Ravens Fluctuating Years

[JEEPercreepermd]

[quote name='rastaman831226' post='195124' date='May 26 2009, 11:51 AM']Let's not kid ourselves. DEFENSE has saved this franchise for years and kudos should rightfully go to DC's Lewis, Nolan, and Ryan. And greater kudos should be given to Ozzie and the FO crew for what we've learned with the transition from Billick to Harbaugh is that it certainly was not the lack of talent on the offensive side of the ball that made us inconsistant but lack of consistant good coaching stemming from the "Offensive Genius". Again, defense has always been consistantly good while offense has always been consistantly bad during the "Billick Years" and what Harbaugh and Cam proved so quickly last year was that a slight realignment of talent on hand coupled with some creative playcalling turned this offense from fledgling to deadly dangerous. Therefore any inconsistancy of record has to be lain at the feet of our old head coach, Brian Billick.[/quote]

Agreed %100 I was just pointing out that there WERE a few other factors in those 3 losing seasons, but all of them could have been dealt with and overcome with a coach such as coach harbaugh. The fact that it was the Defense that carried the team for all of those seasons, just added to the division in the locker room and I commend the defensive coaches as well as the leaders on the defense for not quitting when they were constantly called upon to dig the offense out of holes

[Borris]

[quote name='SaVaGe' post='195027' date='May 25 2009, 06:35 PM']08: 11-5
07: 5-11
06: 13-3
05: 6-10
04: 9-7
03: 10-6
02: 7-9
01: 10-6
00: 12-4
99: 8-8
98: 6-10
97: 6-9-1
96: 4-12

These numbers don't mean much but also mean a lot. On only 2 occasions in 13 years have the ravens been able to have 2 seasons of positive records in a row. Other then that the team has fallen apart. It is kind of weird because I feel like this would be the best year with the loss of players in the off season for the ravens to fall off the map again until the 2010 season. So is this going to be the third time we have another consecutive winning season or is the team destined to go negative?[/quote]

Statistically speaking, I think you over-simplified the situation. There is a multitude of reasons why we would not be able to have back-to-back winning seasons in a row. Furthermore, we have only followed up a winning season with a losing season three times, so right now the ratio is 3:2. I guess really there is not enough information to come to any conclusion. That being said, if you really want to over simplfy it, we have a 47% chance of having a wining season, a 47% chance of a lossing season, and a 6% chance of an 8-8 record.

Now that we took the math based look at the situation, lets throw that all out of the window, because it really doesn't matter and go with the gut. I think we make the playoff again this season.

[darklight1216]

[quote name='Borris' post='195189' date='May 26 2009, 03:20 PM']Statistically speaking, I think you over-simplified the situation. There is a multitude of reasons why we would not be able to have back-to-back winning seasons in a row. Furthermore, we have only followed up a winning season with a losing season three times, so right now the ratio is 3:2. I guess really there is not enough information to come to any conclusion. That being said, if you really want to over simplfy it, we have a 47% chance of having a wining season, a 47% chance of a lossing season, and a 6% chance of an 8-8 record.

Now that we took the math based look at the situation, lets throw that all out of the window, because it really doesn't matter and go with the gut. I think we make the playoff again this season.[/quote]
Oh that's cool. I did not even realize that. Good post.

[POE]

I always worried about what would happen the following season due to the fact that we have never really had that franchise quarterback, so I have to agree with some of you guys and say that I am not worried at all about a slide this coming season. We have lost D-coodinators before, we have lost stud linebackers, we have lost hall of fame OT's and still came back the following season competitive but this year we have somebody to rely on behind the helm so I am not going to think about a slump any longer. It feels like we have a little more to prove this year and I love our coaching staff and I feel that they will get it done with whoever is on the field.

