High Praise for Bernard Pierce

**Shambla** · 02-01-2013, 11:06 AM

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...omery/1882631/

A little bit of a reach with the headline but Wilbert Montgomery is the man. This dude was on the field at the combine and picked out Pierce from the group and then Ozzie has enough faith to trade a couple picks to move up and grab him. Looking forward to an extend role for Pierce in the future.

**Bigfish** · 02-01-2013, 12:23 PM

The YPC difference between Ray and Pierce this year is making it obvious that Pierce needs more touches. He could be the X factor for the game. I love Ray Rice and he's been a reliable and durable back, but Pierce has more upside running the ball. Ray would be better utilized as a third down back like LaDanianian Tomlinson. The difference is Tomlinson is making 1.1 million and Ray has a huge CAP hit. Ray has a big contract through 2017, it should be interesting to see if Pierce elevates his play clearly above Ray, how the team handles it.

**NOLARavenFAN** · 02-01-2013, 12:27 PM

And SF cut Brandon Jacobs this year, who absolutely killed us.....I bet Harbaugh wishes he had Brandon now.

**Purpleguy** · 02-01-2013, 12:30 PM

I love Pierce, and his play really makes me wish we didn't back the Brinks truck up to sign Rice. I think Rice is an awesome person, but just not a great power runner. He is great in open space, but is he millions of dollars better than Pierce? The RB position is much easier to plug and play with in today's NFL.

**conviction** · 02-01-2013, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

I love Pierce, and his play really makes me wish we didn't back the Brinks truck up to sign Rice. I think Rice is an awesome person, but just not a great power runner. He is great in open space, but is he millions of dollars better than Pierce? The RB position is much easier to plug and play with in today's NFL.

I love pierce too I've been watching all through college where he was a workhorse back like rice was for Rutgers. Pierce was the offense. Qb play was awful

That said you need two backs in the NFL and at least his contract is front loaded. But pierce should, pending durability, cut into Rice's carries going into next year.

**NCRAVEN** · 02-01-2013, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by conviction

I love pierce too I've been watching all through college where he was a workhorse back like rice was for Rutgers. Pierce was the offense. Qb play was awful

That said you need two backs in the NFL and at least his contract is front loaded. But pierce should, pending durability, cut into Rice's carries going into next year.

I watched a Temple game this year where their kicker just replaced Peirce as the schools all-time leading scorer.

**JoeCool5** · 02-01-2013, 01:18 PM

We CANNOT fault the front office for locking up Rice long term. He is a top five running back in the NFL, and is a major focal point of our offense. Moreover, just because we traded up in the third round to snag Pierce does not mean the front office and coaches should have realized he'd be this good this quickly. Now having said all that, the next two seasons will be interesting to see how they handle BP moving forward. He HAS to see the field...a lot. Dude is a beast that runs just like Foster and AP: smooth and violent.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 02-01-2013, 01:37 PM

This is a great problem to have. We can worry about it later if ever Ray's performance to cost ratio starts to invert.

**bmorecareful** · 02-01-2013, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by JoeCool5

We CANNOT fault the front office for locking up Rice long term. He is a top five running back in the NFL, and is a major focal point of our offense. Moreover, just because we traded up in the third round to snag Pierce does not mean the front office and coaches should have realized he'd be this good this quickly. Now having said all that, the next two seasons will be interesting to see how they handle BP moving forward. He HAS to see the field...a lot. Dude is a beast that runs just like Foster and AP: smooth and violent.

I hear people say a lot of things about Ray Rice and what he is and what he ought to be. I think Ray Rice is a great person, a great teammate, and a great offensive weapon. He's deadly in space with the ball in his hands, he can often make something out of nothing as a receiver, he has a nose for the end zone, and he's very durable.

But is Ray Rice a great running back? Specifically, is he one of the 5 best players in the NFL running the football between the tackles, specifically in our system? I don't think so, but I think Bernard Pierce could be--he has that kind of upside. I think Rice can get what's blocked for him and a little bit more but he just doesn't look comfortable as a pure zone, one-cut running back between the tackles, which Pierce does. Rice was better in 2009 when we ran more man blocking and he could read the holes easier.

