Beginning of the end for Caldwell?

[OutsideRzAcE]

 

The Patriots took advantage of a predictable Ravens' offense

 

 

Mike Preston

9:35 p.m. EST, December 23, 2013

The Ravens have less than a week to achieve an offensive harmony that has eluded them all season.

They had very little of it in the 41-7 loss to New England on Sunday, and the Ravens still need to address some internal issues such as communication, among other things.

The Ravens are ranked No. 29 in offensive yards, averaging 313.1 per game — including 85.4 yards rushing, which ranks No. 28 in the NFL. In the past two games, they have scored just one touchdown, and they have scored only 23 touchdowns on 48 possessions inside the red zone this season.

According to a team source, the Ravens were so predictable on offense Sunday that the Patriots were calling out their plays at the line of scrimmage. Apparently, when the Ravens were passing, New England was using the term "airplane" and when it was a run, they yelled "car."

Former Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis used to be good at reading keys and used expressions "bird" for pass and "rabbit" for run to alert his teammates.

"It was pathetic," the source said. "It still comes down to execution, but you do need the element of surprise. We're giving a lot of things away and it hasn't gotten better throughout the year. Our play calling has been poor."

 

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-preston-ravens-column-1224-20131223,0,5829128.column#ixzz2oPUUk2Xc

 

 

That is some harsh internal criticism, granted from an unnamed source. As I watched the sophisticated design of the Patriots plays I couldn't help but be a little jealous of the playcalling. They were just more sophisticated from a design standpoint. The 3rd and short goal line play that freed up the back to catch the ball out of the backfield is an example.

 

Now, the other side of the coin is guys were open Sunday and Joe wasn't hitting them. When Joe is on, he makes Caldwell look like a genius. When he's off, he struggles to the point where Caldwell's plays (or his inability to adjust accordingly) haven't help us win. I don't think you change coordinators just to make a change this offseason, however if a proven guy becomes available (live Norv Turner last year), I think you have to pull the trigger.

[Spen]

Hmmm, how many 'bad' OCs can we have in a row?

[oldno82]

Hmmm, how many 'bad' OCs can we have in a row?

Same thing I was thinking. I don't think Flacco is capable enough to run Caldwell's offense. We need a balanced attack with a better offensive line. Then Joe does quite well.

 

Big difference from last year's playoff run is we have had no running ability and a worse performing offensive line.

[ravinmaniac52]

Funny how the OLine looked so good one week against a very good DLine then look like crap the next week against a weak DLine

[papasmurfbell]

Harbs said it was the short week. I didn't see that stopping them with a shorter week on Thanksgiving. Also I think Jaun pooch screwed a lot.

[dc.]

There is something very wrong with our O, and play calling is a tremendous part of that. But I think the real problem is our OL schemes and sets. There is something beyond wrong there.

[papasmurfbell]

In the article it says how Castillo changed not only the blocking scheme but terminology as well. He was an influence that was not needed.

[vmax]

They had higher ranked offenses when Boller was in town.

 

Just stop hiring coaches whose last name starts with a C.

Cavendish, Cammeron, Caldwell....

[ravinmaniac52]

With the way things have looked over the season, I really wonder if the coaching staff are all on the same page?

[OutsideRzAcE]

Hmmm, how many 'bad' OCs can we have in a row?

 

When we play teams who's offenses are run by good offensive minds (Denver, Chicago, NE) the difference between their playcalling and ours is night and day. We play a dumbed down straight ahead style of offense that really only works when you can out physical the other team and impose your will in the run game. Remember Green Bay with the 4 consecutive runs at the goal line? How often do we have our wideouts come of of bunches to confuse the opposing team's defense. Seems to work all the time against us.

 

What I appreciate about Caldwell's offense is that he is intent on having balance between the pass and the run. I think he is an improvement over Cameron, which is why I don't think we need to make a change just to make a change. I don't think that Caldwell is a 'bad' coordinator but he may not be the right one for Flacco. We may need a guy like Norv Turner or Josh McDaniels to get the most out of Flacco.