[smashmouth]

[quote name='JEEPercreepermd' post='195110' date='May 26 2009, 10:46 AM']I'm not in any way a Brian Billick supporter. Due to his passive training camps we would have players getting injured left and right the first few weeks of every season becasue they would be out of shape and not used to taking hits. from 99-07 the ravens had 3 losing seasons. The first came in 2002 when the Ravens had the youngest and most inexperienced team in the league...and chris redman at QB. Despite that, the team was in the hunt for the playoffs until the final week. The second losing season came in 05 when the ravens had a ton of injuries including ray lewis and ed reed among others. the 07 Ravens started the season at 4-2 then didn't win another game until the week of the season. We had to start or #5 and #6 CB's and willis mcgahee was the entire offense. Was it ALL billick's fault? IMO it wasn't. But there were several things that WERE his fault. The Ravens locker room was an ugly place when he was there it wasn't a team. It was a bunch of star players and big ego's. The Ravens lost to plenty of teams that they were FAR better thanThey would constantly take dumb penaltys and make dumb mistakes because Brian Billick wouldn't hold anyone countable for their actions. Also, Billick's inability to adress the need at the quarterback position was disgusting. I mean I completely understood why kyle boller failed here. He had plenty of talent, but he just took too many hits early on and the expectations were set way too high for him as a first round pick. Anyway im rambling. To make a long story short, Billick just had the ability to make a bad team compete but on the other hand he could also let the good team fall apart. I think John Harbaugh has been a godsend for the Organization. With the team we have this season we should be strong once again.[/quote]
I agree pretty much with everything about Billick. I think he did run a soft camp and it hurt and soften up our players alot. But you can also give him some credit. He is a good coach, he just needs to learn to make a change when it was needed. He was very stubborn. In 06 Billick brought in McNair and called all the plays after firing our O-cord and Billicks close friend. As you know we went 13-3. In 07 with Billick still calling the plays we had a lousy year, alot of the blame did fall on Billick. why? because he was stubborn and failed to pull a injured McNair. Injuries hurt a very good team. And the players thought Billick could have did more to help out the situation. I will always be a Billick supporter and know he will get another **** as a HC and do very well, maybe even winning another SB. But at the same time Im very happy with the hiring of John Harbaugh. The guy is just a natural born coach, and knows everything about football.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='smashmouth' post='195378' date='May 27 2009, 03:23 AM']I agree pretty much with everything about Billick. I think he did run a soft camp and it hurt and soften up our players alot. But you can also give him some credit. [b]He is a good coach, he just needs to learn to make a change when it was needed. He was very stubborn.[/b][/quote]I agree, Brian Billick's downfall was his stubbornness. It wasn't the lack of a QB so much as his ego that prevented the team from winning more Super Bowls. Billick proved in 2000 that it was possible to win a Super Bowl with an average QB; the only problem was, he thought he could do it again with the exact same formula, instead of tweaking it. The playbook was virtually the same, and his ego never allowed the offensive coordinators to do their jobs and come up with their own schemes.

I know the Kyle Boller experiment has been long over, but I still believe that it would've been possible to win a Super Bowl with Boller under center if the offensive scheme was different and the offensive line was able to protect him.

Going back to Billick, though, it wasn't as if the man didn't know what he was talking about. His stint as an NFL Network analyst showed that he's always had the mental aspect of the game down. But when it came to execution, his playcalling was lacking and his scheme was never malleable. He was the antithesis of Cam Cameron in that the players were forced to adjust to the scheme, rather than the scheme adjusting to fit the players.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='Mahatma_Sloth' post='195112' date='May 26 2009, 11:05 AM'][font="Garamond"][size=7][b][color="#4B0082"]John Harbaugh Era[/color] = [color="#4B0082"]Dynasty[/color][/b][/size][/font][/quote]


You gotta love the fact that Harbs had the fire, passion, Will, heart, guts, balls, whatever u want to call it, to come out and make his intentions known on National TV.

We are looking to build a DyNasty in Baltimore is what he said. and to make that even better the team actually starting laying the foundation to that DyNasty last year, now lets see if we can build on it.

[rastaman831226]

[quote name='JEEPercreepermd' post='195186' date='May 26 2009, 03:11 PM']Agreed %100 I was just pointing out that there WERE a few other factors in those 3 losing seasons, but all of them could have been dealt with and overcome with a coach such as coach harbaugh. The fact that it was the Defense that carried the team for all of those seasons, just added to the division in the locker room and I commend the defensive coaches as well as the leaders on the defense for not quitting when they were constantly called upon to dig the offense out of holes[/quote]


Well said, and I agree.

