The Ravens approached the offense the wrong way.

[darthpemo]

I have said this since the start of the Harbaugh era.

To your point,

I don't think our offense excels; rather, IMO we under achieve.

Obviously, there really is no data that I can put forth to show a discrepancy between where I think we should be and are.

I can tell you that I think we have the players (OL excepted) to dominate and we don't.

My expectations - our reality = disappointment.

Here is my rant/random thoughts.

Over the 30+ years of watching football, I can intuitively tell when an offense has a system that works or doesn't. Regularly successful systems tended to be pragmatic and evolve as personnel do.

We have a problem with play selection and blaming everything on execution. Is it fair to tell my 5 year old to run the 50 in 4 seconds and then blame execution when he fails?

The receiver has the advantage of knowing both what the play is and the parameters under which he will attempt to find the soft spot in the defense.

We just run routes. And long ones at that.

We have a truth over the last few years... our line cannot give our quarterback more than a couple of seconds reliably. Cry-Brady has 3-4. He can do the fancy long routes. And frankly, he sucks when doesn't get that much time... he proved it when we pressured him on the last drive in Baltimore. That our quarterback can find anybody open in 2 seconds with our system is frankly amazing.

I think it goes without question that we need to help Flacco to throw his passes in the 2-3 not 3-4 second ranges. There are plenty of teams that have done this and I can think of one case where a fantastic defense could not overcome less than 3 seconds routes. Recall the Dolphins playing the 85 Bears. Marino was throwing that ball mighty quickly to avoid that outstanding pass rush. He can't throw a ball quickly if you aren't running short routes.

I hated the 49ers and it irked the heck out of me when, routinely, either Montana/Young/insert backup quarterback, threw a whole 5-10 yard pass and the receiver who was up to full speed at the time of the catch would pick up 10 - 15 YAC.

Where are the timing plays? I watched Aikman to Irvin in the 90's pull this off all the time. Still frankly amazed they were able to do it spite of teams knowing they were going to do it.

Our system sucks. We're predictable and we are not pragmatic. Joe does not have time for the AC offense and I don't have the patience to wait for this dumb arse to figure that out.

[Captain Silver]

I think Flacco does wonders with the what he has with the O-Line and moron coaching.

[RavensNTerps]

For the life of me I've never seen an entire fanbase defend poor QB play nearly unanimously by blaming the OC. It is unfathomable!

Flacco has ALWAYS struggled getting the ball out on time. Watch. Seriously. Watch other QBs who release the ball immediately at the top of their drop. Then watch Flacco who gets to the top and is still staring down field. I even read one guy once say "you need to give Flacco 7 seconds to throw!" in his attempt to blame the OL.

I just don't get it. Why are people so afraid to criticize the guy who has barely been a top 20 QB this year? Why are people so desperate to search for another scape goat and not just call a spade a spade?

[Ravens44]

For the life of me I've never seen an entire fanbase defend poor QB play nearly unanimously by blaming the OC. It is unfathomable!

Flacco has ALWAYS struggled getting the ball out on time. Watch. Seriously. Watch other QBs who release the ball immediately at the top of their drop. Then watch Flacco who gets to the top and is still staring down field. I even read one guy once say "you need to give Flacco 7 seconds to throw!" in his attempt to blame the OL.

I just don't get it. Why are people so afraid to criticize the guy who has barely been a top 20 QB this year? Why are people so desperate to search for another scape goat and not just call a spade a spade?

Cam, is that you? You aren't listening...you aren't learning...
Why are our receivers, especially our two speedsters not getting separation while all other teams have receivers running free??

[leachisabeast]

Cam, is that you? You aren't listening...you aren't learning...
Why are our receivers, especially our two speedsters not getting separation while all other teams have receivers running free??

How do you not explain all the great performances he's had in a Ravens uniform then? I don't need to mention them all, like this year nearly all his home games have been amazing.

We wouldn't be 6-2 if it wasn't for Joe Flacco, the defense has been awful in most the games this year.

[RavensNTerps]

How do you not explain all the great performances he's had in a Ravens uniform then? I don't need to mention them all, like this year nearly all his home games have been amazing.

We wouldn't be 6-2 if it wasn't for Joe Flacco, the defense has been awful in most the games this year.

We wouldn't be 6-2 if it wasn't for Cam Cameron, either, then.

[srobert96]

Not a hater, just stating the obvious. He's an average QB on a team with an average offense. They tried to give him more than he could handle and had to rein it in. It isn't the first time that it's happened by the way.

And the ironic part is for all the hemming and hawing about how Cam "abandoned the run too early" in Houston it was acutally Flacco, on the record, stating that he audibled into a lot of those passes from called run plays in the no huddle early on in that game.

