Stop throwing to Boldin- too slow with bad hands.

[Bhcforlife]

C'mon guys... in hindsight, based on the outcome of the season this thread looks a bit silly. But, at the time we were all frustrated with this team, including Boldin's production. The majority of us thought Boldin's productive years were gone even 2 years ago after that Steelers game. Halfway through the season, there was a large group here that would have been happy to let Joe walk at the end of the season. How's that look now? Let it die... and lets talk about now.

The thing is, this thread was created after Boldin's invisible game against the Broncos...which, prior to that game, he had gone for 8/159/3 in the previous two. I don't recall a ton of people being frustrated with Boldin at the time & to create a thread like this after a game in which the entire team looked lost...just silly.

This will always be one of my favorite threads on this board...just too funny with how the season ultimately ended.

[Paintballguy]

Once Caldwell took over, Boldin worked exclusively out of the slot, where he belongs. Cam had him out wide 80% of the time. That's the difference. The entire fan base knew he belonged in the slot, mindboggling how awful Cameron was!

Everyone and their mom knew that boldin is a beast in the slot except cam apparently who insisted on having boldin outside running 9 routes for the whole game.


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[Tolucaraven]

In my opinion as a new poster, watching the games with the West Wing crowd it was pretty obvious once they moved Boldin inside to match up against LB's and basically playing a smaller TE postion he did well. I taped the games to break down the play calling and assignments from the postseason. Against NE, we got fortunate that Talib went down with an injury because he was assigned to Boldin and was far faster and also physical. Against Denver Torrey Smith was matched up against Champ Bailey the second time around, which left the the middle open vs Denvers weak Safeties and bad coverage linebackers. Against SF in the SB Boldin was used exclusively in the slot and even the TE's were split wider than Anquan was. Anquan had a decent game vs SF, but was matched up again against poor coverage LB's and S in the seam. His back shoulder fade catch was great, Boldins hands in the postseason were great, even though he did drop an easy ball at the ten yard line that was almost intercepted that ended up in a the fake FG attempt, he also had another drop at midfield for a first down in the first half, he also ran the wrong pattern on a curl route but went down the sideline instead for an incomplete. Caldwell, obviously recognized that Boldin in the slot was the his best option, he frequently was inside and the TE's and WR outside drawing the faster and better coverage players, except vs NE in the beginning when they lost Talib. Boldin won't be a big loss, if released. He is more of a smaller TE at this stage of his career. The offense didn't run through Boldin but it seems in doing so, it made him more effective with others recieving more attention namely Pitta, Dickson, Smith, Jones and oddly enough Leach of course to go with Rice out of the backfield.

[CptJesus]

Please put line breaks in that wall of text. Your point may actually be good but it's almost impossible to read

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[srobert96]

I was in the same place as the original poster early in the season. With Cam the offense would run a ton of two wr sets with Boldin on the outside. He struggles to get separation on the outside and was always covered. He had to make tremendous catches because he rarely got separation. With Caldwell they moved him into the slot and he was able to get separation and his production sky rocketed. Next year the Ravens have to find a competent wr to put on the outside opposite T smith. This will allow Boldin and Pitta to work the middle of the field where they both are very productive. The passing game with Leach in the backfield struggles because defenses all but ignore him.

[ballhawk]

I was in the same place as the original poster early in the season. With Cam the offense would run a ton of two wr sets with Boldin on the outside. He struggles to get separation on the outside and was always covered. He had to make tremendous catches because he rarely got separation. With Caldwell they moved him into the slot and he was able to get separation and his production sky rocketed. Next year the Ravens have to find a competent wr to put on the outside opposite T smith. This will allow Boldin and Pitta to work the middle of the field where they both are very productive. The passing game with Leach in the backfield struggles because defenses all but ignore him.

What about Jacoby? I think they need to keep the receivers together for the next 2-3 years. Jacoby is still young and can definitely keep improving his game. All that speed with him and Torrey is deadly. Leach is good as gone. Great player but not really a necessity anymore.

[BigPlayReceiver]

A couple of Boldin notes according to ESPN:

-- Boldin entered the SB with just 1 third-down touchdown reception in 105 career third-down targets with the Ravens. His 1st quarter TD vs. SF was a third down reception (2nd career overall).

-- Boldin caught 4 of 4 passes thrown into the end zone during the postseason, including the TD mentioned above. During the regular season, he went 3 of 10in end-zone targets

So clearly Boldin didn't forget nor suddenly remember how to chop a route, jump and catch.

Jim's scheme tweaks, Joe's confidence, the threat of Torrey deep, and an OL reshuffle all had a role in Boldin's playoff success.

The first 3 pieces will be in place going into 2013. Jim will be the OC and he'll have some more tweaks for the offense. Newly mega-rich Joe will be as confident as ever. Torrey will get better at his releases for separating from DBs...but what about the OL?

It's all coming back to the OL again for 2013. We need to ensure not only that BM is resigned, but that we draft and sign some quality depth as well.

