Smith still struggling

[vmax]

I'm worried. Jimmy has to get it together.

 

It’s one thing to lose the ball and give up a touchdown when the guy you’re trying to cover is Calvin Johnson. It’s quite another to do sort of the same thing when the guy you’re trying to cover is Patrick Williams.

 

It happened again to Jimmy Smith during the Ravens practice Sunday at Stevenson University, as reported by baltimoreravens.com.

 

Yes, Smith should have picked up the ball on the touchdown play by the Lions on Friday, but, after all, he was trying to cover the man called Megatron. However, on Sunday, the cornerback was victimized by a receiver who joined the Ravens as a free agent after having spent most of his three years as a pro as a member of practice squads and whose name you rarely hear mentioned for a spot on the Ravens roster.

 

So, is this a serious issue with Smith’s technique or concentration or some other cause? Preseason is the time to figure this stuff out.

 

As others have pointed out, the absence of Terrell Suggs likely means more blitzing, which means more leaving cornerbacks by their lonesome. So you can’t have a corner who’s not able to locate that oblong brown thing flying through the air.

<a href="http://www.csnbaltimore.com/football-baltimore-ravens/ravens-talk/Ravens-CB-Smith-needs-to-find-ball?blockID=759703&feedID=6703">http://www.csnbaltimore.com/football-baltimore-ravens/ravens-talk/Ravens-CB-Smith-needs-to-find-ball?blockID=759703&feedID=6703

[varaven45]

Max,

 

SomethIng doesn't seem right . Either the guy is still hurt and covering it up or he doesn't have "it" as a pro CB.

 

With the absence of a formidable pass rush, our secondary is going to be exposed this year,

 

On the other side , Joe and the offense will need to have monster games this year. It's a dang good thing Joe is running the no huddle. We could see many 35-31 type games this year !

 

[yagersports]

Guys you also have to remember that this is very vanilla defense so far. The D Coordinator is getting a feel for the CBs. He's getting a feel to determine how good his guys really are in 1 on 1 situations. Preseason offers that opportunity with no repercussions. I think things will come together throughout the season. As we begin to scheme for other teams our team will be much more successful. It's a team sport, that's why TO has not won anything. As a team these guys are going to pull together. This is Harb's strength. This is the Ravens strength.

[Robjr83]

Harbs has been quoted as saying they aren't using any advanced schemes, just basically 1-1. Smith's also been having on-off practices due to his back problems.

 

Here's Harb's quote "Harbs: "There's no game plan involved in what we're doing. We didn't roll over top of Calvin Johnson. We didn't mix our coverages at all."

 

Harbs on CBs: "I don't read too much into great receivers making plays in the preseason because we're lining up & matching guys up 1-on-1."

[cravnravn]

Hence the reason I hate the Pre Season, we cant guage this team

[yagersports]

Hence the reason I hate the Pre Season, we cant guage this team

 

And that's a good thing. Harbs and Co don't show their hand. They don't give you anything.

[varaven45]

Yeager,

 

I hope you are right. I agree the pre-season is a lousy litmus test for team performance but it does yield a body of work for evaluating individual performance - technique , coverage , etc. Smith looks a bit stiff and not quite in game shape just yet. Perhaps it's a back issue; maybe not.

 

Bottom line: he better have game and be ready to shut down beginning Sept 10. Without as strong a pass rush as last year's, he and Webb (and Williams) will have their hands full this year.

[yagersports]

It's what the Ravens do every year if you think about it. The running game always seems slow and stiff in the preseason yet Ray always finds holes during the season. The offensive line always looks a little patchy, but then come the season, they start scheming and they come together. I don't think the defense will be as dominating as years past, but I really think they're going to get very strong by the end of the year. They're really going to push hard as the year wears on. There's a lot of young guys that are going to get better and better. I really like this team.

[vmax]

We can look at this in a positive light.

 

Pees, Smith and Williams have learned that if they don't jam receivers like Johnson at the line of scrimage and provide help over the top then their Sundays will look like this....

 

and this...

 

It would also be a good thing if he thought about how to generate pressure on the QB.

Edited August 21, 2012 by vmax

[oldno82]

I'm not ready to dump Jimmy Smith yet. He looked real good when he played last season. Cornerback is a very tough position because when you screw up its seen by everyone and every CB is going to screw it up once in a while. Last year Smith looked like he really had the ability and was learning. He's taken a step back this year---so far. I don't know why thats happened but he has been hurt and has missed a lot of practice. But its too soon to give up on him.