[News] Late For Work 1/4: Four Important Notes, Opinions And Questions About Standing Pat At Coordinator

[Ugly Ball]

  On 1/4/2017 at 6:11 PM, EdTheMythicalOne said:

1) Bingo. Maybe it is time the head coach goes as well. There is a problem in Baltimore and apparently the people running the ship don't know exactly how to fix it. The same problems exist every season. But to answer your question what does it say?

It says that Trestman doesn't run an offense as close to Kubiak as you thought. Marty wasn't brought in to be an OC anyway, so you're not really firing him, you're just not extending his 'interim" tag. Pees has been around for years and while his defenses ranked no worse than 12th save for the injury plagued season of 2015, they have a recurring problem. So to me it shows me that a Head Coach is more interested in trying to win than saving his back side, which...if he does win, he does the latter by default. You keep your job by winning.

There is some talent on this team and the issue is using it correctly. This team worked best when it had two speed blazers in Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones running deep and made defenses worry about both of those guys burning them deep and a power run scheme while a healthy Pitta worked underneath with Boldin because the top was taken off the defense by Jones and Smith. Now we run this stupid WC defense where teams just run a zone and all of our wideouts are all bunched up together 10 yards or less down the field. Instead of pounding the rock with our one-cut backs we try to send them on these weird sweeps and forever to develop counter plays. Cut the cutie pie stuff and just slam the ball. That actually was how this running game got its success. Running between Yanda and Stanley on the left and between Ducasse and Wagner on the right. West and Dixon would then break a tackle or two. Go figure.

Well I mean that's all great in theory, but its not like our offensive line was really that effective at run blocking for most of the season. If they were, then we wouldn't rank in the 20s in YPC, but we do. That's sort of the false narrative on these boards... that the solution is just to run the ball more. In actuality, its a combination of running the ball more and running the ball more effectively.

Teams like Cleveland or Green Bay can complain about not running the ball enough, because they were quite good at it when they did. We were not. We were below average at it.

At the end of the day, this offense works best when its offensive line is playing well. That's where the focus needs to be. 

That's on the other coach that's sub-par Casteal.
The only year our line has blocked well since Jaun has been in charge is when Kubiak actually took over as OC.

[GENE2407]

In watching football for almost 40 years, coordinators don't change. They might TRY ............you might see a change in their playcalling for about 10 seconds. But at the end of the day, they don't change who they are and they revert back to their old style (especially when the game gets close). So expect to see exactly the same thing next year from the playcalling and philosophy standpoint.

[RavenManiac#7]

this is all on Harbaugh, playoffs or bust. The Ravens finally hit on a first round pick , Stanley is a future Ogden.

Agree on both points.

[RavenManiac#7]

To me, it's a simple decision, directed by Joe Flacco, Denis Pitta and no doubt other players. 'No more change at OC ; we've had enough'. That strong message to Coach Harbaugh is the reason the search process for a new OC was canned.

Well, I read that Joe and Pitta both did endorse Morhinweg, but unless you know more than that, I don't know that that, necessarily, was the determining factor. But, really, if Harbs is letting his players make his decisions for him, which I doubt, isn't that even more proof that he should be gone? I think that Harbs just dug his hole a little deeper. If the offense doesn't improve, if we don't make the playoffs next year, I can't imagine Harbs not being fired. And remember this, he emphatically stated that it was HIS decision, not Steve's, not Ozzie's, and certainly not Joe's or Dennis'.

[rmcjacket23]

9 hours ago, Ugly Ball said:

That's on the other coach that's sub-par Casteal.
The only year our line has blocked well since Jaun has been in charge is when Kubiak actually took over as OC.

He's an offensive line coach. Fire him, replace him with somebody who's basically the same (because they all are), and we'll still suck at running the ball until the players execute better.

And then we'll fire that guy and put another quarter in the merry go round...

[RaRaRavens]

Anyone knows where are the last 2 LFW segments? The ones that were supposed to come out yesterday and today?

[Kouroup]

Anyone knows where are the last 2 LFW segments? The ones that were supposed to come out yesterday and today?

