54 replies to this topic

[DJ MC]

First Rule Of Receiving: The quarterback's job is to put the ball where you can catch it. If you can get your hands on the ball without extraordinary effort, you need to make the catch.

That fits all three of Doss' drops. He just had a bad game, though I have a feeling this is the kind of thing that pops up in practice and leaves us wondering why he doesn't get the PT and throws it seems he should.

[mweb08]

First Rule Of Receiving: The quarterback's job is to put the ball where you can catch it. If you can get your hands on the ball without extraordinary effort, you need to make the catch.

That fits all three of Doss' drops. He just had a bad game, though I have a feeling this is the kind of thing that pops up in practice and leaves us wondering why he doesn't get the PT and throws it seems he should.

The QB's job is to put the ball where it has the best chance of being caught. That didn't happen. Saying he made to make that third catch especially is far from realistic.

[bnickle]

The first two throws to Doss, the ones in the endzone , the coverage was pretty tight. Joe threw two balls that only his Wrs could catch and Doss wasn't able to come down with them. Tough catches and no one was really at fault. The third throw to Doss on the sideline was on Joe. He was rolling and throwing on the run but Doss was wide open. Has to put that on him.

I thought Joe was ok in the first half. The two biggest issues I had with him was the throw to Doss on the sideline and the throw and catch by Torrey down the right sideline that gained like 25 yrds. That said Joe threw it high and made Torrey go up and make a great catch. If he hits him in stride Torrey may have scored. He was wide open with room to run. Other than that, Indy was getting good pressure and playing tight coverage. Joe threw a couple of balls away under pressure and threw a few more in tight coverage where only his Wrs had a chance that were incomplete.
My biggest takeaway as far as Joe is concerned was better movement and pocket awareness.He moved around well back there and bought himself some extra time. That will be important again next week. Hopefully the new OL alignment gets better with this week of practice. I think it was better than what we saw all year but their were still too much pressure. Granted, playing Mathis and Freeney, but it's no easier next week with Dumerville and Miller.

[bnickle]

Ravens should have won by 30. A lot of mistakes cost them points. And allowing Indy to run the ball so effectively was poor but I think that had a lot to do with them respecting the passing game.

They can't afford to make those mistakes on Saturday.

Any word on Ellerbe?

Yup, Rice fumble, Reed dropped a Int, Ray dropped an easy INT, allowed them to convert on 3rd and 19 to get in FG range at the end of the half. That, not even including two tough but catchable balls to Doss. Could have had 17-20 up at the half.

If we wantto beat the best team in football next week we have to capitalize on all or most of these little things.

[SportsGuy]

Has anyone seen why we went to the new line?

[You Play to Win the Game]

BTW, LOVE the offensive line change. That gives me more hope for next week.

This can't be overstated. Night and freakin' day. Kudo's to the Ravens for making this change so late.

Also, one of the things that's been very obvious about Caldwell's hand print on this offense is the bootlegs he has Flacco run. He's been MUCH more active in the pocket, which has really helped. He's also hitting receivers in stride more for some really good YAC opportunities. Have you guys noticed these two things too?

[BSLChrisStoner]

Also, one of the things that's been very obvious about Caldwell's hand print on this offense is the bootlegs he has Flacco run. He's been MUCH more active in the pocket, which has really helped. He's also hitting receivers in stride more for some really good YAC opportunities. Have you guys noticed these two things too?

That's a great point about the bootlegs. Great to see that come back to the offense. Something Flacco does well.

[bnickle]

Has anyone seen why we went to the new line?

My guess is like you and me and anyone with a brain Cladwell realized it was the best we could do. We know the Ravens were practicing with this alignment before the Giants game. My guess is this was a decision Caldwell wanted to make but everyone needed to get comfortable in their new positions in practice. Harbaugh was probably leery of throwing new guys out there in new positions where they really hadn't practiced all year in the biggest game of the year. We have to remember how big of a change that is for Oher and KO to move to completely different sides of the Line and in the case of KO mving from T to G.


Also , helped that McKinnie got all those snaps last week in Cincy and played well. Had he stunk up the joint against a good Cincy front line the move probably isn't made today. He also did a pretty good job on Freeney today, I don't want to think about it too much. Pisses me off just knowing that Harbaugh/Cameron didn't have the best alignment out there. I truely believe that with this alignment and some of the simple changes Caldwell has made to the offense that we likely would have won an extra game or two hadwe made 2 moves most of the fans have been calling for for so long(Cam firing, new OL alignment).

[DJ MC]

The line struggled early, but by the end Flacco had all the time in the world to throw.

