734 replies to this topic

[bnickle]

Of the 8 wins in the last 22 games, only the Bills in week 1 (now 4-2) and the 2 Steelers wins from 2015, one where Ben didn't play and they weren't injury riddled yet, are their only wins against teams over .500.

To your other point, it's on the coaching staff to make adjustments based on injuries. I mean, if Jimmy Smith misses next week, are they going to allow 200 yards to Brandon Marshall too? You can't say no other team is better from 1-53 on the roster then the Ravens, when James Hurst is on the roster. When Beckham damn near sets a franchise record for receiving yards the second Jimmy Smith leaves the game. When they can't generate any pressure on a four man rush, and those guys are starters. Not injury fill-ins.

It's not as simple as "if they were healthy, some more of these close games are wins." It runs much deeper than that. Coaching, play calling, timeout usage, lack of creativity. I would love it if just once from the goal line they line up 5 wide, then run a draw. Or line up a jumbo set, then play action pass it. Or use your fullback for what fullbacks do. Get one tough yard. They don't even do that.

They make a lot of boneheaded coaching decisions. Usually after the fact we find out they were clueless at the time. Like when Harbaugh thought a 9 point deficit meant it was a one score game. Saying we didn't abandon the run when that is literally exactly what they did. Not knowing the difference in aggressiveness and trickery, and a myriad of others mentioned over and over again.

He'll make any excuse for the Ravens while throwing the O's under the bus for made up SG reasons.

[SportsGuy]

I didn't say no one is more talented 1-53. I said there aren't many teams that are definitively better 1-53.

I agree coaching decisions are an issue. I also believe that a team that is decimated by injuries means the coaching staff will take chances on some plays vs when you are totally healthy. Plus, I also think you are wrong about some of these 4th down calls. You are too conservative in most situations IMO.

Again, we sit here and nitpick the hell out of this team because we watch them and know them. Look at the rest of the league. It's not like many teams are setting the world on fire. There is a lot of mediocrity out there.

The Ravens can contend in the AFC..:but they can't when they are totally decimated by injuries to their best players. They are better than the Giants. They almost beat them today missing 3/5 of their starting Oline, best WR, beat ILB, best corner for half the game..:not to mention other guys who didn't play and/or got hurt in the game. That tells me they are the superior team but that is too much to realistically overcome.

This team is a 7-10 win team...the spread there is dictated by injuries and luck. We will see how that pans out as the year goes on.

[SportsGuy]

He'll make any excuse for the Ravens while throwing the O's under the bus for made up SG reasons.

Isn't there a funeral you can go to for your enjoyment?

[SportsGuy]

Speaking of luck...we may miss Big Ben in a few weeks.

Whatever...win next week. Jets aren't good either and they play tomorrow. Get the W and get to the bye.

[bnickle]

They won the turnover battle 3-0. Two of which put the Ravens in immediate scoring position. Got a PI break. A roughing the passer penalty , etc etc.  We still lost against a shitty team. Where is the accountability. What happened to Next man up??

[SportsGuy]

They won the turnover battle 3-0. Two of which put the Ravens in immediate scoring position. We still lost against a shitty team. Where is the accountability. What happened to Next man up??

Yea that's terrible. That speaks to the myriad of mistakes this team makes. That's where I'm cool with the bashing of Harbs.

Btw...Giants had 17 carries for 38 yards and again, the third down defense was excellent. Of course, the 3rd down offense was shit.

And it's tough to have 10 next man up. I mean really, the Oline played a lot better than any of us could have hoped for. It still wasn't good on that right side but it was better than it could have been.

Just so many key penalties.

[Mike in STL]

I didn't say no one is more talented 1-53. I said there aren't many teams that are definitively better 1-53.

Ok. My bad. Can we say 1-52? Because I'm pretty certain Hurst is the worst player on any roster. 

[JordanKough]

Of course, the 3rd down offense was shit.

 

I wonder what the average 3rd down distance was. Felt like it was 1st and 20 or 2nd and 20 way too many times. We didn't convert on a few big opportunities that were shorter, but it felt like we did a much better job of stuffing the 3rd and medium to shorts on the Giants in addition to the 3rd and longs. Where they really seemed to benefit from us just shooting ourselves in the foot. Also, lots of drops on first down I feel like...

 

RE: Nickle. Losing your All Pro ILB, your All Pro RG, your starting tackles and your best CB and your best WR it's all well and good to say next man up. But come on. And the turnover battle wasn't 3-0, it was more realistically 2-0. Given the last one ended the half. And to point to the PI and act like the refs weren't calling the game incredibly tight, I also feel like would be wrong...

 

Also, is Pitt more talented than Philly and the Dolphins? Can they win without Ben? Where was their next man up? 

 

It's pathetic, but we're only 1 game back of the AFC North top spot. And with the Pats drawing Pitt without Ben, and us drawing the Jets we could theoretically tie them for that spot. 

 

This team sucks. Don't get me wrong, but Rob is right, the mediocrity of the league is clear. And that leaves us in a better chance to get back in this. Plus, we get head to head games against the teams ahead of us or fighting against us. We still control our own destiny. I have no faith they will claim it...but I'm not ready to declare the season dead, particularly if Ben is out for more than 4 weeks. 

