Coaches Changes

**GOTA** · 11-04-2013, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Tolucaraven

The Ravens have the lowest YPC right now since the MERGER. This running game cant be fixes. Just think about that, à SB team not an expansion team. Midway through year lowest since merger.

Yup, this offense is pretty shitty. Last year the Saints had the worst defense in the history of the NFL. They had to suck it up and suffer through a disappointing season and then fix it when they could. It's probably going to be the same thing with our offense.

**The Excellector** · 11-04-2013, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by blah3

Wasn't too long ago that people were complaining Harbaugh had to be more involved and that he delegated too much.

That's looking at what was said without looking at the circumstances around the issue at that time. There was a disconnect, if not a rift, between Cameron and Flacco. Harbaugh needed to intervene and make a decision. Flacco and Caldwell have a much better relationship. There was no need for Harbaugh to intervene.

**The Excellector** · 11-04-2013, 12:08 PM

There's a difference between being a pass first offense and abandoning the run. When I talked about the defense/run the ball, mentality, it is merely a strategy to keep games low scoring affairs and win it in the end after you've worn down your opponent. The success they had last year in the playoffs dictated that they move to a pass first offense, while running more out of three wide sets, using the pass to set up the run, and bringing in more I-formation late when necessary.

What's happened is that Harbaugh went against the way the tide was going and back to the old philosophy, as did Ozzie, this off-season. Now that they've seen it fail, they are trying to pass more, but they don't have the horses to get it done and Harbaugh is still dabbling. Even though they are passing more he's still not letting go.

**saintmatthew** · 11-04-2013, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

There's a difference between being a pass first offense and abandoning the run. When I talked about the defense/run the ball, mentality, it is merely a strategy to keep games low scoring affairs and win it in the end after you've worn down your opponent. The success they had last year in the playoffs dictated that they move to a pass first offense, while running more out of three wide sets, using the pass to set up the run, and bringing in more I-formation late when necessary.

What's happened is that Harbaugh went against the way the tide was going and back to the old philosophy, as did Ozzie, this off-season. Now that they've seen it fail, they are trying to pass more, but they don't have the horses to get it done and Harbaugh is still dabbling. Even though they are passing more he's still not letting go.

Didn't Biscotti even say they wanted to get back to that though during the offseason? Maybe Harbs is just trying to produce for the boss.

**Tolucaraven** · 11-04-2013, 02:43 PM

I dont know how Rosberg has been around here so long for sure.

**BPF2** · 11-04-2013, 03:23 PM

There are 2 recurring themes I hear that I just don't buy into. (well, probably more than just 2 but...)

One is that Harbaugh is afraid to hire quality assistants because he's afraid they threaten his job as HC. That is ludicrous. To take that line of thought all the way through, that would mean that Harbaugh feels his job is more secure by having inadequate staff below him and losing, than to have adequate staff below and win. You can get by in big companies that way and probably in government jobs, but not as an NFL head coach.

The other is that the reason we're not playing well is because of the focus on defensive talent over offensive talent this offseason. I don't disagree that more focus was on defense, but that was more out of necessity than anything else. We lost a lot of starters and significant players on defense. On offense, we lost 2 - Boldin and Birk. Pitta's injury happened too late to make any significant move different than the Shiancoe/Clark signings, although they did have Furstenburg on the roster. The situation really dictated that they add defensive talent.

Now one part of this second area that I will agree is that I think their faith in certain parts of the offense was misplaced - and I'd say 90% of that is the O-line. Gradkowski is clearly not performing to an adequate level. Yanda and KO have been hampered by injuries, I believe. And some of the misplaced optimism goes back even to prior years. We've carried Ramon Harewood and Jah Reid for years thinking they'd somehow blossom. I don't know what the FO and coaching staff have seen there that made them think that. Picking up Wagner and Jensen might be a positive move in the long run, but I think refusing to cut bait with Reid/Harewood sooner prevented them from taking a flyer on someone else in prior years that could be contributing more now, even if only as a backup.

**lobachevsky** · 11-04-2013, 04:47 PM

I don't think Harbaugh is "afraid to hire quality assistants because he's afraid they threaten his job as HC." Certainly not after 5 straight trips to the postseason & one tin-pigskin-on-pylon.

I do think he has very definite ideas on how he wants this team to play in order to maximize the chances of reaching the playoffs (minimize risk via ball- & clock-control offense, good STs and bend-don't-break defense). He therefore hires coaches who will first & foremost adhere to the program instead of casting about for guys who might be more innovative but who also might be loose cannons.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 11-04-2013, 05:08 PM

We haven't sucked in awhile so our problems are appearing way bigger than I think they actually are.

Most of our offensive woe stem from our miserable running game.
(@DEN and @BUF were different. Drops, penalties and INTs did us in.)
Very few teams will have any more than a few wins if their offense is constantly facing 2nd and long and 3rd and long.

Address the running game first and foremost...get a new coach if need be, slug through the detailed off-season work with a better scheme, grab an RT and C, oh...resign that Pitta guy as well and we'll be fine. Not sweating an RB too much, if the need proves necessary. Good ones can be found day 3 of Draft or cut from camp.

**RavenScallywag** · 11-04-2013, 05:19 PM

Ok, I'll be brutally honest. I'm a huge Harbaugh supporter...

So far, his PC today is disappointing me. Sounds like he's toting the party line, not showing ANY sort of urgency in saying "we need to make big changes to fix things". Lots of "I believe in our guys" and "in this offense, our zone plays are our base plays".

Not sounding good to me. Was hoping for more FIERY Harbaugh.

**RavenScallywag** · 11-04-2013, 05:30 PM

Or maybe not. Seeing lots of tweets saying that Harbaugh was being brutally honest, much changed demeanor than usual. Guess it just doesn't come through in Tweeted paraphrasing of what he's saying.

**lobachevsky** · 11-04-2013, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by RavenScallywag

Ok, I'll be brutally honest. I'm a huge Harbaugh supporter...

So far, his PC today is disappointing me. Sounds like he's toeing the party line, not showing ANY sort of urgency in saying "we need to make big changes to fix things". Lots of "I believe in our guys" and "in this offense, our zone plays are our base plays".

FTFY.

Of course he's "toeing the party line"--it's his party line fer cripesake! It's the same philosophy he sold Bisciotti on 5 years back. What the hell do you think he's gonna say? "Everything is FUBAR & I'm to blame"--???!?!??!

**RavenScallywag** · 11-04-2013, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by lobachevsky

FTFY.

Of course he's "toeing the party line"--it's his party line fer cripesake! It's the same philosophy he sold Bisciotti on 5 years back. What the hell do you think he's gonna say? "Everything is FUBAR & I'm to blame"--???!?!??!

No, but I would hope that he would recognize when something isn't working, sometimes you need to make a drastic move to make it work. Yeah, it's his party line, but I would imagine if our back is getting against the wall, at some point he'd admit we have to shake it up in SOME way. I don't expect him to go all Dennis Green and start dropping bombs on air, but I figured he might react a little different than usual.

Then again, like I said, some people who were at the PC are saying that his demeanor WAS markedly different than the last 3 weeks. Less chippy, more honest, more informative.