So, has Caldwell earned the OC position?

**Sirdowski** · 01-13-2013, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

I still didn't see many crossing routes, not much over the middle, the constant dives up the middle on first and second down, lack of screens and the short passing game in general.

Really?

Joe missed Boldin over the middle (twice?). Beautiful slant on third down caught by Torrey. PI call on Torrey was over the middle (Boldin was right behind him running a deep in I believe). That first Torrey TD was the direct result of crossing routes by Boldin and I believe Pitta. Boldin drew the safety, leaving the deep middle wide open.

I agree though, I don't see him as OC without Lombardi escorting him.

**Carey** · 01-13-2013, 12:46 PM

I love his patience as a play caller...i think what he'll have to learn is there comes points in game where you just have to go win it and not worry about keeping the D honest. Really my only gripe, he's done everything else well and is making a nice argument for himself to keep the job going forward.

**esmd** · 01-13-2013, 12:46 PM

I was shouting for them to throw downfield in OT since it is what got them there. I thought Caldwell went too conservative. But hey, they won, so it's all good. We'll see how next week goes.

**Sirdowski** · 01-13-2013, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by rastaman831226

I'm all in. I'm ready to name this guy HC and letting John Harbaugh walk. Targeting and abusing perennial all star Champ Bailey as the main thrust of the offensive game plan was pure genius. Something Denver nor anyone else, in its' wildest dreams never expected. Glad that Caldwell, unlike Cam Cameron and to a lesser extent Harbaugh, allows input on game planning from assistant coaches and players. All of this makes me wonder what exactly does Harbaugh do as HC.

This just shows you have never played and know nothing about football, or really leadership in general. Since when did people stop realizing leadership in and of itself is just as important as knowledge?

Example: Business leadership 101: surround yourself with others who know and can do what you yourself cannot/do not .

**Ravenswintitle** · 01-13-2013, 12:52 PM

He's earned it for the rest of the season - definitely! ;)

**Mad Puppy** · 01-13-2013, 01:03 PM

In a Word....YES
Caldwell has earned the OC job.
I am overjoyed with the results in Denver, I was yelling for a game plan that had the Ravens offense on the field more with a lot of Running to keep Manning off the field.
Yet Caldwell attacked All-Pro Bailey to great effect!
In the first half I was griping about Rice's only 9 carries at halftime, he then carried 21 times in the 2nd half +OT.
Caldwell adjusted, that more than anything else is the biggest plus. Cameron was terrible at adjusting at halftime.
Caldwell is our OC

**rastaman831226** · 01-13-2013, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by BigPlayReceiver

I have the same critique.

Also, Boldin got a free release from the bunch/clump formation and settled down completely uncovered around the hashes for an easy medium gain. Pre-snap, it was obvious that DEN was confused by the formation, yet I don't recall us ever going back to the bunch. Other than exposing match-ups like Torrey vs. Champ, a good OC needs to be able to win match-ups via scheming...similar to how DEN was exploiting our slow ass ILBs by throwing underneath (our disicipline safety play forced DEN to do as well).

This late in the season, it's possible that Jim doesn't want to implement too many new routes and such due to unfamiliarity and mis-timing risks. Still, I'd like to see us pursue an imaginative OC that is routinely able to make adjustments in-game when needed. Again, that might be Jim with a whole OS to work with, but this is his first OC rodeo, so I'm not sure.

I swear...is there a such thing as a routine/normal OS? I guess not, but I'd sure like to have one in 2014.

Whoooooaaaaaa!!! Slow down. This guy's only been on the job as OC for 3 weeks. That the look of this offense and it's approach to game planning has changed so radically to the positive is an amazing feat. Don't go Cam Cameron on me and get too fancy too soon. Just relish the fact that we're actually out coaching elite teams in the second half.

**Sirdowski** · 01-13-2013, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by rastaman831226

Wha? That was whiny and childlike. Life Leadership 101: You will forever fail.....at everything. Sorry kid, it needed to be said.

Jan 13 and already got my favorite post of 2013.

Should be hard to top this one.

**RavenScallywag** · 01-13-2013, 01:27 PM

Dude, you keep trying to convince everyone that Harbaugh is a dullard who can't do anything right.

How many coaches can boast a resume like his? 5 straight years winning in the playoffs, 3 AFC Championship appearances in 5 years. He's already surpassed Brian Billick in playoff wins, he's tied for 2nd all time in ROAD playoff wins with 5.

Your only argument is we've done this "in spite of" and not "because of" him. You can't prove that in any way. You could just as easily say "Jim Harbaugh getting to NFC Championship two years in a row is in spite of him, not because of him" or "What exactly does Mike Tomlin do as a HC?"

My thinking is, the only reason you claim he's done nothing is because he wasn't a coordinator, he was a ST coach, so obviously he doesn't know his ass from his head when it comes to Defense or Offense? Again, you have nothing to pin this on, except your own agenda.

**NCRAVEN** · 01-13-2013, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Justlovemybirds

He's close, although I have to admit when he was constantly pounding Ray in the middle on those dive plays I thought I was going to go crazy!

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

This.

I think I screamed playaction about 25 -30 times throughout the game.

**sopranocorleone** · 01-13-2013, 01:36 PM

and the short passing game in general.

I don't know about that. There were a lot more short passes sprinkled in than I've ever seen, especially on second down. Joe's drop steps were considerably shorter, even on a few one step drops.

I didn't like his sequence of calling runs on every 1st and 2nd down. However, Joe does have some freedom to audible based on what he sees. I'm not sure to what degree, but on those plays, it looked like Joe made some checks at the line. Whenever the Broncos had their safeties back, they tried to pound the ball.

That being said, Denver is really stout on first down against the run. That fact should have crept up in Caldwell's head at some point. If anything, Denver seemed to gain new life with their first down success.

They CANNOT have that same sequence going forward.

I like what I've been seeing overall, though. Caldwell is doing a nice job of varying both the running and passing games so the offense attacks every layer of the field. Let's see how this offense continues to evolve.

**sailorsam** · 01-13-2013, 03:35 PM

I'm very happy with Coach Caldwell's performance. I vote he stays.
and agree that Old Man Winter was an influence on the play calling. I wondered if Pierce would be featured this week considering 1)how well he did against the Colts and 2) RR fumbled twice, but they made RR the main man and he held on and did great.
will always wonder what kind of game it'd been without the stupid kick/punt returns.
I think we'll see more variety if he stays and has all offseason / camp to fine tune things. looks like just about everybody on O returns next year so should be fun.
(another OT might be nice)