varaven45

Yep and get out from underneath the Rice ordeal. It could be a clean break

the teams performance last season and this season' s 5-4 record clearly makes us an average team. And unless we see an infusion of players who "play like a Raven", witness an incredible draft, and make some defensive coaching changes, I don't see improvement from average in the near term.

After watching this team since '96 and the many lean, tough and smashmouth years, I often heard and could relate to the term "play like a raven". This label or moniker might have characterized our 1st Super Bowl team (w/Ray, McCrary, Goose, Boulware, etc.) and perhaps until (although to a lesser degree) our 2nd Lombardy with guys Ray, Reed, Boldin, etc. Subsequently, we've witnessed the departure/retirement of guys like Ray, Reed, Boldin, Pollard (and others) and a decline in intensity, character, passion, sense of urgency and ultimately, performance. This was all on display in Sunday night's meltdown in Pittsburgh. So, I am struggling to understand the true meaning of "play like Raven" and what current player actually exhibits or merits that label. Candid replies would be appreciated.

Max, it's what I said before the season began - 7 to 8 wins - with a botton out season this year or next. If Oz or future GM has extraordinary draft or FA acquisitions, we could start to ascend sooner. Otherwise, it's a grind it out 7-9 or 8-8 campaign this year and next. Afterwards, we put the Rice crap behind us, clean up the team and find Raven type players.

On your points, agree on point 1 and to some degree on 2 (in terms of the message getting stale). Not with you on point 3 - Flacco is no dummy. He may not be a cerebral as Brady or Manning but he did win a SB. Point 4 - not sure I agree here either. I think Harbaugh got his mulligan last year after SB win. He gets one more after the Rice debacle. My prediction is he's in the hot seat next year if we aren't in the playoff hunt or discussion.

We need both a young Boldin type as SS is truly a Sr by WR standards. We get 1 more quality yr (at best) from Sr.

Yep, we need a "Boldin to be" and he's not on this roster.

Ditto here. I still love watching the game - both college and pro - but money & commercialization has watered it down. Plus, its become a league that, in my opinion, that has "over" emphasized offense. Its almost become a flag/arena football league. Like Grubber, I still miss the grit and substance of the Ravens 2000 SB team. Unfortunately, in todays NFL, we aren't likely to ever see that again. As it stands, I'll continue to watch but with some reservation.

Yep -they've needed one since Sharpe and Heap. Pitta was very good but we've needed and still need a big, strong, fast, athletic, game changing TE. These guys don't grow on trees but the FO needs to make a commitment to find one, via draft or FA. . Look how Gronk's presence has affected Brady performance. Its like night and day.

As a long time, unbiased and infrequent poster, my thoughts about this seasons squad. 1. The 2014 team, compared to the rest of the league, is an average bunch and they'll end up with 7 or 8 wins. They feast on the weak sisters - Tampa, Atlanta, Carolina. Grind, occasionally win, but mostly lose to above average teams. 2. This team, unlike years past, lacks substance (the it factor), leadership, identity and chemistry. I don't see anyone- Flacco, Mosely, Jimmy Smith leading the team. 3. Flacco has no viable "go to" stud like a Gronk, Antonio Brown, Dez Bryant. Ozzie has never been successful in drafting one; they need to or acquire one via FA. 4. Defensively, the front seven is stout, impressive. The secondary, with Jimmy Smith in the lineup, is good but without is an embarrassment. I cannot imagine a scenario where this team doesn't overhaul the secondary. The secondary has been an embarrassment for so long. I am surprised the Biscuit and Ozzie haven't addressed this glaring problem. 5. Its been very difficult and frustrating to watch this team grind, scratch and claw the past two seasons. But with today's NFL; up one week, down the next, every team has a shot and can quickly change their fortunes ( NE and Pittsburgh were buried 2-3 weeks ago). I believe the ownership and fan base demands success and positive changes are in the offing.

If I could snag Jen, I'd replace Brady (vs Denver) with him in a heartbeat. Jen should get 300-350 yds, 3-4 TDS.

