ESPN: Ravens see Derrick Henry as their missing Super Bowl piece

https://www.espn.com...l-missing-piece

Yeah, good chance he'll be missing come play-off time.  SMH

I guess I am in the minority, but I don't see it.  Not that I don't think Derrick Henry will do well with the Ravens.  He will.  But I just don't see the missing piece being a more expensive RB added to a team that was 2nd in the entire league last year in rushing.  They have been no worse than 3rd in the league in rushing since Lamar Jackson took over.  

Last year Gus Edwards had 810 yards and 13 TDs.  Derick Henry had 1,187 yards and 12 TDs.  Is that an upgrade that pushes you to the SB?   I just don't think the production upgrade matches the money spent.  That money could have been better spent in other areas.

There are several red flags with the Ravens.  The offensive line is a big one.  Defensively they let Clowney walk after he had one of his most productive years.  I guess they are replacing him will be Ojabo, who can't stay healthy.  And the biggest flag is the loss of McDonald.  Orr may become a very good DC, but he has never had this position before and he has a learning curve to go through on a team that is in the middle of their SB window.  

I think Henry will have a good year with the Ravens, but everyone thought that OBJ was the missing piece last year.  I think last year was a golden opportunity for the Ravens and Lamar Jackson to get to a SB.  They missed it losing to KC.  I think this year will be tougher.  The team is not a strong as last year.  They aren't going to lead the league in sacks, turnovers, and scoring defense like they did last year.  No team ever did that, it's unlikely a team could set that record and do it again.  Henry is a good addition, but I am skeptical that he is the "missing piece."

I guess I am in the minority

The bigger problem is that Harbs and OC put a key piece of the puzzle in their pocket right away come big game / playoff game the instant the first thing goes wrong.

There hasn't been a specific "missing piece" here for years now. Not in the sense that they lack something altogether. Harbs just suddenly forgets that he has things at his disposal and stops using them.

The times the Ravens have TRULY hit January or the golf course with a missing piece the last 5 or 6 years were because Lamar was on I.R.

It's not all Harbaugh and the OC. Lamar has Tony Romo syndrome.

Maybe I've just been conditioned to believe this, but I agree with Ravens2006. Even with my rudimentary understanding of football, it seems like the coaching staff noticeably move away from the things that get them to the post season. 

I'm happy that Lamar is a Raven, but he did his career and eventual legacy a disservice by staying in Baltimore.   

Maybe I've just been conditioned to believe this, but I agree with Ravens2006. Even with my rudimentary understanding of football, it seems like the coaching staff noticeably move away from the things that get them to the post season.

I'm happy that Lamar is a Raven, but he did his career and eventual legacy a disservice by staying in Baltimore.

There's only so many times you can blame coaches and coordinators though, right? Flacco was always getting his OCs fired. Lamar's problem was Roman, and now it's Monken, despite a wildly successful offense in the regular season.

Eventually you just have to look at the guy throwing the ball, especially when it frequently lands in the hands of the guys in the other jerseys.

I do agree that Lamar has to accept accountability for not getting to where he wants to go- the Super Bowl.  But for Lamar to be Lamar, you have to play to his and the offense's strengths, not suddenly try to become something you're not.  That to me, is on the OC and Harbaugh.  If the day ever comes where the Ravens are in another AFC Championship, and they finally stay true to their DNA as a winning football team, and Lamar STILL doesn't get them there, then yeah, maybe it's time to admit that he just can't win the big game.  Until then, it's on the coaching staff in my opinion. 

There's only so many times you can blame coaches and coordinators though, right? Flacco was always getting his OCs fired. Lamar's problem was Roman, and now it's Monken, despite a wildly successful offense in the regular season.

Eventually you just have to look at the guy throwing the ball, especially when it frequently lands in the hands of the guys in the other jerseys.

The reason I disagree here, is because the changing of the game plan happens every post season. It's as if the calendar flips to Jan, and Harbs throws away the playbook, and pulls out a totally different one. Like jamesdean said, if they ever stayed with the regular season strategy, and LJ falls apart, then it's on him. 

