Ravens Fall Apart On National Television... Again
by lastcallbmore on Dec 18, 2011 11:46 PM EST
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PrintThe Ravens had no answer for Philip Rivers and his high-flying passing attack... again. Jimmy Smith and Cary Williams were beaten over and over as the Chargers moved up and down the field through the air. In the first quarter it seemed Baltimore may have a shot at staying in the game. Then, in the second, Joe Flacco badly over-threw Ray Rice on what would been an easy first down on a third and two. From then on it was pretty much all San Diego. The game was not as close as the 34-14 score indicated. Honestly, I'm not sure how San Diego stayed under 40 points.
The Chargers put up some impressive numbers but the one that stood out to me was they averaged 11.7 yards per passing play. You cannot win many games when the other team is picking up at least ten yards virtually every time they throw the ball. Malcom Floyd led San Diego with five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. All the passing seemed to open up the run game for Ryan Mathews as he carried the ball 26 times for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Flacco completed 23 of 34 passes for 226 yards with two touchdowns and two picks. Torrey Smith had a decent day with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown and Ray Rice ran the ball 10 times for 55 yards. Baltimore looked like the JV team scrimmaging the varsity on Sunday Night Football and I guess now all Ravens fans will become big fans of the San Fransisco 49ers tomorrow night as they host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hopefully the west coast will be as kind to them as it was to their counterparts here in Baltimore.
The Ravens needed this game. They needed it badly and their playoff picture just got a whole lot cloudier. However, the season is not over. It is up to John Harbaugh and his staff to identify the many problems this team experienced this week and win their next two games. They will need to build up a head of steam going into the playoffs. It's not the end of the world but it still hurts... a lot.
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Real Talk
I don’t see the Ravens in the Super bowl this year, and not too sure about next year either. Prevent defense, lack of proper game planning, and the inability to adjust to the opponents schemes during the game, is, and will continue to be the culprit. No pass rush at all. Somebody forgot to tell the Ravens that the Chargers are a good team. The Ravens talk so much about their determination, and resolve during the week, but on the road the following Sunday, they pull a total coaching brain fart. I am done, and tired of feeling this way after a road game.
ftafree-California Raven's Fan
Don't you think
countingthink counting them out for next year as well is a bit over dramatic.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 12:35 AM EST up reply actions
The road to the Superbowl goes through Balt....er Pittsburgh
"We'll do whatever we have to do to win, We like catching the ball, but the big thing is getting that 'W'every week. I'll take that over anything else,any day." Hines Ward
by Dr Del on Dec 19, 2011 12:10 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Actually it currently goes
thrugoes thru New England and after MNF, it will go thru NE, Baltimore and Houston, as well as one of the AFC West teams before it goes thru Pittsburgh.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 12:37 AM EST up reply actions
Actually, if and when the Steelers win on MNF
it will go through Pittburgh due to the fact that we veat the Patriots
draftdatabase.wordpress.com
Follow @steelersrule124
by seton hall and steelers on Dec 19, 2011 1:20 AM EST up reply actions
Yeah good luck with that without Big Ben
And an offensive line that won’t have a chance of creating a rushing TD against a team who hasn’t given one up all year.
Except Big Ben is playing, soooo, yeah.
"I’ll consider myself a dirty player when my mom calls me a dirty player." - Ndamukong Suh
Dude makes a rolled ankle look like a broken leg, he’s so tough.
When was his toughness ever a topic of conversation here? Of course, this is ignoring the fact that anyone watching the game thought it was a broken ankle at best, torn ligaments at worst, but what was the point of that?
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
Not here, but it is always trumped up to be a bigger injury than it truly is. At the end of the day it was a high ankle sprain but people are going to say, “but it looked like he broke it…”
I would venture to say that if it had been his right ankle and not his left, he wouldn’t be playing or at least wouldn’t have been put back in. High ankle sprains suck for changing direction and stopping, which includes the last step on the drop back (right ankle for righty QBs). Still painful to put weight on but enough pain meds and it’s a non issue as far as one game is concerned. Luckily for the Steelers the Browns didn’t force him to change direction after he got hurt so he didn’t make it worse.
by Mayne_Event on Dec 19, 2011 10:53 AM EST up reply actions
You didn’t really answer my questions, but whatever.