[#1falconfan]

Trust me I know what you are going through, we haven't had back to back winning seasons ever.

[ROH522155]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' post='195402' date='May 27 2009, 08:19 AM']You gotta love the fact that Harbs had the fire, passion, Will, heart, guts, balls, whatever u want to call it, to come out and make his intentions known on National TV.

We are looking to build a DyNasty in Baltimore is what he said. and to make that even better the team actually starting laying the foundation to that DyNasty last year, now lets see if we can build on it.[/quote]

i have the speech recorded on my phone! whenever i listen to it i get so excited! cant wait till september!

[#1 D]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' post='195402' date='May 27 2009, 09:19 AM']You gotta love the fact that Harbs had the fire, passion, Will, heart, guts, balls, whatever u want to call it, to come out and make his intentions known on National TV.

We are looking to build a DyNasty in Baltimore is what he said. and to make that even better the team actually starting laying the foundation to that DyNasty last year, now lets see if we can build on it.[/quote]

wow, that's inspiring. It started with Joe Flacco and freshness in Ray Rice, and eventually the O-line will become elite...after that the WR's will show up, and all the planets will line up

[darklight1216]

[quote name='#1falconfan' post='195590' date='May 28 2009, 01:41 AM']Trust me I know what you are going through, we haven't had back to back winning seasons ever.[/quote]
We are no where near that point. But your reminding us that other teams have so much worse is encouraging.

[quote name='ravensorioleshoyas522155' post='195905' date='May 29 2009, 08:03 PM']i have the speech recorded on my phone! whenever i listen to it i get so excited! cant wait till september![/quote]
Where can I find that speech? I've never heard it before.

[Reddawn36]

[quote name='1/28/01' post='195139' date='May 26 2009, 01:06 PM']yes, 10 wins is a winning season. dude was just saying that he believes our totals wins will be more than 10 on top of just having a winning season[/quote]

ya i just reread it lol, i missed the "only" so it read like not having a winning season, that was my bad lol

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='darklight1216' post='195955' date='May 29 2009, 11:01 PM']We are no where near that point. But your reminding us that other teams have so much worse is encouraging.


Where can I find that speech? I've never heard it before.[/quote]

It wasn't really a speech, it was more so a statement he made to the media before the first Steelers game. They did a quick interview before the game and Harbs made this comment.

"We're going to be a dynasty," said Harbaugh earlier this season. "If you're not willing to say it out loud, how do you expect to get there?"

Here are a few articles that mention the quote.

[url="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/78041-ravens-throwing-away-old-script/page/2"]Browns game article[/url]


Of course u have the Sun being negative.

[url="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2008/10/speak_softly_harbaugh.html"]Baltimore Sun[/url]

[darklight1216]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' post='195970' date='May 29 2009, 11:30 PM']It wasn't really a speech, it was more so a statement he made to the media before the first Steelers game. They did a quick interview before the game and Harbs made this comment.

"We're going to be a dynasty," said Harbaugh earlier this season. "If you're not willing to say it out loud, how do you expect to get there?"

Here are a few articles that mention the quote.

[url="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/78041-ravens-throwing-away-old-script/page/2"]Browns game article[/url]


Of course u have the Sun being negative.

[url="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2008/10/speak_softly_harbaugh.html"]Baltimore Sun[/url][/quote]
Wow, he's gutsy. Thanks for the links.

[lowrider]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' post='195970' date='May 29 2009, 11:30 PM']It wasn't really a speech, it was more so a statement he made to the media before the first Steelers game. They did a quick interview before the game and Harbs made this comment.

"We're going to be a dynasty," said Harbaugh earlier this season. "If you're not willing to say it out loud, how do you expect to get there?"

Here are a few articles that mention the quote.

[url="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/78041-ravens-throwing-away-old-script/page/2"]Browns game article[/url]


Of course u have the Sun being negative.

