304 replies to this topic

[Mike in STL]

Best that I can tell with all the moves this week. The Ravens have 45 active players, considering 2 are ruled out (Stanley, Wolfe). And 4 are out on COVID protocols (Ferguson, BWill, Madibuike, Houston). 

 

On the practice squad, Andre Smith (T), Josh Bynes (LB), Kevon Seymour (CB), and Kahlil McKenzie (DT) are COVID replacements, and do not count against the two players the Ravens can still elevate from the PS for gameday.

 

So that gives them 49 active players, two more to add to get to 51, and three more to deem inactive today, joining Stanley and Wolfe, to get down to 48 for the game.

 

Denver sports reporter Mike Klis said that Nate McCrary was released from the Broncos PS and coming back to the Ravens, but I haven't seen anything official that the Ravens have added him yet. 

[Mike B]

Best that I can tell with all the moves this week. The Ravens have 45 active players, considering 2 are ruled out (Stanley, Wolfe). And 4 are out on COVID protocols (Ferguson, BWill, Madibuike, Houston). 

 

On the practice squad, Andre Smith (T), Josh Bynes (LB), Kevon Seymour (CB), and Kahlil McKenzie (DT) are COVID replacements, and do not count against the two players the Ravens can still elevate from the PS for gameday.

 

So that gives them 49 active players, two more to add to get to 51, and three more to deem inactive today, joining Stanley and Wolfe, to get down to 48 for the game.

 

Denver sports reporter Mike Klis said that Nate McCrary was released from the Broncos PS and coming back to the Ravens, but I haven't seen anything official that the Ravens have added him yet. 

Supposedly, McCrary is back, but will not be in the castle until tomorrow.

[jamesdean]

Supposedly, McCrary is back, but will not be in the castle until tomorrow.

When I first heard that yesterday, I was thinking I'd rather see Williams and McCrary out there than Murray and Freeman. 

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Murray at least is a powerish back. When he gets going north/south he is ok. Freeman looks bad to me.

[Biggsy]

Murray at least is a powerish back. When he gets going north/south he is ok. Freeman looks bad to me.

Murray is not ok, no matter what direction he is going.

Murray is averaging 3.5 YPC, with a long run of 8 yards. He averages 2.5 yards after contact. And he's forced all of 1 missed tackle in 3 games.

Williams on the other hand is averaging 6.1 YPC on one less carry than Murray. Averages 3.52 yards after contact. Has 5 forced missed tackles, and has been superior as a pass catcher and a pass protector. (Murray has a PFF rating of 28.1 as a pass blocker, to Williams 85 rating.) Not to mention Williams has 5 runs of 10+ already.


Williams has been so much better in every area. It's frustrating to watch Roman try and force the ball into Murray and Freemans hands.

This brings up an even bigger issue. Teams will stop worrying about the RB at all on read options. The read option has been great with Lamar simply because teams had to worry about Dobbins and Edwards as RB's. It caused headaches at the mesh point for defenders because they had to decide whether to let Dobbins or Edwards get the ball and possibly get a huge gain, or hope your teammates could stop Lamar.

With Murray or Freeman on those plays, as a defender, I'm taking out Lamar 100% of the time. I'll let Murray or Freeman plod for 2 yards or less and fall down on first contact every single time. That's the biggest issue with Roman idiotically trying to use those two consistently.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Murray is here to stay. He got 2 mil. Hes been productive every year in the NFL. Look Im not going to complain if they want to give Williams 15-20 carries a game provided he holds onto the ball. Just saying Murray will be here and get touches and for now he deserves the chance to find his footing on this team. Now the Freeman touches I dont get. Those should go to Williams and if not him they need to give Bell a look. I dont have a clue the kind of shape he is in but my gut tells me Bell can be a good back still.

[Biggsy]

Murray is here to stay. He got 2 mil. Hes been productive every year in the NFL. Look Im not going to complain if they want to give Williams 15-20 carries a game provided he holds onto the ball. Just saying Murray will be here and get touches and for now he deserves the chance to find his footing on this team. Now the Freeman touches I dont get. Those should go to Williams and if not him they need to give Bell a look. I dont have a clue the kind of shape he is in but my gut tells me Bell can be a good back still.

I'm interested in Bell as well. I think Freeman is the placeholder until he is in "game shape". I'm fine with Murray being on the team. I'm fine with Murray in a back-up, complementary role. I am not fine with Murray being our 1a or 1b back. He just isn't good. The numbers through 3 games show that. I don't think Williams is Dalvin Cook or CMC. But he is 100% the best healthy RB on this roster. And it's really not even close.

[JStruds]

Murray is here to stay. He got 2 mil. Hes been productive every year in the NFL. Look Im not going to complain if they want to give Williams 15-20 carries a game provided he holds onto the ball. Just saying Murray will be here and get touches and for now he deserves the chance to find his footing on this team. Now the Freeman touches I dont get. Those should go to Williams and if not him they need to give Bell a look. I dont have a clue the kind of shape he is in but my gut tells me Bell can be a good back still.

Think I heard a Harbaugh quote during a pregame show to the effect that Bell has been looking good in practices. Not convinced he can be the primary back, but him and Williams could be a strong enough duo to help the team do what they do best.

