oldno82

Agree that the bye is here just in time. They've got to be tired with the schedule they've had so far and it's only going to get tougher down the stretch. Much tougher. Va is right too...time to hit on all cylinders. But can they do it? Some games, yes. Most games, no. So far. If this really is a good offense, we'll find out after the Rams game. They won't be able to hide after that one. The Defense is really playing well even with uneven performances from the offense. Thing is, I think we have a really good offense talent wise, but not performance wise. The offense underachieves OR is limited by offensive line woes. I'm afraid Stanley has lost it and Moses is aging. OT play is hurting us in the passing game. We now have excellent receivers even with Mark out and a good rotation in the backfield. No NFL team is perfect this year but we are 9-3 and it isn't because we've played up to our potential. You're right Tsyl in that we should be 12-0. To be fair, though, I haven't seen a dominant team in the whole league this year and the won lost records reflect it. I think as was mentioned above by you guys that we just aren't successfully making adjustments when opposing teams begin to realize what the offense is doing. Is that on the coaching? Would seem so. Is Monken having difficulty making mid-game changes? We certainly seem to start off OK in nearly all games, then frequently go into a funk offensively.

Somewhat intense but the kind of game where you kind of felt it was under control. LAC is a good team and they have some potent weapons. Their defense played better than their year to date stats show but in the end the superior team won out. Glad it was us and now off to a 14 day well deserved respite before we run that gauntlet of season ending games.

If we show up fairly rested and hungry for victory, we'll beat them. Sloppy play could kill us. Overall, we have more talent than they do.

I think the key to this game is for us to emphasize the run and short passes to move the chains, score points, and keep Herbert, Williams and the rest of the Chargers' high octane offense off the field. As good as the Chargers offense is, their defense is that bad.

No it doesn't address his overthrowing deep balls (although he did hit OBJ on 1 of the 3 he threw deep last game), but he does seem to have a good grasp of what and how the offensive parts mesh together and it shows his work ethic. Hopefully he'll connect more often on his deep throws in the next few weeks. Hopefully..

