Looking back and ahead

[varaven45]

Looking back on Sunday night, I was really impressed with how much this team has progressed this year. This team really appears to be on a mission and is playing with a lot of confidence. Specific things (good and bad) I observed:

 

1. Ed Reed is an amazing athlete and student of the game. Sans the occasional hot dogging, brain farts, the guy is amazing and an all-pro.

 

2. Our kickoff return guys - Leonard, Figurs , etc. - are a real work in progress. Figurs looks lifeless and Leonard is just not a return guy (though he plays hard).

 

3. Something is wrong with McGahee. I have seen too many games this year where he plays uninspired ball, puts down the ball, or looks lethargic. There were 2 plays where McGahee lost nearyl 10 yards and almost lost the ball - he could have cost us the game. I am wondering whether we should sit Willis and just play McClain and Rice.

 

4. Ray Ray is still playing at an amazing level. He was superlative and just adds to so much energy to the D. Say what you want about the guy, there is no other Ray. He is not replaceable but I sure hope we have a guy waiting in the wings.

 

5. Our offense was flat most of the night. I know much of it was weather related but Joe struggled much of the night.

His TD pass to Mason was severely underthrown (I was in that end zone corner) and it was almost picked by Laron Landry.

Again , I think was just a tough night to throw the ball.

 

Looking ahead, we all know the Steelers game is going to be a war. From what I have saw last weekand and from our earlier OT loss at Heinz field, we need to do/fix the following:

 

1. We have got to wrap Ben up this game. We missed him on a few occasions (I have never seen a luckier QB in my life). If we dont, well get burned big time again.

 

2. We have got to account for that Mewelde Moore guy. Mark my word, the Steelers are going to run this little dump off play 2-3 times (maybe more) to Moore. It killed us the last time in the OT loss. Our LBs have got to watch this guy.

 

3. We have got to be mentally tougher this game. We cant let Hines Ward get in our heads again. Punch the guy in the mouth, shut him up and let him play his game.

 

4. We are going to have run the ball hard enough and with enough frequency to opne up the pass game. Joe is going to be blitzed from all directions and the OL has got be ready.

 

5. The O has got to account for Harrison, Woodley and Troy P. If Joe gets in trouble (and he will) he needs to take care of the ball or get rid of it quickly.

 

Its going to be war on Sunday. We need to win this war !

 

 

[Guest BallTMore]

Good post.

 

1. We have got to wrap Ben up this game.

 

 

I think everybody should send the Ravens a letter stating just that. Especially Bart Scott! Love the guy, but get him on the ground. I don't care if it's the easiest hit ever in pro football. Just bring him down!

 

 

Hines seems to get caught a bit more by the refs at our place (Though, not enough), so maybe he won't get away with grabbing defenders by the face-mask to get open.

 

[STLRaven]

I really think that Suggs is going to blow up the Squealer's O-Line. He's got his timing down pat... and exploding off the edge. Couple that with the fact that the Squealer's O-Line is quite honestly one of the worst in the league, and I think we'll give Big Ben a good look at stars above Baltimore.