The planets aren't aligning for us Sunday night. This could get real ugly, real early for the good guys.

Mosley gives our D a lot of hope for the future. Now we need to start surrounding him with similar talent, esp in the secondary.

With Sunday night's tilt in the 'Burgh, it seems there are two chances of sneaking out a W - slim and none and ......... With our team's running game ( top 5 or 6 in league) and the Steeler's suddenly explosive passing game, the only conceivable way to stay in this game is to: * Using the 3 headed monster (if all are available), our offense runs the ball 40-45 times. No less, no exceptions. * Joe passes only 15- 20 times, targets primarily S Smith Sr., Forsett (if plays), Torrey and our no name TE (unless Daniels miraculously plays). * Defensively, we bring a steady, constant blitz; keeping Ben R under duress the entire game. Remaining patient and disciplined in the running game, using a suffocating D with explosive blitzing, gives us our only chance of keeping it close. If we do that, we've got a shot. Anything else, we are on the losing end of a blowout. Until Jimmy Smith returns and Will Hill finds his legs in the secondary, this may be our best formula for moving forward.

Elam is a fish out of water. Haven't seen Brown on the field so the jury is still out on him.

Aftet Howdy Doody and Sanu lit up our D, in critical situations no less, Ben and A Brown will have epic games. It'll get ugly and early.. Harbs would be wise to pound the rock, to keep Joe upright and Ben off the field.

And when it comes to abandoning the run. the Ravens are in big, big company. All coaches and OCs get a boner from the verticall phase and prematurely abandon the run game. It won't happen, but with our Swiss cheese secondary, I would have Forset, Pierce and Taliefero run the ball 40-50 times on Sunday night. Take some heat off the D, give Joe a little balance in the offense, and establish our 3 headed monster. It won't happen, Joe will pass 40-50 times on Sunday night and he'll pass on 3rd or 4th and 1. Yep, it'll happen and that's damn frustrating but it's what we do and most of the league does.

Always lots of play but when we look back at the season - later this year - many of us will reflect on this game and season changing plays that might have been..

We lost the game when Jimmy left. They really picked on Franks especially on their last TD drive. Brooks was also in the game and didn't do well. Julio Jones scored on Franks last week. Agree 150 %. They had Sanu and w/o Jimmy we had no answer. Still, we were a borderline OPI call and/or 4th and goal TD from Cincy from winning this game . All said, there's a damn fine (ultra thin) line between winning and losing. Had the refs not called OPI or we stop the Bengals on 4th and goal, the media would be anointing us us the AFCN champs and the Bengals would have been judged losers, underachievers, Marvin would have been done and their fan base would be talking 2015 draft status. Instead, the Bengals are in fat city, and we are dead in the water. Amazing how 1 or 2 plays can affect a team's season !!!! nto

Yep. Which is why we must absolutely pound the rock in the Burgh Sunday night. And we cannot abandon the run, esp. with our "skeleton crew" of WR/TEs. Yep, pound the dang rock, keep Ben off the field, and when he's on the field, blitz his butt all night. It worked on Matty Ice 2 weeks ago (albeit with a crappy ATL line).

Exactly, or at least give us consistency from week to week. All the calls now are arbitrary and capricious.

I go with the majority - and Smith and Bayliss say it should have been a TD. Just like last year's Hail Mary in Bmore where Green scores and sends it into OT. There's a scrum and ten gazillion penalties in the endZone. You let the boys decide the game.

Yeah and then we will wake up for the home game against Tennessee. And hopefully Tennessee's rookie quarterback is still spending most of his time doing selfie's in preparation for the game. Will need all the help we can get for that game.

Yep. I think the black n gold are poised to reciprocate from the Butt kicking we laid on them last month. We always seem to split with these boys. And with our wounded secondary, I am sure Ben will put up gawdy fantasy type numbers again. When's our bye ?

Two Bengal bombs - week1 and today - the difference between us being 7-1 and 5-3. Btw- was Will Hill in on the bombs to Sanu ? Anyone ?