The reason I disagree here, is because the changing of the game plan happens every post season. It's as if the calendar flips to Jan, and Harbs throws away the playbook, and pulls out a totally different one. Like jamesdean said, if they ever stayed with the regular season strategy, and LJ falls apart, then it's on him.

Eventually you just have to look at the guy throwing the ball, especially when it frequently lands in the hands of the guys in the other jerseys.

Jackson's playoff resume failures is hyperbole to me. 

2018.. Rookie... started 1/2 the season...   

2019.. 2nd year, 59 pass attempts, and 20 rushing attempts...  it wasn't a good game for him, but he did have 500 total yards

2020.. 3rd year...  Won 1 (Tenn, he was excellent), Lost 1 (Buffalo, he was knocked out)

2021... 4th year... No Playoffs, injured

2022... 5th year... No Playoffs, injured

2023... 6th year... Won 1 (Houston), Lost 1 (KC, wasn't a good showing by him or anyone else)

Part of the knock on his resume are losses he sustained as a Rookie, and a 2nd year guy.

Had they just not made the playoffs, is the narrative with him different?

My point overall is that I don't think there is enough sample size overall to say he can't win in the post-season.
If your point overall is that you have to see it first, that's fine to me. 
That would be different to me vs. those I see on the interwebs that seem to think he can't do it. 

I do think the AFC Championship Game at home could have gone better for him... but frankly that's true for the whole team, he just (rightly) takes more flak as the team's best player. 

Does Harbaugh call the offensive plays? I thought it was exclusively on the OC.

I just used Harbaugh's name, since he's the HC. And because he's the constant. So I assume there's a strategy meeting. And it seems pretty clear that the strategy always includes the back up of shifting gears on their offensive approach.   

I just used Harbaugh's name, since he's the HC. And because he's the constant. So I assume there's a strategy meeting. And it seems pretty clear that the strategy always includes the back up of shifting gears on their offensive approach.   

Exactly, Harbaugh is the constant.  We can go WAY back to a 2011.  Primetime game in Jacksonville when they had Joe drop back to throw 41 times, and the RBs got 12 carries total, lost a game they had no business losing 12-7 to a bad Jags team and Blaine Gabbert. Another game that same year at Seattle, Flacco dropped back to pass 53 times, and the RBs got 8 carries.  WRs got a couple end arounds too. Lost by 5 to a bad Seahawks team led by the legendary Tarvaris Jackson. That 2011 team was one of their very best ever, and hosts the AFC title game instead of traveling to NE that year if they don't basically give away those two games.

These ridiculous in-game transformations that get them COMPLETELY away from what has ALWAYS been the foundation for their offensive success goes back well over a decade.  Regular season games.  Playoff games.  It happens annually in a variety of atmospheres.

There is only one constant through it all.  Can't even pin it on Tucker, he didn't get here until 2012. 

Harbs either drives this train, or he stands idly by while it goes off the rails doing nothing.  Other than making lame excuses that nobody ever really questions him on afterwards... "Well, the nature of the game / situations / whatever blah blah blah sort of dictated our play-calling" and on occasional "We'll do better and emphasize the run more cuz that's what we want to do".  It's his responsibility in the big picture.

The 2012 Superbowl run...

Vs IND:  24 Drop Backs, 29 RB attempts

@ DEN:  35 Drop Backs, 36 RB attempts

@ NE:   38 Drop Backs, 30 RB attempts

Vs SF:   35 Drop Backs, 33 RB attempts

2018.. Rookie... started 1/2 the season...
2019.. 2nd year, 59 pass attempts, and 20 rushing attempts... it wasn't a good game for him, but he did have 500 total yards
2020.. 3rd year... Won 1 (Tenn, he was excellent), Lost 1 (Buffalo, he was knocked out)
2021... 4th year... No Playoffs, injured
2022... 5th year... No Playoffs, injured
2023... 6th year... Won 1 (Houston), Lost 1 (KC, wasn't a good showing by him or anyone else)

They werent superior to KC. No one is with Mahomes on the other side. Ridiculous statement.