3122 replies to this topic

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I don't think they can win a playoff game without Lamar. Would take an amazing defensive effort, probably including a score.

If its Jax they may have a real shot without Lamar. Maybe 40-45%. Otherwise yeah, it would take something amazing.

[Ravens2006]

I don't think they can win a playoff game without Lamar. Would take an amazing defensive effort, probably including a score.

Yeah, Huntley isn't beating anyone playoff caliber without an overwhelming defensive performance and a large plus turnover margin...

[NewMarketSean]

If its Jax they may have a real shot without Lamar. Maybe 40-45%. Otherwise yeah, it would take something amazing.

Chances way lower than that with Huntley. Those chances would be with Lamar.

[PrimeTime]

The problem isn't being run heavy but rather being ridiculously predictable. Prior to the final drive, we had 18, 1st down plays and only 3 of them were passes. This is despite Pittsburgh going with a 6-2-3 alignment most of the night, particularly on 1st down. The Steelers were ripe for play action but we simply chose not to do it.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens - January 1st, 2023 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Chances way lower than that with Huntley. Those chances would be with Lamar.

No way. If Lamar were to start in Jax we would either be favored or at worse a pick em.

[Bmore Irish]

Yeah, Huntley isn't beating anyone playoff caliber without an overwhelming defensive performance and a large plus turnover margin...

And I wouldn't count on that anyway. This defense has looked great against inferior competition, and then they have to play without 36 year old Calais Campbell and can't stop the run? He's still a very good player, but that's a bad sign.

 

We all know the issues with the secondary. The CB depth isn't getting any better, and a banged up Marcus Peters who already looked a step behind all season isn't gonna fix that by coming back even less healthy.

 

They would need every single break to go their way, and quite a few players to step up to the occasion when they haven't been able to all season.

 

I guess Jacksonville's supposed to be the best possible match up in the WC round, and we saw how that one went earlier this season...

[TwentyThirtyFive]

BTW the Jacksonville scenario is extremely unlikely. We would need LA to lose and we would have to beat Cin but then not win the division. Im not sure how this Bill-Cincy thing is gonna play out. We will be playing in Cincy, Buf or KC in the WC round. And yes, it would take a miracle for Huntley to beat any of them

[Mike in STL]

The problem isn't being run heavy but rather being ridiculously predictable. Prior to the final drive, we had 18, 1st down plays and only 3 of them were passes. This is despite Pittsburgh going with a 6-2-3 alignment most of the night, particularly on 1st down. The Steelers were ripe for play action but we simply chose not to do it.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens - January 1st, 2023 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

It not even like they are trying to hide it either. They lineup in 13 or if you count Ricard as a RB instead of TE, 22 or 23 personnel so often. And whichever way Ricard goes, the ball goes. If not for Dobbins being his talented self, it’s going nowhere. Roman is supposed to be a run game genius. I’m not seeing it lately.

Formations like his invite everyone up into the box. He runs goal line offense from 75 yards away from the goal line. I mean, you would think someone would have thought of that in the last 50 years if it worked so well.

A run game genius would be able to line up in a formation that could look like a run, or pass, and when they run, do it with success. And when the defense cheats the run, more than one person is running a passing route. Usually, a WR, not a fullback in the flat.

[PrimeTime]

It not even like they are trying to hide it either. They lineup in 13 or if you count Ricard as a RB instead of TE, 22 or 23 personnel so often. And whichever way Ricard goes, the ball goes. If not for Dobbins being his talented self, it’s going nowhere. Roman is supposed to be a run game genius. I’m not seeing it lately.

Formations like his invite everyone up into the box. He runs goal line offense from 75 yards away from the goal line. I mean, you would think someone would have thought of that in the last 50 years if it worked so well.

A run game genius would be able to line up in a formation that could look like a run, or pass, and when they run, do it with success. And when the defense cheats the run, more than one person is running a passing route. Usually, a WR, not a fullback in the flat.

I was begging for an off tackle play or some outside zone. Hell, I would've taken a toss sweep or an option play. Especially with the way the ends were crashing down. Watt didn't even try to set an edge all night.

[Mike B]

All I can tell you is that if you have any dreams of this team winning a play-off game, it's not going to be through the air.  That much I'm certain of.  Especially if we've seen the last of Lamar.  They're paying the run game genius good money to somehow overcome the obstacles, whatever they may be.  Pittsburgh has a very good run defense and it's probably the best one the Ravens will face from this point on.  

All I can say us that we are not winning a playoff game without Lamar.

[JStruds]

All I can say us that we are not winning a playoff game without Lamar.

We've only won one with him, and arguably the previous playoff rosters with him at QB were more talented, or had less weaknesses, however you'd like to phrase it.

[jamesdean]

All I can say us that we are not winning a playoff game without Lamar.

That much we agree on. 

[cprenegade]

A couple of thoughts about the Pittsburgh game.

 

The Ravens got thoroughly outcoached.  Pittsburgh came in selling out totally against the run.  The Ravens made no attempts to adjust in any way and it caught up to them.  The only reason they had a TD at all was because of a questionable PF against Heyward when the Raven's already had their FG team on the field.  It was a terrible coaching job.

 

I was not surprised Pittsburgh's defense did better against the run, I figured after the first game that would be a priority.  I was surprised the Raven's let Pittsburgh run all over them.   Harris averaged 5 ypc, and their other back, Jalen Warren, averaged 6.3 ypc.  I know Campbell was out, but that should not have made that much of a difference to a defense with Roquan Smith.  It looked like Pittsburgh had more intensity and just wanted it more.

