3122 replies to this topic

[ivanbalt]

Doesn’t change the point but I feel like getting the first round bye should count for a win. Or something. Flacco having the most road playoff wins is…something. It just means Brady, Manning, Montana, won their division and were best in conference a lot more.

Somehow they are 2-1 without LJ. Hasn’t been pretty. The kickers canceled each other out last night. Even if they convert those 4th downs, no guarantee it puts points on the board. I’m just going to count our lucky stars and get back to being critical when LJ is back.

Agree on Huntley. Not just Purdy, but look at Cooper Rush when Dak Prescott went down early on. Went 4-1, pretty convincingly? Huntley is not good. I would have liked someone real to challenge him for the backup role, like drafting a QB instead of a punter (a bad one by the way) in round 4.

I think they like the story that he knows LJ from high school. They like guys with stories a lot lately, that really don’t mean anything. John Urschel, Keenan Reynolds. Others I’m blanking on at the moment.

To be fair, Cooper Rush was basically Trent Dilfor when he started.  Simple game management because the running game was going and the defense was playing out of their minds.  The Eagles game pretty much exposed what he is. 

[PrimeTime]

Harbaugh has also had multiple years with either a talented roster failing to make the playoffs or
an early playoff exit. He has only two playoff wins since the 2012 SB. Two, in ten years! 2019 was their best chance by a country mile, yet we all know what happened that year.

This year is shaping up like typical Harbaugh football. They still need to win one, maybe two, more just to make the playoffs. If it comes down to that final game and they fall short yet again, I hope Biscotti cleans house.

Regarding Huntley, if he is so bad why is he on the roster? That's a Harbaugh decision. Look what Brock Purdy is doing in SF. Shanahan has coached him up and did a great job. The kid looks prepared. Huntley, like so many other Raven players under Harbaugh, is crapping the bed. This ready to play narrative is a myth. Maybe early Harbaugh teams that was true. In the past ten years I just see underachieving teams with injury excuses. Time for Harbaugh to go.

 

What does everyone expect out of backup quarterback? There aren't even 32 good starting QBs in the league and the Ravens are supposed to somehow have 2 good ones.....isn't that a bit unrealistic to expect? And how exactly is it Harbaugh's fault that the backup quarterback isn't good enough to be a starter? That's an odd argument to make. The situation in San Francisco is not the norm by any stretch. Credit to Shanahan, he's a good offensive mind but to use that situation as an indictment of Harbaugh is off base.

 

What teams have underachieved in the Harbaugh era? Simply because a team doesn't make the playoffs, it doesn't mean they've underachieved based on their talent level. The backend of the Flacco era was plagued by the same issues, lack of skill position talent on offense. The inability to draft and develop WRs is an organizational issue that has been consistent since 1996. Also, worth noting, Ozzie Newsome only used 4 day 1 and day 2 picks COMBINED on offensive players in the 5 drafts after SB 47. Those 4 players were Ronnie Stanley, Breshad Perriman, Maxx Williams and Crockett Gilmore. I don't know how talented those teams were.

 

And you can say what you want about injuries but when starters get hurt, the team's performance will suffer. "Next man up" is a great slogan for a T-shirt but the reality is when your talent level drops, it's more difficult to win. So you can call injuries an "excuse" if you want but overcoming injuries is quite difficult because back ups are back ups for a reason.

 

Sometimes, change for the sake of change needs to happen and I will hear that argument but when you move on from a HOF or very near HOF coach, you better have a good plan in place.     

[Ravens2006]

I get the fact that injuries deplete a team.  Starters are usually starters for a reason (they're some number of degrees better than the guys behind them on the depth chart).  I'm VERY willing to give a staff some passes / cut them a lot of slack for dealing with a decimated roster.  Hell, I've long maintained that Belichick isn't nearly the guru / genius he's painted as without the obvious, and he probably gets fired in New England at the end of 2001 if Drew Bledsoe doesn't get knocked silly.

 

There's a salary cap, and the Ravens front office uses it how they choose to.  They haven't invested heavily in the WR position, and the OL is usually better at "maul blocking" in the run game than pass blocking.  Last year's OL was weaker than usual / ideal to start, and got further hurt by injuries as the games went by.  

