A big, significant, monstrous reason for the frustration a lot of Ravens fans are feeling after the team’s 17-10 loss to Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game centers on opportunities.
As in, you only get to be the top seed so many times.
As in, you only get to host a conference championship game every 53 years or so.
As in, there is a lot of talent that will probably be gone next season, and you have to seize these chances when they present themselves.
As in… Defensive Coordinator Wunderkind Mike Macdonald was destined to become a head coach sooner or later, and you never know if things will be that good on that side of the ball without him scheming up defenses.
Well, that first domino fell. And it fell with a thud.
MacDonald, 36, is now the youngest head coach in the NFL, replacing the oldest in Pete Carroll when he accepted the job.
There’s a lot to like about this hire if you’re a Seahawks fan. Macdonald is bright and confident, and is the kind of leader who inevitably points all the credit to his players and assistants. Guys like playing for and working with men like that.
He also understands modern football, and realizes that “shot plays” are not as prevalent in today’s league as so many defenses are playing shell games in the back, and offenses are focused on getting the ball out quickly against exotic stunts and ridiculous athletes now lined up along defensive fronts.
Macdonald sees that today’s league is played horizontally, as well, with screen games and jet sweeps used to take advantage of aggressive schemes, while allowing the offenses’ own twitchy athletes to make plays with the ball in their hands.
How many times did the Ravens blow up those horizontal plays the last two years for big losses? How many times did safeties or linebackers take away crossing patterns and make quarterbacks hold that ball a little longer, resulting in a league-leading sacks number for the Ravens?
Macdonald is a sharp guy, and basically a career Raven. He will be sorely missed.
But he showed this staff a lot, and it feels like good mojo to bring in one of his assistants to be top dog next season.
One name we know will not get the job was my personal favorite.
Before joining the Ravens last offseason as defensive backs coach — a job he nailed, considering this was considered a position of weakness in the preseason — Dennard Wilson was the defensive passing game coordinator for the Eagles when they went to the Super Bowl. That unit finished first in the league in passing yards per game. For perspective, the Eagles finished this past season ranked 28th.
Before the Eagles, Wilson was showing his talents with the Jets.
“During Wilson’s four seasons with the Jets, he served as the passing game coordinator (2019-20) and defensive backs coach (2017-20),” wrote ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “He guided safety Marcus Maye to a career year in 2020 (single-season-best 88 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 11 passes defended) and safety Jamal Adams to two consecutive Pro Bowls (2018-19).
But there are still some solid in-house, and external options, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec.
While many believe Anthony Weaver would be the natural pick, and he very well could be, Zrebiec also shines a light on former Ravens linebacker and current coach of the inside linebackers, Zachary Orr.
“Orr appears to be on the coaching fast track after his playing career ended following the 2016 season because of a spinal condition,” wrote Zrebiec. “The 31-year-old spent four seasons with the Ravens as a coaching analyst, moved to Jacksonville where he coached outside linebackers for one year and then returned to Baltimore to coach inside linebackers in 2022. Smart, energetic and hardworking, he is well acquainted with the Ravens culture, having made the team as a rookie free agent before becoming a starting linebacker. Orr garnered interest for the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator opening. He’s also a candidate to follow Macdonald to Seattle. Macdonald believes Orr is ready to be a defensive coordinator.”
Also of note:
Travis Kelce on his pregame exchange with Justin Tucker:
“If you wanna be a f***ing dick about it, you keep your helmet, and your football and your f***ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up. … Don’t paint me as the bad guy. He was poking the bear.”
via… pic.twitter.com/dQ50yQNZGe
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltim0re) January 31, 2024
Colin Cowherd on John Harbaugh/Ravens vs. Dan Campbell/Lions
“We can beat up on Dan Campbell, [but that] team was absolutely prepared, leaned into what it does well unlike Baltimore, and he stayed true to who he is”
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) February 1, 2024
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/ravens-odell-beckham-jr-told-lamar-jackson-run-more-afc-title-game
One Response
I am surprised that Biscotti does not have coaches tied up for at least 3 to 5 years.