 

Give credit to their rookie QB.  He didn't look like any superstar throughout the game, but he looked good on their final drive.  He made a couple of nice passes and then got outside of the pass rush to make a nice pass on the TD.  Although I do see what people meant when they said Smith's weakness was in coverage.  He did look pretty week attempting to pick up Harris out of the back field.  

 

Pittsburgh's defense was a direct statement on Huntley's weakness.  They sold so totally against the run that there were open shots down the field all night.  The Raven's obviously don't trust Huntley throwing anything over 10 yards.  DeShaun Jackson could have beaten that defensive scheme over the top, but Huntley probably couldn't make the throw.  The last play was him "just hoping someone would make a play."   It was about the easiest interception Pittsburgh's defense has seen all year.  

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Again, I think youre pretty limited with what you can do or expect with Huntley at QB. Thats not to give Harbaugh and the rest of the staff a free pass but its something we have to keep in mind

[Ravens2006]

Sadly on the final INT, the intended target (I forget who) was running a deep cross to the sideline and the distance between him and the guy under and the guy over the top, along with the angle he was running, meant there was actually a window for Huntley to very possibly hit him in FG range and get him out of bounds. Would have been nice if he at least tried THAT throw, instead of throwing it to where he was at a moment in time. Could have been picked off or incomplete, but at least it was the smarter risk. Throwing back to the middle of the field at that point with no timeouts left was a poor decision regardless.

[hallas]

A couple of thoughts about the Pittsburgh game.

 

The Ravens got thoroughly outcoached.  Pittsburgh came in selling out totally against the run.  The Ravens made no attempts to adjust in any way and it caught up to them.  The only reason they had a TD at all was because of a questionable PF against Heyward when the Raven's already had their FG team on the field.  It was a terrible coaching job.

 

I was not surprised Pittsburgh's defense did better against the run, I figured after the first game that would be a priority.  I was surprised the Raven's let Pittsburgh run all over them.   Harris averaged 5 ypc, and their other back, Jalen Warren, averaged 6.3 ypc.  I know Campbell was out, but that should not have made that much of a difference to a defense with Roquan Smith.  It looked like Pittsburgh had more intensity and just wanted it more.

 

Give credit to their rookie QB.  He didn't look like any superstar throughout the game, but he looked good on their final drive.  He made a couple of nice passes and then got outside of the pass rush to make a nice pass on the TD.  Although I do see what people meant when they said Smith's weakness was in coverage.  He did look pretty week attempting to pick up Harris out of the back field.  

 

Pittsburgh's defense was a direct statement on Huntley's weakness.  They sold so totally against the run that there were open shots down the field all night.  The Raven's obviously don't trust Huntley throwing anything over 10 yards.  DeShaun Jackson could have beaten that defensive scheme over the top, but Huntley probably couldn't make the throw.  The last play was him "just hoping someone would make a play."   It was about the easiest interception Pittsburgh's defense has seen all year.  

 

I'm not sure if we can collectively put this on the coaches, the part about running the ball into stacked fronts, when we had Huntley as our QB who can't take advantage.  A few days ago people were harping about the team not running the ball enough, now we're giving the team crap for running the ball too much into stacked fronts?

[Bmore Irish]

I'm not sure if we can collectively put this on the coaches, the part about running the ball into stacked fronts, when we had Huntley as our QB who can't take advantage.  A few days ago people were harping about the team not running the ball enough, now we're giving the team crap for running the ball too much into stacked fronts?

Right. It's easy to talk about imposing your will on the opposition as if the other team isn't also fielding a team of professionals who just spent an entire week planning how to stop you. The last 6 or so weeks have not been a good indication of what this team is capable of over the next few weeks.

 

I believe someone even suggested that trying to "take what the defense gives you" is "getting cute." On one hand, I get it because you're very limited with Huntley as your starter, but that whole premise is asinine.

 

Roman deserves all the criticism he gets, but this offense, and team, has way more issues than not calling 5-6 more runs a game. And those issues are significant enough that there's not a lot of optimism that they're getting figured out to the extent needed to make a run this postseason.

[ivanbalt]

The problem isn't being run heavy but rather being ridiculously predictable. Prior to the final drive, we had 18, 1st down plays and only 3 of them were passes. This is despite Pittsburgh going with a 6-2-3 alignment most of the night, particularly on 1st down. The Steelers were ripe for play action but we simply chose not to do it.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens - January 1st, 2023 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Wasn't that the big criticism after the Bills playoff loss a couple years ago, how predictable the Ravens' offense was?  Good to see it's still there two years later.

[bmore_ken]

I'm not sure if we can collectively put this on the coaches, the part about running the ball into stacked fronts, when we had Huntley as our QB who can't take advantage.  A few days ago people were harping about the team not running the ball enough, now we're giving the team crap for running the ball too much into stacked fronts?

Who made that complaint?

[jamesdean]

I heard on the news this morning that Hamlin's uncle talked to a reporter and said that his heart had to be restarted again once they got to the hospital.  He's in a prone position, face down and still heavily sedated.  The oxygen being administered was reduced to 50% so that was a good sign at least.  Recovery is going to be long and there still is the unknown factor of how much, if any, brain damage occurred since he wasn't breathing on his own for upwards of 9 minutes.