blame game

[dc.]

Went today. Worst game I've ever witnessed.

 

Target #1: Harbaugh. No game plan on either side of the ball. The FG was a pathetic call - post game he said he thought it would make it a two possession game which is false. Either he's lying to avoid or he's not - which is worse. And how about going empty set on 3rd and 1 near the goal line - is that not the moment to drop in Vonta (who never plays now)? We have to at least pretend we'll run it, but even went empty back frequently.

 

Target #2: Joe. Actually, I am going to restrain some because Tyrod shows us that Joe's play was probably better than we realized. But his reads were nonexistent. Fixed on his #1 even when double covered... Missing wide open receivers. From the upper deck it was so plain to see I was about to lose it.

 

Honorable Mention: The Refs. Enough said. But the change of call on the late false start/encroachment... At least they got it right but how absurd. So plain to see a few refs waited on the replay. If you knew the calk, why not say it right away douche?

[vmax]

Everybody contributed to this loss.

 

The Ravens coaching staff did not have this team ready and they had a crappy game plan. They were totally out coached.

When players were open and Joe either didn't see them or he threw an inaccurate pass. The plays were there....Joe couldn't make them.

The defense did not pressure Brady and could not stop the run.

 

The refs were horrible...and I'm not saying they cost the Ravens the game. In fact, it was a bullshit PI call on the Pats that set up the Ravens lone TD. They should have been shut out.

 

It's 20-0 and we're hoping Tucker can make 7 field goals. He missed.

[52isUnstoppable]

And how about going empty set on 3rd and 1 near the goal line - is that not the moment to drop in Vonta (who never plays now)? We have to at least pretend we'll run it, but even went empty back frequently.

Amen. I said it in the gameday thread. We blew any chance of victory on this exact play. 3rd and 1

From 5 yards out. You have already made up your mind its 4 down territory. You go empty set. You throw a horrendous fade route to pitta. Then run 1 inch short on fourth, only after you call a timeout to get out of another empty set. What was that??? You should have put in leach and pierce on 3rd down, got the first or ran a similar run on 4th and got the first. After that its first and goal from the 4 yard line and you run all the fades

U want and no one will blame you. But that play call on a day when the run was actually working was the straw that broke our backs. An easy 7 points to 0 points with almost a whole quarter to play. The empty set sucks.

[Tornado700]

F's are the way around. Worst played game of the season and that's saying alot.

[OutsideRzAcE]

Joe blew today and everything else fell apart like dominoes. Joe was the lynchpin and catalyst for the collapse. It was one those classic Joe Meltdown games that he seems to have two or three times a year. (Houston, Seattle, Jax). Next week he'll come back strong...for what it's worth.

[52isUnstoppable]

Jets @ dolphins

Chiefs @ chargers

 

We have to win and one of these guys has to lose

[Tornado700]

Joe blew today and everything else fell apart like dominoes. Joe was the lynchpin and catalyst for the collapse. It was one those classic Joe Meltdown games that he seems to have two or three times a year. (Houston, Seattle, Jax). Next week he'll come back strong...for what it's worth.

Agree 100%. Flacco was horrible.

[varaven45]

Todays game (and resulting blame) is emblematic of this season. We've had 0 running game and horrible O-line play all season, SANS 1 or 2 games.

For 2 or 3 seasons, this board and yours truly have been clamoring for a running game. We might have won a SB last season but even during our stretch run we were still passing

on 3rd and/or 4th and 1 (remember the countless 3rd or 4th and 1 passes to Bolden and Pitta last year) . This team has not had a solid, dependable running game that could predictably make a rushing 1st down in the past 2-3 years or longer. The teams who will compete in this year's SB have at least a dependable, if not a smash mouth, running game.

 

As a mere fan with limited football acumen, its absolutely astounding how this organization has failed to successfully address this OL/running deficiency. And its a major one that was on full display yesterday against a weaker but better coached squad. Knowing Joe's knee condition and NE's swiss cheese run defense, our offense absolutely had to game plan for this and the team flat out failed miserably. This offense should have pounded NE run D for at least 150 yards. Instead, we forced a dinged up, immobile Joe to throw it around, force into tight coverage, and yes, misfire and miss targets. .

 

This team will go 8-8 and, for that, given the offseason losses and the pathetic OL play, is an earned performance for this years squad. I am watching games yesterday where teams are efficiently and effectively running against stout D's and yet we struggle on simple 3rd and 4th and 1 plays against the Patriots lower tier run D. The Pats !!!!!

 

Unless the FO fully embraces but, more importantly, address this major OL/running game deficiency, we can expect more 8-8, 9-7 or 7-9 campaigns during the Harbaugh/Flacco regime.

 

A substantial OL fix will turn this ship around. Until then, a continual grind and mediocrity will remain the rule.

[papasmurfbell]

Went today. Worst game I've ever witnessed.

 

Target #1: Harbaugh. No game plan on either side of the ball. The FG was a pathetic call - post game he said he thought it would make it a two possession game which is false. Either he's lying to avoid or he's not - which is worse. And how about going empty set on 3rd and 1 near the goal line - is that not the moment to drop in Vonta (who never plays now)? We have to at least pretend we'll run it, but even went empty back frequently.

 

Target #2: Joe. Actually, I am going to restrain some because Tyrod shows us that Joe's play was probably better than we realized. But his reads were nonexistent. Fixed on his #1 even when double covered... Missing wide open receivers. From the upper deck it was so plain to see I was about to lose it.

