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Is Baltimore's offense playoff-ready?


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I thought I'd put the whole article up for discussion because that is the question.

Check out Joe Flacco's playoff stats...the production from the QB position is not there. I think Joe's the key if the Ravens are to make a run. That means he has to be different/better this time around.

 

This is from James Walker ESPN...

 

....The success of Baltimore's offense will largely hinge on quarterback Joe Flacco, who set career marks for passing yards (3,622), touchdowns (25) and fewest interceptions (10) this season. Flacco has a solid 3-2 playoff record but has never thrown for more than 189 yards in five games. He has 660 yards passing, one touchdown and six interceptions in the postseason.

 

There have been times when Baltimore's best players have disappeared in the offense. But Cameron doesn't expect that to happen in the postseason.

 

"This time of year, you can't afford to come out of a playoff game without your top five or six players touching the ball -- period," Cameron said. "It just can't happen. So we're going to do everything we can to make sure our playmakers touch the ball going into the playoffs."

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/22842/is-baltimores-offense-playoff-ready

 

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Might that be because Cam Cameron loves to play it conservative in the playoffs - like his old head coach Marty Schottenheimer - because we also saw these kinds of discrepancies in San Diego?

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It would be nice to see some 300 yard games from Joe this offseason. In the end I'll take W's anyway we can get em. What I don't want Joe doing is forcing things early and creating turnovers and opportunities for the other team before any type of lead is built. I'll take an INT taking a shot long down field, but aside from that protecting the ball is an important key to winning in the playoffs. It would be nice to see some no huddle offense at an unexpected time, maybe keep the defense guessing. Maybe we could open the second half with no huddle. Cam are you listening? Please change things some......and for cryin out loud throw a WR screen to Boldin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Watch youtube Cam, for the love of everything sacred watch youtube and put that play in the playbook! lol

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And Walker had Joe as his QB on his AFC North team :gorave: Over Ben.. his four non presence games probably hurt him.

 

Other Ravens who made Walkers AFC North Team; Grubbs, Suggs, Ngata, Ray, Ed and all the aces from the ST.. Cundiff, Koch and Reed the younger.

 

I really would love Joe to grow in this PO, but Cam.. hard to believe it sigh.

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Might that be because Cam Cameron loves to play it conservative in the playoffs - like his old head coach Marty Schottenheimer - because we also saw these kinds of discrepancies in San Diego?

 

I think it is. Wish Cam would get off the pot and call a more aggressive game. He showed signs of doing that in the preseason and then...

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I think it is. Wish Cam would get off the pot and call a more aggressive game. He showed signs of doing that in the preseason and then...

 

I don't think the problem with Cam is calling an aggressive game as opposed to a conservative one, the problem is Cam is very poor at game planning and utilizing our talent. We are very aggressive with our routes, we take plenty of shots downfield. However, the routes take too long to develope and Flacco is running for his life by the time anyone gets open. Where are the quick slants to counter the blitz? The redzone play offense is horrible. Where are the screen passes to Boldin near the goal-line? Where are the fades to Boldin? Kurt Warner threw a lot of TD's to Boldin in Arizona on these routes. There is no way someone as talented and successful in this league as Anquan Boldin should only be targeted only nine times in the last three games! Boldin is a class act, he will not complain. But listen to this quote Boldin told the media this week when asked about Chiefs HC and former Cardinal OC Todd Haley:

 

"One of the best things about Todd is that he knows how to make players play to their strengths. When you look at them, you don't see a ton of talent, but they do their jobs well. And that's all you really need. You have to have guys who believe they can make plays when their number is called."

 

I know this is a little far fetched of a deduction, but I think Q is frustrated with Cam not getting the best out of our players. This is a guy who Q did not get along with in Arizona, yet he respects Haley. You don't hear Q giving Cam any complements. We already know Mason believes this, as does McLean.

 

As for the game planning: sure, we run the ball the sixth most times in the NFL, but we are second to last in rushing attempts. We do not have a power offensive line, yet we keep trying to pound the ball instead of running more zone schemes. The offensive line's protection schemes are terrible (Flacco has been sacked the second most out of any QB in the league, the first being Jay Cutler who is playing in Mike Martz notoriously poor protection offense) and the offensive offsides and illegal procedure penalties at home are inexcusable. Cam just does not adjust well and he is not getting the most out of our talent.

