So it's the Colts and the Jets

[ForceEight]

Um, yes? I believe Flacco started out with 2 tds to 7-8 INTS, then finished the season with 12TDs and 2-3 INTs. That's improvement. He also started this season really hot, scanning the field, throwing over the middle. What happened later, I don't know. Could be the injury, could have became gun-shy, but Joe did not suck as bad as some fans are making it out to be.

You're misunderstanding. Flacco improved during the season, but he dropped off again during the playoffs when he played the best teams at the most important times. Sanchez has had two of his best games in the playoffs, against two good teams.

[thundercleetz]

You're misunderstanding. Flacco improved during the season, but he dropped off again during the playoffs when he played the best teams at the most important times. Sanchez has had two of his best games in the playoffs, against two good teams.

 

Sanchez has improved my ass. He ended the season with three games of QB ratings of 49.7, 78, and 60.2. Improvement? He runs the same old play action waggle that gets most of his yards. It is easy to play QB when you have the #1 defense in the league and the #1 run offense as well. And if 12/23 for 100 TD, INT is one of Sanchez's best games then I am not impressed. Especially against a weak Chargers defense. The guy had a 63 QB rating in the regular season with the #1 rush offense! It was INTs galore with Sanchez. No comparison, I'll take Flacco.

 

And lets not forget how badly Flacco was injured during the playoffs and the fact that Cam babied him. It also does not help when your midget receivers cannot get off of the line of scrimage. Flacco is already heads and shoulders better than Sanchez, and Sanchez does not have anywhere near the potential Flacco has.

[thundercleetz]

You think Rex would trade us Sanchez for Flacco, straight up, then? Because I love Sanchez's potential. The guy is already scanning the field and progressing to his 3rd and 4th reads. I'm not sure that Flacco even knows what he's looking for in a defensive coverage scheme.

 

And considering that Brian Schottenheimer was talked about to take over our head coaching job, I'd definitely take his offensive mind over Cam's. Provided Cameron even has an offensive mind...

 

That is unfair to say because Flacco only has three receivers in a route most of the time. Two of them run that same old eight-yard out and Ray Rice is the third receiver for a dump off. So I agree with your last point on Schottenheimer over Cam. But at the same time, it is hard to judge Cam when he has nothing to work with at WR.

[SpearSrai]

That is unfair to say because Flacco only has three receivers in a route most of the time. Two of them run that same old eight-yard out and Ray Rice is the third receiver for a dump off. So I agree with your last point on Schottenheimer over Cam. But at the same time, it is hard to judge Cam when he has nothing to work with at WR.

 

Cam doesn't have "nothing to work with"; it's the job of the coaches to coach up the players they have, and there is a ton of potential at the receiver position for the Ravens. Maybe Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, Kelley Washington, Justin Harper, ande co. are terrible, but those are the guys that the coaches presumably felt were good enough to start the season with. I have to think that that group is at least as good as Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, and we do have Mason and Heap to draw the coverages away from them just like Wayne and Clark do. Flacco may not be experienced enough to "coach up" his receivers, but this should be a big part of Cam Cameron's responsbility as the runner of the offense.

 

I can't put the brunt of it on Flaccom, but at some point a young, smart player has to know when to change the play at the line of scrimmage, to make up for poor play-calling from a bad coach. Granted, he may not feel like he is allowed to do this because of Cameron's "tenure", but I contend that calling your own plays (and knowing what to look for) separates the good from the great quarterbacks.

[thundercleetz]

Cam doesn't have "nothing to work with"; it's the job of the coaches to coach up the players they have, and there is a ton of potential at the receiver position for the Ravens. Maybe Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, Kelley Washington, Justin Harper, ande co. are terrible, but those are the guys that the coaches presumably felt were good enough to start the season with. I have to think that that group is at least as good as Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, and we do have Mason and Heap to draw the coverages away from them just like Wayne and Clark do. Flacco may not be experienced enough to "coach up" his receivers, but this should be a big part of Cam Cameron's responsbility as the runner of the offense.

 

I can't put the brunt of it on Flaccom, but at some point a young, smart player has to know when to change the play at the line of scrimmage, to make up for poor play-calling from a bad coach. Granted, he may not feel like he is allowed to do this because of Cameron's "tenure", but I contend that calling your own plays (and knowing what to look for) separates the good from the great quarterbacks.

 

All very good points, and I completely agree. I never said Flacco was a great QB, just that he is much better than Sanchez. All of the things you mentioned are things that I hope Flacco is able to do in his third year. I want to see more audibles at the line, more no huddle offense, and more rolled out pocket protections. I think Flacco will do these things, but year three is going to be very important in whether Flacco makes that step into the elite or pretty much tops out as a very good QB, but not great.

 

As much as we rag on Cam Cameron, we had the 13th offense this season. Last year we were 18th, and the year before we were 22. Cam has brought immediate improvement, and there is no reason to believe as Flacco continues to develop and we give him more weapons that we won't improve on that ranking. Most important of all, Flacco will be entering in his third full season in Cam's offense. He should know that playbook like the back of his hand, and that is when we will start to see the things you mention.

 

I do agree with your talent assessment on Collie and Garcon being no better than Clayton and Williams. Clayton would probably put up big numbers in Indy. The difference is that these guys have Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne to work off of. Both of these guys can beat you on any point on the field. We do not have guys like that. Nevertheless, I am not sure why our receivers do not do the little things like young guys on other teams do, such as come back to the QB when he is in trouble. When Flacco buys time, our receivers never get open. When Ben buys time, his guys ALWAYS get open, even a rookie like Mike Wallace understood this. I am not sure if this is Cam's fault, or the WR coach Hostler's, but this need to change. Joe cannot be running for his life and have his receivers either standing there watching or struggling to get off the jam.

 

On the encouraging side, Flacco's numbers compare very favorably to guys llike Peyton, Brady, Cutler, and Ben in their second years starting, and his numbers are better than guys like McNabb, Eli, and Brees in their second years. Year three should be a good one for Joe.