The Ravens dropped their fourth straight game, this time to a bad New York Jets team that played without one of their best defenders (Muhammed Wilkerson) who was inactive and their star center (Nick Mangold) who was knocked out in the first quarter.
The 24-16 win “boosted” the Jets to (2-5) on the season and dropped the Ravens to (3-4), one game off the pace of the AFC North division leading Steelers. (Stop snickering)
You have to wonder sometimes if the Ravens play the same game as the rest of the league. The clock management is awful; their screens remind you of electric football; they are schematically deficient on both sides of the ball; and they generally don’t look prepared to play.
Last week we heard John Harbaugh say, “The thing that I’m most excited about is that our problems are easily correctable.”
Apparently they aren’t – at least not for this coaching staff.
Still excited John?
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece about the Ravens being a team in crisis. I wondered aloud, “Who Are The Baltimore Ravens?” This week Harbaugh & Company answered the question – they are a bad team!
When will the coaches start to say they can’t win with the talent the personnel guys have fed them? When will the personnel guys begin to wonder why the coaches are failing in the player development department?
With the bye week ahead, the entire organization will have two weeks to marinate in the stench of a winless October. It will be a minor miracle if the finger-pointing hasn’t already begun at One Losing Drive.
THE GOOD
One of the few bright spots for the Ravens offense this season is Mike Wallace. The 8-year vet hauled in 10 passes for 120 yards and is now on pace for an 80 catch, 1,120 yard season…Brandon Williams rebounded from a mild slump with an 8 tackle game, two for losses plus a sack and a QB hurry…Michael Pierce continued his surprisingly productive rookie campaign with 5 tackles, 1 for a loss, a sack and a QB hurry…Tim Jernigan also had a productive outing with 4 tackles, a sack and 2 QB hurries. He also recovered a fumble but gave it right back to the Jets with a fumble of his own. Three plays later the Jets went up 24-16…Matt Judon had a nice outing registering the first two sacks of his career…Overall the Ravens sacked Jets quarterbacks five times…The punt team netted an impressive 47.8 yards on six punts…The goal line stand following the first Joe Flacco INT helped keep the deficit within a field goal…Justin Tucker was a perfect 3 for 3 and is now 18 for 18 on the season…Chris Moore’s overall special teams effort.
THE BAD
Entering the game, the Ravens were +3 in turnover differential compared to the Jets league worst at -11. The Jets forced 3 turnovers to the Ravens 2…The Jets entered the game with a league worst 2 interceptions in 360 game minutes. They picked off two Flacco passes within 3 minutes of the third quarter…A tired Ravens defense allowed Matt Forte to run for 68 yards on 20 second half carries. He finished with 30 attempts for 100 yards…Devin Hester looks rather clueless. He returned 3 punts for a total of 9 yards and fumbled a fair catch attempt, which he would recover…The Ravens have now blown a 10-0 lead in four of their last five games.
THE UGLY
Now might be a good time to take a bathroom break. We’re going to be here for awhile…
Consider these facts:
• The Jets were on a short week having played against a physical Arizona Cardinals team on Monday Night.
• The Jets in their previous 6 games surrendered 375.5 yards of offense to opponents on average. The Ravens “racked up” 245 net yards of offense.
• The Ravens were 3 of 14 on third down (21%). The Jets entered the game as the NFL’s 20th ranked third down defense (40.3%).
• The Jets possessed the ball for 36:37 to the Ravens 23:23.
• The Ravens did not run a single offensive play the entire game in the red zone against the league’s 24th ranked red zone defense.
• The Ravens rushing “attack” produced just 6 net yards. (not a typo)
Those are just a few eye-popping developments from the game. The second half was even worse:
• The Ravens were 1 of 7 on third down.
• Joe Flacco’s 2 third quarter interceptions and 48 net passing yards contributed to a second half passer rating of 14.6 against the league’s 28th ranked pass defense.
• The Ravens netted -6 (as in negative six) rushing yards.
• The Jets possessed the ball 20:16 to the Ravens 9:44
• The Ravens deepest penetration into Jets territory was the NYJ 44.
Joe Flacco, who are you and what have you done with the guy who carried the Ravens through the 2012 playoffs? He regularly throws off his back foot; regularly predetermines where he’s throwing the ball; regularly flings errant passes that go over the receiver or behind the receiver; he refuses to sell screen passes or simply just doesn’t know how; and then at times he throws passes that bring back frightening flashback memories of Kyle Boller.
With 33 seconds left in the first half the Ravens faced a first and 10 at the NYJ 33-yard line. He heaved a wild rainbow pass into the middle of the end zone intended for Mike Wallace that was nearly intercepted. Why? Why make such an irresponsible throw with a weapon like Justin Tucker in your hip pocket and 3 points and the lead a near certainty?
On the first pick Flacco threw the out to Breshad Perriman extremely late and gift-wrapped if for Jets DB Buster Skrine. During the crucial final possession, Flacco faced a 2nd and 8 from the NYJ 44. He missed an open Chris Moore on a crosser, throwing the ball well behind the receiver. The next play was an aborted throw – one that Flacco tried to stop but failed. Then on what would be the Ravens final offensive play, Flacco underthrew Moore streaking down the right sideline. The pass was broken up by Marcus Williams.
Several times during the afternoon Flacco threw deep to receivers who were well covered and with defenders having their back to the quarterback. Why the Ravens offense can’t move up to let’s say the 1980’s and use the back shoulder throw is just so…Ravens. Flacco has now thrown 5 TD’s against 6 interceptions on the season and has a passer rating of 75.4.
Joe Flacco, you are a mess.
Speaking of messes, let’s talk about the Ravens offensive line. They weren’t horrible as a pass blocking unit, except for John Urschel who was beaten like a big bass drum repeatedly by Sheldon Richardson. Maybe Urschel was wearing those noise-cancelling Bose headphones and couldn’t hear the snap count? On 45 drop backs Flacco was sacked once and hurried just four times, although it appears that the clock in Flacco’s head hurries him even more than oncoming rushers. Yes, he’s a bit twitchy. The sack and 2 hurries belonged to Richardson…The run blocking was a different story. Nose tackle Steve McLendon timed Flacco’s predictable cadence and twice knocked Jeremy Zuttah into the Ravens QB, resulting in a couple of tackles for loss…Alex Lewis struggled again at left tackle plus he cost the Ravens a 52-yard run by Terrance West, negated by a Lewis hold.
Nice use of a timeout in the first quarter when the Ravens punt team wasn’t ready, said no one ever…The Ravens tackling, a strength up to this game, was sloppy…The next time Lardarius Webb makes a play on a ball will be the first time this season. His angle on Quincy Enunwa’s TD was awful…Za’Darius Smith roughing the passer penalty turned a 3rd and 19 at the Jets 29 with 12:57 to go into a 1st and 10 at the 44. He’s regularly guilty of failing to hold down the edge in run support.
THE MEGAN FOX
LeGarrette Blount’s 24 carries, 127 yards and 2 scores led the way as the Patriots beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh by the score of 27-16 to keep the Ravens just one game off the pace in the AFC North with a chance to pull into a tie on November 6 at M&T Bank Stadium.
#TrueStory