 

Honorable Mention: The Refs. Enough said. But the change of call on the late false start/encroachment... At least they got it right but how absurd. So plain to see a few refs waited on the replay. If you knew the calk, why not say it right away douche?

Joe did play like crap but Harbs has proven what I have been saying for yrs. You are in yr 6 and you still do not grasp game mang. Kicking a FG when you are still 3 scores down with it is mind bogglingly stupid. Giving the ball to RR on 4th and 1 is moronic. The second you are in that situation you tell RR to sit his munchkin ass on the bench and get a heavier back in. Also QB sneak. Later they proved it can be successful.

Of as for Tyrod he had backups out there with him. Not a real eval.

[dc.]

I think Joe played a bad game for sure - and there weren't many moments that offered a different view. But I still put much more blame on Harbs. The running game was actually working for most of the day - Ray was running well early on. 6 yards on the opening play. Then two bad pass plays. Happened over and over. There just isn't any consistency or logic to our game planning.

 

Harbs is also the ultimate "coach speak" coach - which I honestly don't blame him for. It's just annoying to listen to. He's great at being a voice on TV/Radio/etc that just doesn't let the media get to him or let anyone throw his players under the bus. It's a fine trait. All coaches do it. But damn is it annoying to listen to. (This is really more a complaint about all sports reporters/players/coaches/shows - which is why I've pretty much given up. Can't even watch a highlight show anymore because I have to listen to "momentum change!" ... blah)

[papasmurfbell]

The local press never holds him accountable for his bad jobs. It would be amazing to see them actually do their job.

[oldno82]

I think Joe played a bad game for sure - and there weren't many moments that offered a different view. But I still put much more blame on Harbs. The running game was actually working for most of the day - Ray was running well early on. 6 yards on the opening play. Then two bad pass plays. Happened over and over. There just isn't any consistency or logic to our game planning.

 

Harbs is also the ultimate "coach speak" coach - which I honestly don't blame him for. It's just annoying to listen to. He's great at being a voice on TV/Radio/etc that just doesn't let the media get to him or let anyone throw his players under the bus. It's a fine trait. All coaches do it. But damn is it annoying to listen to. (This is really more a complaint about all sports reporters/players/coaches/shows - which is why I've pretty much given up. Can't even watch a highlight show anymore because I have to listen to "momentum change!" ... blah)

That's a fair criticism of Harb's coach-speak. I'm tired of it too but still, it's not nearly as bad as the bullshit Billick used to throw around.

[vmax]

Harbaugh did not have this team ready.

That was not Ravens football.

 

What's crazy is the team stats are almost identical until you reach the redzone stats, penalties, 1st downs on penalties and turnovers. There's not stat for not showing up.

The lone Ravens TD was a referee gift....I call it 8 quarters without a TD.

Pathetic.

 

On coaching: Caldwell has to go. The O line coach has to go. Hostler...so long...how can you line up Smith, Brown and Jones and be so weak getting open?

[varaven45]

Max, Maybe Harbaugh, like Bellicheat, needed to take his boys out for a flick on Friday. Just kidding

 

After Monday night's win in Motown, just about everyone was on our bandwagon and proclaiming "repeat" and "the team nobody wants to see in the playoffs" . How ironic now ?

Anyway, one of the naysayers, Steve Young (who I dont particularly care for but is brutally honest), summed it best: the Ravens have heart, character and substance but no running game and that will be their Achilles heel, even if they make the playoffs. Dilfer and Ray Lewis scoffed at it but Young was right and our team and FO are either clueless and/or been in denial for a few years now.

 

Its hard to fathom, Max, how the Biscuit and Ozzie are putting up with these shenanigans and this circus of an O Line.

 

As our old late friend, Sock, used to say: it all about winning the LOS. With a few notable exceptions (last years SB run), our OL hasn't won many LOS battles the last few years. It most certainly hasn't opened up jack squat for running lanes.

 

Lets hope for this organization's sake, significant "O" changes are a coming.... and soon.

[vmax]

Keep Yanda, let the rest go.

[OutsideRzAcE]

Keep Yanda, let the rest go.

 

Keep Yanda, Osi, and Monroe. Let Oher go. Gino is a backup or he's gone. Shipley backup.

[papasmurfbell]

Who plays center? Do they draft again or FA? They are pretty tight on the cap. Gino may just not have been ready. They did him no favors how they did that.

[OutsideRzAcE]

Im not sure what u mean by "they did him no favors". Gino is in year 2 and spent the first year learning under Birk. He had time. I think they should draft a centrr if the right guy falls to them early, otherwise explore a bargain vet. There were bargain guys out there this year that would have been a huge improvement over Gino. Granted they couldnt know that at the beginning of the season, but knowing what they know now I dont see how they can chance another year relying on the guy. The Steelers picked up a guy week 1 after pouncey got hurt and he was solid for them up until he got hurt in the game in Baltimore.

[papasmurfbell]

He was drastically undersized and from a D1AA school. He needed at least 2 full seasons of grooming.

Back on the blame. I love how Harbs is blaming the short week. Does he have any balls whatsoever?

[OutsideRzAcE]

He was drastically undersized and from a D1AA school. He needed at least 2 full seasons of grooming.

I

Well we'll see. He has shown improvement since the beginning of the season but still has a long way to go.

[papasmurfbell]

He isn't even making the line calls. Yanda is doing everything for the kid short of snapping the ball.

[dc.]

I mostly agree with Papa here. And the bigger issue is the way Yanda is adjusting every call so he and Shipley can help cover the blocks they know G can't handle.