The Ravens need an Entirely New Offensive System and Philosophy Part II.

**The Excellector** · 11-18-2013, 12:32 PM

I'm struggling to actually determine where I should start. Hopefully, it will come along as I type.

Joe Flacco has not played his best. It is clear that he's trying to force it, but do you know why he's trying to force it? Because he has to force it, because no one else on this offense is going to make anything happen. Sometimes you get the TD like the one he threw to Clark versus the Bengals and sometimes you get picks. Both instances would be very risky, throwing from about 10-15 yards away, between at least two defenders, on the run. That wasn't any less risky a throw than some of the picks. That touchdown doesn't happen if Flacco doesn't take a huge chance. Do you know why he's constantly trying to make those throws? Because this team has constantly asked him to make those throws, because no one on this team is catching the ball unless it is darn near pin point put on them. There's no Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham. There's no AJ Green or Calvin Johnson.

Which is why I get frustrated when I hear this talk about how Joe Flacco is not elite, because he apparently can't carry a team on his back. Well, let's look at the QBs that people would deem 'Elite'. Peyton Manning, the guy whose always had high quality offensive weaponry, and a system built around his arm? Harrison, Wayne, Clark in his prime, Stokely, now, Welker and Thomas? As if Tom Brady didn't have high quality defenses (and video assistance) when he was winning his rings. As if he didn't have Welker and Moss when he was breaking records. He was struggling this year, just like Flacco was. And what happened, Gronkowski came back and Amendola came back and he went off.

This organization is stuck in the past, wanting to win the old fashioned way, playing tough defense and running the ball. The man just went for 11 TDs and 0 Ints, with a reject returner from Houston who only catches with his body, A second year WR who could only run deeper routes at the time, a possession WR who couldn't gain separation and is now fading in San Fransisco, and Dennis Pitta. All from a few minor tweaks to an archaic system and 'some' better protection.

Winning the Super Bowl the way they did should have been a sign that they needed to move on with the times. Yet, they just went back to the old approach, leaving the offense with hardly any depth at all. I can understand why they traded Boldin, but no veteran depth behind him at all? No depth behind Pitta? When you should have known that you were one injury away from what is currently taking place? No depth on the offensive line behind an untrustworthy McKinnie or a Kelechi Osemele who you knew was playing through such pain, or a Marshal Yanda coming off of shoulder surgery.

Now people are talking like Joe wasn't worth the money and honestly, I'm surprised he's still standing. You can talk about getting whoever to play QB all you want, I can almost guarantee you they would have been hurt by now.

And then there's this philosophical clusterfuck with Cameron's old system still in place, Caldwell's input or lack thereof, because none of us know for sure what his role honestly is other than calling the actual plays, and Harbaugh sticking his finger in the mix.

The system is an aged system too heavily reliant on extended pass protection for the deeper throws. They need a quick passing system with vertical elements based off of it. That's why the Ravens short passing game struggles. That's why they struggle when they try WR screens (rarely), because that's not what the system emphasizes. Yes, the plays are in the system to be called, but you are going to practice more of what you emphasize.

They need a new OC with some creativity, a new WR coach, a new O-Line coach and they need to let that man run the show. And they need to focus on building the team philosophy around the QB that led them to the Super Bowl.

**bt12483** · 11-18-2013, 12:37 PM

I completely agree.

**dscola31** · 11-18-2013, 12:42 PM

How many times do you watch other games and wonder, "Why can't the Ravens get a guy wide open like that?" His mis throws get magnified because our receivers are only open 2-3 times a game. Chicago ran that stack concept all day and it confused our defense. Where is ours? Every throw is low percentage.

We need a new system!

**RavensRule21215** · 11-18-2013, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by dscola31

How many times do you watch other games and wonder, "Why can't the Ravens get a guy wide open like that?" His mis throws get magnified because our receivers are only open 2-3 times a game. Chicago ran that stack concept all day and it confused our defense. Where is ours? Every throw is low percentage.

We need a new system!

Stacks. Rubs. Pick plays. But let's be honest here...the Ravens CAN'T EVEN RUN A SCREEN PLAY that doesn't blow up in their face. The whole offensive design is shit. And people are complaining because Joe can't turn the shit into gold? LOL. Get a fuckin clue already.

**esporter113** · 11-18-2013, 12:59 PM

I don't claim to be a football genius that knows the ins and outs of scheme, but I do watch a ton of football and I believe the Ravens aren't doing enough scheme-wise to make up for the personnel they have.