[AirFlacco]

In my opinion as a new poster, watching the games with the West Wing crowd it was pretty obvious once they moved Boldin inside to match up against LB's and basically playing a smaller TE postion he did well. I taped the games to break down the play calling and assignments from the postseason. Against NE, we got fortunate that Talib went down with an injury because he was assigned to Boldin and was far faster and also physical. Against Denver Torrey Smith was matched up against Champ Bailey the second time around, which left the the middle open vs Denvers weak Safeties and bad coverage linebackers. Against SF in the SB Boldin was used exclusively in the slot and even the TE's were split wider than Anquan was. Anquan had a decent game vs SF, but was matched up again against poor coverage LB's and S in the seam. His back shoulder fade catch was great, Boldins hands in the postseason were great, even though he did drop an easy ball at the ten yard line that was almost intercepted that ended up in a the fake FG attempt, he also had another drop at midfield for a first down in the first half, he also ran the wrong pattern on a curl route but went down the sideline instead for an incomplete. Caldwell, obviously recognized that Boldin in the slot was the his best option, he frequently was inside and the TE's and WR outside drawing the faster and better coverage players, except vs NE in the beginning when they lost Talib. Boldin won't be a big loss, if released. He is more of a smaller TE at this stage of his career. The offense didn't run through Boldin but it seems in doing so, it made him more effective with others recieving more attention namely Pitta, Dickson, Smith, Jones and oddly enough Leach of course to go with Rice out of the backfield.

NE got lucky too because Webb was down most of the season and the entire playoffs. We beat NE twice because
Ozzie simply had more talent.

Works both ways.

[Shas]

Great piece by Pat Kirwan with a nice part about Boldin.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/2...-unsung-heroes

Thanks for the link. Kirwain certainly did a good job predicting Boldin's impeding role in the championship game.

I also liked how he foreshadowed what would be another big issue in the Super Bowl...

Penalties in big games seem magnified. Every play feels like it is the one that will make or break the outcome. I was glad to see that the officials tried to stay out of the way in the championship round.

There were six penalties called in the Atlanta-San Francisco game and nine in the Baltimore-New England game. There were a total of 294 plays in both games, and a penalty every 20 plays is about all I want to see. The less I notice the officials on the field the better.

The NFL wants the players to decide the winner, not the officials, and it appears they make an effort to stay out of the way. I wish they would do more of that in the regular season. There are way too many games with close to 20 penalties called.

I wholeheartedly agree that it makes for better football--over-officiating has been my biggest complaint for years--even if it crushes fans of the team who doesn't get the call that maybe could have would have should have decided the outcome of the the game (I'm talking to you Broncos fans).

The irony of course is that Kirwan is reminding everyone that the Niners would have never made it past Atlanta in the NFC Championship game had the officials not eaten their flags when Navarro Bowman mugged Julio Jones on fourth down to end what could have been a game winning drive for Atlanta--way closer to a holding penalty on Bowman than what we saw from Jimmy Smith, given that Julio Jones was trying to run away from Bowman and Crabtree ran right at Smith and shoved him to the turf.

[Tolucaraven]

NE got lucky too because Webb was down most of the season and the entire playoffs. We beat NE twice because
Ozzie simply had more talent.

Works both ways.

I agree, losing Webb hurt the Ravens alot throughout the season. I am not saying losing Talib lost the game for NE but it did make Boldin's day alot easier going against backups and LB's.

I like Boldin, but to keep him (now a slot guy or a biscuit away from being a TE at this point) at his price and age may not be necessary. You can use Dickson and a 2 TE set to achieve the same results. Also, IMO keeping Jacoby Jones is more important to spread the field and would like to see him on the feild more as the 2nd WR and of course special teams. Slot guys can be found at better prices.

I will miss Boldin if he leaves, but he was a dissapointment as a #1, but once he moved to the slot with 2 TE's he was used in a productive role. Boldin was/is a leader on the offense (which will be missed), but from a talent standpoint, he can be replaced at a better price.

[Tolucaraven]

Please put line breaks in that wall of text. Your point may actually be good but it's almost impossible to read

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Sorry about that. Grammar, sentence structure, spelling are not my strong points. (Especially when downing a few beers)! LOL

[AirFlacco]

I agree, losing Webb hurt the Ravens alot throughout the season. I am not saying losing Talib lost the game for NE but it did make Boldin's day alot easier going against backups and LB's.

I like Boldin, but to keep him (now a slot guy or a biscuit away from being a TE at this point) at his price and age may not be necessary. You can use Dickson and a 2 TE set to achieve the same results. Also, IMO keeping Jacoby Jones is more important to spread the field and would like to see him on the feild more as the 2nd WR and of course special teams. Slot guys can be found at better prices.

I will miss Boldin if he leaves, but he was a dissapointment as a #1, but once he moved to the slot with 2 TE's he was used in a productive role. Boldin was/is a leader on the offense (which will be missed), but from a talent standpoint, he can be replaced at a better price.

Thanks but the only time Boldin disappionted me was the big drop on the
goal line in Pissburgh couple of years ago and even he said he should have had it.
He just choked. That kept us from the SB but this year he just missed 1,000 yards in 15
regular season games almost all of that at Wr. That doesn't count his playoff experience.

He just missed 900 yds the last two years at WR and had a couple of 1,000 yd
seasons in Arizona which is why most of us wanted Ozzie to sign him then.

He has over 10,000 yards since 2003 but stats don't seem to matter much in this forum.

I'll take a guy like that any day at any receiver position bad hands and no separation and all.

http://www.nfl.com/player/anquanboldin/2505587/profile