Tracking the Ravens v. Vikings (as it happened)
Q1
The Vikings are employing the type of offense that exploits the Ravens aggressiveness. Run the football up the middle…forget it. Quick passes by a veteran QB who can dink and dunk with the best of them and watch out…the Ravens can become their own worst enemy.
Notice how teams are beginning to run when they see the Ravens line up in the nickel and dime.
Dick Stockton has to be the absolute worst play by play announcer I’ve ever heard. First there was Longwell’s 50 yard attempt that was actually a 45 yard attempt; then there was the screen to Justin Green that was actually a quick out to Daniel Wilcox; finally a Longwell 40 yard attempt that was obviously wide right that Stockton called “good.” Is this guy getting paid?
The offensive line is getting crushed. The Vikings are playing defense in a way that suggests that they do not respect the Ravens’ vertical game, suffocating the line of scrimmage. It feels like 2005 with 3 yard passes on third and ten.
The defense has certainly had a work out and Brad Johnson is picking them apart. So much for time of possession in the first quarter.
Q2
How many of you are sitting there after the first quarter thinking, “Here we go again!” The offense looks out of synch, the Vikings are daring the Ravens to throw the deep ball and they are bringing heat to the offensive line. And they aren’t responding well. Looks like another road struggle for the Ravens offense. (8:56)
It’s time to run the football.
They better get the ball downfield. Can you say 8 in the box?
I’m thinking bet the under at this point when the Ravens visit Tampa.
How pathetic is this broadcast?
Have I said the Ravens need to get the ball downfield or what? There is zero respect for throwing the ball downfield and they better start establishing it tonight because one or two series next week isn’t going to prepare them to take on the Bucs and that stout Tampa 2 defense!
I know it’s preseason, but why not a no huddle here? Might that not disrupt this relentless suffocation? Might it not tire these jumbo sized DT’s?
By the way, and I realize this might sound like whining, but where are the varied offensive sets that we’ve seen? Don’t the Ravens run every time their fullback does that little Curly shuffle? (2:00)
Udeze is owning Pashos. Check that, whoever lines up on Pashos is killing him. And Chris McAlister…you might act like you want to be there. ZZZZZZZ
Q3
Isn’t it about time that Haloti Ngata loses the starry-eyed look? He’s getting pushed around by the second team offensive line. D-line coaches would call him a catcher. Clarence Brooks better get busy with the prized pupil.
At this point, it really doesn’t matter what the Ravens do. Nothing can reverse that losing feeling tonight. The Ravens have been dominated at the line of scrimmage, particularly when on offense. Even though Minnesota has only connected downfield once, they are showing it enough to keep the Ravens honest. Minnesota is far more prepared to play this game than the Ravens.
There you go Ravens! That is how you create a mismatch and that is the pre-season beauty of Clarence Moore. Push that vertical envelope and you will take the 8 men out of the box. Ignore it and the offensive line will come under siege as was the story of the first half.
Nice drive engineered by Boller. Nice sprint to the corner and nice to see Ray Lewis coming over to congratulate Kyle. I suppose there is some silver lining here in all of this ugliness.
That busted coverage may have cost someone in the defensive secondary a job. That someone is Robb "Maybe I have a future as a" Butler.
Anyone having flashbacks to that Denver game last year?
Q4
Fell asleep for awhile…but hey, I’ve got it on tape. Can’t wait for that, after all I’ve got to do the post game analysis right? Wrong! This is your during the game/post game analysis. Who would read a complete post game summary anyway? Who’s reading this? Watching that tape would be like serving a sentence for manslaughter.
Ok here’s my post game analysis: STINK, STANK, STUNK!
Final Thoughts
The first team burning two timeouts in the first quarter is unacceptable. That was a preseason crowd and they made the Ravens looked lost and ill prepared. Hey, sometimes the truth hurts!
Apparently this performance bothers me more than the players. Terrell Suggs, while he played well, helped to keep one drive alive with a dumb personal foul and still gave the aura of a player on the winning side of the ledger. Granted it is a preseason game, but I want these guys to feel the disgust that defined their team performance. Steve McNair too…that offensive performance should burn in his soul.
No problems in the red zone for the Ravens first team offense tonight. Why? They never entered it.
Hey Rob Abiamiri…when your QB throws a pick, no need for you to block the opponent. Can you say “tackle?”
How is Jason Brown ever going to push Mike Flynn at center when last week he was playing guard while Thatcher Szalay played center with the second unit and this week it was Chris Chester playing center?
I wish I had a buck for everytime Brian Billick frowned tonight. Probably even more than those of us who watched this pathetic display. What a waste of three hours. Thankfully the game didn’t count. The concern is, how will it play on the team’s pysche and will it force the coaching staff to let the first team play longer next week in order to develop some cohesion. Going into Tampa looking this ragged is not a good idea. What a difference a week makes.
