Time management-Attn. Ravens

**Art-Florida** · 08-20-2006, 01:52 PM

An open letter to Ravens ownership:

Please hire an intelligent coach immediately whose sole responsibility will be clock management, with emphasis on two-minute drills.

If salary is a problem, I'd venture to say the Baltimore Ravens fan base would gladly chip in to pay the guy.

Thank you for your interest. Now do it!

**DrUnk** · 08-20-2006, 02:06 PM

Who is this aimed at?

**The Fanatic** · 08-20-2006, 02:08 PM

Salary cap is not an issue when it comes to assistant coaches.

I do agree though, somebody needs to take ownership in this area as it doesn't seem to change.

To me, something like clock management should be as elementary as it gets when coaching football, particurally at the NFL level.

Billick is still defending the decision to run on 3rd down with no timeouts left at the end of the first half against the Eagles.

Stupid call if you ask me.

Everything about that situation dictates low risk, high completion percentage type pass into the endzone.

It's either a TD, incompolete pass stopping the clock with no timeouts left, or potentially an INT.

Low risk pass play seriously lowers the potential for the INT. though.

Dunno, but in a real meaningful game, that lost 3 points could mean the difference between winning and losing as most of our wins and losses are by small margins.

When we're a team blowing teams out on a relative consistant basis, then maybe they can get more risky with crap like that.

**GreenWave52** · 08-20-2006, 02:44 PM

Please hire an intelligent coach immediately whose sole responsibility will be clock management, with emphasis on two-minute drills.

I have to disagree. Herm Edwards highered a clock management specialist and the results didn't change. The Jets remained one of the worst clock management teams I have ever seen. These "special assistants" have generally poor track records of success. I also remember the Skins got someone to decide when they should challenge plays and they became notorious for wasting timeouts on bad challenges.

Bottom line: I just don't think hiring someone here will really help and Billick and Fassel probably wouldn't listen to him anyway.

**Ravens0587** · 08-20-2006, 02:57 PM

I volunteer

**Ravenatic20** · 08-20-2006, 03:29 PM

I'm sorry, but time management was not as bad as it seemed to finish the half the other night. We we're on the field, ready to kick the FG, with time to spare. The ball not being there is the refs fault. Now what could have been better is say maybe a passing play with 18 seconds to go. Maybe we take a shot at the end zone, but it really wasn't as bad as you guys think it was.

**The Fanatic** · 08-20-2006, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenatic20

I'm sorry, but time management was not as bad as it seemed to finish the half the other night. We we're on the field, ready to kick the FG, with time to spare. The ball not being there is the refs fault. Now what could have been better is say maybe a passing play with 18 seconds to go. Maybe we take a shot at the end zone, but it really wasn't as bad as you guys think it was.

Sorry, but with 18 seconds left, and 3 points on the line, you can't take that risk.

Damn near anything can go wrong including the refs.

All that rushing around by everybody can't make for a smooth field goal attempt.
Bad snap, guys not lined up right, bad hold, etc.

Too much rushing, and the result was what it was.

The only thing positive that could come out of running the ball would have been a TD, which is unlikely.
If the runner would have gotten a few more yards on that run there wouldn't have been enough time to make the transition to the kicking team because a few more seconds would have ticked off.

Stupid play call IMO.

**purplepoe** · 08-20-2006, 03:53 PM

You know what would make me happy?

If Billick would just man up and say "we fucked up".

No blaming the refs or others.

Just admit a goddamn mistake.

PP

**DrUnk** · 08-20-2006, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by purplepoe

You know what would make me happy?

If Billick would just man up and say "we fucked up".

No blaming the refs or others.

Just admit a goddamn mistake.

PP

I agree, but, it will never f'ing happen with BB. That's my pet peave with him.

**Ravenatic20** · 08-20-2006, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by The Fanatic

Sorry, but with 18 seconds left, and 3 points on the line, you can't take that risk.

Damn near anything can go wrong including the refs.

All that rushing around by everybody can't make for a smooth field goal attempt.
Bad snap, guys not lined up right, bad hold, etc.

Too much rushing, and the result was what it was.

