Give it up for Harbaugh! Jim Harbaugh that is! Thanks to the San Francisco 49ers beat down of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens have a legit shot of winning the division after the defense got torched by Phillip Rivers and the Chargers Sunday night.
How about how Jimmy Smith and Cary Williams did their best impressions of DeRon Jenkins and Antonio Langham? For those of you unaware of whom these players are, they are what was known as the “Burn Unit” a few years back. Sure Vinny Testaverde and company could put up 40 points a game, problem was the “Burn Unit” let the other team score 80.
Conjuring up ghosts of DB’s passed, I could smell something on fire in San Diego, it was not just Philip Rivers! Our defensive backs needed to stop, drop, and roll!
Meanwhile, on the sideline, I noticed a complete lack of coaching out of Chuck Pagano. Really, it was like buying a loaf of bread and putting it slice by slice into a toaster on high, burning the hell out of it and hoping for a different result, I think he may be sitting too close to a certain offensive coordinator and the team’s apparent mantra for not making adjustments.
At this point, I will flip the script over to that coordinator, Cant Cameron. Yes, his name is Cam, but I am going to re-name him. “Cant” as in can’t or on his new coaching birth certificate, “Cannot”. Sure the offense did not really have much of a chance with all the smoke left behind from the defense flaming out. But still, you have to run the ball with a back like Rice more and you need better play out of your quarterback.
Additionally, this week on the fine message board of Ravens24x7.com, I pointed out that in addition to the Air Coryell offense sucking harder than shop-vac, our 4th year quarter back has regressed. How did this happen you ask?
Stability. Yes, there is something so grand about staying the same, playing it safe. There was this thing early in the year called “the Lockout”. No, not a bad Stallone movie, but an occurrence where the players and owners were working on new labor peace. Because there would be limited time to install a new offense, the team decided to keep Cant Cameron, jettison the quarterback coach Jim Zorn, and have John Harbaugh attend an offensive meeting or two.
Well statistically, Joe Flacco is not having as good a year as he had last year. Say what you like, but my observation is that having a quarterback coach who actually played quarterback in the NFL and seemed to be a decent buffer between Cant Cameron and Joe was a good thing.
John Harbaugh, Ozzie Newsome, and Steve Bisciotti saw differently. Of course it is easy to sit back at this keyboard and point out flaws in a couple millionaires and a billionaire, but this is a charity job. Like Ray Lewis giving out turkeys at Thanksgiving, I can point out turkeys in my blog. Were it me Cant Cameron would be sitting next to the cranberry sauce a few weeks back.
The Federal Transportation Authority had to check the charter flight of the Ravens because the Jimmy Smith was thought to be smoking on the plane but, it was still the after affects of being lit up. And that mouth guard bro, really? You look like you have a giant pacifier in your mouth. But since you got spanked all night, I guess it was apropos. Why all this concern over the offense? For me the concern is Joe Flacco.
It is a quarterback driven league! You need a franchise quarterback! Joe is a franchise quarterback!
I need no more proof then the 90 yard winning touchdown drive he put on at Three Sewers, I mean Three Rivers Stadium a few weeks back. Average quarterbacks do not do this against the Steelers in their home.
There is a football future here in Baltimore and it will go as far as the arm of Joe Flacco will take us. Not an offensive coordinator who kept his job because it was a safe alternative. Joe wants an extension; his contract is coming to and end after next year. If I am him, I pass on the extension until I know if I have to deal with that toolbox of an offensive coordinator. The Ravens need to get someone in here that can help take my game to the next level.
Since Joe is doing his village people 70’s mustache, he may want to spend some time this offseason at the Fireman Academy to learn how to put out the flames on his teammates as they come off the field after playing “Burn Unit”.
Before I forget HAPPY HOLIDAYS Raven24x7.com readers! Thanks for reading my blog; I hope it has been as good a present to you as it has been for me to write!
