News and Notes from a Fan’s Perspective
Back to the Drawing Board
Last week I posted my prediction for the Colts game, and I backed it up with a call to T.L.’s radio show on Saturday. It hurts to do this, but here it is……
The offensive line will step it up and the quartet of McGahee, McClain, Neal, & Rice will pound the Indy defense into submission as the Ravens play ball control. Look for another 35 minute + time of possession advantage.
Ravens fans will get a measure of revenge as the defense will pressure an increasingly immobile Peyton Manning, make a couple sacks, and get a pick or two.
Ravens 24, Colts 14.
Did I write that?? How could I have been so completely wrong? Ah my friends, the lure of the Purple Kool-Aid gets to the best of us. I should have known better.
For starters, the Ravens didn’t follow the game plan that was so successful the first 4 games. Where was the game plan to run the ball down the Colts’ throat? It appears that was never a consideration in the first place. It looked like Cam Cameron tried to use the short passing game to set up the short run. Or use the short running game to set up the short pass. Whatever. Nothing was clicking offensively.
I said the Ravens had to blitz effectively to throw Manning off his rhythm. So where were the blitz packages? Does Antwan Barnes still play for this team? I know Rex Ryan was holding some backers in pass coverage, but the defensive backfield played so badly it didn’t make a difference. By the second quarter I would have started blitzing like crazy. At that point, what could you lose? Chris McAlister and company were already lost.
McAlister had his worst day in a long time. Marvin Harrison took him to the cleaners like he was, well, Corey Ivy or Frank Walker. That doesn’t matter, either. They’re interchangeably bad.
It was supposed to be a “chess match” between Ray Lewis and Peyton Manning. Sure it was. Like Garry Kasparov playing a member of the UMBC chess team.
I said the Ravens had to prevent the Colts getting a short field. We gave them a short field FIVE times with interceptions and fumbles. Flacco looked confused and lost. This ain’t Towson U, pal.
I said the special teams had to play better. This week, it was Yamon Figurs giving the Ravens a long field with several totally inexplicable returns from deep in the end zone. Adam Vinatieri banged them long all day, and Figurs kept running them out. What gives?
Let me be honest: At the end of the first quarter when the Colts were up 17-0 and the die was cast, I said "YARD WORK!" And that’s where I spent the most of the afternoon while I listened to the game on my headset. At least I got something accomplished.
To add fuel to the fire, it looks like Marshall Yanda tore every freaking ligament in his right knee. One of our best linemen, injured on a meaningless play, in a game long lost. It looks like the Ravens will plug Chris Chester into one of the spots, at guard or maybe at center, and move Jason Brown to guard.
[But here’s a thought…Mike Flynn was signed and then cut by the Patriots. I was watching Big Mike Monday night on the Comcast Ravens Show and the thought occurred to me….. Is it worth bringing him back at center for the remainder of the season? The alternative is starting the underachieving Chris Chester, playing Adam Terry out of position, or using one of two untested rookies. Just wondering.]
But I digress…
How does John Harbaugh rally the team after a loss like this? After a game where the entire squad looked unprepared and unmotivated? This is a big test for any coach, let alone a rookie with a veteran-laden squad.
I assume Rex Ryan will be watching a lot film this week to brush up on the Dolphins’ “Wildcat” offense. He’d better. Maybe he can brush up the Ravens defense on their tackling while he’s at it.
Maybe the shadows and the noise at Lucas Oil Stadium confused Joe Flacco. He should have unlimited vision this Sunday at Dolphin Stadium – hopefully not from a prone position.
The next 4 games are against teams with losing records. That’s good. But 3 of the games are on the road and, for the Ravens, that’s bad. The game at