Not even sure how it’s “always trumped up to be a bigger injury than it is” either. I mean, before he came back, the announcers were pretty sure he was done for a long time. Seeing a foot being bent perpendicular to a shin is not very good in almost every case in history. My reaction while watching the play live was “that’s broken”. I can assure you that, at the time, I had absolutely no vested interest in “trumping” it up. My room mate, who hates the Steelers, thought the same thing.
As far as to whether he’d be playing if it were the opposite ankle…umm…ok? I can’t really confirm or deny that. Hypothetical speculation doesn’t really mean much.
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
Even a Ravens fans must admit
Most QBs would NOT have returned from that injury in the same game and certainly not done as well as he did. We might hate him, but the dude is a Warrior.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 3:04 PM EST up reply actions
sorry for not answering your question, um let’s see the point?… Who the hell needs a point? It’s the internet… I can say what I want, and you can say what you want. Nothing I say is going to change your mind and nothing you say is going to change mine.
At this point in his career, I’m not sure how people like you can seriously doubt his toughness. Is it out of hate? Jealousy? Or is it just plain ignorance?
"I’ll consider myself a dirty player when my mom calls me a dirty player." - Ndamukong Suh
Not questioning his toughness at all, high ankle sprains suck! That said the seriousness of the injury has been blown out of proportion, some people talk it up as if his bone was sticking out of his leg.
I actually think Ben is the third best quarterback in the league. Just because I’m a little critical about how they drum up his injuries doesn’t mean I think he’s any less of a quarterback.
Well….shit. All of that good fortune with other teams losing today out the window.
(Side Note):
Dear Cary Williams,
Upon arriving home, call me. I’ve got some words for you.
Sincerely,
Pissed off fan that’s tired of watching you get burned for 1st downs.
"Don't throw it, don't throw it, don't throw it. I know y'all going to throw it, they going to throw it anyway. I wouldn't throw it. Don't do it." - Ed Reed
You say tomato, I say tomahto. You say Six, I say Sweep.
by WestminsterRaven on Dec 19, 2011 12:14 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
An Elite Team???
How can anyone consider Baltimore an elite team when they have 4 losses to teams that were under .500 coming into those games.
by Dark Lord of the Sith on Dec 19, 2011 12:15 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
First time posting
Like everybody else i m dissapointed with the loss, but unlike alot of yall i m not quite ready to say OMG the seasons over. For one the Chargers presented match up problems that not too many other teams in the league will be able to throw at us, their Wrs are both big and fast, and no one has found an answer for Gates since he came into the league. Instead of bashing the Ravens some of yall need to be real and admit the Chargers played a great game and had the perfect game plan. Reading these posts it sounds like you expected our rookie CB who has been out most of the year to shut down maybe the 3rd best WR in the AFC, C’mon . Jimmy Smith is gonna be good but he’s gonna take his lumps like everyone else. i remember seeing primetime get picked on as a rookie by jerry rice. To the earlier post that said all our losses are from teams with losing records, look at those teams now the titans,seahawks,and chargers are all making playoff pushes and are not bad ball clubs sure we have more talent, but if talent alone won all the time the record books would look alot different. I m just saying B-more keep your head up there is no shame in finishing 12-4 the playoffs is when the real season starts
by Bas of Felony Roads on Dec 19, 2011 3:12 AM EST reply actions
spot on
Chargers played a great game. Ravens did not. Full stop.
Correct.
Move on. Time to focus on Cleveland and hope we get help. Or not. Then go on the road and win like the Packers did last year.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 9:31 AM EST up reply actions
Flow chart for how Baltimore have/will do this season:
1. Is the team above .500 before the game? If so, pencil in a win. If not, proceed to step 2.
2. Are Baltimore playing aforementioned sub .500 team at home? If so, pencil in a win. If not, proceed to step 3.
3. Are Baltimore playing aforementioned sub .500 team away? If so, no matter how good or shit they are, pencil in an embarrasing loss.
Sick of the high’s and low’s this team puts me through. Today was a perfect opportunity to get a strangehold on the AFC with Houston being embarrased by Carolina.
Riiight, Tyrod Taylor
Hike, look around, run
Yeah, Tyrod’s the answer……
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 9:33 AM EST up reply actions
I hope you don't mind if
I “borrow” this and put into an upcoming post. Thanks!