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I don't think the problem with Cam is calling an aggressive game as opposed to a conservative one, the problem is Cam is very poor at game planning and utilizing our talent. We are very aggressive with our routes, we take plenty of shots downfield. However, the routes take too long to develope and Flacco is running for his life by the time anyone gets open. Where are the quick slants to counter the blitz? The redzone play offense is horrible. Where are the screen passes to Boldin near the goal-line? Where are the fades to Boldin? Kurt Warner threw a lot of TD's to Boldin in Arizona on these routes. There is no way someone as talented and successful in this league as Anquan Boldin should only be targeted only nine times in the last three games! Boldin is a class act, he will not complain. But listen to this quote Boldin told the media this week when asked about Chiefs HC and former Cardinal OC Todd Haley:

 

"One of the best things about Todd is that he knows how to make players play to their strengths. When you look at them, you don't see a ton of talent, but they do their jobs well. And that's all you really need. You have to have guys who believe they can make plays when their number is called."

 

I know this is a little far fetched of a deduction, but I think Q is frustrated with Cam not getting the best out of our players. This is a guy who Q did not get along with in Arizona, yet he respects Haley. You don't hear Q giving Cam any complements. We already know Mason believes this, as does McLean.

 

As for the game planning: sure, we run the ball the sixth most times in the NFL, but we are second to last in rushing attempts. We do not have a power offensive line, yet we keep trying to pound the ball instead of running more zone schemes. The offensive line's protection schemes are terrible (Flacco has been sacked the second most out of any QB in the league, the first being Jay Cutler who is playing in Mike Martz notoriously poor protection offense) and the offensive offsides and illegal procedure penalties at home are inexcusable. Cam just does not adjust well and he is not getting the most out of our talent.

 

I agree Cleetz. There are no quick slants or Boldin screens in our repertoire. Maybe I should have said more imaginative rather than aggressive.

And I like Flacco, but have yet to see him throw a successful fade for a TD to Boldin though we've tried.

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It always seems that the hot team in the tournament is the one with the o line that has an attitude and just blows people off the line.The Ravens o problems with idenity and not putting teams away I beleive, comes from the O line not controlling the game with time of possesion and TD's over field goals. O-line needs to get a swagger and an attitude today!

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Guest BallTMore

Yeah! Joe looked very good going through his reads today.

 

Still a bit disappointed the WRs couldn't get open consistently early in the game. The corners were running their routes as well as those guys. Thankfully that opened up lanes for Heeeeeeeap! :gorave::)

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They definitely wanted it today, the Offense did I mean. The D definitely wanted it, but the O was as aggressive as they have been all season, and all over the field, unlike they have been lately. I loved how Flacco distributed the touches around, even Stallworth got into the act. This was a nice warm-up for the Steelers, and I hope Oher and co. are ready next week; #74 had a good game today, he'll need an outstanding one on Saturday. So will Flacco, but I think he's capapble of that by now, even against the Steelers; they will have a tough time game-planning against 5 receiving options if they choose to shut down the run, so our line better be Blitz-ready. I can't wait to see how fired up Ray-Ray and co. will be on defense, this is gonna be great.

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He's hiding in the bunker Dick Cheney used.

 

No...not a bunker.

How does he afford these vacation trips to the Bahamas? The Steelers pay him handsomely to post that and invoke the curse. It's permanent and irrevocable.

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Is Baltimore's Offense Pittsburgh-Ready?

 

Shame I didn't see this earlier...

 

I really think that isn't the question, even in hindsight.

 

When teams like this get together, you can throw out everything else. The Steelers can be 0-15, and when they play the Ravens, it will be a grudge match with our O looking like a playoff caliber offense. Same with the Ravens. There is just something that happens when you play your rivals... the hate brings the game to a whole different level. Both QB's showed that they were ready. Both offenses were ready. They both put up more points against the other defense than in the previous two or three games combined.

 

Even on a short field, the Ravens, on offense, put the ball in the endzone twice on us, once by running. That is practically unheard of against our defense. Our offense put the ball in the endzone 4 times. Against the RAVENS?!? Again, I'd never have thought it possible.

 

No, in these games, you simply ARE ready, regardless of how you have been playing.

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