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10-07-2013, 08:38 AM #49Hyperbolic curmudgeometer
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Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
It's probably that Rice isn't yet 100%, & after having something go sproinnnng! when he wasn't even touched, that may be in part mental.
But based on his performance in postseasons past as well as this year, let me offer up this conjecture:Ray Rice gets in trouble when he tries too hard to make something happen.
When he's trying to make something out of nothing, he leans too far forward & then when he tries to cut his feet tend to go out from under him. Ball security suffers when he's straining for that extra yard & he loses alertness for blindside hits, so the ball pops out more often.
Is he trying to put the team on his back? Is he worried about job security when he sees Pierce busting big gains? I dunno.
But I think the solution for R2's woes is that he should just stop trying to be Superman & go back to being your everyday Mighty Mouse.
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10-07-2013, 08:55 AM #50Veteran Poster
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Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
A bit of both. He did not look explosive early in the season. He is going down easier than he did in the past. The big difference is when he gets to the second level. In the pas he could make people miss and extend the play. That is just no happening now. He is not much of a factor in the passing game either and it is not because he is getting double teamed. Rice getting stopped for short and no gain is not new to this year either. The difference in the past was that when he did get an opening he would exploit it for a big gain. Similar to the run that Pierce had for 30 yards yesterday. The one play that stands out to me as an example that he is not the same was the run on the final drive. He had 1 guy to beat to get 2 yards for the first down and he fell down barely getting touched. In the past he would have gotten the first down. He is just the not the same player. Does not mean he cannot be an important part of the offense but he is not going to be the guy he was two years ago.
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10-07-2013, 08:56 AM #51
Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
I feature that Ray is still trying to attain game shape 100%. He may be physically 100% but hasn't attained 100% game shape.
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10-07-2013, 10:06 AM #52
Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
"The Ravens are not taking Jimmy Smith at 26!" -- Me, the day before the 2011 Draft
"On their way to the podium, the Ravens FO is going to collectively step over my dead body and select...Breshad Perriman." -- Me, the day before the 2015 Draft
Missed it by That Much: The story of 'Get Smart' and the modern day Baltimore Ravens
@BigPlayReceiver
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10-07-2013, 10:17 AM #53
Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
While his YPC is only now suffering courtesy of our OL, Ray has been getting owned by turf gremlins since late 2011. On top of that, the man moves his feet, but he's not really shaking anyone. All he's doing is giving a chance for the defender to close the distance and wrap up. It's unreasonable to expect him to suddenly become a plant-and-go guy, so I don't know what his future is going to look like.
Starting RBs don't magically heal up during the season, but there are no gimmes in our schedule either, so I don't know when it's "safe" to sit him."The Ravens are not taking Jimmy Smith at 26!" -- Me, the day before the 2011 Draft
"On their way to the podium, the Ravens FO is going to collectively step over my dead body and select...Breshad Perriman." -- Me, the day before the 2015 Draft
Missed it by That Much: The story of 'Get Smart' and the modern day Baltimore Ravens
@BigPlayReceiver
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10-07-2013, 10:19 AM #54Regular 1st Stringer
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Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
This is the difference in fan base between us and pitt fans. RR is our Ben in terms of he is the best player on the team. Unlike them we can see that our "best" player is no longer our "best" player and can actually debate it with out blasphemy. That's why I say Ravens fans are the most knowledgble fans out there.
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10-07-2013, 11:03 AM #55Hall Of Fame Poster
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Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
I know the line hasn't been great, but after watching yesterday's game, some of the blame needs to go to Rice. Simply not hitting the hole quickly.
The plays that seemed successful, is where the backs ran hard to spot/area where play was designed.
I think the time to switch Pierce to starter and Rice to backup is sooner rather than later.
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Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
World Domination 3 Points at a Time!
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10-07-2013, 11:19 AM #57Legendary RSR Poster
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Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
I don't. Pierce has been a solid back-up, and it was wise for Ozzie to trade up (3rd round) to get him, but he's no Ray Rice. RR at his best (which he isn't right now) is a dynamic play maker, while Pierce is an excellent change of pace for opposing defenses to figure out.
I'm glad the Ravens have both... Bc
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Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
After Rice fumbled during the playoffs and walked off the field his RB coach
pounded on his chest, ie, tuck the ball in and against the chest.
That is exactly where Ray held the ball. It took a ferocious hit to jar it loose.
If Gino had done his job and hit him, Ray might not have fumbled the ball
to begin with.
Note how OJ runs with the ball. He's holding the ball exactly the way Ray
did and with one arm free and in traffic. Jim Brown said he loved his free arm because he used it as a weapon. He stiffed armed people with it. You did not want to get stiff armed by Brown's free arm.
See OJ run just like Rice. Well, nobody did it like OJ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1p5mgaT6mYLast edited by AirFlacco; 10-07-2013 at 01:12 PM.
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10-07-2013, 01:23 PM #59
Re: Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?
Has there been any mention that Rice seems to fall down a lot without being touched by anyone (stumble-itis)? Even when touched though, he's being brought down by the 1st guy, when before you would see a hand on the turf to keep running. It's been happening since last year from my reckoning.
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