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 9:32 AM EST up reply actions
Oh and not to look ahead (I know Harbaugh doesn't)
In two weeks we play the BENGALS in Cincy… That game scares me more than the game last night. Guess we’re destined to always be a road playoff team. Always a Wildcard, never in the driver’s seat. Sad…
I’ve heard from reputable sources that all you have to do is either let Taylor play, or sign Marc Bulger. Sounded ridiculous to me, but, they sounded like they meant it when they said it.
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
Tyrod is not the answer at QB. Last night the D got schooled.
Maybe time to move on from the Lewis/Reed days….
This was like the Tennessee game
all over again. Our D could not stop quick passes. The pass rush had no chance to get there because the ball was already gone. This game is on the secondary. If you play that soft of coverage against a great QB, he’s going to tear you up.
Cary and Jimmy played scared.
daytime commentator. night time ninja.
by El.Dude on Dec 19, 2011 7:54 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I was asked in an interview with the Chargers blog site
if the Ravens could beat the Chargers in a shot-out. I said no and the Ravens backed me up. I prefer to be wrong, but not!
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 9:34 AM EST up reply actions
Cary and Jimmy played scared.
I know cary and jimmy had didnt perform well but why didnt chuck pagano allow them to use more press coverage he constantly had the cornerbacks in zone coverage if you going to slow down a wideout or quck passes you have to use press man coverage and it also works to cary williams and jimmy smith strength
Pagano loves that zone blitz scheme. Not sure why he didn’t adjust it either. Jimmy bit on those double moves all night.
Flacco has to trust his receivers to make catches, but shouldn’t throw towards coverage. He needs to attack deep more often, but shouldn’t hold onto the ball so long. He needs to show more awareness in the pocket and move to extend plays, but nothing good comes of him leaving the pocket. He should run with the ball if nobody’s open, but he definitely can’t run with the ball.
Flacco should have the awareness of Roethlisberger, the elusiveness of Vick, the control of the offense of Manning, the leadership of Brady, the accuracy of Brees, and the arm strength of … Flacco? - Ampallang
I was wondering the same thing. Our guys are built to play press coverage, yet Pagano played them off.
That’s how KC beat GB. Press coverage at the line that disrupted their WR’s routes. Yea, we’re going to get beat on the big play sometimes, but it beats playing like pussies the entire game.
We have no balls.
daytime commentator. night time ninja.
and when we’re getting beat for big plays on the double move anyway, why not risk it in press coverage.
by Mayne_Event on Dec 19, 2011 10:57 AM EST up reply actions
To me the bigger question should be
as our CBs were getting burned all night, is “Where was Ed Reed the entire game?” certainly not providing help to the rookie.
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 3:08 PM EST up reply actions
Biting just as hard.
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Dec 19, 2011 8:54 PM EST up reply actions
was anyone else bothered
by the fact that we KNEW the chargers were gonna score before the half, we had 3 timeouts, and didnt use one of them to save a minute or more to try to get something before the end of the half, so you give up a touchdown, no time left to do anything and come out and KICKOFF again, and allow ANOTHER TD.
that was the major turning point in my opinion, why not use the fuckin timeouts and get the ball back with a decent ammount of time for AT LEAST a field goal. i was ripping my hair out at home.
Antwan Barnes has 11 sacks on the year. We gave him away for a 7th round pick…..
Flacco has to trust his receivers to make catches, but shouldn’t throw towards coverage. He needs to attack deep more often, but shouldn’t hold onto the ball so long. He needs to show more awareness in the pocket and move to extend plays, but nothing good comes of him leaving the pocket. He should run with the ball if nobody’s open, but he definitely can’t run with the ball.
Flacco should have the awareness of Roethlisberger, the elusiveness of Vick, the control of the offense of Manning, the leadership of Brady, the accuracy of Brees, and the arm strength of … Flacco? - Ampallang
As well as rookie Oher did against Jared Allen, and for the exact same reasons.
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Dec 19, 2011 8:53 PM EST up reply actions
for some reason i just knew the ravens were going to lose this game
and i didnt watch the game after the chargers scored a another touchdown after joe flacco threw that stupid interceptions. I dont understand how he can throw a stupid interception like that but cant throw a ball to a wide open boldin
One positive
We shut down Antonio Gates.
That counts for something right?
by CharmCity55 on Dec 19, 2011 2:32 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Not really.
He caught a big first down catch and besides, why throw to your TE in the middle when your WRs are open deep all night?
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Dec 19, 2011 3:09 PM EST up reply actions
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