 

Same thing I was thinking. I don't think Flacco is capable enough to run Caldwell's offense. We need a balanced attack with a better offensive line. Then Joe does quite well.

 

Big difference from last year's playoff run is we have had no running ability and a worse performing offensive line.

 

Early on I would have agreed with you, because the Oline wasn't giving Joe enough time to go through his reads. Lately (last 4 or 5 games?) he's been getting that time, but still hasn't performed up to the level of the SB run. This leads me to what I think the biggest difference between last year's playoff run and this year. Last year Joe was deadly accurate with the deep pass. Think about it, how often has Joe underthrown or overthrown Jacoby or Torrey deep down the field? Almost every time he misses, that's 7 points down the tubes. He wasn't missing these during the SB run, and unfortunately his accuracy issues this year have killed the offense.

[oldno82]

Well, you're right about one thing. Joe was deadly accurate on the long ball last year and I've noticed, like you, that there's been many times Torrey or Jacoby have been open deep and Joe under throws them. I'm starting to wonder if it's his arm or his brain that's lacking in that this year. Probably more of a confidence/timing issue???

[thundercleetz]

That article is scary. To me it sounds like there are too many voices in the room. Castillo handling the run game and Hostler and Caldwell coming up with the game-plan and calling the offense. There is not any consistency on offense because there is not any chemistry within the coaching staff. Sounds like we just need to go back to the basics, review a lot of our own keys, and fix them. There is no excuse for not changing things up at halftime when you hear Patriots players barking out our plays. There is no excuse for Oher or Monroe to be giving away passing plays like they do in non-obvious passing situations. These are simple fixes that have not been made which is disheartening.

[oldno82]

This team has too many freaking coaches whose responsibilities overlap. And, I blame Harbaugh for that particular mess. He needs to cut some coaches starting with Castillo. And what exactly is Spanguolo supposed to be doing???

 

But it IS Christmas so they might as well wait until the season is over which won't be long now.

[varaven45]

It all starts at the top. If this team wants to remain relevant and competitive during the Flacco era, it need to fix this broken offense this offseason.

 

We are damn lucky it's been a mediocre AFC this season. Otherwise, we would have been eliminated a few weeks ago. Instead, we have a shot , albeit unlikely, at a winning season.

 

The FO Ozzie and Harbs need to take a good look at the mirror , honestly assess the offense,

Identify the deficiencies, and begin building a formidable offense for today's NFL. If they do, this team can and should compete nearly every year.

 

If not, we will watch more of the same.

 

My hope and expectation is that significant changes are in the offing .

[oldno82]

It all starts at the top. If this team wants to remain relevant and competitive during the Flacco era, it need to fix this broken offense this offseason.

 

We are damn lucky it's been a mediocre AFC this season. Otherwise, we would have been eliminated a few weeks ago. Instead, we have a shot , albeit unlikely, at a winning season.

 

The FO Ozzie and Harbs need to take a good look at the mirror , honestly assess the offense,

Identify the deficiencies, and begin building a formidable offense for today's NFL. If they do, this team can and should compete nearly every year.

 

If not, we will watch more of the same.

 

My hope and expectation is that significant changes are in the offing .

I'm with you...I want to see a real offense and a consistent offense next year. We've got a lot of young guys we've drafted for the D now it's time to straighten the offense once and for all.

 

(Can hardly believe I'm still looking for this after all the years the Ravens have had a lousy offense...last year's playoff run is the kind of offense I'm hoping for).

[tgann68]

I wonder what Brady and Mannings numbers would look like if every down they threw 2-3 DL an LB's were breaking loose on them?

 

Everytime Joe drops back he is either sacked or almost sacked its f-ing pathetic. He had time last year not all day like Brady but time to throw.this year he is beaten up..it's hard to watch.

