Sounds like it could be a possible conspiracy...

[B-more Ravor]

This.

Tony and others have reported the same yet folks don't want to believe it for some reason.

From Jeff Zrebeic/The Sun (right after the SD game):

The Ravens could insert Harewood or Williams back in or they could plug in Bryant McKinnie at left tackle, move Michael Oher to right tackle and then shift Kelechi Osemele to left guard. That would be a pretty drastic transformation for a 9-2 team, especially when there have been no indications that McKinnie is forcing their hands with his play in practice.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,0,79014.story

[HoustonRaven]

From Jeff Zrebeic/The Sun (right after the SD game):



http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,0,79014.story

There you have it.

[RavenousD]

From Jeff Zrebeic/The Sun (right after the SD game):



http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,0,79014.story

Gotta wonder what's going on, this line up cant be any worse than what we been putting on the field, Joe has no time and Rice has no lanes....give it a try IMO.

[Dirt1]

It would be great if every player were a highly motivated self-starter, but they all aren't. Just as in a regular work environment, you have to deal with all kinds of personalities. A good manager finds a way to get the most out of all of his/her employees. I just get the feeling that a lot of Ravens players and FO people roll their eyes when they hear Harbaugh. If the Ravens were going to pay McKinnie $2.2 million for this season, Harbaugh should have found a way to motivate him and use him for THIS year. Don't bring him back next year, but the NFL is a year to year proposition. It would be the height of irony if this year ends badly for the Ravens, and Bisciotti ends up firing Harbaugh. McKinnie is not another Gaither. I think McKinnie has missed a total of 1 game in his career due to injury.

[B-more Ravor]

Gotta wonder what's going on, this line up cant be any worse than what we been putting on the field, Joe has no time and Rice has no lanes....give it a try IMO.

I hear ya.

Purely speculating here, but it may also have to do with moving KO to Guard. Remember, he's been a OT in college and has pretty much been exclusively at RT since the early OTAs. So, there's a learning curve there that he's yet to have experienced, and it may just be that they don't feel that there's adequate time for him to make the transition.

[wickedsolo]

I hear ya.

Purely speculating here, but it may also have to do with moving KO to Guard. Remember, he's been a OT in college and has pretty much been exclusively at RT since the early OTAs. So, there's a learning curve there that he's yet to have experienced, and it may just be that they don't feel that there's adequate time for him to make the transition.

Frankly, I thought Harewood was a better guard than Bobbie Williams.

I'm surprised they don't put Harewood in if Yanda can't go.

[darthpemo]

As I see it, Mckinnie fits into the same situation as Terrence Cody. I am not privy to the reasons Harbaugh chose not to have either start at the beginning of the season or why Mckinnie is still not in the lineup - at least not regularly.

If I look at this in a vacuum, It seems appropriate to think the coach is either displeased with Cody's/Mckinnie's effort or more pleased with another players effort.

If I look at this suspecting that Harbaugh has placed loyalty over pragmatism when it comes to Cameron, I begin to question whether or not a player is sitting because of an emotional reason rather than a pragmatic one.

[Dirt1]

If I look at this suspecting that Harbaugh has placed loyalty over pragmatism when it comes to Cameron, I begin to question whether or not a player is sitting because of an emotional reason rather than a pragmatic one.

Wouldn't surprise me at all. If McKinnie does play against the Giants, and plays well, then look out. Harbaugh will be on the defensive big time as to why this move wasn't made sooner. That prospect alone should be enough to motivate McKinnie.

[lobachevsky]

Wouldn't surprise me at all. If McKinnie does play against the Giants, and plays well, then look out. Harbaugh will be on the defensive big time as to why this move wasn't made sooner. That prospect alone should be enough to motivate McKinnie.

The problem is, that same prospect would motivate Harbaugh to keep him on the pine no matter how well he might practice. If Mac doesn't play then he can't show Coach up, can he? Fans like us can draw conclusions but unless he gets the chance to show he can play well, it's just their opinion against the "pros".

[Benny8444]

I can see KO playing RG next year. He was in the Draft as a G and many people had him on their draft boards as a G. We will most likely draft a LT or sign a Vet stop gap like similer to McKinnie last year at a good price, then draft one the following year.

[darthpemo]

Wouldn't surprise me at all. If McKinnie does play against the Giants, and plays well, then look out. Harbaugh will be on the defensive big time as to why this move wasn't made sooner. That prospect alone should be enough to motivate McKinnie.

It would be interesting in a way to see Mckinnie play and play well... not only would Flacco have more time and that's good but it creates another question mark on Harbaugh, I am not sure he will let that happen.

[VaRaven]

It would be interesting in a way to see Mckinnie play and play well... not only would Flacco have more time and that's good but it creates another question mark on Harbaugh, I am not sure he will let that happen.

I was going to make this very same poast, but there's been a black helicopter hovering around my office all day and I was afraid to use the computer!

That being said, there is a LOT of money tied-up in a football team, and concerns run long into the future. I wouldn't be surprised at anything.

Oher HAS to go back to the right side though!

[RavensRule21215]

I was going to make this very same poast, but there's been a black helicopter hovering around my office all day and I was afraid to use the computer!

That being said, there is a LOT of money tied-up in a football team, and concerns run long into the future. I wouldn't be surprised at anything.

Oher HAS to go back to the right side though!

