[News] Late For Work 12/27: Young Ravens Fan Has Meltdown After Christmas Loss

[BR News]

Steve Smith posts heartfelt message heading into final career game. Ravens-Steelers game breaks NFL Network viewership record. Joe Flacco topped 4,000 passing yards for first time, but had to lead league in attempts to do it.

View the full article

[The Mom Gene]

Benjamin Watson..... another AWESOME offseason add that not many people have taken into consideration. His getting injured was surely a loss for our team. Looking forward to seeing him here next season for sure.

[The Mom Gene]

My heart breaks because I only wish we could have done more for Steve. What a fantastic guy. If only he had been a Raven sooner. I know my sentiment is shared with everyone when I say that WHENEVER he decides to hang up his cleats, he will be surely missed with all of our hearts.

[trevorsteadman]

His twitter post said nothing about retiring but I definitely wouldn't count him coming back. If he did he should be limited in a small role in the slot if he chose to stay in Batlimore. It is sad the team couldn't get it done for him. It is either one side of the ball or the other always failing the team in each game. I just wish the team can play a complete game of football again.

[TorryGundy]

Here is my honest assessment of the year. We need dogs on the D line. Jernigan does not have an all game motor. Guy is a stop gap at DE and we have no depth there. Brandon is a beast against the run, a liability in passing downs, he can not push the pocket back. Not sure why , he is strong as an OX. Pierce did in the beginning but he hit a rookie wall and need better conditioning. Judon will be a beast. Doom did not earn his roster salary spot. Sizz is from another World and is a true Raven. Orr and Mosley are good, they both need to work on getting faster and better in coverage but they are far better than last year. Webby did great after week 6. Weddle played well but the tape shows him a step late from being a true super impact, not mad at him but he left some plays out there too. Zuttah is the worst starter we have. He must go. Rick will leave because we can afford him. Oline will be fine however. Joe, I think the injury hurt him more mentally than anything. He also has peaked, the contract is not as bad as it looks, QB's all around him are about to get paid more. In three years, he will be an average paid QB and he is Average. Love the RB's we have. West is better that he is getting credit for, Dixon is a star. The receivers are OK. I just wish one time we can get a guy that can snatch a ball out the air like Q, Get separation like SSS, have speed like Wallace. I know Odell beckam is a giant lol . We will need another good draft. We need to win with our 2nd and 3rd rounders. We have not in a while. Juan must go...had to leave with that one! Harbs will get us back to the promised land.

[iluvpurple]

Benjamin Watson..... another AWESOME offseason add that not many people have taken into consideration. His getting injured was surely a loss for our team. Looking forward to seeing him here next season for sure.

Agreed

[iluvpurple]

My heart breaks because I only wish we could have done more for Steve. What a fantastic guy. If only he had been a Raven sooner. I know my sentiment is shared with everyone when I say that WHENEVER he decides to hang up his cleats, he will be surely missed with all of our hearts.

And agreed again 👍🏈

[iluvpurple]

I have no wisdom on how to correct anything wrong on our team, or what should change, I'd much rather NOT go down that road as a fan because I honestly am not a professional coach, it just seemed like our guys were always on the verge of breaking out, (like the game against the Phins) but never got there. If we do beat Cincy come Sunday, we will finish with a 9-7 record, which after last year, I will gladly take, and even if we don't, 8-8 is still better than last year and not a losing record.
I will ALWAYS look to next season with my usual excitement and big hopes for our men in Purple, love my Ravens no matter what, and I always will 👍😎🏈

[iluvpurple]

Oh, one more thought, this young fan was much more grown-up in his reaction than I was after the loss Sunday night, curse words, inanimate objects, and screams were definitely flying around in my house, lol, and I absolutely agree that this was in the top 3 of all-time heart-breaking losses for us 🏈

[RavensBaltimore]

It's a shame because when our O-line is healthy, this team is 8-3. When Jimmy Smith is healthy, our defense is #1 in the league. The offense is averaging about 30/game in the last 4, and if we could have held on in Pitts, we could have had a home playoff game against the Dolphins and possibly gotten Jimmy back for a playoff run. With a #1 defense and the offense playing the way it is, we could have had a shot to go back to the super bowl. Maybe next year, we'll finally have better luck with injuries, but our pass defense needs some upgrades so they're not so dependant on one guy.

