Saints at Ravens

[oldno82]

Like Dee said, you let a team you should beat hang around and hang around and you wind up with a loss.

A pretty pathetic way to have your home opener.

We really missed Zay and Ja'Kobi. 

And the defense failed to stiffen in the last quarter. In fact, they looked like they were gassed (conditioning?).

[tsylvester]

The penalties continue to haunt this team. Ticky tack at the goal line on the failed conversion. Even more so on the roughing call against Hendrickson.

Special teams coverage, the outside gunners and backs responsible for keeping the edge much like a defensive end/outside backer, once again failed to do so. Result, big return for them.

The killer, the one series that turned the tide? 1st and 10 from their 49 yard line after their punter screwed the pooch. 

The offense went backward, and then our punter screwed the pooch.

Total team collapse. 

[oldno82]

Baltimore's offense had one last gasp. They got into scoring range, but Jackson threw a wayward pass to an unknown target that easily landed in the hands of Saints safety Julian Blackmon to seal the Ravens' defeat. Jackson pointed to fatigue on the play, and said Rashod Bateman – the closest receiver – ran the right route.

“We were just trying to make something happen,” he said. “It was just the same group of guys out there. I feel like they were a little fatigued, and how I played it, it was a timing thing."

Fatigue>Lack of Conditioning.

[tsylvester]

On that last pass, Bateman ran a deep out because of the position of the safety. Lamar thought Bateman was going to go deeper. Lamar was wrong, it was cover 2, sit down in the red open space.

Simple misread by Lamar

[oldno82]

It was a crucial mistake.

They looked more like a Harbaugh team than what I expect a Minter team to be yesterday.

To be fair, though, key players were out and others playing hurt.

Still no excuse for the defense not closing the door.

[papasmurfbell]

Henry had 5 touches in the 2nd half.  Yeah it does look like a harbs move.

[tsylvester]

This will make ya bonkers

https://youtu.be/bb0n1JXYeig?is=e-IKLSSM-Veh1w-R

[tsylvester]

Quick press conference from Minter after the game. To be fair, it may take a few games to rub off the dust from Harbs: patience grasshoppers!

https://youtu.be/FtylQFzOoVI?is=Ke2NeZXp8CrdX_Nv

[papasmurfbell]

It will take time to draft and develop leaders again.

[tsylvester]

I'll give em a pass of sorts. But they had better get that return team fixed and quickky. One game is a fluke, but this is two games where the kickoff & or punt coverage teams have allowed a big return.

Those teams are easy to fix, bench the guys who keep getting out of their lanes.

[oldno82]

Tough game coming up against the Cowboys in Rio after a 12 hour overnight flight on Wednesday for the Ravens. Right now I'd have to say it doesn't look good.

[GrubberRaven]

2nd game...breathe...yeesh

[tsylvester]

Minter today, a bit longer

https://youtu.be/04hWUNxnBu8?is=zGdSO0LVwWpA0Y1T

[oldno82]

One thing I will say for Minter: I think he's more at ease in discussing things that went wrong than Harbaugh was. Especially the last few years Harbaugh was always more defensive when he was questioned by the media.

When Minter was discussing all the events of yesterday I didn't get the feeling that he was testy or gave short, abrupt answers. He seems like he has a lot of confidence that he'll right this ship.

[tsylvester]

I'm sure he will, between the lapses in coverage and the penalties, it is amazing this team put up 41 pts the week prior. Even the mighty Cheifs couldn't do that against the same team

[oldno82]

Looks to me that Zay Flowers is what makes the offense a threat from anywhere on the field.

And, meanwhile, I wonder how JaKobi is progressing. We could use him back in a few games.

And Namdi.

[tsylvester]

Lane had surgery and is on ir for at least 4 games.

[oldno82]

Hopefully he's back and healthy in time for the mid-season crunch. And Namdi.

Any word on how Vinson graded out at LT Sunday?

[papasmurfbell]

As bad as Indy was week 2 could that be the outlier production for us?

[tsylvester]

3 hours ago, oldno82 said:

Hopefully he's back and healthy in time for the mid-season crunch. And Namdi.

Any word on how Vinson graded out at LT Sunday?

Neither tackle did very well, well, neither did either guard. Ioane had a fee key penalties, and whiffed on a few blocks, was it his fault or that of Gwyn's? Who knows.

Early on Rose was dominating in the run game, as was ioane when he pulled, a big reason Henry had so much success in the 1st half.

But there was little in the 2nd, largely because they stopped running the ball, especially with Henry for some unknown reason.

Pass blocking all around was horrible, tackles were getting run around, center and guard being run over, run by, pushed back.

Did the defense tire? Maybe, it is early in the season, a look at the length, time wise, of each offensive possession for the Ravens reveals it is likely,

1:35 minutes for the 1st drive

6:51 for the 2nd, a touchdown drive I was hoping would wear down the Saints defenders 

But then:

1:35, 2:44, 3:42, 3:34, 1:10, 1:18

You see, 7 penalties, many of which ended drives, took away big plays. The only defense that will wear down with drives like those is your own.