And now how about a little perspective???

**Ravenous1** · 09-07-2014, 05:20 PM

Ok it was rough start to the season. Especially the first half. Those who thought the Ravens were just gonna go out there with no hiccups running a new system with a fair number of new faces were being fairly unrealistic IMO. I also did not expect them to be as god awful as they were the first half. So now that there has been a hour or so (lol) lets all calm down and look at this like grown ups.

First off the Bengals are a pretty damn good team. We did not lose to the little sisters of the poor (Jacksonville). Secondly I thought the team showed some spunk in the second half, especially Senior and Joe. Both played poorly in the first half and both came out and did everything possible to help them win in the second. The offense once they got things rolling seemed to show some signs of being much better than last years version IMO. Forsett showed a lot also. Perhaps most importantly the Oline played pretty well IMO. We will see if the Ravens can put together a complete game offensively next week vrs the Squeelers but I think there signs there that could be construed as encouraging.

The defense played tough and kept us close enough to have a shot. Yea they gave up a big play (some luck involved for AJ Green also with the bounce) to lose the game which is reminiscent of last season but they also did a nice job in general against Bernard, kept AJ Green reasonably in check most the game. The game plan was yet again vanilla for my tastes but with the addition of Webb I think this unit can play better.

Not saying we are playoff bound, just saying there were decent signs after a god awful first half. If we can come back and beat the Squeelers Thursday then perhaps what we saw was a team trying to find its rhythm if we have a similar performance we are in trouble.

**4G63** · 09-07-2014, 05:27 PM

I'm like you and after some time I've realized they were in position to win this game, even with all the correctable errors. The dropped balls were KILLERS!

**FadeToBlack** · 09-07-2014, 05:30 PM

I'll give a different perspective.

This team lost a home game against their arch nemesis in the division, the AFC North champions.

That tells me a lot. It tells me a) these aren't the usual Ravens, this is a worse version, and b) Our home field apparently isn't the factor that it was in the Ray Lewis years.

We could be looking at a change of perception about the Baltimore Ravens around the league.

**TheRaven52** · 09-07-2014, 05:30 PM

The problem is now there is no room for error against the Steelers, If they lose to the Steelers you might as well forget about the playoffs.

This team will be lucky to be .500 this year.

**Ravenous1** · 09-07-2014, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by 4G63

I'm like you and after some time I've realized they were in position to win this game, even with all the correctable errors. The dropped balls were KILLERS!

Yea the first half was awful. I think that considering the number of issues we had, going against a team that is really quite good in Cincinnati, we should take some solace in the fact we ended up still having a shot to win. This team looked like a 3-13 team in the first half. They looked like a potential playoff team in the second. Its to early to decide which they are if either...think the next few weeks will tell us a lot.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 09-07-2014, 05:31 PM

I'm not happy and saw some very concerning things today...but I'm not really ready to freak out until I see what we do on Thursday night. That game is immensely important. Can't go 0-2 at home and against your best division competition...

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**Ravenous1** · 09-07-2014, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by TheRaven52

The problem is now there is no room for error against the Steelers, If they lose to the Steelers you might as well forget about the playoffs.

This team will be lucky to be .500 this year.

Yea the Steelers game is big for us. No doubt. If we lose that we are putting ourselves in terms of playoff hopes in the same hole that 15-0 was in the first half of this game. Not insurmountable but certainly leaves little wiggle room. I would rather be us losing to a very good Cinci team at home than the Patriots getting waxed by a so-so Dolphins team and giving up almost 200yds on the ground even if it were on the road.

**FadeToBlack** · 09-07-2014, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenous1

Yea the first half was awful. I think that considering the number of issues we had, going against a team that is really quite good in Cincinnati, we should take some solace in the fact we ended up still having a shot to win. This team looked like a 3-13 team in the first half. They looked like a potential playoff team in the second. Its to early to decide which they are if either...think the next few weeks will tell us a lot.

Don't be surprised if you see this trend happen in multiple games. Offense disappears, then reappears. That's not a sign of a very strong offense. It's by definition an inconsistent offense.

How would you like having an inconsistent brain surgeon or heart surgeon working on you? That feeling in your stomach is how you should feel about this Ravens offense.

**lobachevsky** · 09-07-2014, 05:36 PM

Whistling past the graveyard IMHO. (IIRC I have the patent on that phrase for RSR.)

There were exactly two guys on that field today who looked like they were playing with any sense of urgency: Forsett & McPhee. Everyone else seemed to be sleepwalking &/or confused. If it weren't for Burfict's injury & some real head-scratching play calling by Hue Jackson, the Ravens would have been run out of the stadium by 30 points or so.

By the time this team untangles its offense it will be looking up at the rest of the AFCN from flat on its back. 0-3 is not only possible but starting to look likely & to be honest every game before the bye looks eminently losable.

**Ravenous1** · 09-07-2014, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by FadeToBlack

Don't be surprised if you see this trend happen in multiple games. Offense disappears, then reappears. That's not a sign of a very strong offense. It's by definition an inconsistent offense.

How would you like having an inconsistent brain surgeon or heart surgeon working on you? That feeling in your stomach is how you should feel about this Ravens offense.

I guess I am not ready to anoint this offense with a different coordinator, better Oline and some additional supporting pieces as definitively inconsistent because they struggled in their first half together.

If the pattern continues then yea, you have to start looking at the reasons why starting with the QB. Lets give them a few games though before jumping off the deep end is all I am saying

**Ravenous1** · 09-07-2014, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by lobachevsky

Whistling past the graveyard IMHO. (IIRC I have the patent on that phrase for RSR.)

There were exactly two guys on that field today who looked like they were playing with any sense of urgency: Forsett & McPhee. Everyone else seemed to be sleepwalking &/or confused. If it weren't for Burfict's injury & some real head-scratching play calling by Hue Jackson, the Ravens would have been run out of the stadium by 30 points or so.

By the time this team untangles its offense it will be looking up at the rest of the AFCN from flat on its back. 0-3 is not only possible but starting to look likely & to be honest every game before the bye looks eminently losable.

Meh, think your being a bit mellow dramatic. Personally I thought the second half performance was more about guys getting in sync than the loss of Burfict but hey, I get the gist of what your saying. You look at it as a disaster, I look at it as growing pains, guess the next few games will determine who is right.

**FadeToBlack** · 09-07-2014, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenous1

I guess I am not ready to anoint this offense with a different coordinator, better Oline and some additional supporting pieces as definitively inconsistent because they struggled in their first half together.

If the pattern continues then yea, you have to start looking at the reasons why starting with the QB. Lets give them a few games though before jumping off the deep end is all I am saying

I'm not ready to make wholesale changes right away either. We are what we are, at this point. Just need to ride out these next 15 games and start thinking strategically about why the team's deficient and what we can do to make things better for the future.