[The Epic]

Think I heard a Harbaugh quote during a pregame show to the effect that Bell has been looking good in practices. Not convinced he can be the primary back, but him and Williams could be a strong enough duo to help the team do what they do best.

 

If all Bell is is a capable third down back that can be a running and receiving option, that's an incredible wrinkle.

 

If Lamar is consistently hitting outside and we have a back that can hit crisp wheel routes? Man stop. That's a damn cheat code.

[Biggsy]

If all Bell is is a capable third down back that can be a running and receiving option, that's an incredible wrinkle.

If Lamar is consistently hitting outside and we have a back that can hit crisp wheel routes? Man stop. That's a damn cheat code.

The problem is, if you don't have a threat on the inside runs, teams will key on taking the Lamar outside run away. If I'm an opposing defense, I'm saying thank you to Roman every single time I see Murray in the backfield. At that point just key on Lamar, take him out, and let Murray get his 1 or 2 yards and put the Ravens behind the sticks.

Hopefully Bell still has some juice left and can be a shot in the arm to the running game.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The other problem is, he wasn't anything like that for KC. Or NY. My expectations remain less than zero for Bell.

[Biggsy]

The other problem is, he wasn't anything like that for KC. Or NY. My expectations remain less than zero for Bell.

I give him a pass in NY. Gase is possibly the worst coach ever. And they had absolutely no O-line. KC, when he was given opportunities, he wasn't bad. He averages 4 YPC. I think his style just didn't fit Reid's offense.

[Mackus]

I give him a pass in NY. Gase is possibly the worst coach ever. And they had absolutely no O-line. KC, when he was given opportunities, he wasn't bad. He averages 4 YPC. I think his style just didn't fit Reid's offense.

 

I'm curious what about his style you think doesn't fit Andy Reid?  Reid seems to always excel with fast backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield (Westbrook, McCoy, Charles).  Is there such a difference in styles even among fast guys who run good routes that Bell wouldn't be a fit if otherwise he was still pretty good?  I know Bell had that reputation of being a very patient runner, maybe you think Reid's offense is one where the back needs to hit the holes fast.  In other words, do you think prime Bell would have been worse for Reid than he was for Pittsburgh and worse than the aforementioned guys were in Reid's offense?

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Bell was producing enough by the end of the year in KC. Not sure why he was left off the playoff roster. Im thinking it was not a performance reason

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Bell was producing enough by the end of the year in KC considering his limited touched. Not sure why he was left off the playoff roster. Im thinking it was not a performance reason

[Biggsy]

I'm curious what about his style you think doesn't fit Andy Reid? Reid seems to always excel with fast backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield (Westbrook, McCoy, Charles). Is there such a difference in styles even among fast guys who run good routes that Bell wouldn't be a fit if otherwise he was still pretty good? I know Bell had that reputation of being a very patient runner, maybe you think Reid's offense is one where the back needs to hit the holes fast. In other words, do you think prime Bell would have been worse for Reid than he was for Pittsburgh and worse than the aforementioned guys were in Reid's offense?

You said it yourself, Charles, Westbrook, McCoy. They're all smaller, get the ball and go types. Bell isn't that type. He's patient, he let's his blocks set up and let's the defense rush to their responsibilities, then he hits the hole, or the cutback. I'm not sure how his style will mesh in this offense. But he always had great vision, and he was very agile. He just never had the long speed or the lateral agility of backs that Reid likes to employ.

Also, I think it's important to note that CEH was a great receiving back his last year at LSU. Reid almost never throws to him. So Reid very clearly does not value receiving backs as much as he used to.

[Mackus]

Also, I think it's important to note that CEH was a great receiving back his last year at LSU. Reid almost never throws to him. So Reid very clearly does not value receiving backs as much as he used to.

 

I don't agree that your conclusion here is actually clear.  Probably says more about Edwards-Helaire than about Reid.  Being a great receiving back in college doesn't necessarily mean you'll be even a passable receiving back in the pros.  Plenty of running backs fail to live up to expectations based on college performance.  Maybe also says something about Mahomes and his preferences and strengths, his ability to evade pressure and make plays downfield likely leads to fewer checkdown opportunities to the back.

[jamesdean]

I would value Bell's receiving talents more than him fitting in as a runner within the Ravens various schemes.  I doubt tippy-toeing while waiting for a hole to open is best suited with the more explosive type plays the Ravens run.  But if he can average 4-4.5 yards a carry, I'd be content.  Williams should be getting the bulk of the carries regardless but if Bell can relieve him and help keep the chains moving, I don't think you can ask for much more at this point in his career.  

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I would value Bell's receiving talents more than him fitting in as a runner within the Ravens various schemes. I doubt tippy-toeing while waiting for a hole to open is best suited with the more explosive type plays the Ravens run. But if he can average 4-4.5 yards a carry, I'd be content. Williams should be getting the bulk of the carries regardless but if Bell can relieve him and help keep the chains moving, I don't think you can ask for much more at this point in his career.

The tippy toeing complaint is way overstated about him. If the hole is there hits it.

[Mike B]

Sounds like the Broncos have their injury problems,

Not that Ravens want to hear complaints about injuries and we'll see about Glasgow and Risner tests today but Broncos will be down 5 and possibly 7 starters for game Sunday: Jeudy, Hamler, Risner, Glasgow, Darby, Chubb, Jewell. #9sports