Flacco can't get the wrs separation. Until we have an OC that can modernize the scheme it does not matter who is the QB. Every Ravens broadcast the announcers talk about the receivers not getting separation. The oline fails to progress under Cam and Moeller. That is not Joe's fault. Birk is pushed back into his face on every passing plays. LG doesnt pick up his block allowing guys to come untouched. The Tackles barely slow down the better pass rushers. Flacco has the shortest time of any QB in the league to get off a pass. Last year in the playoffs the team could not run the ball. The running game was putrid. We could not pick up 3rd and 1s. This is a poorly coached offense. If I were Flacco there is no way I would sign with the Ravens if they retain Cam. This team has coaching problems first and foremost. It is time to move on from the 60s and modernize.

[Ravenous1]

I have to laugh. Our defense is what it is. 28th ranked or somewhere near there. If your D is that bad and you have 6 wins then your offense and more specifically your QB must be doing something to help you win, its not all Ray Rice obviously. That said, I am one of the people who agree the offense could be so much more with a better coordinator who is more willing to play to the strengths of his personnel rather than try to ram a system down their throats to execute.

[Ravens44]

How do you not explain all the great performances he's had in a Ravens uniform then? I don't need to mention them all, like this year nearly all his home games have been amazing.

We wouldn't be 6-2 if it wasn't for Joe Flacco, the defense has been awful in most the games this year.

That's what I am saying. He has to be perfect to fit his passes into such a small window, over and over again.
The room for error is too small. It should NOT be that way.
We have Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones on the outside, and Pitta and Boldin on the inside.

Look at the Steelers just last week. Ben is getting his passes out quicker, by DESIGN AND YET, his receivers are running free...WHY IS THAT? Who is helping them get open? Are all the receivers in the league better than the Ravens' receivers?

If Joe looked downfield and saw all his receivers open all over the place, his biggest decision would be WHICH ONE to throw to?! Instead...he looks downfield and sees every receiver wearing a DB for a jersey.

[Ravenous1]

That's what I am saying. He has to be perfect to fit his passes into such a small window, over and over again.
The room for error is too small. It should NOT be that way.
We have Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones on the outside, and Pitta and Boldin on the inside.

Look at the Steelers just last week. Ben is getting his passes out quicker, by DESIGN AND YET, his receivers are running free...WHY IS THAT? Who is helping them get open? Are all the receivers in the league better than the Ravens' receivers?

If Joe looked downfield and saw all his receivers open all over the place, his biggest decision would be WHICH ONE to throw to?! Instead...he looks downfield and sees every receiver wearing a DB for a jersey.

For a while we all wondered if guys not getting open was scheme or personnel. The Ravens WR personnel is fast enough and more than talented enough to get open. How much more evidence do we need to know its scheme?

[Ravens44]

flacco can't get the wrs separation. Until we have an oc that can modernize the scheme it does not matter who is the qb. Every ravens broadcast the announcers talk about the receivers not getting separation. The oline fails to progress under cam and moeller. That is not joe's fault. Birk is pushed back into his face on every passing plays. Lg doesnt pick up his block allowing guys to come untouched. The tackles barely slow down the better pass rushers. Flacco has the shortest time of any qb in the league to get off a pass. Last year in the playoffs the team could not run the ball. The running game was putrid. We could not pick up 3rd and 1s. This is a poorly coached offense. If i were flacco there is no way i would sign with the ravens if they retain cam. This team has coaching problems first and foremost. It is time to move on from the 60s and modernize.

bingo

[leachisabeast]

I still cannot figure out why Cam doesn't adjust to the game either, that to me is even worse than his vanilla play calling in the passing game. Why did it take until the 4th quarter to adjust a game plan after the Browns started stacking the box and were stuffing our run game?

[leachisabeast]

That's what I am saying. He has to be perfect to fit his passes into such a small window, over and over again.
The room for error is too small. It should NOT be that way.
We have Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones on the outside, and Pitta and Boldin on the inside.

Look at the Steelers just last week. Ben is getting his passes out quicker, by DESIGN AND YET, his receivers are running free...WHY IS THAT? Who is helping them get open? Are all the receivers in the league better than the Ravens' receivers?

If Joe looked downfield and saw all his receivers open all over the place, his biggest decision would be WHICH ONE to throw to?! Instead...he looks downfield and sees every receiver wearing a DB for a jersey.

Yeah bro, watch tonight's TNF game for example. Watch how even a terrible team like Jacksonville can get separation so easily, not that Gabbert will hit them, because he is truly the definition of a below average QB.

Then watch how well the colts will do it, they've had a lot of success recently with Andrew Luck, I just wish we had that luxury, it is far from a talent issue, it's so obviously a coaching issue! Nobody can tell me that Boldin who was an out and out pro bowl WR before coming here can never get separation because of a lack of talent, and the same for Torrey Smith who's one of the fastest receivers in the league.

