227 replies to this topic

[Biggsy]

My biggest takeaway/observation/concern going forward is how the Ravens will react/adjust to the defensive look they saw yesterday going forward.

Much like the Thursday night Dolphins game a couple years ago, where the cover 0, all out blitz strategy that stymied Jackson and the offense was employed by other opponents, I suspect the Cardinals' strategy deployed yesterday will be mimicked by other opponents. The Cardinals didn't seem to blitz very often, instead choosing to rush 3 or 4, play zone on the back end and have their Dlinemen stand up and roam a bit prior to the snap.

It will be incumbent upon Monken to adjust the plan of attack sooner and Lamar needs to take what the defense gives him. It was great that Jackson was able to hold the football and make plays downfield vs Detroit but the bigger play won't always be there. Rather than having to throw the ball away or take a coverage sack, look for a check down underneath.

There's a pretty obvious plan of attack. You take Gus Edwards, and you run him directly at the 225 lbs lineman covering the A gap. Linderbaum wins that match up 100/100 times. When they did start running, Gus had about 2 to 3 yards before he was touched almost every single time.

If teams want to sacrifice their DB's and LB's to try and mimick that defense, that should be the plan of attack. Maul the little guys up front and grab 5+ a carry, until they start bringing the big boys back in to stop it.

The problem is, I'm not sure Monken can be ok grinding out a 10 min drive where he only runs the ball.

[Mike in STL]

Every team is inconsistent to a point. Who is the class in the AFC? Buffalo? Inconsistent. Kansas City? Inconsistent. Miami? Inconsistent. Bengals, slow start, last in the division. Jacksonville entering the conversation at 6-2, and has a loss to Houston. 

 

Philly has been great but has a loss to the Jets, and no one else in the NFC even has 6 wins. The Niners have dropped their 3rd straight. 

 

Everyone is inconsistent. This is the NFL. 

[Mike B]

Yesterday's game was strange.  I did not think the Ravens had great energy yesterday, but that may have been expected.  They have had a hell of a road trip the last 5 weeks.  It wasn't pretty, but IMO the Ravens were  never in danger.  

As some have noted there are no great teams right now in the NFL, but there are some very good ones and the Ravens IMO are one of those.  

I am happy with where they are right now and hopefully 3 home games in a row, albeit against good teams gives them a chance to build momentum.

[Mike B]

Every team is inconsistent to a point. Who is the class in the AFC? Buffalo? Inconsistent. Kansas City? Inconsistent. Miami? Inconsistent. Bengals, slow start, last in the division. Jacksonville entering the conversation at 6-2, and has a loss to Houston. 

 

Philly has been great but has a loss to the Jets, and no one else in the NFC even has 6 wins. The Niners have dropped their 3rd straight. 

 

Everyone is inconsistent. This is the NFL. 

I am not sure Philly has been great but they are finding ways to win, just about every week.  The Commodes had a chance yesterday, but they do what seemingly they always do is find a way to lose.

[Mike B]

The Ravens were a competent QB from having this game stolen from them. If they were better on both sides of the ball (lines included), and which they were, they should've had this game sewn up by halftime. 

I think we would have seen a better game if there was a competent QB.  Thye Ravens weren't losing yesterday, even if Kyler Murray was playing.

[85Knight]

The offense was set up by the defense for two of their scoring drives and they were the 2 biggest plays of the game. The first set up the TD before halftime to give us the lead. The 2nd Int set up the next score that extended the lead and made it a comfortable 2 score game. The D jump started the offense twice in what was very much a stale performance through 3 quarters. Now, if you want to knock my B+ grade down to a B for the defense Im fine with that. If you want to give the O a B- Im also fine with that. Makes the two units close. Its picking nits but picking nits is what I do. I wont hear that the O was the better unit today. Looking at the score and assuming 31 scored while 24 given up must mean the O good and the D suspect isnt accurate. Not close to accurate

I just think the defense is getting more credit than it deserves. They gave up an opening td and the offense responded with a td of their own. The Cardinals then preceded to gash the defense with the run game even though the defense gets credit for not letting them score. The offense put up another td in the 2nd qtr and should have had another 3 pts. I wouldn't give either unit a big lead over the other in the 1st half. The defense continued to play well in the 3rd and the offense scored another td. Seems like a wash to me. The offense puts up 10 points in the 4th and the defense gives up 17 pts in about 6 minutes to make the game closer than it should have been.

The offense was choppy and inconsistent and probably deserves a C grade. I don't care where you get the ball the goal is to score and they were 4 for 4 in the red zone. The defense was bend but don't break with a couple of takeaways but the 17 points allowed in the 4th gets them a C grade as well.

[Mike B]

I think yesterday was kind of a C+ game.  It really was not that close.  

I try to point out the good, because there are enough harsh graders, so with that in mind.

 

Michael Pierce- give him a A+  The man kicked ass and took names.

Travis Jones-also seemed to wreak havoc inside.

Stone and Stephens-have really developed as good players.  Stone may be playing Marquis Williams off the team, next year.

Queen and Smith---it is an every week thing with those two.

Gus Edwards- terrific second half and 3 TD.  The goal line TD was all about effort.  He took three shots, kept his feet driving and scored.  

[hallas]

I just think the defense is getting more credit than it deserves. They gave up an opening td and the offense responded with a td of their own. The Cardinals then preceded to gash the defense with the run game even though the defense gets credit not letting them score. The offense put up another td in the 2nd qtr and should have had another 3 pts. I wouldn't give either unit a big lead over the other in the 1st half. The defense continued to play well in the 3rd and the offense scored another td. Seems like a wash to me. The offense puts up 10 points in the 4th and the defense gives up 17 pts in about 6 minutes to make the game closer than it should have been.

The offense was choppy and inconsistent and probably deserves a C grade. I don't care where you get the ball the goal is to score and they were 4 for 4 in the red zone. The defense was bend but don't break with a couple of takeaways but the 17 points allowed in the 4th gets them a C grade as well.

 

I'm with you here - I think the defense played like crap, especially compared to their usual standard.  They allowed an offense fielding a backup QB to score 3 touchdowns?

 

I don't think the offense played that badly - not up to their usual standard but they didn't turn the ball over and at least they pulled their heads out of their asses and realized that maybe they should run the ball against a prevent defense instead of trying to throw it.  Arizona's strategy was interesting - drop 8 in coverage but keep the short zone guys a little closer to the LOS to help against Lamar scrambles.  I think they have a little better time preparing against mobile guys because of who their QB is.  Regardless, we should have punished it much earlier with the running game and we didn't.  Instead we tried to attack it with checkdowns and WR screens and that didn't really work.

 

If I were grading I'd probably give the offense a B- and the defense a C/C+.