Seriously....they could at least say something

[Moderator 3]

1 hour ago, RaRaRavens said:

Anyone knows where are the last 2 LFW segments? The ones that were supposed to come out yesterday and today?

The offices are closed this week (Wednesday - Friday).  

[Crusader]

  On ‎2017‎/‎01‎/‎05 at 8:57 AM, Chuckx999 said:

Everything about the coaching staff and player performance has declined since Ray Lewis and Ed Reed retired. No Kickbutt player left. How and why keep these people?

Of course.  That's obvious.  You're talking about 2 HOF Players....  They are VERY difficult and unlikely would we be ale to replace them   #2GOATS.

Keep in mind that Ray and Ed were at the end of their career, but still help push the Ravens to the Super Bowl but since then Ravens can't even get a winning season. The Kubiak year only prove the talent is on the Ravens. But with Kubiak health, Ravens would be right back were we are today..... searching.

[ravenken]

I like that fact that Hardball kept Marty. We always mention the turnstile at OC but we never seem to mention why... Cam was the only person that was driving me absolutely crazy... Marty will at times do so but I understand that being OC is building a sub-team that gets fine tuned... I see the progress and growth Marty and Joe made over the season... they are getting better... Marty is smart a chance for him to catch his breath and to properly assume OC duties... Hardball made the right move.

fans seem to have forgotten Joe had an ACL and really was not doing a thing until training camp... For the fine edge that pro football is, that is an issue... I expect and know Joe will be leading his receivers next year... I am one of the few people that hope we can keep Aiken... he is the closest thing to Boldin out in the market that I know of... he really is a beast and I hope we can afford him... going to be an interesting off-season.

God that Squeeler loss still makes me sick...
I will say one thing about that game. Living in Portland OR... at a Squeeler bar with about 150-200 squeeler fans, and 4 Raven Flockers sitting upfront at the main entrance (first thing people see when they came in)... It was a good/great game to watch as a Raven fan except for the last 10 seconds. :-/

[balfan23]

3 minutes ago, ravenken said:

I like that fact that Hardball kept Marty. We always mention the turnstile at OC but we never seem to mention why... Cam was the only person that was driving me absolutely crazy... Marty will at times do so but I understand that being OC is building a sub-team that gets fine tuned... I see the progress and growth Marty and Joe made over the season... they are getting better... Marty is smart a chance for him to catch his breath and to properly assume OC duties... Hardball made the right move.

fans seem to have forgotten Joe had an ACL and really was not doing a thing until training camp... For the fine edge that pro football is, that is an issue... I expect and know Joe will be leading his receivers next year... I am one of the few people that hope we can keep Aiken... he is the closest thing to Boldin out in the market that I know of... he really is a beast and I hope we can afford him... going to be an interesting off-season.

God that Squeeler loss still makes me sick...
I will say one thing about that game. Living in Portland OR... at a Squeeler bar with about 150-200 squeeler fans, and 4 Raven Flockers sitting upfront at the main entrance (first thing people see when they came in)... It was a good/great game to watch as a Raven fan except for the last 10 seconds. :-/

I agree that the offense appeared to be generally improving later in the season - but only from the standpoint of being able to move the ball. From game 1 to game 16, the red zone was a nightmare.

I hate feeling like, whenever we get a big play on offense, defense or special teams, we are just praying they get it in the end zone or otherwise you're probably going to either be watching us trot Tucker out there - or worse - watch Joe throw another one of his inexplicable red zone picks. His red zone turnovers just seem to be getting worse and in Marty's defense, I'm not sure if there is a human alive who can do anything to correct that. I've resigned to the fact that Flacco is going to make rookie mistakes in his 10th year and beyond.  

I know I'm talking about perhaps the premiere run game in the league, but I just go into a fit of jealousy watching a team like Dallas get 1st down on the 14 ... run the ball 3 times and are in the end zone. We get the ball on the 1 and we're not sure if 3 run plays will get us in. 

