Bisciotti's Press Conference

[oldno82]

I watched the annual 'State of the Ravens' press conference today. Bisciotti was there as were Oz, Harbs, and our VP who's name I always forget.

 

I actually felt worse after the presser. There seems to be a lack of urgency among all of them to get our offense fixed. There also seems to be a lack of understanding of what's wrong with it which makes me feel like they don't know any more than we fans do. Or they are unwilling to admit what some of us can see.

 

Harbaugh claims reestablishing the running game is the spark the O needs. But we seemed to try and try that route this season with mostly unsatisfactory results: there just were no holes being created by the offensive line. So are we to expect just more of the same next year where our players bang their heads against the wall of what the coaches want rather than the coaches adapting to what the players can achieve.

 

They all gave an endorsement of Joe Flacco though it was less than a ringing one. They still feel he has room to improve but is our franchise quarterback. I don't know if he is or isn't but I think they need to give him much more latitude in the play calling and find out. He's got a gun for an arm, can make all the throws (including over the middle)---but can he make the reads? I just don't know.

 

They were also asked to explain the lack of production of the star wide receivers we got last year and I wasn't satisfied with the answer that we got them too late in the season to utilize them properly. That was Oz's explanation. Even Harbaugh said its up to the coaches to have gotten them more touches.

 

So if our problem is inadequate offensive coaching, why isn't that coaching being replaced or showing a committment to grow and change?

 

I'm interested in what you guys thought of this press conference.

 

I just picked up this tidbit off the Ravens site ( I must have dozed off and didn't hear it):

 

Harbaugh said the Ravens will completely strip down the offense this offseason.

 

But even though Cameron will take the lead, Harbaugh will be involved with the reconstruction even though he has a defense and special teams background.

 

“We’ll rebuild the offense from the ground up, but I don’t want to give you the impression that I’m going to do it,” said Harbaugh. “Cam drives that. The offensive coaches drive that. For probably the first time this year, I’ll have a chance to be involved on the offensive side from the get go, and we’re excited about that.”

[papasmurfbell]

To a degree that is smart. Harbs isn't so close that he can't see the forest through the trees. Also he can tell Cam this is how I would attack you if you do this.

[dapetes]

Biscotti could be in the deciding stage as far as what to do about the teams coaches and needs. Steve strikes me as a fans owner he sees and feels the same way we feel about the 2010 team. A different scenario could be in the offing. Its all status quo at the press conference but I'll bet its not the case behind the scenes and closed doors. Steves not going to sit pat with the year they had. More heads could roll in the not to distant future.

[BeenAround]

Harbaugh brings nothing to the table offensively. He has no history or experience except for special teams.

 

At least now we know why we didn't make it to Dallas though:

 

According to a league source, when the Ravens played Atlanta this season, the Ravens were going to bench Flacco at halftime for Marc Bulger, but ultimately decided not to because Zorn thought Flacco might not be mature enough to handle the situation.

 

Thanks for nothing Zorn. What, it wasn't enough you were a total screw up in DC that you needed to come up 95 and F with us too. Hit the road Jack.

[deeshopper]

Y'all are funny.

[millz58]

Thanks for nothing Zorn. What, it wasn't enough you were a total screw up in DC that you needed to come up 95 and F with us too. Hit the road Jack.

Been, who/what source was your quote quoting?

 

BTW Been, been meaning to inquire, is your sig inre the renovations on Laurens off Fulton, across from the super-soaker carwash? just curious

[millz58]

To a degree that is smart. Harbs isn't so close that he can't see the forest through the trees. Also he can tell Cam this is how I would attack you if you do this.

IMO that's bullshit, they shouldn't be attacking each other like this if they trust each other. Harbaugh better play his cards better; not pass the buck.

[BeenAround]

Been, who/what source was your quote quoting?

 

BTW Been, been meaning to inquire, is your sig inre the renovations on Laurens off Fulton, across from the super-soaker carwash? just curious

 

Source: Preston Article

 

Regarding my Sig - Yes, our Church runs the Sandtown Habitat for Humanity affiliate. To date we've rehabbed over 280 homes here for low income first time home buyers.

[ForceEight]

That's a bullshit rumor. Period.

[papasmurfbell]

IMO that's bullshit, they shouldn't be attacking each other like this if they trust each other. Harbaugh better play his cards better; not pass the buck.

 

What I am saying is Harbs coming from a D background can look at the play and say I would go about stopping you this way. Then Cam looks at the play and can make adjustments. Football is chess. There are things you do to counter the other sides moves. The D attacks the O and the O attacks the D.

[dc.]

Not only is it a bullshit rumor, but Flacco also proved Zorn right... Flacco did rise. The Ravens did come back and score 21 points, all led by Flacco.

 

Proof positive.

 

Preston's article is interesting. I still think Cam's offensive schemes are wacky.

[oldno82]

Not only is it a bullshit rumor, but Flacco also proved Zorn right... Flacco did rise. The Ravens did come back and score 21 points, all led by Flacco.

 

Proof positive.

 

Preston's article is interesting. I still think Cam's offensive schemes are wacky.

 

Thats a good point about the Falcons game. Flacco came back and played really well.