*^%$#!!! Try this: At the Ravens’ sprawling headquarters and practice facility in Owings Mills — 200,000 total square feet, with its indoor field and weight room accounting for about half of it — Lamar Jackson takes a seat at a long table inside one of the first-floor meeting rooms inside “The Castle,” as the massive complex is affectionally known. At the head of the table is first-year quarterbacks coach Tee Martin. Jackson sits to his immediate left, backup Tyler Huntley next to Jackson and No. 3 quarterback Josh Johnson to Martin’s right, while assistant quarterbacks coach Kerry Dixon mans the computer further down the table. While the stadium is where the magic happens for Jackson and the 8-3 Ravens, this is where much of the work takes place for the quarterback. [ Ravens TE Mark Andrews has an ‘outside chance’ to return from ankle injury this season ] “Lamar’s like any other student,” says Martin, who spent the previous two seasons as Baltimore’s wide receivers coach and 25 years ago was the quarterback for national champion Tennessee. “He comes in with his bookbag, takes out his notepad, takes out his pen or pencil and just about every word that comes out of my mouth he’s taking it in. “If there’s something that hits his brain a certain way, he’ll ask a question. He’s very good about being clear to make sure there’s clarity to whatever it is that you’re saying. He’s not shy about asking questions. He doesn’t play around in meetings. He’s a creative thinker. He’s meticulous about things. When you put a play in, he has this blank stare, because he’s playing the play in his mind. A lot of guys can’t do that.” Most in the NFL also haven’t done what Jackson has this season. [ Ravens linebacker Tyus Bowser launches nonprofit to help disadvantaged youth in Baltimore City ] His 69.5% complete rate is the fifth-highest mark in the NFL, his 2,441 yards passing are 10th and his 8.1 yards per attempt ranks fourth. Jackson’s 535 rushing yards, meanwhile, lead the league and are nearly 150 more than the next closest quarterback, the Vikings’ Josh Dobbs, and his five rushing touchdowns are the third-highest total in the league. But the evolution of Jackson, who was the NFL’s unanimous Most Valuable Player in 2019, has reached another level this season beyond just statistics. Thursday night against the Bengals, the Ravens were facing third-and-7 from Cincinnati’s 11-yard line with 28 seconds remaining in the first half. Baltimore had its receivers stacked in a two-by-two formation against man coverage. At the snap, Jackson looked to his right, where wide receiver Zay Flowers, tight end Isaiah Likely and running back Justice Hill were all well covered. So he looked left, where he had Nelson Agholor breaking over the middle and Rashod Bateman working on the outside against Cameron Taylor-Britt. Agholor was open but going away from Jackson as he broke the pocket to his left. Jackson’s movement to the left also forced cornerback Mike Hilton to make a choice: play Jackson one-on-one, or the passing lane. He chose the former, moving toward the quarterback and in doing so opened a window in the end zone for Bateman, who cut in, with Jackson flinging a dart for a touchdown. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, second from right, celebrates a touchdown to wide receiver Rashod Bateman, right, with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., left, and wide receiver Nelson Agholor in the second quarter of Thursday's game against the Bengals. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun) The score put the Ravens up 21-10 at the half and helped bury the Joe Burrow-less Bengals in a hole they couldn’t get out of. There were other plays where Jackson’s progressions stood out, too. Earlier on the drive, he found Odell Beckham Jr. on a corner-stop route for 15 yards after his eyes moved Cincinnati corner Chide Awuzie back toward the middle of the field. And earlier in the second, he connected with what appeared to be his third option in Beckham for 29 yards to set up the Ravens’ second touchdown. [ Ravens WR Odell Beckham Jr., with legs back underneath him, is starting to look like his old self ] Of course, it helps to have playmakers around him. Flowers is second among rookie receivers in catches (53) and fourth in yards (588). Beckham has started to show signs of his old self the past few weeks. Bateman is healthy and has made some crucial catches. There was also ever-dependable tight end Mark Andrews, until he suffered what is likely a season-ending ankle injury in the first quarter Thursday night (though coach John Harbaugh offered a glimmer of hope Monday). Then there is the new scheme under offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who has empowered Jackson to have more input and control and opened the playbook up more the more comfortable the quarterback has become. It took some time and is still a work in progress, but the Ravens have found an identity and rhythm over the past month, scoring 34, 31, 37, 31 and 38 points in their past five games. “He was a very quick study,” Martin said of Jackson. “He’s a quick learner. He doesn’t need a lot of reps to learn things and he sees the game a certain way. Coming in, the terminology, once we got over that bridge of what we used to call it to what we call it now, things that are different, things that are new, introducing him to those concepts and ideas, it all became his own from that point on. “We talked about empowering the quarterback as far as protections, as far as being able to change routes. He loved it.” “I’m more vocal than I was before,” said Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, quieting the crowd during Thursday's game against the Bengals. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun) There’s been a noticeable growth within the walls of the quarterback room as well. “I’m more vocal than I was before,” Jackson said. “Early on [in my career], I was just wanting to learn the ins and outs of defenses in the NFL. But now, [with] me just seeing them each and every week — different defenses every week — I’ve got a lot more questions. I see certain things, and then I want to just tell Coach Monken, ‘We should try to put this in the game plan’ [and] stuff like that.” The other quarterbacks can see a difference, too. [ Where the Ravens turn after injury to TE Mark Andrews on controversial hip-drop tackle ] Huntley, whose locker is next to Jackson’s and who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Ravens two years after Baltimore drafted Jackson in 2018, says the former Heisman Trophy winner has taken command in meetings and in the huddle. “He’s just coming into himself, on and off the field, doing what he needs to do to make himself better, putting in the work,” Huntley said. Johnson, who has played for an NFL-record 14 teams and is in his third stint with the Ravens, sees Jackson for the dynamic playmaker he is but also as someone whose football IQ is high. “He’s who he’s advertised to be,” Johnson said. “He’s been dominant since he’s gotten in to the league. To me, the proof is in his play. If you question who he is as a player, I question how much you know about football. I don’t know what the public thinks of [Jackson]; I know what I think of [Jackson]. I respect him to the highest.” Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, center, says Lamar Jackson, left, has taken command in meetings and in the huddle. (Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun) Still, Jackson has endured more than a few hiccups this season. He has fumbled 10 times, losing six of them. He has also thrown five interceptions. And he has been sacked 27 times, which is on pace for the most of any season in his career, after, in many cases, holding onto the ball too long. But he has also shown his toughness. This season, he has taken a handful of notable hits, including a few earlier this month against the Browns. Then against the Bengals on Thursday, he injured his ankle at the end of the first quarter and was examined in the team’s medical tent. [ Ravens wide receivers step up after Mark Andrews’ injury in win over Bengals: ‘It’s going to take everybody’ ] It was momentarily frightening for a franchise that had already lost Andrews and seen Jackson suffer leg injuries each of the past two seasons. But he emerged with a thumbs-up and didn’t miss a play. “We all know who he is,” Beckham said of Jackson. “He’s the leader of this team, and everybody feeds off him. So, when we see him come back out, it makes you … whatever you have going on, you feel like you’re hurting, he’s out there, [so] we’ve all got to be out there. It was a big leadership moment by him.” Baltimore Ravens Insider Weekly Want the inside scoop on the Ravens? Become a Ravens Insider and you'll have access to news, notes and analysis from The Sun. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. And perhaps will ultimately lead to his biggest season yet.