Break out some more tin foil...but "rumor had it" that Matsko was let go because he wouldn't sign off on the party line that Oher was okay at LT, and kept insisting that he should be moved back to RT. Can't have THAT sort of "non-ball-playing" coach, so he was let go. (Just a rumor, mind you...)



But IF it's true...then there's just too much apparently invested in keeping Oher at LT to overcome GETTING him back to RT.

[Tspot-D-Ravenator]

From Jeff Zrebeic/The Sun (right after the SD game):

The Ravens could insert Harewood or Williams back in or they could plug in Bryant McKinnie at left tackle, move Michael Oher to right tackle and then shift Kelechi Osemele to left guard. That would be a pretty drastic transformation for a 9-2 team, especially when there have been no indications that McKinnie is forcing their hands with his play in practice.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,0,79014.story

9-2 team??? Hmmm....

[Tspot-D-Ravenator]

I was talking to one of my new customers in Easton today and he stated that it seemed interesting that they are sitting McKinnie and that they know it's Joe's contract year..He said he paid $2,500.00 for tickets for himself and his kids for Sunday's game...He was very dissapointed to spend so much money and drive the distance to see such crap ...He also brought up the McKinnie sitting because they don't want to pay Joe top money..I still don't think the Ravens are doing this, it just sounds absurd to me.

[B-more Ravor]

9-2 team??? Hmmm....

Well, they were 9-2 at the time he wrote that article.........

[Kevlar]

Well, they were 9-2 at the time he wrote that article.........

Maybe Mckinnie being benched has nothing to do with his on field performance. This guy has been made to sound like a low life in the media. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. But if he is then its possible the team just wants no association with him regardless of being an upgrade on the field.

They won't release him because then some other team would get him for free since the Ravens are on the hook for his contract this season. And if they cut him at the end of the year don't they get compensatory picks if someone else signs him?

Now this flies in the face of Ozzie, who has had no qualms about drafting or signing convicted felons right out of the pokey. But Harbaugh and Bisciotti weren't around then. Maybe character issues mean something to the Ravens now.

[Dirt1]

Maybe Mckinnie being benched has nothing to do with his on field performance. This guy has been made to sound like a low life in the media. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. But if he is then its possible the team just wants no association with him regardless of being an upgrade on the field.

They won't release him because then some other team would get him for free since the Ravens are on the hook for his contract this season. And if they cut him at the end of the year don't they get compensatory picks if someone else signs him?

Now this flies in the face of Ozzie, who has had no qualms about drafting or signing convicted felons right out of the pokey. But Harbaugh and Bisciotti weren't around then. Maybe character issues mean something to the Ravens now.

No offense, but I can't buy that theory. McKinnie started every game for the Ravens at LT last season. What happened this off-season that was so awful that would raise "character" flags on McKinnie? He didn't show up in good enough shape? He lied about an injury he suffered at home? Those aren't the kind of things that keep guys with talent on the bench all season in the NFL. Suggs lied about his injury and that didn't affect the way the team treated him. Bisciotti may insist on a more disciplined team than Art did, but he doesn't strike me as some kind of "holy roller". Bisciotti wants to win. I am totally fed up with all of the coach speak BS coming out of Harpuke's mouth about this issue. He was getting away with putting his personal feelings ahead of the interests of the team with regard to Cam because the team was winning. Not anymore. I think the same may be true about the situation with McKinnie. I would love for the FO to make Harbaugh play McKinnie at LT to see what happens. Oher certainly isn't getting it done at that position.

[B-more Ravor]

I would love for the FO to make Harbaugh play McKinnie at LT to see what happens. Oher certainly isn't getting it done at that position.

Well, based on Preston's somewhat cryptic blog from yesterday, that appears to be exactly what may happen this week.

It looks like Ravens coach John Harbaugh might be forced to start or at least use left offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie.

The current two starting tackles, Michael Oher on the left and Kelechi Osemele on the right, have struggled against speed rushers and left guard Jah Reid struggles against everybody. McKinnie probably has some rust, and he might not be in top shape having sat on the bench all season, but at least the Ravens would be attempting to get better after struggles in the past three games.

If McKinnie starts on the left, Oher on the right and Osemele at left guard, it cuts down on the weaknesses on the offensive line. McKinnie has been in Harbaugh's dog house because he doesn't practice well, but when you cut a veterans' salary and garnish his wages, you can expect him to sulk. A good coach finds a way to motivate him, and if he doesn't perform better than the Ravens should have cut him. I imagine that general manager Ozzie Newsome might have spoken to Harbaugh about the situation. McKinnie gets paid to play, not sit on the bench and eat cheeseburgers.

They face the Giants this week and the Bengals the following week. Both teams have outstanding defensive lines that get after quarterbacks. With Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco struggling, it makes sense for Harbaugh to give him as much help as possible.

I don't know if McKinnie is the answer and I'm sure he'll struggle this week after being out of the lineup for such a long period of time. But the Ravens have backed into the playoffs, and by the first game McKinnie should have rounded into form. Right now, he's the best and only option the Ravens have except for remaining status quo, and that hasn't worked -- at least not against the better teams in the NFL.

[HoustonRaven]

Lets assume all reports are true --- the Preston report about McKinnie playing and the multiple reports about him being out of shape.

I think it's then safe to conclude we're not going to see the sugar huddle Sunday.