[Mackus]

They won the turnover battle 3-0. Two of which put the Ravens in immediate scoring position. Got a PI break. A roughing the passer penalty , etc etc.  We still lost against a shitty team. Where is the accountability. What happened to Next man up??

 

Agree.  Depth is bad at some critical spots, specifically offensive line and secondary.

 

I think the coaching issues - in-game decision making, the general carelessness of many of the players resulting in a exorbitant number of penalties, and struggles of the special teams units that are entirely the coverage units that can fall entirely on coaching and not an individual's performance - are a big factor in why we're 3-3 and not 4-2 or 5-1 considering our soft schedule, but the depth problems are as big of a factor if not moreso.  Injuries are a factor, IMO, mostly because they expose the lack of depth at the spots we've had most of the injuries (though we've overcome WR, RB, and TE injuries because of solid depth there).

 

I think the good players on the team are all playing reasonably well.  The problem is the bottom half of the roster, not the top half.

[SportsGuy]

Agree.  Depth is bad at some critical spots, specifically offensive line and secondary.

 

I think the coaching issues - in-game decision making, the general carelessness of many of the players resulting in a exorbitant number of penalties, and struggles of the special teams units that are entirely the coverage units that can fall entirely on coaching and not an individual's performance - are a big factor in why we're 3-3 and not 4-2 or 5-1 considering our soft schedule, but the depth problems are as big of a factor if not moreso.  Injuries are a factor, IMO, mostly because they expose the lack of depth at the spots we've had most of the injuries (though we've overcome WR, RB, and TE injuries because of solid depth there).

 

I think the good players on the team are all playing reasonably well.  The problem is the bottom half of the roster, not the top half.

I don't even think its the bottom half.  Its more like the bottom third.  The problem is, the bottom third needs to be in there right now and that's a problem.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I don't even think its the bottom half.  Its more like the bottom third.  The problem is, the bottom third needs to be in there right now and that's a problem.

It's not a horrible roster, but there isn't much exceptional / All-Pro talent, the depth isn't good enough... and the positions which are thin are real liabilities.

[SportsGuy]

It's not a horrible roster, but there isn't much exceptional / All-Pro talent, the depth isn't good enough... and the positions which are thin are real liabilities.

Right...its goes back to playmakers.

 

Jeff Z was talking on Twitter how the Ravens could have had Ramsey if they offered their 1 and 3 instead of their 1 and 4.  If thats the guy you wanted (and it was), you had to give up the 3rd IMO.  

 

Lewis has played well enough at LT that having him and Ramsey over Stanley and Koufasi is good enough for me.

 

Plus, you could have had Jack and maybe not draft Willie Henry...Especially since Henry can't get on the field and Pierce has been so solid.

 

Jack and Ramsey makes this team better.  It gives them 2 playmakers on defense.  This team looks a lot different with them right now IMO.

[Mackus]

I'm fine with the decision to not move up and draft Ramsey, though similarly would've been fine had they made the move.  I think in retrospect, if they knew that Miami was gonna overpay to move up in the 2nd, they'd have made the deal with their 3rd round pick and taken Ramsey.

 

Jack I'm still annoyed with.  I could live with it if it was a medical decision and they took him off their board until day 3 or something.  But I don't understand how a top-10 talent can be lowered to mid-2nd instead of early-mid 2nd.  I don't get that dividing line, which is where they said they dropped him to.  I'm not much of a scout, but I think it would have been wise to take him instead of Correa.

 

However, Orr has been fantastic and Mosley has looked like he did his rookie year so far this year.  So I don't know how much of an impact adding another possibly stud MLB would have changed things.  Getting a guy they thought could rush the passer may have been a reasonable priority there.   But, that would be going against the BPA mindset, and taking a lesser player at a position of need over the clearly superior talent in Jack.

[SportsGuy]

I'm fine with the decision to not move up and draft Ramsey, though similarly would've been fine had they made the move. I think in retrospect, if they knew that Miami was gonna overpay to move up in the 2nd, they'd have made the deal with their 3rd round pick and taken Ramsey.

Jack I'm still annoyed with. I could live with it if it was a medical decision and they took him off their board until day 3 or something. But I don't understand how a top-10 talent can be lowered to mid-2nd instead of early-mid 2nd. I don't get that dividing line, which is where they said they dropped him to. I'm not much of a scout, but I think it would have been wise to take him instead of Correa.

However, Orr has been fantastic and Mosley has looked like he did his rookie year so far this year. So I don't know how much of an impact adding another possibly stud MLB would have changed things. Getting a guy they thought could rush the passer may have been a reasonable priority there. But, that would be going against the BPA mindset, and taking a lesser player at a position of need over the clearly superior talent in Jack.

Especially since we found out that the ravens still valued Jack very highly.

And yes Orr has been good but still, having Jack on the team would better.

I was happy with getting Correa but it is disappointing that your high second round pick can't even get on the field.

[BSLChrisStoner]

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