 

Starting a quarterback controversy usually ends in a divided team, especially mid-season. If they don't think Flacco is the guy, then the place to address that is in Free Agency or the draft.

 

I've seen qb controversies tear teams apart in the past.

[Spen]

Flacco did play well the 2nd half of that game, but he still only played well for half of the whole game. A pattern that was repeated numerous times the rest of the year. So while in the short term the decision was right in regards to the second half of that game, long term I am not so sure.

Without wishing injury on Flacco I would have liked to see Bulger take some snaps not in mop up time to see what the offense would have looked like.

[dc.]

Spen, I'm hardly disagreeing with you there. Though, the entire offense played one half of a game. Not just Joe.

 

But there was a point above that sounded like "yeah, we should've done that in Atlanta." And people seem to forget we were winning in Atlanta until the D gave it up late. The first half could have saved us, but Joe did his part in the 2nd half. I don't know that Bulger would have done that in the 2nd half there.

[Spen]

Spen, I'm hardly disagreeing with you there. Though, the entire offense played one half of a game. Not just Joe.

 

But there was a point above that sounded like "yeah, we should've done that in Atlanta." And people seem to forget we were winning in Atlanta until the D gave it up late. The first half could have saved us, but Joe did his part in the 2nd half. I don't know that Bulger would have done that in the 2nd half there.

 

For what its worth I do not think the Ravens win or probably take the lead if they start Bulger the 2nd half in Atlanta. I would have just liked to have seen Bulger play at some point to see how the passing offense would have been.

[vmax]

After Steve's comment about Ravens QB's since '96 I'm in no hurry to try and run Joe out of town, bench him, rotate him or create any QB controversy. He doesn't suck.

The Ravens are winning a ton of games with him. Joe's shortcomings are not fatal.

He needs a line and a run game.

He needs to improve on the holes of his game as pointed out by many here.

[oldno82]

I'm thinking the most important thing to accomplish through the draft or free agency is the offensive line. We need to get a very good LT, move Oher back to RT and Yanda to guard. Or maybe Gaither really is the answer here. We could probably re-sign for cheap. The question I have about him is, does he really have the hunger to play? Maybe we should re-sign him and still go for a LT in FA or the draft.

[yagersports]

We need housch back, that would help tremendously. Then we need to draft some football players for cryin out loud lol. Lets get some guys that burn to play the game! There isn't a position on this team that we don't need. That includes QB, although that position would probably improve this team the least.

[papasmurfbell]

Gaither is never going to play in a Ravens uni again. They need to draft his replacement.

[thundercleetz]

Give Santonio Holmes whatever he wants to play here.

[yagersports]

No more major FA pick ups! Draft the home grown players. How many more FA do we need to pick up before we realize they're a more expensive crapshoot than the draft? Boldin was not what we thought, nor samari rolle, housch, searcy, even Mcgahee etc. Mason is the only FA that really pulled his weight. Mcgahee and boldin have been above average but haven't percormed as we paid. Draft players Oz. Work the draft, trade back and acquire picks. Stop taking so many chances in the draft lookin for that HR. take one chance and draft solidly the rest of the way.

 

This past draft is really gonna kill us. A LB with injury history and drinking problem. A fat overweight DT that prob won't see much more playing time next year, and two TE's?

 

Let's not do that again.

[papasmurfbell]

No more major FA pick ups! Draft the home grown players. How many more FA do we need to pick up before we realize they're a more expensive crapshoot than the draft? Boldin was not what we thought, nor samari rolle, housch, searcy, even Mcgahee etc. Mason is the only FA that really pulled his weight. Mcgahee and boldin have been above average but haven't percormed as we paid. Draft players Oz. Work the draft, trade back and acquire picks. Stop taking so many chances in the draft lookin for that HR. take one chance and draft solidly the rest of the way.

 

This past draft is really gonna kill us. A LB with injury history and drinking problem. A fat overweight DT that prob won't see much more playing time next year, and two TE's?

 

Let's not do that again.

 

 

Somebody is coming to my side of the argument.

[yagersports]

Somebody is coming to my side of the argument.

 

 

I just read the "jump ship" topic. I couldn't agree more. This team does not need a rebuild but it absolutely needs to be retooled and honest assessments need to be made.

 

That's why I've been constantly bringing up moving Ray to OLB. It needs to happen and we need to groom someone. Ray can be very successful out there and he may really enjoy rushing the passer some more. If an injury occurs it isn't like we can't move him back, I'm pretty sure he'll remember what to do.

 

There's alot of players that need to move on and I couldn't agree more with using our young players earlier. Too many coaches fail to utilize the proper players early in a season.

 

For example what's the point of having Favre throw 50 passes in week 2 or 3? You need him at the end of season and in the playoffs! Give that damn ball to Peterson and let the D win some games. Stay in the hunt and then hit em late with the Favre we know. Obviously too late now, but it makes no sense to mortgage a franchise on a guy like that and then try to use him up in the first half of the season.

[papasmurfbell]

There is someone here who used Dale's idea about McClain on the radio. It was the very night after I posted it that someone called in to the Fan with it.