 

What I don't see is Harbaugh (and company) doing what's best for the team to still maximize their chances CONSISTENTLY.  Saturday as one example in countless at this point, running rough-shod over the Browns defense on the ground all day, looking at first-and-10 at the Browns 15... maybe keep riding Dobbins and Edwards the next 3 (or 4) snaps.  Because that's what they were doing best.  Sure, the chances of one of them breaking off a TD run right away are smaller because the defense has less ground to worry about on the back end (although the complete lack of any downfield passing attempts might have made that a moot point no matter where they were)... but that's still your BEST WEAPON.  Huntley has proven he CAN'T DELIVER with his arm in the redzone.  Roll the dice with your strength, and if they stop it, tip your cap.  The Ravens gained plus yardage on 95% of the Gus / JK attempts Saturday.  Keep driving that train.  

 

These "headset" mistakes are critical, and consistent, and hurt the team every week.

[PrimeTime]

I will never understand the play selection from the coaching staff when we get behind. It's remarkable how the panic sets in and the running backs can't get off the bench.

I have wondered why Harbaugh doesn't get on the headset and tell Roman to run the ball. This week was particularly egregious in that respect.

[Biggsy]

What does everyone expect out of backup quarterback? There aren't even 32 good starting QBs in the league and the Ravens are supposed to somehow have 2 good ones.....isn't that a bit unrealistic to expect? And how exactly is it Harbaugh's fault that the backup quarterback isn't good enough to be a starter? That's an odd argument to make. The situation in San Francisco is not the norm by any stretch. Credit to Shanahan, he's a good offensive mind but to use that situation as an indictment of Harbaugh is off base.

What teams have underachieved in the Harbaugh era? Simply because a team doesn't make the playoffs, it doesn't mean they've underachieved based on their talent level. The backend of the Flacco era was plagued by the same issues, lack of skill position talent on offense. The inability to draft and develop WRs is an organizational issue that has been consistent since 1996. Also, worth noting, Ozzie Newsome only used 4 day 1 and day 2 picks COMBINED on offensive players in the 5 drafts after SB 47. Those 4 players were Ronnie Stanley, Breshad Perriman, Maxx Williams and Crockett Gilmore. I don't know how talented those teams were.

And you can say what you want about injuries but when starters get hurt, the team's performance will suffer. "Next man up" is a great slogan for a T-shirt but the reality is when your talent level drops, it's more difficult to win. So you can call injuries an "excuse" if you want but overcoming injuries is quite difficult because back ups are back ups for a reason.

Sometimes, change for the sake of change needs to happen and I will hear that argument but when you move on from a HOF or very near HOF coach, you better have a good plan in place.

I don't think the issue most have is with Huntley's lack of talent. It's that the coaching staff knows he's limited, and despite a phenomenal running attack that was getting 9 YPC against a bad run defense, they didn't continue to run it down their throats. Also doesn't help that the turnovers also happened on passing plays.

It was a 1 possession game for a lot of the game. We ran a horrible FB dive on 4th and 1. We threw an INT on a doomed 3 yard slant on 3rd and 10 at the 15. Not to mention that drive stalled at the 15, because we decided to stop running it, and chose to throw on 1st down, where Huntley took a terrible sack.

I'm not expecting Huntley to come in and be Aaron Rodgers. But I expect him to make smart plays. I expect him to manage a game, and hit the gimmies.

[Mackus]

Why was the FB dive horrible?

I agree it's not the play I'd go with, it's too cute, but calling it horrible is silly. That's hyperbole.

[bmore_ken]

Why was the FB dive horrible?

I agree it's not the play I'd go with, it's too cute, but calling it horrible is silly. That's hyperbole.

I guess I wouldn't say horrible, but why not give it to the one of the guys who hammered the  D all game long with the FB blocking? I  guess Roman in his infinite legend in his own mind persona called himself surprising them.

[jamesdean]

Why was the FB dive horrible?
I agree it's not the play I'd go with, it's too cute, but calling it horrible is silly. That's hyperbole.

Actually, I'd like to see them use Richard more often in designed runs. Having a 300 lb. battering ram running into you several times would be a nice cherry on top after a full course of Dobbins and Edwards. That particular play, though, I would have sent Edwards into the line.