[SCravenfan]

Great to see Ben Watson is on his way back. I am a huge Raven fan and was overjoyed when we signed him. His HS football coach was my schools AD for many years and we are hoping for a healthy new year. We are so close to being a dominate team and need a few minor changes. I hope we can get a run mauler offensive lineman and a CB in the draft to team up with jimmy and Young in the back end. I agree with Gavin. The squeezers ruined my Christmas too

[TheRavengers]

Gavin is basically me upon watching the end of that game.

[JD08]

The Ravens have missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2004-05 and 2005-06. If the Ravens lose Sunday to the Bengals, they'll have finished .500 or worse in three of the four seasons since winning Super Bowl XLVII.

This right here...is Harbaugh's fault, I wish he would go

[bioLarzen]

This season was not lost on Sunday in pittsburgh - it was lost in th Bank v the Redskins and in the Meadowlands v the Jets. Those were the games that showed crystal clear that this team is terribly coached. And those tow games where the D ghave up those last minute TD's to lose the game (v the Raiders and Giants). Those games (together wiuth a good handful of other games) showed that the problem with the Ravens is not the roster - it's the system-level mishandling of the roster. Continuous failure to play to the roster's strengths and to avoid getting oits weaknesses exposed... continuous failure to make good game plans and show in-game flexibility. A plethora of bad and downright awful coaching mistakes and decisions. Harbaugh's failure to address obvious and recurring problems.

This team will finish 8-8 (or 9-7 if the Bengals care less about the game - or want a better draft position more than we do) because the roster is so good - in spite of the coaching.

I simply cannot fathom how anyone can still argue for keeping Harbaugh... There are simply NO explanations and excuses for this season. He was given a great roster with first class FA-additions and what may grow into one of the alltime best rookie classes of franchise history... And this time the injuries won't be there to hide behind.

... OK, of course I know he'll stay... Still.

Edited December 27, 2016 by bioLarzen

[drillem]

I can't even imagine Harbie being here next year. There are so many more qualified coaches available. Whether it happens or not I don't know but a guy can have hope can't he?

[The Beak]

This season was not lost on Sunday in pittsburgh - it was lost in th Bank v the Redskins and in the Meadowlands v the Jets. Those were the games that showed crystal clear that this team is terribly coached. And those tow games where the D ghave up those last minute TD's to lose the game (v the Raiders and Giants). Those games (together wiuth a good handful of other games) showed that the problem with the Ravens is not the roster - it's the system-level mishandling of the roster. Continuous failure to play to the roster's strengths and to avoid getting oits weaknesses exposed... continuous failure to make good game plans and show in-game flexibility. A plethora of bad and downright awful coaching mistakes and decisions. Harbaugh's failure to address obvious and recurring problems.

This team will finish 8-8 (or 9-7 if the Bengals care less about the game - or want a better draft position more than we do) because the roster is so good - in spite of the coaching.

I simply cannot fathom how anyone can still argue for keeping Harbaugh... There are simply NO explanations and excuses for this season. He was given a great roster with first class FA-additions and what may grow into one of the alltime best rookie classes of franchise history... And this time the injuries won't be there to hide behind.

... OK, of course I know he'll stay... Still.

100% Agree, would also say may be time for Eric D to take the reigns in the Front Office....

[mk in mn]

Oh, one more thought, this young fan was much more grown-up in his reaction than I was after the loss Sunday night, curse words, inanimate objects, and screams were definitely flying around in my house, lol, and I absolutely agree that this was in the top 3 of all-time heart-breaking losses for us 🏈

Agreed - I'm still having trouble sleeping!

[TheConquerorWorm]

I can't even imagine Harbie being here next year. There are so many more qualified coaches available. Whether it happens or not I don't know but a guy can have hope can't he?

Qualified coaches? Who? Rex "Choke Artist" Ryan? Josh "Trade all my picks for Tebow" McDaniels? Kyle "Horrible without Julio" Shanahan?

There is a reason the top teams in the league (Squealers, Bengals, Pats, Seahawks, Packers, Saints) are always near the top. Because they stick with their HC thru "losing" seasons. Teams that don't - Browns, Jets, Philly, 49ers, Bucs. See the pattern?

Harbaugh is one of the best coaches in the league, period. Not perfect, but what coach is? You saw what happened to the 49ers when they fired Jim Harbaugh - how's that team doing the past few years? Chip Kelly was the hottest "up & coming" coach - what did he do in Philly? How about in SanFran?