Yep, I dvr all the games every time and then watch them from the beginning after I've recorded about 30-40 minutes skipping all commercials as I watch. I usually catch up to real time in the 4th quarter.

https://digitaledition.baltimoresun.com/html5/desktop/production/default.aspx?pubid=99644e1a-52da-4fe3-8f78-a84e4fe4d386&edid=59721d6c-498f-4aa5-83a2-644b1b372703 Talks about his development at QB...

It does bug me that we have that tendency to let weaker teams hang around and hang around until some fluky thing happens in the 4th quarter and we lose. I don't see a big margin victory this time. I think our team is very tired at this point and the 3000 mile plane ride won't help. We really need that bye week. Hopefully they push through the fatigue and bring back a win.

Yes. I'm waiting to hear what the specialist in NC says, but it is a glimmer of hope. It'd be nice if he could return somewhere in the playoffs if we get that far.

Also, didn't the NFL later make landing with your body weight on the QB a personal foul penalty? Was it just the QB or was it anybody? Anyway, we're veering off-topic here as the issue with Mark and Lamar was the hip drop which is currently not illegal but is responsible for an outsized portion of serious injuries. The NFL needs to forbid it. The game is tough enough on the players who get hurt incidentally. It doesn't need a tactic like Logan Wilson was using.

Good read and reply, Tsyl!

I have watched the replays of all 3 injuries the Ravens had in the game against the Bengals and there is no excusing what Wilson did who was in on every one. His worst was indeed what he attempted to do with OBJ but he was most 'successful' with Andrews and almost took Lamar out. He was intentionally trying to hurt people and should be suspended by the NFL for a year. There's enough injuries that occur accidentally without this ogre being allowed to inflict injury on purpose.

QB's are dropping like flies and I don't know what more the NFL can do to protect the position although eliminating Thursday night games would be a step in the right direction. I mean, geez...give a guy a chance to recover. I don't buy that Burrow's injury only happened in the game otherwise why wear an orthopedic sleeve on the short flight to B'more?

The fact is that there is no guy who's going to be as good as Andrews on the team. I would prefer to see Likely get more targets as I think he has a higher upside, but neither he nor Kolar are going to be able to replace Andrew's production. It's a real blow to our hopes for getting to the post season and going deep there unless OBJ's injury is resolved before by the next game or two. Andrews drew a lot of double coverage too. We have a lot of tough games coming up against division leaders and I don't feel so confident about them after 89's injury. I was pleased though to see Lamar go to his WRs so easily after Mark went down.