[url="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2008/10/speak_softly_harbaugh.html"]Baltimore Sun[/url][/quote]
Gotta love the attitude. Harbaugh expects greatness from his players. He knows the potential is there and is not scared to do whatever it takes to push his players.

[ROH522155]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' post='195970' date='May 29 2009, 10:30 PM']It wasn't really a speech, it was more so a statement he made to the media before the first Steelers game. They did a quick interview before the game and Harbs made this comment.

"We're going to be a dynasty," said Harbaugh earlier this season. "If you're not willing to say it out loud, how do you expect to get there?"

Here are a few articles that mention the quote.

[url="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/78041-ravens-throwing-away-old-script/page/2"]Browns game article[/url]


Of course u have the Sun being negative.

[url="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2008/10/speak_softly_harbaugh.html"]Baltimore Sun[/url][/quote]


we're thinkin of different things. im talkin about his post afccg speech

[Beninato]

[quote name='lowrider' post='195979' date='May 30 2009, 12:21 AM']Gotta love the attitude. Harbaugh expects greatness from his players. He knows the potential is there and is not scared to do whatever it takes to push his players.[/quote]

Agreed, and Harbaugh believes and the thing is it's a realistic outlook. Our defense is young in so many positions and if we truly did strike gold with Flacco we have the makings of the next Colts or Patriots.

[darklight1216]

[quote name='ravensorioleshoyas522155' post='196278' date='May 31 2009, 06:35 PM']we're thinkin of different things. im talkin about his post afccg speech[/quote]
Oh is that the one where he says: There is nothing that feels worse than this [loss] and nothing that will motivate you more than this. We're going to be a dynasty; do you understand that? Does everyone in here understand that?

Ehh or something to that affect.

[quote name='Beninato' post='196280' date='May 31 2009, 06:43 PM']Agreed, and Harbaugh believes and the thing is it's a realistic outlook. Our defense is young in so many positions and if we truly did strike gold with Flacco we have the makings of the next Colts or Patriots.[/quote]
No, the Colts and the Patriots are going to wish that they were the next Ravens.

[JEEPercreepermd]

[quote name='darklight1216' post='196387' date='Jun 1 2009, 07:38 AM']Oh is that the one where he says: There is nothing that feels worse than this [loss] and nothing that will motivate you more than this. We're going to be a dynasty; do you understand that? Does everyone in here understand that?

Ehh or something to that affect.


No, the Colts and the Patriots are going to wish that they were the next Ravens.[/quote]

HERE HERE!!!!!!!

[slugz1]

[quote name='rastaman831226' post='195124' date='May 26 2009, 11:51 AM']Let's not kid ourselves. DEFENSE has saved this franchise for years and kudos should rightfully go to DC's Lewis, Nolan, and Ryan. And greater kudos should be given to Ozzie and the FO crew for what we've learned with the transition from Billick to Harbaugh is that it certainly was not the lack of talent on the offensive side of the ball that made us inconsistant but lack of consistant good coaching stemming from the "Offensive Genius". Again, defense has always been consistantly good while offense has always been consistantly bad during the "Billick Years" and what Harbaugh and Cam proved so quickly last year was that a slight realignment of talent on hand coupled with some creative playcalling turned this offense from fledgling to deadly dangerous. Therefore any inconsistancy of record has to be lain at the feet of our old head coach, Brian Billick.[/quote]
Just imagine if harbs and cam was here when we had Ogden. We still had gaither at the time too. Our line would hae been beastin

[Beninato]

[quote name='darklight1216' post='196387' date='Jun 1 2009, 07:38 AM']No, the Colts and the Patriots are going to wish that they were the next Ravens.[/quote]

You know what, I hope that's the truth!

[ROH522155]

[quote name='darklight1216' post='196387' date='Jun 1 2009, 06:38 AM']Oh is that the one where he says: There is nothing that feels worse than this [loss] and nothing that will motivate you more than this. We're going to be a dynasty; do you understand that? Does everyone in here understand that?

Ehh or something to that affect.[/quote]

yes