I would like to see the Ravens split carries about 60/40 between Pierce and Rice with Pierce handling the majority of the tough running between the tackles and Rice being used in draws, tosses, etc. Rice would continue to catch 70+ balls a year, be the primary blocking/3rd down back, and get the goal-line carries. It's really the best way to use them both and preserve the longevity of their careers. I think the closer Ray Rice gets to the 300 carry mark the more he gets worn down which is why he's been so bad in the playoffs over the last few years.

That would look something like 225 carries for Pierce with a few catches, 175 carries for Rice with 75 catches. Rice needs to be used MORE in the passing game I think, and moreso as a designed route runner rather than just an outlet receiver. That is where he is best.

**moose10101** · 02-01-2013, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

Rice needs to be used MORE in the passing game I think, and moreso as a designed route runner rather than just an outlet receiver. That is where he is best.

Putting Rice and Pierce on the field at the same time would allow exactly what you're describing.

**Bigfish** · 02-01-2013, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by moose10101

Putting Rice and Pierce on the field at the same time would allow exactly what you're describing.

I'm surprised we haven't seen that a few times. I'm sure no one would be prepared for that.

**somedumbguy** · 02-01-2013, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by moose10101

Putting Rice and Pierce on the field at the same time would allow exactly what you're describing.

Next year!

**lobachevsky** · 02-01-2013, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Bigfish

I'm surprised we haven't seen that a few times. I'm sure no one would be prepared for that.

Not sure it would work--the question is whether the deceptive aspects would outweigh the humongous relief of DBs who can come up to stuff the run without risking disappearing beneath the treads of the VL-44 heavy tank...

**somedumbguy** · 02-01-2013, 02:30 PM

Rice had a down year compared to 2 years ago, but he still had decent year. As was said above, 2 RB's that can play is a great problem to have.

**Paintballguy** · 02-01-2013, 03:46 PM

From PFF: Ray Rice forced 42 missed tackles this year (inc playoffs). On 243 fewer touches Bernard Pierce has forced 33

**myfavoriteboxer** · 02-01-2013, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by NOLARavenFAN

And SF cut Brandon Jacobs this year, who absolutely killed us.....I bet Harbaugh wishes he had Brandon now.

In November 2008

**The Excellector** · 02-01-2013, 03:50 PM

I've said it before and I will say it again. Ray Rice should be used as an extension of Joe Flacco in the passing offense, much like Marshal Faulk was used as an extension of Kurt Warner. Let Pierce be your power back.

**NCRAVEN** · 02-01-2013, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Paintballguy

From PFF: Ray Rice forced 42 missed tackles this year (inc playoffs). On 243 fewer touches Bernard Pierce has forced 33

Rice makes guys miss in the open field. Pierce seems to do a lot of that at the line. Both are good, but I like Rice in the passing game and Pierce in the run game this week.

**Paintballguy** · 02-01-2013, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

I've said it before and I will say it again. Ray Rice should be used as an extension of Joe Flacco in the passing offense, much like Marshal Faulk was used as an extension of Kurt Warner. Let Pierce be your power back.

Originally Posted by NCRAVEN

Rice makes guys miss in the open field. Pierce seems to do a lot of that at the line. Both are good, but I like Rice in the passing game and Pierce in the run game this week.

Agree with both posts. It doesn't play to Rice's strengths to lineup in I form and run dive plays. You put Rice next to Joe in shotgun and get the ball to Rice in space much like what Warner did with Faulk. I'm not saying Rice can't have success running in a 2 back set, but he's definitely been better in a 1 back set. If you wanna go power, put in Pierce.

**AirFlacco** · 02-01-2013, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

I love Pierce, and his play really makes me wish we didn't back the Brinks truck up to sign Rice. I think Rice is an awesome person, but just not a great power runner. He is great in open space, but is he millions of dollars better than Pierce? The RB position is much easier to plug and play with in today's NFL.

It's the good thing we have both. We wouldn't be where we are w/o Rice. Before the POs teams keyed on stopping
Rice, not Joe. That opened outside routes for Joe to Boldin in the POs.

I love PIerce too. He's been great back up and we'll have the best 1-2 RB punch in the game for years to come.

Also, as far as not paying Rice, we let Priest HOlmes go because we couldn't afford him and Jamal. Ravens kept
Jamal who promptly led us to SB but Priest signed with KC where he became the greatest runner in NFL after
Dick Vermeil changed the blocking schemes to accommodate his slashing style of running which is similar to Rice's.

I would hate to see same thing happen again by letting either Rice or Pierce go.

Simply put - NO RICE = NO SUPER BOWL.