[papasmurfbell]

It all starts at the top. If this team wants to remain relevant and competitive during the Flacco era, it need to fix this broken offense this offseason.

 

We are damn lucky it's been a mediocre AFC this season. Otherwise, we would have been eliminated a few weeks ago. Instead, we have a shot , albeit unlikely, at a winning season.

 

The FO Ozzie and Harbs need to take a good look at the mirror , honestly assess the offense,

Identify the deficiencies, and begin building a formidable offense for today's NFL. If they do, this team can and should compete nearly every year.

 

If not, we will watch more of the same.

 

My hope and expectation is that significant changes are in the offing .

I don't see what Ozzie has done wrong other than not get a center earlier. He didn't set up the coaching mess.

[varaven45]

They are all in this together. It's all for 1; 1 for all.

[papasmurfbell]

Are you saying Ozzie and Harbs are in it together or the team as a whole.

[varaven45]

It's a team.

[thundercleetz]

I think a lot of Ravens fans are forgetting this is a rebuilding year. For years we had talked about the window closing, then we won the Super Bowl. It is irrelevant we won the Super Bowl last year, rebuilding this season was inevitable. As far as I'm concerned we were lucky to win the Super Bowl in that group's last viable year of contention. I do not think you could find another team in the salary cap era that won a Super Bowl at the end of their run and went out on top as the window closed and had to completely rebuild the next season (maybe the '98 Broncos?). That is why last year was so special, and that is why our expectations as Ravens fans this season were unrealistic.

 

Being a Raven fan is like nothing else. As bad as this team is at times, we have had so many incredible comeback wins Ravens fans ALWAYS think their team is in the game. How many people thought we were going to comeback and win the Patriot game when we were driving down 20-7 in the fourth quarter? I know I did. So I am going with that same mindset this weekend. Making the playoffs is against the odds, but I firmly believe we will until the fat lady sings. The Ravens give us a heart attack each week, but we could be Browns fans. Better yet, we could be Bengals fans. Sure they won the division, but they do not know what winning in the playoffs feels like. Until they do, they expect to be one-and-done.

[papasmurfbell]

Agreed but you still have to be on the same page for your whole team. The offense is on several pages.

[rastaman831226]

This team has too many freaking coaches whose responsibilities overlap. And, I blame Harbaugh for that particular mess. He needs to cut some coaches starting with Castillo. And what exactly is Spanguolo supposed to be doing???

 

But it IS Christmas so they might as well wait until the season is over which won't be long now.

Nailed it! But haven't we all seen this movie before? You know, the one where John Harbaugh hires another coach under the John Harbaugh Friends Of Family and Old Buddy Plan who then proceeds to screw up a good thing leaving Bisciotti and Ozzie to step in and clean up the mess. This debacle falls directly on Harbaugh who has once again stubbornly shown far too much loyalty to his personal coaching hires ( Caldwell is the lone FO hire ) over the needs and welfare of this team. Calwell's offense of a season ago was up tempo and aggressively attacked the middle of the field - we saw none of that this season. John Harbaugh or Harbaigh under the influence of Juan Castillo made the decision to go away from a formula that was working?

[oldno82]

I do think Castillo did a lot to screw up Caldwell's offense. That and losing Birk and Osemele were the start of the disjointed offense demise.

[papasmurfbell]

Nailed it! But haven't we all seen this movie before? You know, the one where John Harbaugh hires another coach under the John Harbaugh Friends Of Family and Old Buddy Plan who then proceeds to screw up a good thing leaving Bisciotti and Ozzie to step in and clean up the mess. This debacle falls directly on Harbaugh who has once again stubbornly shown far too much loyalty to his personal coaching hires ( Caldwell is the lone FO hire ) over the needs and welfare of this team. Calwell's offense of a season ago was up tempo and aggressively attacked the middle of the field - we saw none of that this season. John Harbaugh or Harbaigh under the influence of Juan Castillo made the decision to go away from a formula that was working?