The problem with this team the past few years is talent & injuries. The Ravens have no explosive RB (West must lead the league in 1 yard rushes). They have no true #1 WR. No mismatch at TE (Pitta not the same as he was, Waller has brick hands), etc. Same story every year, WRs can't get open, RBs are plodding, run into the wall types so offense struggles to put up points (doesn't matter who the OC is). That's not a "great roster". Defense still needs pass rushers & cornerbacks (as does EVERY team in the league). This is a team that got old very quickly and we are just now seeing quality replacements. Mosley & Orr replacing Lewis & Smith. BWill replacing Ngata. Stanley replacing Monroe. There is no quick fix and it's not a perfect science.

If you told me that the Ravens would finish 9-7 with a chance to win the division on Christmas, I would take that every year.

[TheRavengers]

1 hour ago, drillem said:

I can't even imagine Harbie being here next year. There are so many more qualified coaches available. Whether it happens or not I don't know but a guy can have hope can't he?

And who would they pick that's available if they dropped Harbaugh? 

[BigUgly]

Harbaugh is a great coach every day but gameday. He apparently doesn't have the will, experience or ability to step in on offense or defense to make adjustments beyond firing coordinators. He hasn't been helped by the rash of injuries or inability of Ozzie to land playmakers in the draft, but no team is perfect.

We have a solid QB, an O-Line and RB tandem built to run the ball, and more receiving talent than this team has ever had, but the scheme and playcalling didn't fit the talent.

Similarly on defense, there is a recurring pattern of falling apart in the 4th quarter with the lead. The talent was sufficient for 3 quarters of success, but the scheme failed in the 4th. That's coaching.

Overall, this team has been plagued by penalties for several years. That too is coaching, especially when we have drafted a team full of intelligent, high character "football" guys.

[rossihunter2]

1 hour ago, The Beak said:

100% Agree, would also say may be time for Eric D to take the reigns in the Front Office....

why? we just had a phenomenal draft, and added 3 good free agent targets (1 of whom was unfortunately injured) - what more do you want ozzie to do? come out and play tight end for the team too?

[BigUgly]

  1 hour ago, The Beak said:

100% Agree, would also say may be time for Eric D to take the reigns in the Front Office....

why? we just had a phenomenal draft, and added 3 good free agent targets (1 of whom was unfortunately injured) - what more do you want ozzie to do? come out and play tight end for the team too?

I think Ozzie is younger than Watson, so sure!

[billiejean]

If the Ravens would be able to save a significant amount of money by cutting Watson I don't think he is a lock to be on the team next year.

[vinnystp]

  2 hours ago, drillem said:

I can't even imagine Harbie being here next year. There are so many more qualified coaches available. Whether it happens or not I don't know but a guy can have hope can't he?

Qualified coaches? Who? Rex "Choke Artist" Ryan? Josh "Trade all my picks for Tebow" McDaniels? Kyle "Horrible without Julio" Shanahan?

There is a reason the top teams in the league (Squealers, Bengals, Pats, Seahawks, Packers, Saints) are always near the top. Because they stick with their HC thru "losing" seasons. Teams that don't - Browns, Jets, Philly, 49ers, Bucs. See the pattern?

Harbaugh is one of the best coaches in the league, period. Not perfect, but what coach is? You saw what happened to the 49ers when they fired Jim Harbaugh - how's that team doing the past few years? Chip Kelly was the hottest "up & coming" coach - what did he do in Philly? How about in SanFran?

The problem with this team the past few years is talent & injuries. The Ravens have no explosive RB (West must lead the league in 1 yard rushes). They have no true #1 WR. No mismatch at TE (Pitta not the same as he was, Waller has brick hands), etc. Same story every year, WRs can't get open, RBs are plodding, run into the wall types so offense struggles to put up points (doesn't matter who the OC is). That's not a "great roster". Defense still needs pass rushers & cornerbacks (as does EVERY team in the league). This is a team that got old very quickly and we are just now seeing quality replacements. Mosley & Orr replacing Lewis & Smith. BWill replacing Ngata. Stanley replacing Monroe. There is no quick fix and it's not a perfect science.

If you told me that the Ravens would finish 9-7 with a chance to win the division on Christmas, I would take that every year.

Thank you! Yes, THIS every bit of THIS! Is Harbaugh a perfect coach? No. But I would take him over any other option at head coach. There are no upgrades at Head Coach for this team. Not Rex, not any other "flashy" HC picks.

