oldno82

I've noticed that too. This year, Ray can't seem to stand upright anymore once he's touched. I think he's got NFL running back burnout. Great guy but we may have to move on.

Football is a team game. I don't think there's more than half-a-dozen guys who are playing up to their level. Including Flacco. Including a LOT of others. As a side note, I had a conversation with Sock_Dolager (hope you guys remember him; may he r.i.p.) once in which we were discussing the demise of the Colts in the late seventies after Bert Jones got hurt and was out for 2 years.By the time Bert got back (and we considered him 'elite') in 1980, the talent level around him had drastically fallen off thanks to Bob Irsay and the team wasn't the same even though he was still a damned fine quarterback. That was the beginning of the end of the Colts.

I think what's missing is emotional leadership---the kind that gets guys fired up like back in the Lombardi days. Coaches like Bellichick seem to to be able to get the team up for every game. Thing is, these days they are a real rarity. Harbaugh has been an excellent coach for 5 years but he did have Ray to give the pregame motivational speech. Now it's up to him to either do it himself or find some player that can.

I'd also like the coaches and team to be more honest and stop shoveling this BS: An article on 'how good' the blocking was. http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Offensive-Line-Better-Than-Results-Showed/9540a0a5-1799-49db-8404-e273cf2fe630 If I remember right we gave up 5 sacks and never opened any holes for the running backs

I'll always root for the Ravens as long as they play hard, coach hard, and manage well. They don't have to be in the playoffs every year for me to be a fan and I think we're going to be down for a few seasons yet. They still have my support. I'd like to add that I wish for them to be entertaining to watch and show some life out there 'cause I haven't seen either this season. As far as Cinci goes, they really aren't that good and we still have a chance of edging them. Course the last time I picked the Ravens they lost and didn't look good and I think I said they would play 'lights out'. Well, they were 'lights out' alright---in that they played like they were asleep!

I definitely stand corrected on Daryl Smith. He even shows some fire. Jones I'm not so sure about. I just finished reading a couple of other sports sites that indicate Monroe is 'solid'---but he is only here for this year unless the Ravens do something.

The only players earning their pay this year are Suggs, Torrey Smith, & Marlon Brown. NOBODY else is playing well. Not only is Rice done but Ngata is too at the price he commands next year.

The really sad part is that things are just not going to get better this year. Harbs and the players can talk all they want about 'just having to get the job' done but it AIN'T happening. The remaining schedule is tough. We're going to have a losing season. Apparently, management's strategy for this season hasn't panned out. I'm not saying I disagree with them but I just don't see the passion or the fire that used to be 'Ravens Football'. The team is playing like a shell of it's old self. Elam and Brown, the top two choices, haven't panned out so far. I have yet to see Juice get a real chance. What happened to John Simon? Were we too optimistic about our draft choices? Daryl Smith was a good pickup but the Huff thing was a disaster. I'm not even sure how well Monroe is playing and we gave up two choices for him. Admittedly, I'm feeling the bitterness of losing to the Browns and the subpar play we've had all season. I am a bit emotional right now. But, it's beginning to look like losing Boldin, Pollard, Lewis, and Reed has taken the toughness out of this team because they weren't replaced by equal value.

Marlon Brown's a keeper---just needs more experience.

This season's Ravens haven't even been entertaining to watch.

You got it!

Gee, Spen, I'm not at all sure I'll still be kicking around in 20 years. I'm old!

Yeah, I agree; let's leave the name calling off this board...we're better than that.

G'night one and all!

You didn't answer the questions which is what you accuse everyone else of doing.

http://forums.extremeravens.com/topic/11878-castillo-gets-the-booth/page-2?do=findComment&comment=64960 Scroll to top of that page. Also, read this: http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Eisenberg-Browns-20-QBs-Show-Why-Ravens-Paid-Flacco/f620daea-6083-41d2-8fbf-ba3ca001f398

Max touched on this, but chemistry is so important in football. So is emotion. Right now, and with a few exceptions, I don't see the fire I've seen the last 5 years. I don't know (and didn't used to believe) that it's that we're missing Ray's fire-it-up pre-game speeches or what, but the team is definitely sleepwalking. It may be the Super Bowl hangover and that could be bad because it may mean more personnel changes are going to be required if these guys aren't hungry any more.

OK...I'm really weary of this. What would you like the team to do? What is YOUR suggestion for making it better?

Also read Flacco is going to call the blocking assignments not Gradkowski and to plan on seeing more of the shotgun this week as well as more 3 receiver sets and less of Vonta.

The offensive line sure didn't need this. I don't know if we have a truly competent backup. I tend to think not.

Spears could still wind up here if he can just heal. It's hard at his age. Huff just imploded. I have no idea why.

I've got a feeling this team is going to play lights-out this Sunday. If they don't, if they look like the same sleepwalking group we've seen so far, there'll be no playoffs this year.

Well, it's obvious. Logic isn't working with you.

Huff was the most surprising (to me) and disappointing of all the changes that were made. He's been so bad I can't believe it. It's like something happened to the guy we don't know about. Spears is disappointing too but isn't he still injured?

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Ravens-Stand-Pat-At-Trade-Deadline/7b7a4bcc-9908-416b-a772-0375751f2b26 It's possible, just possible, that Marlon Brown and Tandon Doss are getting better each week and their confidence is increasing.