[Utah_Raven]

So, in other words, 2017 will be full of stalled offensive drives, short passes on 3 rd and 9, throwing 40+ times per game, averaging 91 yds per game rushing and averaging 21 pts per game? Barf.

[Utah_Raven]

Everything about the coaching staff and player performance has declined since Ray Lewis and Ed Reed retired. No Kickbutt player left. How and why keep these people?

No stars. No playmakers. No playoffs. It's that simple.

[Utah_Raven]

  On 1/4/2017 at 0:48 PM, rmcjacket23 said:

1. He's damn of he does, damned if he doesn't. Lets say John does what fans want him to do and fire both of his coordinators... what does that say about John? He hired Trestman and fired him within two years, then fired his replacement, and then fired his DC... in like a day.

What does that say about his own talent evaluation that the coaches he hired weren't very good?

I've said this before... show me the HC in this league that fired both of his coordinators in a short period of time and then kept his own job very long? By firing both of your coordinators, you're admitting that you screwed up, and now your boss knows it. Who do you think he blames next?

I agree he's covering his own butt, but I also can't blame him for it, because its the only way he keeps his job. If I were the Owner or GM, and I saw my HC can both of his coordinators, I'd probably just fire the HC.

2. Nobody will admit anything, but yes, its a talent problem. I think that's pretty clear at this point. They are old in areas where they should be young, and they have players underachieving. I suppose you could blame some of that on coaching, but a lot of these guys have been playing football for decades now, and a lot of the underachievers are veterans who shouldn't need a ton of coaching at this point.

We will see coaching changes, and the fact that he has to answer questions about his coordinators indicates that he's aware that the perception is that its a coaching problem.

As is usually the case, its a combination of both. But I can say for certain that without a talent upgrade at several key spots, I don't care who the coaches are, because it won't matter.

1) Bingo. Maybe it is time the head coach goes as well. There is a problem in Baltimore and apparently the people running the ship don't know exactly how to fix it. The same problems exist every season. But to answer your question what does it say?

It says that Trestman doesn't run an offense as close to Kubiak as you thought. Marty wasn't brought in to be an OC anyway, so you're not really firing him, you're just not extending his 'interim" tag. Pees has been around for years and while his defenses ranked no worse than 12th save for the injury plagued season of 2015, they have a recurring problem. So to me it shows me that a Head Coach is more interested in trying to win than saving his back side, which...if he does win, he does the latter by default. You keep your job by winning.

There is some talent on this team and the issue is using it correctly. This team worked best when it had two speed blazers in Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones running deep and made defenses worry about both of those guys burning them deep and a power run scheme while a healthy Pitta worked underneath with Boldin because the top was taken off the defense by Jones and Smith. Now we run this stupid WC defense where teams just run a zone and all of our wideouts are all bunched up together 10 yards or less down the field. Instead of pounding the rock with our one-cut backs we try to send them on these weird sweeps and forever to develop counter plays. Cut the cutie pie stuff and just slam the ball. That actually was how this running game got its success. Running between Yanda and Stanley on the left and between Ducasse and Wagner on the right. West and Dixon would then break a tackle or two. Go figure.

#2 is spot on. No playmakers/stars. No playoffs. Every team in the playoffs has stars and/or playmakers. Even Houston has Hopkins and Miller.

[Drew P]

15 minutes ago, Utah_Raven said:

So, in other words, 2017 will be full of stalled offensive drives, short passes on 3 rd and 9, throwing 40+ times per game, averaging 91 yds per game rushing and averaging 21 pts per game? Barf.

Don't forget those blown 4th quarter leads

[TheConquerorWorm]

Anyone knows where are the last 2 LFW segments? The ones that were supposed to come out yesterday and today?

I believe the articles are only during the season.

[Moderator 3]

1 hour ago, TheConquerorWorm said:

I believe the articles are only during the season.
 

They'll be back on Monday, or so I've been told.

[Crusader]

I hear Steve is this great owner but all he did was replace a coach. His biggest challenge will be when he has to replace his GM and or head coach. That year is getting closer.