The QB's job is to put the ball where it has the best chance of being caught. That didn't happen. Saying he made to make that third catch especially is far from realistic.

Since it was on the sideline, I'm willing to give him some more leeway. But those first two MUST be caught by an NFL receiver. Especially when the past two seasons the biggest single reason the team didn't advance one round further were dropped touchdown passes in close games.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Has anyone seen why we went to the new line?

Reid was inactive due to injury. They went with McKinnie at LT over Williams at LG.

[bnickle]

Reid was inactive due to injury. They went with McKinnie at LT over Williams at LG.

i would like to think it was more than just Reid being injuried but knowing Harbaugh, probably not.

[mweb08]

The line struggled early, but by the end Flacco had all the time in the world to throw.


Since it was on the sideline, I'm willing to give him some more leeway. But those first two MUST be caught by an NFL receiver. Especially when the past two seasons the biggest single reason the team didn't advance one round further were dropped touchdown passes in close games.

Look, they were very tough catches. Using the word must is a bit much in those cases. I don't think many receivers average more than 1 catch in those 3 plays.

[Mike B]

For those who weren't there, im sorry you missed it.

The crowd was amazing for Ray...and Ray dancing on the field at the end was awesome,,,classy move by Harbaugh there.

I have never missed a home game and can honestly say that today may have the best of them all. Ray did what any entertainer is supposed to do, leave the audience wanting more. The crowd was very loud and it never stopped for Ray.
There were still about 30 K still in the stands as he completed his lap and the nice part was Ed Reed waiting for him at the steps. For those who left before Ray left the field, you missed a special few moments.

It was great to be there today.

[Mike B]

JMO opinion but do not think Joe was bad in the first half. We ran a lot and were very cautious, worrying about Freeney and Mathis. He made a few bad throws early and then settled in. If Ray does not fumble, or if the ref gives Yanda the ball which it looked like he should have and if Doss catches either ball before the first FG, things look a lot better.
We attacked the second half and it showed.
Great day to be a Ravens fan.

[mweb08]

JMO opinion but do not think Joe was bad in the first half. We ran a lot and were very cautious, worrying about Freeney and Mathis. He made a few bad throws early and then settled in. If Ray does not fumble, or if the ref gives Yanda the ball which it looked like he should have and if Doss catches either ball before the first FG, things look a lot better.
We attacked the second half and it showed.
Great day to be a Ravens fan.

If the Colts player made that relatively easy pick and possibly ran it back for a TD and/or the corner got the INT on the play they called that BS PI on him, your opinion may be a bit different about his first half

[bnickle]

If the Colts player made that relatively easy pick and possibly ran it back for a TD and/or the corner got the INT on the play they called that BS PI on him, your opinion may be a bit different about his first half

It wasn't a relatively easy pick. It was behind him. A relatively easy pick is the one Ray dropped. The safety who made the break on the ball and drew the PI had no chance of picking that off. It wasn't interfernece as he made the break on the ball and got there at the same time as Torrey, but he had no chance to pick it. Every QB makes dangerous throws under pressure.. Joe was ok in the first half considering the pressure. The line def played better in the 2nd half but they were shaky in the 1st . Tons of pressure. Its why I'm still very much concerned about next week.

[mweb08]

You can take the relatively out of Ray's INT chance. That was super easy. And yes, the INT chance I'm referring to was relatively easy and I'm not sure how the other play had no chance at being picked off considering he got both hands on it, and in a better way than Doss had. Usually 1 of those two are picked off. Of course the Ravens should have had at least 1 pick too. But whatever. Flacco recovered with a great second half and they won comfortably so it was basically all good for them.

[Mike B]

If the Colts player made that relatively easy pick and possibly ran it back for a TD and/or the corner got the INT on the play they called that BS PI on him, your opinion may be a bit different about his first half

Or maybe the plays even out. Joe did well today, we were real conservative in the first half. The need to demand perfection from Joe confounds me.

[mweb08]

Or maybe the plays even out. Joe did well today, we were real conservative in the first half. The need to demand perfection from Joe confounds me.

I'm not. Saying he was poor in the first half and great in the second half is pretty fair imo.

[Mike B]

Maybe it is belaboring the point, but there were some plays in the second half that were brilliant. The TD to Pitta was a play where Joe stepped up and out of the rush end, mathis maybe, and drilled a pass to Pitta who got the TD. (Great block and hustle by Torrey).
The second sideline bomb to Boldin was dropped right over his shoulder. The timing pattern in front of the Ravens bench and the TD were well thrown.