For years, everyone was calling for Dean Pees head. Now that we have a top 5 defense (with Jimmy), and Pees is on the sidelines calling the plays and making adjustments, the screaming has tempered. (Although, one could argue that the 4 game stretch of losses in the middle of the season was enough to start hearing people scream again.)

Even with all of this said, the Defense wasn't really our problem in 2016 (until the 4th quarter in some games, and getting off the field), it was discipline (too many drive killing penalties on Offense, and drive extending penalties on defense) and lack of offensive identity. Part of that is injuries, mostly with the OL, and Joe getting back into his old self. I would accustom some of it to timing with his receivers, and feeling comfortable in an patchwork OL.

But let's hear all the complaints about how bad Flacco has been this year....Oh wait, so was Aaron Rodgers. This year has been horrible for almost all teams with offensive identities. Who would have predicted Derek Carr would be a top QB in the league this year?

My point is, we had a great draft in 2016, we will need another impact draft in 2017 to remain competitive, and I am not looking forward to who we can't afford to sign in FA...when its time to close the books on 2016 and prepare for next year.

The positions we need the most are CB, WR, and DT. I like Guy, Pierce and Jernigan, but if we lose Williams that will hurt.

[JD08]

Aaron Rodgers has 36 TD 7 int this season, idk how that's bad

[Steve32]

I can't even imagine Harbie being here next year. There are so many more qualified coaches available. Whether it happens or not I don't know but a guy can have hope can't he?

"There are so many more qualified coaches available".

You didn't mention any ... because there is not many more qualified coaches available. And if they were "available" there's probably a good reason for it.

[Legendary Ravens]

We're Even Now Kid! Your irritating Crying just ruined my Kwanzaa Week.. So in the future kid, lets just take the loss on the chin and move on... BTW the Lee Evans/Cunduff game was a much tougher loss that still has us crying.. Dry those tears and "dry them with effort.." Lol

[sami]

I can't even imagine Harbie being here next year. There are so many more qualified coaches available. Whether it happens or not I don't know but a guy can have hope can't he?

Name a few. Or a couple. Harbaugh is as good as it gets. I don't think you would be satisfied with anyone that doesn't win a Super Bowl every year.

[sami]

I have no wisdom on how to correct anything wrong on our team, or what should change, I'd much rather NOT go down that road as a fan because I honestly am not a professional coach, it just seemed like our guys were always on the verge of breaking out, (like the game against the Phins) but never got there. If we do beat Cincy come Sunday, we will finish with a 9-7 record, which after last year, I will gladly take, and even if we don't, 8-8 is still better than last year and not a losing record.
I will ALWAYS look to next season with my usual excitement and big hopes for our men in Purple, love my Ravens no matter what, and I always will 👍😎🏈

You are my kind of Fan. I agree 100% with what you said. We as fans don't know or see what happens everyday at practice and for us to try to tell Harbaugh how to coach or Ozzie how to draft is nutz. Cant wait for the next game and for the draft and for the next season. Its all good.

[PurpleReign3]

Harbaugh is a great coach every day but gameday. He apparently doesn't have the will, experience or ability to step in on offense or defense to make adjustments beyond firing coordinators. He hasn't been helped by the rash of injuries or inability of Ozzie to land playmakers in the draft, but no team is perfect.

We have a solid QB, an O-Line and RB tandem built to run the ball, and more receiving talent than this team has ever had, but the scheme and playcalling didn't fit the talent.

Similarly on defense, there is a recurring pattern of falling apart in the 4th quarter with the lead. The talent was sufficient for 3 quarters of success, but the scheme failed in the 4th. That's coaching.

Overall, this team has been plagued by penalties for several years. That too is coaching, especially when we have drafted a team full of intelligent, high character "football" guys.

I completely agree with you BigU. Harbaugh is a great coach from Monday to Saturday, but he is awful come Sunday. The coaches cost us a playoff birth this year. I was always blaming our OC for the poor play calling, but have come to the conclusion this year it has to be Harbaugh. We have had at least 8 OC's since he has been here, and not much has changed with the offense, I think it is on Harbaugh, he is too controlling and won't let the OC's do what they want. How many weeks do we hear "we have to run the ball more" from him, yet the following week, it's the same old, same old. We need to clean house and get a new coaching staff, they blew way too many games over the years because of their lack of ability to make in-game adjustments. Our record right now should be 11-4, but our coaching staff blew 3 games this year. Time for a change, we have too much talent to miss the playoffs 3 out of 4 years, especially this year.