[Biggsy]

Why was the FB dive horrible?

I agree it's not the play I'd go with, it's too cute, but calling it horrible is silly. That's hyperbole.

You have a stacked defensive line, that's firing off of the ball. Ricard is 300 lbs, and very slow to get moving. You have Dobbins and Edwards blowing through them at will. Why call a FB dive? If a straight dive is the call, why not give it to Edwards who has superior vision, is quicker to the line, and very rarely ever goes backwards?

[Mackus]

You have a stacked defensive line, that's firing off of the ball. Ricard is 300 lbs, and very slow to get moving. You have Dobbins and Edwards blowing through them at will. Why call a FB dive? If a straight dive is the call, why not give it to Edwards who has superior vision, is quicker to the line, and very rarely ever goes backwards?

Agree an Edwards run is better, that is my preferred option, and said as much. Just disagree with calling the Ricard play horrible. It's not, that goes too far. You don't have to say every call is either brilliant or horrendous. There is tons of middle ground, and that was a middle ground playcall, IMO.

It's a fine play. And the timing to call it was ok. Its not awesome, I think it's a mis-direction type call (in a "look-over-here" sense, not a football sense). You're trying to do something they don't expect and take advantage of them trying to stop other threats. It's worked in identical situations in the past. It didn't work this time.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Why was the FB dive horrible?

I agree it's not the play I'd go with, it's too cute, but calling it horrible is silly. That's hyperbole.

You really asking a fan why they Monday Morning QB and exaggerate in their post

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Gut tells me they try to steal one more week without Lamar. Its dangerous because the Atl game is easily their easiest left on the schedule and they surely only need 1 more win to lock up a playoff berth. All depends on how Lamar is dealing with the injury and whether an extra week will make much of a difference

[BaltBird 24]

Atlanta is the must win. Pittsburgh should be a win at home, but that game could be a toss up. Cincinnati is going to be tough.

[Steve55]

The 1/2 MNF Bills/Bengals game could decide the top seed for the playoffs..

[TwentyThirtyFive]

The 1/2 MNF Bills/Bengals game could decide the top seed for the playoffs..

TOugh to see KC losing again. 2 of the last 3 at home .The road game is at Oak. Bills will need think they need to win out to get the #1

[cprenegade]

Gut tells me they try to steal one more week without Lamar. Its dangerous because the Atl game is easily their easiest left on the schedule and they surely only need 1 more win to lock up a playoff berth. All depends on how Lamar is dealing with the injury and whether an extra week will make much of a difference

 

I would actually do this.  Give Huntley the start against Atlanta, maybe consider making Lamar the backup as an injury to Tyler precaution.  Atlanta is horrible offensively and Ridder will be making his 2nd NFL start.  They aren't much better defensively.  Atlanta is a warm weather team coming into what is going to be a very cold game.

 

The projected high for Saturday is 24 in Baltimore.  I wouldn't risk Lamar in that cold and if Huntley can't beat the Falcons then you have to wonder why he is even on the roster.  Rest him one more week and get him ready for Pittsburgh which will be a tougher game than Atlanta.

[ivanbalt]

Falcons rushing defense isn't much better than the Browns so I expect another 30+ dropbacks from Huntley.

[jamesdean]

Falcons rushing defense isn't much better than the Browns so I expect another 30+ dropbacks from Huntley.

You forgot to add 30+ passes in howling, bitterly cold winds. Perfect weather for the passing game.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I would actually do this.  Give Huntley the start against Atlanta, maybe consider making Lamar the backup as an injury to Tyler precaution.  Atlanta is horrible offensively and Ridder will be making his 2nd NFL start.  They aren't much better defensively.  Atlanta is a warm weather team coming into what is going to be a very cold game.

 

The projected high for Saturday is 24 in Baltimore.  I wouldn't risk Lamar in that cold and if Huntley can't beat the Falcons then you have to wonder why he is even on the roster.  Rest him one more week and get him ready for Pittsburgh which will be a tougher game than Atlanta.

Its playing with fire but if they think an extra week of rest can make a real difference Id do it and pray Huntley can get it done

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Line is -7.5 so Vegas is expecting Lamar as of now.