Baltimore Ravens Insider The Sun: The type of tackle that brought Andrews down could soon be banned by the NFL. League executive Jeff Miller said at the NFL’s league meetings in October that the hip-drop tackle increases risk of injury by 2,500% of a normal tackle. The hip-drop — the form used by Wilson on Andrews’ injury — is one in which the defender, normally pursuing from behind and at an angle, dives and falls on his hip to bring down the ball carrier. By doing so, the ball carrier is at risk of having his ankle twisted or his knee inverted. “It is an unforgiving behavior and one that we need to try to define and get out of the game,” Miller said. “To quantify it for you, we see an injury more or less every week in the regular season on the hip-drop.”

Yep, that too!

That's what I figured. They need to get the run going without going to extremes. Time to run Gus at him and Mitchell around him. Then use play action for medium range passes. Hopefully they can also have a little success going deep a few times. I still think this is quite possibly the most important game of the season for us and definitely for the Bengals. Counting on our DC to confuse the hell out of Burrows. If we win, we'll know for sure we have the potential to beat anybody IF WE PLAY SMART!

Yeah, I don't like the guy because of his history but you have to hand it to Watson to go the second half and do what he did. He either has an incredible pain threshold or they pumped him with pain killers at the half.

Yep...we're finally going to find out how good this team really is. They have the tools in the toolbox to win. They just have to use them all in the right way.

I have no problem with a running game-play action pass strategy against Cincy this week as long as Keaton Mitchell gets a fair number of carries. He's a big gain opportunity every time he touches the ball. They will need to use all 3 backs to make this effective. Meanwhile, I'd definitely sit Stanley this week and only play Humphrey if he's really able to go. Mekarri can take over Stanley's spot with only a slight, if any, dropoff and the secondary played very well when Humphrey was out before this season. On defense, the key has to be putting pressure on Burrow and not letting him feel comfortable back there throwing the ball. Still, none of this will really matter unless the whole team comes out fired up. And that's going to be on Harbs and the coordinators to instill. This is the biggest game of the season so far and a must win. The Ravens will have to play up to their potential. This game will tell us how good or mediocre this team really is.

They'd be better served with an 18 game schedule with 2 bye weeks.

Gee...that hurts some but Mekari can play LT for us and with Stanley's diminished performance this year it shouldn't be too much of a drop off, if any. Moses is expected back at RT. The Bengals have some significant injuries as well which could affect their game this Thursday. Excuse me here while I rant: The NFL is crazy for scheduling these Thursday games after a Sunday game. How the hell is a team supposed to recover in 4 days? Anybody who's even listed as 'day-to-day' on an injury list probably shouldn't suit up for a Thursday game. I can't believe the players' union hasn't negotiated these games out of existence. OK...I'm finished now.

Rushing game and play action passes is the strategy. Also, rushing the heck out of Burrow on D. Cinci is not invincible. No NFL team is. We should go into this game pissed as hell. Thing is, Bengals lost last week too and will be looking for revenge as well for early season loss. A good test for the Head Coaches to see how fired up they can get their teams going into Thursday night.

I think the Ravens' lack the ability to adapt during a game. It's not just one size fits all. Some games require you pass even with a lead; others require more rushing attempts. There is a fine line between keeping the pedal to the metal or switching to a lower gear. In all three losses we've failed on some level to adapt appropriately. ESPN stats are always 'valuable' AFTER the fact. Makes me wonder what happens to all the ESPN stats that were in our favor BEFORE the game was played. I take those stats, all of them, with a grain of salt. Same goes for the in game analysis during a game...the analysts always go with who's winning at the time and make them sound nearly unbeatable. You aren't going to win or look good in all 17 games in a season. No team does. We just have to put this one behind us and concentrate on beating the crap out of the Bengals this Thursday. Four days doesn't leave us the time to feel sorry for ourselves.