were after contact and PFF praised both among top performers on our offense last Thursday. The words, "offensive line struggled mightily to open holes," found in the post-game report unfortunately weren't overly surprising (Thank God that Marshal Yanda practiced in full). Obviously Dixon is a better receiver, but there's no reason why we can't utilize both to their strengths down the line and in the future without phasing one out significantly.

 

As usual I should have worded it better. I think are capable of being feature backs, but honestly think we should use him more than West. But that's just a personal preference I guess. I blame the Jets game more on Marty than anything since he gave LT a crazy amount of carried. I just feel as if Dixon could be the better player if we give him more reps. Both are excellent choices, hell our third guy is pretty good. Steelers game I understand, but we need to run blocking to do better, it's why I want Jensen starting on the left. It seems like the line blocks better when he's there.

[-Truth-]

4 hours ago, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

As usual I should have worded it better. I think are capable of being feature backs, but honestly think we should use him more than West. But that's just a personal preference I guess. I blame the Jets game more on Marty than anything since he gave LT a crazy amount of carried. I just feel as if Dixon could be the better player if we give him more reps. Both are excellent choices, hell our third guy is pretty good. Steelers game I understand, but we need to run blocking to do better, it's why I want Jensen starting on the left. It seems like the line blocks better when he's there.

No worries. As a fan of both backs, I can't argue too heavily either way.

That being said, I'm not entirely sold on Jensen as a run blocker. I'm currently sifting through our running plays against the Raiders, but the first quarter results haven't been encouraging (1, 2, 3). I've went through the entirety of the Giants game, and the results were a mixed bag at best. I've admittedly sped through the process, but here are my findings. He was successful on all three second level blocks (1, 2, 3) and both cut blocks (1, 2). In the latter two second level ones, he jabs the 1T with his outside arm before latching on the MLB and controlling him throughout the play on a job well done. Unfortunately, the rest of the tape didn't yield positive results. His performance in the running game against Johnathan Hankins and Co. mostly ranged between disappointing and alarming. He too often either gained no ground or was driven back, partially because he delivered practically no pop upon engaging (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). He wasn't completely outclassed (1), but even during plays when he initially blocked his assignment, they were somewhat marred by poor technique (2). Some of those plays (1) resulted in the defender finding his way to the scrum. Truth be told, I'm concerned about what I've seen to this point. He has a tendency of playing high, his footwork is a bit stagnant and sporadic as he hop-steps after making contact instead of driving his legs through the defender in one direction; these issues lead to lost leverage and an inconsistency is staying square with the defender. PFF currently has him a 50.6/100 in run blocking, and that may actually be a fair grade. The game above was actually one of his better graded ones. It's obviously not been just on him. Both of our starting OTs are at at 49.1 and 46.1, and Alex Lewis and Vladimir Ducasse in the 40s as well. Obviously Jensen could improve given his age and level of relative inexperience. And he's fared much better in the passing game. I just don't foresee him jump-starting the running game if inserted at LG. I dare say that I may prefer John Urschel there instead.

Edited November 18, 2016 by -Truth-