Bengals at Ravens- oy

[tsylvester]

The dreaded double whammy, a Thursday night game that is also on a Holiday, gobble, gobble, gobble. 

Anything can & does happen in short week games; advantage Bengals..

The defense of the Ravens is going to be tested again, Higgins might miss this game, having sustained a concussion in their Sunday loss. Chase will be back from his one game suspension, so that passing game should be running on all cylinders, whether it is January Joe Flacco or the other Joe, back from an injured toe.

Who knows how this offense will play, or how Lamar will perform. Kyle Hamilton is day to day with an ankle injury, even if he does play it will be in a limited roll.

So grab your turkey, eat some leftovers, who ya got?

[oldno82]

Not optimistic about a Ravens' win. If they don't get fired up for this game and lose it we can kiss this season goodbye and I haven't seen any signs over the last 5 games to give me reason to think differently.

Lamar's banged up, the O-line is a mess, and the defense will be exposed if Burrow plays. 

I hope I'm proved wrong.

[papasmurfbell]

This season was over when Eric pissed every opportunity away to get better.

[tsylvester]

Just amazes me how far this offense has fallen. Tops last year because the line could at least run block which opened up the passing game. To now be the dregs of the league, run & or pass. 

I've got the Bengals in this one, sure their defense stinks, but the Ravens offense is worse....

 

Reports are that Burrow will start

[oldno82]

We are hurt by Lamar's being hurt. I think he's really banged up and has also lost a step running. Ironically, his passing has been pretty damned good---when he gets time to throw!

I also gotta wonder if contract negotiations with the Front Office aren't going well. He has a cap hit over $70 million next year and the year after and the team was supposed too be working on that with him.

This is really where we could use some critical but sensible reporting by the sports media! Maybe give us some insight.

[tsylvester]

He was incredible against the Bills in game 1, since then, his accuracy has gone steadily down hill.

Now one YouTube, Chase Daniels, ex NFL qb, great college qb, says that his throwing stance and motion are off because he is favoring his leg, the leg with the hamstring, knee and now ankle. That this "favoring" is the reason for his inaccurate passes.

I take one pass in particular this past Jets game, a pass over the middle to Andrews on a crossing route. The announcers said it was a miscommunication between the two, Lamar expecting him to sit down in the zone, Andrews kept going as if he was in man.

In every zone there are windows, cant hit one, look for that receiver in another.

In any event, how often, over the years, have those two had a miscommunication on a route? 

Now Lamar says he will not longer practice on Wednesdays for the rest of the season. Really?

There is definitely something going on, lost a step, injury, issues that are clouding his mind, something. Because as I said, he is not being proactive, not in making a pass, not in when to run.

This, would also be a reason why he threw behind Andrews on that play, he was late in seeing the window. Maybe, maybe not.

But he is clearly playing to not get hurt for what ever reason.

[papasmurfbell]

2 hours ago, tsylvester said:

Just amazes me how far this offense has fallen. Tops last year because the line could at least run block which opened up the passing game. To now be the dregs of the league, run & or pass. 

I've got the Bengals in this one, sure their defense stinks, but the Ravens offense is worse....

 

Reports are that Burrow will start

There has been no adult in the room for over a yr.  The kiddies squandered the season.

 

2 hours ago, oldno82 said:

We are hurt by Lamar's being hurt. I think he's really banged up and has also lost a step running. Ironically, his passing has been pretty damned good---when he gets time to throw!

I also gotta wonder if contract negotiations with the Front Office aren't going well. He has a cap hit over $70 million next year and the year after and the team was supposed too be working on that with him.

This is really where we could use some critical but sensible reporting by the sports media! Maybe give us some insight.

His passing has been pretty poor of late.  Again if you don’t send numbers to get him and flood the middle of the field not giving open guys.  It’s really not complicated.  

if Lamar is losing speed why on earth would he warrant a new deal?  He is no longer special.  
 

 

[oldno82]

Isn't he under contract for the next two years? At $70+ mil a year if I remember right. The pressure would be on the F.O. to reduce that size cap hit, not Lamar.

Maybe he's not feeling 'generous'  for some reason. Who knows, really, what goes on in his mind. 

So what I'm saying is that he may be feeling put off by what the cap hit staff wants him to do. It would sure explain his recent lethargy.

On the other hand, it's got to affect his performance if he's got hamstring, knee, ankle, and now a toe problem.

For whatever reason, he isn't the Lamar we're used to seeing. It could be business or physical issues coupled with a lousy offensive line.

There are so many things we do not know. All we see is the result.

All we can do is speculate.

[papasmurfbell]

It is 74 mil the next 2 yrs.  If this is him slowing down as I contend why would the team give him a net 300 mil deal?  It would be very stupid.  I sayid this yrs ago.  Running QBs break down bc they take more hits.  Pocket passers even with leg issues can still rip the ball.  Unfortunately these coaches from hs through college do not develop running QBs correctly.  They don’t teach them to sit in the pocket long enough.  If they do finally learn in the nfl it’s usually to late.

[tsylvester]

The odd thing is, this year, literally any team in contention for a div title or wild card can win it all. There is no truly dominant team. Sure the Rams and Eagles look the part, but the Eagles just blew a 21 point lead and lost to Dallas. 

The Rams only scored 17 pts here, with an offense, the Ravens should have won that game. 

No, the Ravens, this year so far are not a super bowl team. If the offense can get back to the way they were against the Billls, 200 yards rushing and throwing, no one will beat them.

[tsylvester]

According to NBC, Lamar is dealing with turf toe now.....ya cant make this stuff up

[papasmurfbell]

The rams had to com3 east.  That is always hard for west coast teams.  

this team is what it is.  It will only get worse.

[oldno82]

7 hours ago, papasmurfbell said:

It is 74 mil the next 2 yrs.  If this is him slowing down as I contend why would the team give him a net 300 mil deal?  It would be very stupid.  I sayid this yrs ago.  Running QBs break down bc they take more hits.  Pocket passers even with leg issues can still rip the ball.  Unfortunately these coaches from hs through college do not develop running QBs correctly.  They don’t teach them to sit in the pocket long enough.  If they do finally learn in the nfl it’s usually to late.

I certainly am not advocating a $300 mil deal...just saying it is the team's problem regarding the cap hit for the next two seasons. I don't know what the solution is but it is definitely NOT another big contract. I loved what Lamar has accomplished over the last several years but I agree that his performance this year MAY be indicative of him coming to the end of the line. He has really taken a beating this year with all the injuries and his running days might be over. He can still perform as a pocket passer but we don't have an O-line to protect him. So the question is 'what do we do now?'.

[oldno82]

3 hours ago, tsylvester said:

According to NBC, Lamar is dealing with turf toe now.....ya cant make this stuff up

Hamstring, knee, ankle, and toe. Add a bad pass protecting offensive line to that and what do you got?