Greg Cossell- "I wont be surprised if Baltimore wins".

**leachisabeast** · 01-17-2013, 03:08 PM

Greg Cossell on both championship game previews. Says he wont be surprised if the Ravens come out with the win, impressed with Flacco going deep exploiting Torrey/Smith match up.
Also says Rice is more effective when playing with 3 WR's on the field with Leach off. I tend to agree, but I think Pierce is better running behind Leach being a power zone runner. Defensively he likes the match up, and thinks there is no way we go to a 3-4 base defense like the Texans stupidly did @NE, and points out that Baltimore always do a good job when playing Brady defensively. Great stuff indeed, looking forward to the shutdown corner podcast too.

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8853708&s=espn

**Ravens27Girl** · 01-17-2013, 03:14 PM

I like it better when everyone says we are mediocre and have no chance of winning. I'm going to have to contact Greg Cossell and tell him to retract his statement

**leachisabeast** · 01-17-2013, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens27Girl

I like it better when everyone says we are mediocre and have no chance of winning. I'm going to have to contact Greg Cossell and tell him to retract his statement

Greg isn't the norm of talking heads out there, when he says something it normally is true and holds more water than any media talking head comes out with on television. Greg watches film all day on every single team, and every single snap of every single game, he has watched every single snap of Joes career even going back to his senior year at Delaware.

I'm not sure if there is anyone else out there that I'd rather listen to when breaking down a game than Greg Cossell.

**NCRAVEN** · 01-17-2013, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Greg Cossell on both championship game previews. Says he wont be surprised if the Ravens come out with the win, impressed with Flacco going deep exploiting Torrey/Smith match up.
Also says Rice is more effective when playing with 3 WR's on the field with Leach off. I tend to agree, but I think Pierce is better running behind Leach being a power zone runner. Defensively he likes the match up, and thinks there is no way we go to a 3-4 base defense like the Texans stupidly did @NE, and points out that Baltimore always do a good job when playing Brady defensively. Great stuff indeed, looking forward to the shutdown corner podcast too.

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8853708&s=espn

Good stuff and I agree with you about Rice and Pierce.

**GOTA** · 01-17-2013, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Greg isn't the norm of talking heads out there, when he says something it normally is true and holds more water than any media talking head comes out with on television. Greg watches film all day on every single team, and every single snap of every single game, he has watched every single snap of Joes career even going back to his senior year at Delaware.

I'm not sure if there is anyone else out there that I'd rather listen to when breaking down a game than Greg Cossell.

Cosell is the best analyst out there. Always good news when he's sees something positive in the Ravens

**Paintballguy** · 01-17-2013, 03:39 PM

I always thought Rice was a better runner out of a spread formation.

**AirFlacco** · 01-17-2013, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Greg Cossell on both championship game previews. Says he wont be surprised if the Ravens come out with the win, impressed with Flacco going deep exploiting Torrey/Smith match up.
Also says Rice is more effective when playing with 3 WR's on the field with Leach off. I tend to agree, but I think Pierce is better running behind Leach being a power zone runner.

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8853708&s=espn

I'm sure Rice appreciated that block Leach made that spring him into the end zone in Denver. Leach killed his man.

As usual.

**NCRAVEN** · 01-17-2013, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Paintballguy

I always thought Rice was a better runner out of a spread formation.

I think so too. Partly because to me Rice is better at the second level and spreading the filed out gives him a better chance to get there. Peirce is a one cut and go kinda guy which having a fullback tends to help with.

I would really like to see the Ravens mix up personnel packages this week (have RIce run plays Perice would usually do etc.). It's an easy move that would throw NE off if even only for a second

**Paintballguy** · 01-17-2013, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by NCRAVEN

I think so too. Partly because to me Rice is better at the second level and spreading the filed out gives him a better chance to get there. Peirce is a one cut and go kinda guy which having a fullback tends to help with.

I would really like to see the Ravens mix up personnel packages this week (have RIce run plays Perice would usually do etc.). It's an easy move that would throw NE off if even only for a second

I've been wanting to see Rice and Pierce at the same time. They could give a lot of looks with that.

**leachisabeast** · 01-17-2013, 03:56 PM

I would use Leach as the pass protecting back, thing is you tip your hand when you have him out there, so you could only really bring him on for obvious passing situations on 3rd down. I'd also like to see him used as a blocking TE, he blocks better than both our TE's combined.

I totally agree with everyone regarding Rice and the spread, I think he'd be a monster in a zone read offense too lol. Pierce is Arian Foster version two, we really have a talented corps of RB's that's for sure.

**Ravenswintitle** · 01-17-2013, 03:58 PM

Rice may be better out of a spread because the D is in nickel or dime

**lovefootball** · 01-17-2013, 04:05 PM

OLine gives joe time or the Oline does their job blocking, pats in for a long day. Tire the pat defense out and limit brady to fieldgoals, Ravens win.

**NCRAVEN** · 01-17-2013, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Rice may be better out of a spread because the D is in nickel or dime

I think that is what I saw saying, without saying.

**bmorecareful** · 01-17-2013, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

I would use Leach as the pass protecting back, thing is you tip your hand when you have him out there, so you could only really bring him on for obvious passing situations on 3rd down. I'd also like to see him used as a blocking TE, he blocks better than both our TE's combined.

I totally agree with everyone regarding Rice and the spread, I think he'd be a monster in a zone read offense too lol. Pierce is Arian Foster version two, we really have a talented corps of RB's that's for sure.

I agree with you. The problem is that when Leach is in the huddle the defense knows exactly what to defend. It's either going to be a zone run up the middle right behind Leach, or a play-action bomb.

When he's not in the huddle the defense has to defend more of the field so they're easier to run on. The Ravens could solve this by passing more out of the I-formation. If I were them I would do just what you said and put Leach out there to block more often. They could line up in an I-formation but put Pitta out in the slot right, Boldin in tight to the line and motion Rice out wide, then you effectively have a 4 wide set out of base personnel! And it would work well, Rice and Pitta are both great route runners.

**Ravenswintitle** · 01-17-2013, 06:36 PM

By the way, I don't see this as a ringing endorsement. It's more of a comment that keeps him clean no matter who wins. With all of the film study and alleged higher knowledge why doesn't he take a stand?

**admartian** · 01-17-2013, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

By the way, I don't see this as a ringing endorsement. It's more of a comment that keeps him clean no matter who wins. With all of the film study and alleged higher knowledge why doesn't he take a stand?

Because games aren't won by film.

Oh wait, 2007 Beliicheck just called...

**RavenScallywag** · 01-17-2013, 08:12 PM

The winds at gametime is what worries me. It levels the playing field on the deep ball, but Brady is more comfortable with the short passing game than I think Joe is. If the deep ball is getting thrown off by winds on Sunday, Joe and Jim are going to have to find some ways to turn shorter throws into long downfield gains with YAC.

**steelerhater** · 01-17-2013, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by lovefootball

OLine gives joe time or the Oline does their job blocking, pats in for a long day. Tire the pat defense out and limit brady to fieldgoals, Ravens win.

Yea, someone has to keep Wilfork from getting to the pocket before Flaco does.

**CincyCat** · 01-17-2013, 08:25 PM

The Ravens have so many weapons, I'm not too worried about offense. Brady is a surgeon and finds holes where theoretically none exist. It's gonna be a slugfest.