632 replies to this topic

[Mike in STL]

I've definitely heard lots of Analysts regard Vrabel as one of the best coaches in the league.  
As far as how he is on gameday, no opinion.  Don't watch them enough to have one. 
Also not sure how large a percentage of the entirety of a HC's worth is on gameday. 

I'd say Harbaugh averages -3.5 WAR a season.

[Slidemaster]

ESPN's Matchup Predictor gives the Ravens a 68.6% chance of winning.

The Ravens are 3 point favorite, and the Over / Under is 40.

I'm sick and damned tired of ESPN's matchup predictor. They don't take into account how good this team is at playing badly against bad teams.

[bmore_ken]

My bold prediction is the Ravens win if the receivers don't drop TD passes. Harbaugh doesn't pass on chip shot FGs, and we utilize the running game more  when we're ahead. Now will any of that happen? your guess is as good as  mine. 

[jamesdean]

My bold prediction is the Ravens win if the receivers don't drop TD passes. Harbaugh doesn't pass on chip shot FGs, and we utilize the running game more when we're ahead. Now will any of that happen? your guess is as good as mine.

I do know they're trying to get better every week. Does that help?

[bmore_ken]

I do know they're try to get better every week. Does that help?

I seriously want to laugh at that, but it's still too fresh 

[hallas]

I am not saying Vrabel is a great coach. Just saying he is a good bet to outcoach Harbs. Perspective is important.

 

I don't think Vrabel is a good bet to outcoach a telephone pole, much less another NFL head coach.

[Ravens2006]

I don't think Vrabel is a good bet to outcoach a telephone pole, much less another NFL head coach.

Well, I'd take the telephone pole over Harbs at this point...

[Biggsy]

My bold prediction is the Ravens win if the receivers don't drop TD passes. Harbaugh doesn't pass on chip shot FGs, and we utilize the running game more when we're ahead. Now will any of that happen? your guess is as good as mine.

They utilize the run game, until one of the RB's inevitably fumbles. Then Monken and the whole offense panics foe 2 quarters.

[Mike in STL]

Is a trip to London the best thing for a team that struggles to do the simple things right? Is it a distraction? Is it a welcome distraction so they get out of their own heads? 

 

These two teams have history. I expect it to be chippy. I expect the Ravens to commit a personal foul at an inopportune time. I expect the Ravens to be not even ready for some trickery at some point. 

 

Titans 24 - Ravens 16

[bmore_ken]

They utilize the run game, until one of the RB's inevitably fumbles. Then Monken and the whole offense panics foe 2 quarters.

Fumbles happen and if you look at the replay the ball was stripped. It's not like he was carrying the ball carelessly, defensive players make plays too. They utilize the run game. Just not enough when ahead. There's no reason when we led the game for 3 quarters and the pass/run ration  was  38/19(RBs).  That's double the pass plays for a team ahead for most of the game. 

[NewMarketSean]

Fumbles happen and if you look at the replay the ball was stripped. It's not like he was carrying the ball carelessly, defensive players make plays too. They utilize the run game. Just not enough when ahead. There's no reason when we led the game for 3 quarters and the pass/run ration  was  38/19(RBs).  That's double the pass plays for a team ahead for most of the game. 

The more things change the more they stay the same with this offense.

[jamesdean]

The more things change the more they stay the same with this offense.

Exactly.  The one constant is Harbaugh.  Makes you wonder who's really calling the plays. 

[Mike in STL]

Fumbles happen and if you look at the replay the ball was stripped. It's not like he was carrying the ball carelessly, defensive players make plays too. They utilize the run game. Just not enough when ahead. There's no reason when we led the game for 3 quarters and the pass/run ration  was  38/19(RBs).  That's double the pass plays for a team ahead for most of the game. 

To be fair, they use the pass as an extension of the run game often. But they don't do it well. They have completed 26/27 passes behind the line of scrimmage and gained 94 yards. If a RB went 27 carries for 94 yards, its 3.5 YPC. Thats not good enough.

 

Other teams do this often as well, the Ravens are only 11th in the league in such passes. But KC averages 5.3 Y/A on 37 of those passes. MIA, 9.4 on 33 attempts!! The only two QBs who throw more passes, less than or as efficiently behind the LOS as the Ravens is the Cardinals and the Patriots. So, through 5 weeks now, whenever you see a pass behind the LOS, your basically having Mac Jones under center for a play. 

 

It's not a strength. They don't have the guys to make the plays to make it work. They don't have the line to get out there and block on a screen. It's inefficient, stop doing it. Hill and Edwards both average more than 3.5 YPC, so just pound it with them. 

 

I know the rebuttal is "they just have to execute better", or "those plays set up other plays." I've heard that coach speak non-sense too much.

[bmore_ken]

The more things change the more they stay the same with this offense.

I had such hope for Monken

[Slidemaster]

Gosh it's amazing how little I care about this game or their season anymore after last week.

[Mike in STL]

Gosh it's amazing how little I care about this game or their season anymore after last week.

Apathy is running rampant. Apathy is worse than anger. Anger means you care at least.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Threw $50 on Titans ML

Pay me

[BaltBird 24]

Apathy is running rampant. Apathy is worse than anger. Anger means you care at least.

Feels like 2015-2018 Ravens football pre Flacco injury.

[hallas]

To be fair, they use the pass as an extension of the run game often. But they don't do it well. They have completed 26/27 passes behind the line of scrimmage and gained 94 yards. If a RB went 27 carries for 94 yards, its 3.5 YPC. Thats not good enough.

 

Other teams do this often as well, the Ravens are only 11th in the league in such passes. But KC averages 5.3 Y/A on 37 of those passes. MIA, 9.4 on 33 attempts!! The only two QBs who throw more passes, less than or as efficiently behind the LOS as the Ravens is the Cardinals and the Patriots. So, through 5 weeks now, whenever you see a pass behind the LOS, your basically having Mac Jones under center for a play. 

 

It's not a strength. They don't have the guys to make the plays to make it work. They don't have the line to get out there and block on a screen. It's inefficient, stop doing it. Hill and Edwards both average more than 3.5 YPC, so just pound it with them. 

 

I know the rebuttal is "they just have to execute better", or "those plays set up other plays." I've heard that coach speak non-sense too much.

 

I've generally been of the opinion that RB screens don't work in our offense unless they're executed as RPOs with Lamar, and even then they're questionable because 1: defenses have to put a spy on Lamar, which ruins the whole thing about drawing them out so you can throw a screen pass behind them, and 2: even if defenses sell out on Lamar, Lamar himself has the ability to make an unblocked defender miss, so it just feels kind of pointless to throw the ball to a worse runner even when they do commit.

 

We've run jet sweeps in the past, and I think we've had limited success with WR screens, but this is the first time in many years that most of our offensive line, especially the career Ravens, have had to block for a RB screen, and they're clearly off on the execution, or defenses aren't biting on it.

 

Throwing the ball outside on a WR screen makes a lot more sense because the defense is going to be watching up the middle for a Lamar run.  If they shift outside to block the screen then it's an easy RPO keeper and there's an open lane up the gut for Lamar or a RB to run the ball.

[Mike B]

Apathy is running rampant. Apathy is worse than anger. Anger means you care at least.

I think all the bitching show people care.  I don't see any apathy, but that is JMO.