The Broncos do amazing, AMAZING things with quick tunnel screens to their wide outs. Nick Foles is out in Philadelphia just lighting teams up because Kelly's offense creates space and creates mismatches. The Patriots used to get Wes Welker open all day long with little rub routes and pick plays that were easy 5-7 yard completions for Brady.

The Ravens have always been an offense built on execution. It requires great protection and pin point accuracy from Flacco on throws down the field. And I also don't think enough can be said about how play action has disappeared from our arsenal... it has killed the deep passing game. Obviously the execution isn't there on a number of fronts this year (and has disappeared for long stretches over the past 5 years). It's tough to rely on week in and week out. They have to come up with ways to get the ball to Torrey and get Flacco some easy completions to get him in rhythm and find ways to create space for the running game. That's the way the NFL is going.

When the weather gets rough and cold in Nov/Dec/January, you want a tough big-armed guy like Flacco and you want a power run game, but I really think they could be doing a lot more to move the ball consistently.

**Jsmoove** · 11-18-2013, 01:04 PM

New offensive coaches preferably from the greenbay saint camp, we need to draft a big body reciever or big play TE, a gaurd wouldn't hurt either build this team around Flacco and harbaugh need to check his ego and philosphy at door.

**Rxdoxx** · 11-18-2013, 01:05 PM

I am seeing some different things that I didn't see under Cam, like stack/pick formations (just that we need a sure handed TE in the mix).

I'm waiting for FilmStudy to come in, it looked to me like the ZBS was scaled back, couldn't tell if it was the weather factor or if some basic changes had been made.

You get frustrated when you hear talk Joe isn't elite.
Well the "eliter" than him, Matty IceCream is 2-8, apparently he has even more trouble carrying a playoff team on his back. Joe is doing better than him even when things aren't going well for either.

They need a new OC with some creativity, a new WR coach, a new O-Line coach and they need to let that man run the show. And they need to focus on building the team philosophy around the QB that led them to the Super Bowl.

Yep, and we need to draft an impact LT, FS, TE, C and RB bruiser, I don't see a lot of tools for a lot of creative options to be used.... Is Vonta in? run Is Vonta out? No power run, just a tricky one if at all. Need a TE who can block and catch, a RB who can provide an extra 1.5sec of protection from what we are currently getting and aslo catch and run for the sugar huddle to be useful....

**JMUpurkfool** · 11-18-2013, 01:19 PM

Torrey Smith is our most explosive offensive player and we never utilize screens, reverses, or look passes to get him the ball in space. We make it so easy for another team to defend us because we never put the pressure on them to stop something as simple as a WR Screen.

We put way to much pressure on our offense to execute out of our standard formations with no adjustments or different looks.

Every time I watch the Broncos offense I see them doing something different. They do a million things to make it tough for a defense to defend them and they have way better personnel than we do.

**Kyle Cactus** · 11-18-2013, 01:32 PM

From wikipedia:
"A play calling system in American football is the specific language and methods used to call plays. ... Such systems of play calling are distinguished from philosophies of play calling, which are primarily concerned with how the overall strategy of the game is managed, for example if a team is primarily concerned with running or passing, if a team plays fast or slow, what sorts of passes it throws, etc. Instead, the play calling system is primarily concerned with how plays themselves are actually communicated ..."

Going on the premise that the OPs intent was to suggest overhauling our offensive philosophy ...

I agree with some of what the OP is saying about including more pick plays and some more quick hitting high % routes, but I think it oversimplifies the issues here and jumps to some hasty solutions.

When Caldwell took over as OC last year our offense took off and we won a Super Bowl. Since then we've lost critical players at C, G, TE, and WR to free agency, retirement, and injury. We've also changed blocking schemes. I see no information to suggest that any of that was within Caldwell's control, yet those seem to be the most likely culprits for the change in production. In short, I don't see how we can pin ineffective offensive play on Caldwell.

Is the current philosophy perfect? Clearly not. Are we better off starting from scratch with a new OC? Doubtful IMO.

No scheme is going to work without good players.

Scheme can help, but continually firing your offensive coordinator is counter productive. It's far better to give Caldwell and Flacco the time needed to work with each other on fine tuning an offensive philosophy. Teams that continually fire coaches and coordinators with the intent of making sweeping scheme changes almost always produce losing seasons. Just look at the Browns.