Aside from that, I hate the fact that Cam cannot adjust or plan a balanced gameplan more than I hate his lack of creativity with the offense.

[leachisabeast]

For a while we all wondered if guys not getting open was scheme or personnel. The Ravens WR personnel is fast enough and more than talented enough to get open. How much more evidence do we need to know its scheme?

Took the words straight out of my mouth, this is simply not a personell issue anymore. It was maybe excusable saying that when all of our receivers were pure possession (Heap, Mason, Boldin) receivers, that excuse cannot stand anymore.

[Ravens44]

For a while we all wondered if guys not getting open was scheme or personnel. The Ravens WR personnel is fast enough and more than talented enough to get open. How much more evidence do we need to know its scheme?

Yes, the EXCUSE was that we had 4 old, slow receivers who couldn't get open.
But I was on the thinking we had 4 veterans who knew how to play the game, but were constricted by the scheme.
Going younger and faster hasn't changed anything.
Now, there is no excuse for receivers not getting open.

When our receiver physically outruns the coverage downfield and Flacco has enough time to throw AND the throw is right on the mark, a great play occurs.
Pitta's strength turns out to be run a few yards downfield, turn out and catch the ball with his fingertips while a defender is literally ontop of him. The throw has to be perfect, the protection just long enough and with no Dlinemen jumping up and swatting it down because they are unblocked.

[Ravenous1]

I still cannot figure out why Cam doesn't adjust to the game either, that to me is even worse than his vanilla play calling in the passing game. Why did it take until the 4th quarter to adjust a game plan after the Browns started stacking the box and were stuffing our run game?

Its just his DNA.

Cam is the kinda of guy who just seems to believe that if the plan is not working and if the offense cannot execute his plays....well thats not his fault. A really good coach looks at it and says....what plays can these guys run, what plays feed to their strengths, what can I change to increase the odds they can execute. I have not seen that ability from Cam even week to week....why would anyone expect to see it within the context of a game situation.

[Ravenous1]

Yes, the EXCUSE was that we had 4 old, slow receivers who couldn't get open.
But I was on the thinking we had 4 veterans who knew how to play the game, but were constricted by the scheme.
Going younger and faster hasn't changed anything.
Now, there is no excuse for receivers not getting open.

When our receiver physically outruns the coverage downfield and Flacco has enough time to throw AND the throw is right on the mark, a great play occurs.
Pitta's strength turns out to be run a few yards downfield, turn out and catch the ball with his fingertips while a defender is literally ontop of him. The throw has to be perfect, the protection just long enough and with no Dlinemen jumping up and swatting it down because they are unblocked.

I tend to think that the problem is that by the time the routes Cam has these guys running lead to separation, Joe is either on his back or running for his life. How many screens do we see, how many slants. You have a weapon in Torrey Smith who if you hit in stride with a slant could potentially break it the way Wallace did against the NYG. That's a play you go to multiple times a game....not a few times a season.

My biggest problem with Cam is that he does not adjust things to ensure that the ball gets into the hands of guys with a chance to make a play. Throwing down field to Torrey and hoping he outruns the opposing D or out jumps him is ok from time to time but not the sole or best utilization of a guy with is speed and ability to make guys miss.

[Ravens44]

I tend to think that the problem is that by the time the routes Cam has these guys running lead to separation, Joe is either on his back or running for his life. How many screens do we see, how many slants. You have a weapon in Torrey Smith who if you hit in stride with a slant could potentially break it the way Wallace did against the NYG. That's a play you go to multiple times a game....not a few times a season.

My biggest problem with Cam is that he does not adjust things to ensure that the ball gets into the hands of guys with a chance to make a play. Throwing down field to Torrey and hoping he outruns the opposing D or out jumps him is ok from time to time but not the sole or best utilization of a guy with is speed and ability to make guys miss.

I agree.
Every single game is a fluid situation and one must act accordingly.
This is what I see...Cam finds out the down and distance, looks at his sheet of plays that he has decided during the week will work in those specific situations.
And he calls that in, no matter if it didn't work on 3rd and 2 the previous 5 times or not.
There are assistant coaches upstairs, yes? What are they seeing and relaying to him?
Does he ignore it?
What exactly is going on that a coach refuses to adapt during a game where the opponent always is adapting to some extent?
Running the same play over and over again when it is not working is beyond my comprehension.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

For the life of me I've never seen an entire fanbase defend poor QB play nearly unanimously by blaming the OC. It is unfathomable!

Jets fans did it with Sanchez.

[leachisabeast]

Jets fans did it with Sanchez.

Oh comon now, Flacco is better than Sanchez.