The only thing positive that could come out of running the ball would have been a TD, which is unlikely.
If the runner would have gotten a few more yards on that run there wouldn't have been enough time to make the transition to the kicking team because a few more seconds would have ticked off.

Stupid play call IMO.

It was managed in a way, to allow a good 3 seconds left on the clock when we snapped it. YES, I would much rather spike the ball at the 18 second point, or at least pass it down field.
The coaches probably thought a run was the most conservative way to hold onto the ball, and not allow any time for the Eagles to return it after the FG. If things would have gone fair, we go into the locker room down 10-6.

**purplepoe** · 08-20-2006, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by DrUnk

I agree, but, it will never f'ing happen with BB. That's my pet peave with him.

O, I know.

I'm just venting a little.

Pisses me off.

PP

**jonboy79** · 08-20-2006, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenatic20

It was managed in a way, to allow a good 3 seconds left on the clock when we snapped it. YES, I would much rather spike the ball at the 18 second point, or at least pass it down field.
The coaches probably thought a run was the most conservative way to hold onto the ball, and not allow any time for the Eagles to return it after the FG. If things would have gone fair, we go into the locker room down 10-6. :

Or you could spike it at 2 seconds....

**The Fanatic** · 08-20-2006, 05:07 PM

Can you imagine the crowd reaction if they just stood there for 16 seconds waiting to spike the ball and didn't run a play?

**StingerNLG** · 08-20-2006, 07:30 PM

I just can't are where a run up the middle serves any purpose in a 2 minute drill. Throw a swing pass and try to get out of bounds to stop the clock. Or throw a medium sideline pass. Something other than a run up the middle.

**Drkraven** · 08-20-2006, 09:07 PM

Its pre-season, they are trying stuff out. Yes I know there were many problems is the past, it just a cross we fans need to bear

**Mista T** · 08-20-2006, 11:21 PM

I'm sorry, but time management was not as bad as it seemed to finish the half the other night.

If it were not for Billick's abysmal record, you may have a point -- not that I would agree with your point. The Ravens have had far too many blown halftime opportunities since Billick arrived. And an exhibition game is no excuse. Shouldn't the team be practicing how to win games?

**Mobtown** · 08-21-2006, 07:07 AM

If it were not for Billick's abysmal record, you may have a point -- not that I would agree with your point. The Ravens have had far too many blown halftime opportunities since Billick arrived.

Rack That!

If the coaches didn't screw this pooch on a regular basis we wouldn't give a rat's as about the rare and unusual 2-minute drill screw up.

Fact is, Billick & Co. have been HORRIBLE when it comes to planning and executing a 2-minute attack. Mr. Fancy Pants out-snookered himself last week and now he wants to divert attention to the refs.

**Brandon** · 08-21-2006, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Mista T

If it were not for Billick's abysmal record, you may have a point -- not that I would agree with your point. The Ravens have had far too many blown halftime opportunities since Billick arrived. And an exhibition game is no excuse. Shouldn't the team be practicing how to win games?

RACK THAT!

And it's not just the halftime blunders either, it's been the whole 2 minute drill thing, that get blown as well.

But since Fassel calls all the offensive plays now, including the redzone, it's his fault, right?

**crazyraven** · 08-21-2006, 08:49 AM

If that running play goes for 6 pts it would have been a good Time Management or even if it went for 3 yards the ref stops the clock to reset the ball and then they spike and then run the FG unit out. I realize that playing it safe and passing would have been a good call but our ravens were having some success running the ball. And because of that I think this is more a lack of execution by the Players then the fault of the coaches.

And Yes The Ravens were out of TO's and perhaps should have used them wisely. I agree that Blaming the ref is childish but lets be fair, the kicking squad was on the field and ready to go.

**StingerNLG** · 08-21-2006, 11:03 AM

They were definitely having success running the ball. I'm thinking in strict terms more of what you do in a 2 minute drill. If you're going to run, a run up the middle shouldn't even be in the playbook for that situation. If you feel like you have to run, run to the outside so you can either get positive yards or run out of bounds and stop the clock.

IMO at no point in Fassel's thought process should that play have ever entered his mind.