varaven45

Thanks Crav, Cannnot verify but dont recall many, if any, passes across the middle after Heap's shot. Before Heap's shot, Joe threaded a nice TD pass to Heap in the center of the field. After Merriweather's head shot, nothing. Interesting !? Given the scrutiny on Cam/Flacco this week, it will be interesting to see how they respond on Sunday. If ever there was a game for Cam to unleash Joe, attack the center of the field, spread it out, this may be our best shot for a while (with Miami and Atlanta on the horizon).

It goes without saying but if Joe's problem with cover 2 stems from the safeties coming up to shut off Joes sideline's passes - arguably Joe's favorite - and his alleged inability to consistently make intermediate passes - maybe the answer is related to our running game? Cases in point: Game 1 (Jets) Flacco - 20-38 248 yds Rice 21- 43 Game 2 (Bengals) Flacco - 17-39 154 yds + 3 picks Rice 16-87 Game 3 Browns Flacco - 22-31 262 3 tds Rice 15-88 Game 4 Steelers Flacco - 24-37 256 1 td McGahee 14-39 Game 5 Broncos Flacco 14-25 196 Rice 27-133 Game 6 NE Flacco 27-35 285 2 TDS Rice 28-88 The above stats show Flacco had strong games when Rice/McGahee were effective (Browns game) but was awful even when Rice was effective (Bengals 16-87). So there is not a strong correlation (statistically) between Flacco's and Rice/McGahee's performance. In fact, arguably Joe's best game was last Sunday when Rice scampered for only 3.1 ypc. These are simply stats but they do show Joe is effective whether the running game is weak or strong. Perhaps the real answer is, as we saw last weekend, how he, Cam and the O will adjust to cover 2 and other defensive schemes to overcome his weakness with the intermediate passes. Maybe Buffalo provides the ideal opportunity.

Crav, In your opinion,what is it about cover 2 thta gives us/Joe fits ? Havent Cam and Harbs practiced against this before ?

Max, Cowherd is a hypocrite. He has had the Ravens as his No 1 team for much of the season. Hes been playing us up all season as one of the elite teams. He loved Flacco, Rice, Boldin. Now that we lost last Sunday, he's all pissed cuz his credibility is gone. Now he's got a scapegoat: Flacco and he'll be on this one for awhile. Flacco isnt perfect, he's not the savior. He's a 3 yr QB looking to get better every game. Hes gotten better every season, has he not ? Lets let the kid grow and Cowherd needs to shut his pie hole!

Its funny how the concerns have become magnified after the NE loss. If we had won, these concerns would have been dismissed and had you brought them (God forbid) you would be perceived as a pessimist. At any rate, this team has not played consistently well and has not yet played well for four full quarters in any one game. We squeaked by the Jets, we laid an egg in Cincy, pulled one out against Cleveland and Pitts, played our best game against Denver, and played not to lose in NE. My point: this team is damn lucky to be 4-2; we could easily be 2-4 right now. My concerns dont relate to personnel; instead, they relate to attitude, approach and philosophy. This team lacks a killer instinct and doesnt play witha sense of urgency for four quarters. Its easy to look back on the 2000 season, but that is what I'm talking about. That team was relentless for 60 minutes - fought to the end on every play. This team doesnt do that. You dont see or sense a sense of urgency right now. Maybe it will come later. The team lacks cohesion on both sides of the ball. The offense is good, then bad , then good, then horrible. Maybe its chemistry, coaching, behind the scenes moaning (Houz, Mason, etc.). Its a disfunctional offense right now. Its not as bad as the Cowboys but its not far off given the talent we have on this team. Lastly, the crippling of Joe or Cam's holding him back needs to be quickly addressed. The coaching staff just needs to let Joe be Joe. The guys has an arm and, like Brady (2 picks last Sunday), needs to take shots downfield on occasion. He's either afraid to give up a pick six or Cam wont let him be take many chances. I remember last year when Joe had words with Cam during a similar situation. If we are going anywhere this season, they have to let the young man mature, make an occasional mistake, but let him play ball. This Sundays game vs Buffalo may be the best opportunity to "unleash the beast", regain some of our swagger, and play with a real purpose for 60 whole minutes. This team needs it badly !

Crav, Agree wholeheartedly. Dont understand the play calling and our inability to convert on those silly 3rd and 1's (only to have Brady EASILY sneak for a couple of yards. Dont know if its the play calling, scheme or effort but we are not converting on these 3rd and short plays. Its like the worst opponent - NE has a horrendous run defense - and we cant convert a measly 3rd and short. Something is seriously wrong and needs to get fixed. While we are on it, we need to improve our running game, starting next Sunday. When a NY Jet reject Woodhead gains 6 YPC, 66 yds on 11 carries, and Ray Rice is busting his chops just to get 3 yards against a weak NE D, something isnt right. Our running game, on both sides of the ball, needs to get fixed. Its going to be critical come November/December.

Yager, I think we punched the Steelers in the mouth. They are a very good team and Flacco engineered a GW drive with less than a minute. We stumbled a bit but dominated in many phases against what some are calling the best team in the NFL. Agree that we are winning despite playing our best. There is something to be said for gradually improving each week and peaking at the very end (like the 2000 season). To that end, I too would like to see us improve and FINISH in the red zone. Our occasional inability to score on these 1st and goals is very perplexing. Like you said, we wont go far (much less make) the playoffs until we get this corrected. Here's to getting this corrected (or at least start) on Sunday.

