Ray Rice - slowing down? Or still injured?

[TTRaven]

You must have missed his big gain in the first qtr with 9:17 left. KO and FAT MAC wiped out
the left side of the line and Ray veered left then cut up the middle and up Gino's ass who was in the 2d level taking out a big linebacker, # 58. It was an 12 yard gain -up the middle.

And the announcer said Ray is still dealing with his injury.

If the holes are there, Ray will hit them.

The longest run Rice had today was 7 yards. I wouldn't exactly call that a big gain.


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[goldenelite28]

The fumbling issue is my primary concern.

Age/injury shouldn't have an impact on his ball security.
Bottom line is I no longer trust Ray to be one of our best players.
He is supposed to be a mismatch for LBers, but when has he been open when split out wide? He is supposed to be an elite player and he just doesn't look like one.

[HoustonRaven]

The fumbling issue is my primary concern.

Age/injury shouldn't have an impact on his ball security.
Bottom line is I no longer trust Ray to be one of our best players.
He is supposed to be a mismatch for LBers, but when has he been open when split out wide? He is supposed to be an elite player and he just doesn't look like one.

Agreed.

His dropsies go back to the later half of last season.

By far, the most concerning of his issues.

[goldenelite28]

Agreed.

His dropsies go back to the later half of last season.

By far, the most concerning of his issues.

I mean I don't care about ypc when our run blocking is this bad.
But Ray was really defensive about his fumbling last year in the playoffs. He got really pissed in the interview I saw and pointed out how he doesn't fumble in the regular season.
Now he has two fumbles in four games. This is a serious mental issue for him and I hope he can get over it, but what do we do if he fumbles again next week?

[alien bird]

In today's NFL, it's probably not unreasonable to spend a 3rd round pick every 3 years for a replacement running back. Let your #1 play out his rookie contract and just replace him, spending your cap dollars on other necessities. Running backs just take a lot of pounding and the wear and tear catches up to them pretty quickly.

[landshark52]

Ray has been slowing down since last year. You can just see it with how often trips over his own feet and goes down by arm tackles. He just doesn't have that elusiveness anymore. Then when you lose dependability by fumbling, what exactly are you getting out of him anymore? Not enough is the simple answer. Pierce gives more.

[Iscull]

He was quick enough scoring while standing up on some great blocking that time. That's
what I'm saying. Wagner demolished his man for Rice.If the holes are there he will dart
thru em.

I'm still waiting for HARBs to switch him to slot receiver like his boss Andy Reid did with
Westbrook in Philly. HARBs must have forgotten that. Ray will be more dangerous
like 4th and 29 in SD. That will get him into the open field and there's nobody good
in the slot right now. Nobody after Torrey Smith.

I completely agree. I was talking with my friends earlier about whose a better RB at this point: Pierce or Rice. When talking strictly about running between the tackles, Pierce is a lot better; however, Rice is the better playmaker. Either out of the shotgun, on a screen, etc. Rice has that great playmaking ability when he is in the open field. I feel that it is Caldwell's duty to design plays where Rice can get the ball where he exceeds the most, in open space. If putting Ray in the slot does that, it would definitely be beneficial.

[Haloti92]

Ray has been slowing down since last year. You can just see it with how often trips over his own feet and goes down by arm tackles. He just doesn't have that elusiveness anymore. Then when you lose dependability by fumbling, what exactly are you getting out of him anymore? Not enough is the simple answer. Pierce gives more.

He definitely goes down way too quickly and easily a lot of the time. Sometimes it is like he leans too far forward (to compensate for an impending hit that exists only in his imagination?) and suddenly falls forward or trips way too early in the runs, often untouched. Like he is diving, except for no reason.

Obviously our run blocking sucks ass so far, so it isn't like he is leaving a ton of yards on the field, but I can definitely find a handful every game (promising hole, then Rice forward diving or tripping in the middle of it).

[iggyman555]

I completely agree. I was talking with my friends earlier about whose a better RB at this point: Pierce or Rice. When talking strictly about running between the tackles, Pierce is a lot better; however, Rice is the better playmaker. Either out of the shotgun, on a screen, etc. Rice has that great playmaking ability when he is in the open field. I feel that it is Caldwell's duty to design plays where Rice can get the ball where he exceeds the most, in open space. If putting Ray in the slot does that, it would definitely be beneficial.

caldwell said the mia vs no tape from last week was lost in the mail (sproles)

[AirFlacco]

Um, Rice's fumble wasn't exactly on him.

The ball took a direct hit from the helmet. It was a clean hard hit on
the ball.

Nobody would have held on in that situation.

Also, there was a least 1 screen at the end of the first half where Ray
gained some yardage. There was another short pass early in the
2d qtr where he gained some yards.

BTW, Ravens rushing attack was over 100 yds with Ray getting 74 yds and 2 TDs.

The run game started to wear the Dolphins down. Rice ran twice for six yards each. And BTW TT, I'd call those nice pickups and so would the Ravens. They'd take em. Pierce had the longest run of the year with 28 yards from scrimmage.


Then Flacco used play action to find Smith for a 14-yard gain. Rice ran twice more for eight yards to set up Tucker’s game-winning 44-yard kick.


“In this heat, the 1-yard run becomes a 3-yard run,” HARBs said.

I've been to most of the games down there and it was hot and muggy today outside the stadium and over 100 degrees down on the field. The last time I was there during the POs it was miserable just sitting in the heat, just imagine running in it.



http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/201310...ghts&tab=recap

[elland]

Um, Rice's fumble wasn't exactly on him.

The ball took a direct hit from the helmet. It was a clean hard hit on
the ball.

Nobody would have held on in that situation.

Also, there was a least 1 screen at the end of the first half where Ray
gained some yardage. There was another short pass early in the
2d qtr where he gained some yards.

BTW, Ravens rushing attack was over 100 yds with Ray getting 70 yds and 2 TDs.

The run game started to wear the Dolphins down. Rice ran twice for six yards each. Then Flacco used play action to find Smith for a 14-yard gain. Rice ran twice more for eight yards to set up Tucker’s game-winning 44-yard kick.


“In this heat, the 1-yard run becomes a 3-yard run,” HARBs said.


http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/201310...ghts&tab=recap

Agreed there is fumbles and then there is this, a nice run and a good and a lucky defense play, no blame from me on this play.

[AirFlacco]

Thank UUUUUUUUUUU.

Somebody that was watching football.