The Ravens lost to the Tennessee Titans 23-20 in Week 9. RSR staff react to the loss here…
Todd Karpovich
1. Breshad Perriman actually hurts the Ravens when he is on the field. I know the team tried to get him involved early, but the talent is just not there.
2. That said, quarterback Joe Flacco simply cannot afford any turnovers, especially the way the offense is playing.
3. The defense was hung out to dry again.
4. Tyus Bowser had another costly gaffe on special teams. Not the season the Ravens envisioned.
5. Mistakes by Perriman and Sam Koch (and Za’Darius Smith) led to 14 points and were a huge difference in this game.
Derek Arnold
After all the debacles last year, I thought John Harbaugh had finally learned his lesson about taking the damn points. Apparently not! The Ravens eschewed a field goal in favor of going for it on fourth-and-inches, and – terrible spot aside – they sure could have used those points later, huh?
Take. The. Points. He never learns.
— D.Baby can't find the fish (@BMoreBirdsNest) November 5, 2017
Yes, I understand that the percentages say that an NFL team SHOULD be able to gain a few inches when they need to. But that ignores the fact that the Ravens coaching staff inspires zero confidence in these situations with their play-calling, play design, and personnel – you have Alex Collins, and you give it to Buck Allen when you need an inch? ASININE.
Dean Pees’ defense put the clamps on in the second half – while the Titans weren’t really trying, because they weren’t scared of the Baltimore offense. Once they needed a stop? Swiss Pees baby! Like clockwork.
“Oh, but they were gassed by the fourth quarter because the offense is so bad!”
Nope.
For those making excuses for the defense, the #Ravens have run more plays and lead in time of possession today.
— Luke Jones (@BaltimoreLuke) November 5, 2017
Earlier, it was clear that the Ravens were making a concerted effort to force-feed Breshad Perriman. He rewarded them by dropping one long TD pass that fell to the ground, and batting another perfectly thrown deep pass into yet another defender’s hands.
https://twitter.com/tannad2001/status/927248215849697280
https://twitter.com/tannad2001/status/927243258543124486
Many fans will be calling for Marty Mornhinweg’s head over the bye, but he can’t catch those balls for Breshad.
Shanked punts, wasted timeouts, points left on the field, dropped passes, interceptions on both tips and on terrible throws, and a winnable game lost…just another day in Ravenstown.
Ryan Jones
Rather than a knee jerk reaction a few predictions as we head into the bye week:
In his post game press conference Joe Flacco will utter the phrase “it starts with me” at least twice.
When questioned about the struggling offense this week, Mornhinweg will incoherently ramble on making no sense and directly answering zero questions.
Pees will get overly defensive when answering questions about the team’s struggles and snap on reporters.
The Ravens will come out of their bye week with a sense of urgency and beat the Packers, instilling false hope only to lose the following week to the Tom Savage-led Texans.
Rinse and repeat for the rest of the season resulting in an 8-8 finish.
Tyler Lombardi
“I don’t know why they’re paying these receivers so much money when every pass goes to a running back.”
– Rich Gannon (paraphrased)
I could complain about the fact that Perriman has hands of stones and does NOT attack the football, the two biggest complaints against him coming out of college…
I could complain about the fact that Buck Allen got screwed out of a first down on a 4th down play…
But those are minor problems compared to this one: Flacco is, at this point in his career, a far-below-average quarterback. He is the reason this offense struggles for every yard it gets. He is the reason these receivers are wasted here in Baltimore. He is the reason why this team lacks urgency when it needs it the most.
And it won’t get any better for a while…
If this team manages to make the playoffs in a very weak AFC, they will make it despite Joe Flacco.
Carey Stevenson
Is this what’s necessary? Does it take a season of absolute embarrassment in order for that critical look in the mirror to take place? The game plans are stale, team hasn’t looked well coached in quite some time, the talent on the offense even before the injuries is a joke. The front office hasn’t hit on a skill position player in the draft since Torrey Smith.
The defense, while talented is not on the level to play the risk-averse brand of football they play and expect the type of success of years past.
Steve Bisciotti defended his head coach, top exec and qb a few weeks ago but I don’t know anybody loyal enough to let ineptitude like this continue to slide. Again, if this is what spurs change I’m willing to take the lumps…honestly we may not have a choice.
We’ll have more knee-jerk reactions as they roll in…