Suppose they met on a Wrangler Jean commercial too ?

Dang Crav ! Is that who Favre texted ?

All good points. Toss out the early season stats and who beat whom by blank points. Doesnt mean squat. Its all about which team shows up Sunday. Will it be team A: the disfunctional offense/team that lost to the Bengals or had to survive the Browns (and Peyton Hillis) at home, or team B: the more dominant team that punched the Steelers and Jets in the mouth in their houses or Denver at home. NFL teams are defined by what they do each Sunday. If we win Sunday, we'll be 5-1 and No 1 on everyone's polls. If we lose, we go 4-2 and will drop to between 5 and 10. A final thought: the best team doesnt always win on Sunday. Remember last October. We won on the field but lost the game. Last January, we won both on the field and the game score. So, the real question, who will show up, team A or B ? It should be an awesome game !

Number-wise, you are exactly right. Moss, though, hurt character and chemistry (shouting matches with Brady). Hard to quantify those intangibles, Crav, but cannot ignore them. Whatever the case, only time will tell.

He's still another toy for Brady. Plus, the Pats are a smart organization - Moss was a malcontent and Branch is a team guy. In the grand scheme, probably not a huge deal for this single game. The bottom line is we need to pound the rock (w/Rice) and pressure Brady all afternoon. If we do that and dont get flagged for cissy roughing Brady penalties (Suggs), it should be a grind out tough game won by the team that makes the fewest mistakes (what else is new).

The Pats game is huge. Talk about a potential great capper, imagine going 3-0 against the elite AFC teams ON THE ROAD after already knocking off the Jets (opener), and Steelers (last week). It will take almost a perfectly designed and executed plan to win this game, esp if the Jets knock off Vikes tonight and go to 4-1. The Pats will be playing with asenseeof urgency. We cannot afford to leave points on the field (i.e. yesterday's 1st drive GL debacle). We wont get a mulligan from a Belichick coached team coming off a bye. Two last points- 1. We absolutely have to spring Rice and the running game. No question. And the running game has to come up huge. 2. Our pass D, while largely effective this season, was exposed yesterday. You can dismiss those 2 TD passes to Brandon Lloyd as cheap, late in the half, whatever. We cannot afford lapses or inability to finish plays lik that against Brady. If we can make those adjustments, it should be a helluva game.

Denver and its 17th ranked pass defense should provide another formidable test for Joe. Joe's miraculous effort last Sunday was his breakout game, however, how he perform in this game may be even more important. You recall last year everyone was bantering about how great Denver was - I think they started out 6-0 or something. We were totally amped up and blow them out. This year, nobody is talking about them even though they beat Tennessee in their house last week. Harbs needs to prepare and keep this team focused as if its another Steeler game. Thats the challenge. Denver is a solid team !

Gaither or No Gaither (I am not convinced he is ever returning), we have to pound the rock. If we shuffle our line to do so, so be it. The O & Joe cant survive this league w/o a serious running attack, esp later in the season.

With Denver, New England and Buffalo in the offing, we need to rediscover our Mojo with the running game. Now. Can you say THREE HEADED MONSTER !!!!!!!

For all of his detractors and naysayers (myself included at times)Joe came of age in that final drive. To have persevered the failed drive (2 minutes earlie) and come back and stick it in was awesome. Joe grew big time yesterday. He and the O just need to grow more and continue the success. Denver will not be a pushover !

Signed with the Jets ? Why am I not surprised. Guys like Rex Ryan and Phil Savage (then with the Browns) are like vampires and spend half their time waiting for Raven players to get released. Oh well. Maybe Pryce can help the Jets D knock of some off our playoff competition later in the season.

Max, Good stuff ! Outside Race, I dont like any of those matchups. I don't like this game. Period. After getting smacked around by the Clowns OL and a 3rd string RB from Arkansas and reject from Denver for a buck 44 yards, no one can feel good going into this game. I feel a serious smackdown coming on Sunday. Also, no sense in playing a banged up Ray Rice. Rest him a few weeks and bring him back in New England or at home against Buffalo. ACE

Do you think D Mase still hosts his radio show this week ? Just kidding

I guess we will know more today about Rays injury/prospects for playing Sunday. In the meantime, it sounds like Willis and McClain time !

-11, Crav ? Wow! Banking on our A game, eh ? I hope you are right. Go Crav !!!

Flacco has already moved forward Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco doesn't seem like he'll have any trouble moving forward from last Sunday, when he threw a career-worst four interceptions. For Flacco, the game was over as soon as he left the locker room in Cincinnati. "You know, listen, it was one bad game and it was one game out of 16," Flacco said. "We've got 14 left, and in the long run that one loss isn't going to matter too much. We expect to have a lot of wins and [to] go out there and play well a lot of times. Nobody likes it. I don't like it. The team doesn't like it, but you've got to get over it. If you don't get over it then it'll kill you for the rest of the year." Good to hear Joe has moved on. Joe can afford a mulligan or two (max) during the year. He just used up one of them. Lets see after the Cleveland game whether he has really moved on. He (we) need a big game.

Hamlin was never really a viable contributor to tne D, just a band aid. Maybe he will picked up by Oakland or Buffalo.

Maybe Zorn would be better suited for Dancing with the Stars, eh ? Dont entirely agree on the holding back the 3 H monster. We need both really. Thats our current problem- our idenitity (in just 2 games) is a passing team. We need balance; cant unleash the beast on Squealers if the beast doesnt get some appreciable work against the Browns.