We fired Cam last year. If we fire Caldwell this off season that's consecutive seasons of firing our OC. We'd be heading down a path that few teams have found success on.

**PerpetuallyBored74** · 11-19-2013, 03:23 AM

Check out what Cam is now doing with LSU:
http://www.lsusports.net/src/data/ls...DB_OEM_ID=5200

Look at how many points they're scoring. And if you check the box scores for their games, you'll notice while they distinctly favor running the ball, they pass the ball enough to score quite a few passing TDs:
http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-footbal...h-mettenberger

And granted it's not the pros, it's college where blowouts are more frequent, but one thing that is undeniably clear: they don't shut down their offense in the 3rd qtr and lean entirely on their defense to hold a slim lead the rest of the way.

So, this is Cam away from Harbaugh?
Because while Cam was an assistant coach under Schembechler, and he does bring some elements of Schembechler to his offensive philosophy, Cam was also influenced by Norv Turner (QB coach for Redskins under Norv), so he also comes from the Coryell coaching tree.

Sure I suppose it could be that Cam has finally learned from his past mistakes, has grown from them. Or maybe Les Miles is stepping in when needed to make sure Cam doesn't get too conservative when he shouldn't. But then, how do we explain this quote in this article about what Cam is doing with LSU?
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/201...nse-joe-flacco

"Cameron has installed his vertical passing attack and is being praised for -- wait for it -- the Tigers taking more chances."

Taking more chances?!
Where the hell was this Cam when we needed him?

...perhaps on Harbaugh's suffocatingly tight leash?

**The Excellector** · 11-19-2013, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by Kyle Cactus

From wikipedia:
"A play calling system in American football is the specific language and methods used to call plays. ... Such systems of play calling are distinguished from philosophies of play calling, which are primarily concerned with how the overall strategy of the game is managed, for example if a team is primarily concerned with running or passing, if a team plays fast or slow, what sorts of passes it throws, etc. Instead, the play calling system is primarily concerned with how plays themselves are actually communicated ..."

Going on the premise that the OPs intent was to suggest overhauling our offensive philosophy ...

I agree with some of what the OP is saying about including more pick plays and some more quick hitting high % routes, but I think it oversimplifies the issues here and jumps to some hasty solutions.

When Caldwell took over as OC last year our offense took off and we won a Super Bowl. Since then we've lost critical players at C, G, TE, and WR to free agency, retirement, and injury. We've also changed blocking schemes. I see no information to suggest that any of that was within Caldwell's control, yet those seem to be the most likely culprits for the change in production. In short, I don't see how we can pin ineffective offensive play on Caldwell.

Is the current philosophy perfect? Clearly not. Are we better off starting from scratch with a new OC? Doubtful IMO.

No scheme is going to work without good players.

Scheme can help, but continually firing your offensive coordinator is counter productive. It's far better to give Caldwell and Flacco the time needed to work with each other on fine tuning an offensive philosophy. Teams that continually fire coaches and coordinators with the intent of making sweeping scheme changes almost always produce losing seasons. Just look at the Browns.

We fired Cam last year. If we fire Caldwell this off season that's consecutive seasons of firing our OC. We'd be heading down a path that few teams have found success on.

Did you have to quote Wikipedia?

**bmorecareful** · 11-18-2013, 01:05 PM

100% accurate. The Ravens are in a paradoxical situation of running an offense that is not only one of the league's simplest and most easily defended, but ALSO one of the least QB-friendly. It's pretty tough to not only be this bad, but also make it look this hard!

The problem is John Harbaugh. He brought Cam in here to run 3 yards and a cloud of dust, throw deep off play action, and keep everything outside the numbers where it probably won't be picked off. Cam did that and we ripped him for it, even though he showed in 2 minute drills and come from behind situations that he COULD run a modern offense when Harbaugh had no other choice but to allow it.

Under Caldwell nothing has changed although we throw a little more over the middle and have a few new wrinkles to the offense. For the most part it's still run, run, pass, punt even if we do it out of the pistol. We're still so simplistic and predictable with the league's smallest playbook and smallest route tree. Opposing defenses have it so easy; all they need to do is crash the run and cover over the top and the Ravens are helpless.

The worst part is, even if he'll allow some tiny changes along the way, I don't think Harbaugh understands that the basic 1980's Schembechler offense and defense won't work anymore. He just doesn't think he needs to change fundamentally. Unless Bisciotti steps in and forces him to hire creative coordinators that are allowed to run modern schemes, it's not going to happen.