Predictability, on both offense and defense, should be considered as a crime in the NFL. Coordinators limit the amount of times they hear "we saw that coming," and throughout the work week they will restlessly prepare a pesticide of a game plan to eliminate that phrase altogether.
Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, as we all witnessed, called a perfect game on Thursday night. His offense possessed the ball for close to 40 minutes; the rushing attack burned the 49ers defense for a total of 240 yards and Joe Flacco was not sacked. Whoa.
Ravens fans want to watch this smooth offense glide to the Super Bowl, but that will only be made possible if Kubiak's novelty doesn't rub off.
Figuring out an offense's strategy is one thing, losing its flavor is another. Watching a mundane offense go through the motions makes my neck hair stand like its getting ready to hear the National Anthem.
Here's a video on a few of Kubiak's schemes he incorporated in the preseason match two nights ago. I compared the former Texans head coach's play calls to ones he demonstrated in 2013 and. ... elation.