The Observations of an Excellector

**The Excellector** · 11-03-2014, 02:11 PM

I am actually going to be the cool head here for once. I have a good understanding of what this team is about on both sides of the ball, even with the coaching staff.

This is still a 9-10 win team at the end of the day, as bad as last night was.

Gary Kubiak is still a godsend to this offense. He has been known to put together productive quality offenses with average-above average parts. Which actually meshes well with Baltimore, because outside of Joe Flacco and their two guards, that's what they have. A bunch of slightly above average parts to the machine, that only runs as well as it does, because of Joe Flacco and the improvement to the offensive line (which did struggle tonight). Steve Smith is the only player, outside of Flacco, with a slight mention of Justin Forsett, who will make a play that can stop the bleeding. Who will make a play when it isn't there to be made.

It has been clear for some time that Joe Flacco, like Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger, has about two moments a game, every now and then (Some would argue more often than not), when his 'stupid meter' as I like to call it goes off. However, part of the reason why that happens is, because he feels that he has to do everything himself. Because the reality is that there's no Demaryius Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski, AJ Green, Dez Bryant or Calvin Johnson walking onto that field wearing purple.

If you were to honestly go back and watch Ravens games during Flacco's career, I'd suspect that you would find very few plays where a WR made a catch when the ball wasn't put right in his wheelhouse. Where the defender was on him hard. When he saw the safety coming and knew he was about to get rocked.

The closest they've had have been the three oldest WRs that were cast offs from their career long teams. So, Flacco feels that he has to force it.

That is what you get when the front office doesn't make such a playmaker a priority. You get an improvement on offense, by virtue of better coaching, but in a rut, you still don't have that guy that can keep this offense going or recover from a blow more often than not. Torrey Smith is definitely not that guy. He does so little to help out his QB and make a tough catch more often it's sad.

This defense is a decent defense. However, it is not a very good defense, let alone 'great' defense. When a defense can tell you 'give us 14-17 and we got this', that is a great defense. This defense is more along the lines of thinking, 'If you give us 24, I think we have a good chance'.

They are good statistically, but as a poster eluded to in another thread, this defense does not handle adversity very well. When the offense is scoring 24+, more often than not, it's fine. As soon as the offense puts it in a bad spot on the field, more often than not, it struggles and we're left making the excuse that the offense put it in a bad spot. That's true in a way, but that's not great defense.

I would argue that the offense is more responsible for the victories, because we've yet to the see the team win a game when the offense struggled. The lowest point total (Since we're all up on PPG these days) in a Ravens victory this year has been 23 points. We've yet to see this team win a game when the offense has put up less than that.

There is some decent talent on this defense. I agree with Wicked in that regard. Although I want Pees gone as much as the next guy, before I get into him, he was dealt a bad hand in this secondary. Smith is a great CB, but Webb hasn't been the same since he tore the second ACL, Brown has royally disappointed, Jackson shouldn't have even been counted on to stay out of trouble, let alone the fact that he got hurt.

However, if you're going to run single high safety, of all people, why do you choose Stewart to be that high safety? Terrell Suggs was getting more schematic help to generate pressure when he was in his prime than he is now on the downside of his career. The most creativity I've seen with him seems like when HE decides that he wants to try and loop around the guard. His blitzes are predictable because it's not his style. He's being asked to coach out of his style and it works against teams with bad offensive lines, but it even makes decent QBs look better than they really are.

It's like he's trying to play vanilla but not aggressive. Like he's trying to be straight forward, but too willing to give up yardage as long as it only leads to FGs. Personally, I don't see how you can expect young defenders to be successful thinking too much like that. I think this defense needs a young personality like Ted Monachino to refreshen the aggression within it.

This is still a good team. We just aren't used to seeing them lose like this, even though many of us saw it coming. Usually, we're used to seeing them play like garbage for three quarters and turn it on offensively in the fourth before the defense blows it in the waning minutes of the game.

They will take care of business versus Tennessee and go into the bye at 6-4. Splitting the last six is very doable and even likely. The problem is that 9 might not be enough. 10 should do it. This team is capable of that.

Jacksonville is one. Home versus Cleveland is two. Houston is three. They'll need one out of New Orleans, San Diego and Miami.

**I Touchdown There** · 11-03-2014, 02:51 PM

Great post and I have to agree

**Michael Sedjro** · 11-03-2014, 02:59 PM

My problem is with all the investment given to this defense, they should be Elite. Yeah. Capital E. And they are not. Carolina had shit db's last year, yet they were an elite defense. It can be schemed around and it's not. To me, that is enough to warrant a firing. To the team? Meh. Don't hold your breath.

**BIGBALL** · 11-03-2014, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

I am actually going to be the cool head here for once. I have a good understanding of what this team is about on both sides of the ball, even with the coaching staff.

This is still a 9-10 win team at the end of the day, as bad as last night was.

Gary Kubiak is still a godsend to this offense. He has been known to put together productive quality offenses with average-above average parts. Which actually meshes well with Baltimore, because outside of Joe Flacco and their two guards, that's what they have. A bunch of slightly above average parts to the machine, that only runs as well as it does, because of Joe Flacco and the improvement to the offensive line (which did struggle tonight). Steve Smith is the only player, outside of Flacco, with a slight mention of Justin Forsett, who will make a play that can stop the bleeding. Who will make a play when it isn't there to be made.

It has been clear for some time that Joe Flacco, like Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger, has about two moments a game, every now and then (Some would argue more often than not), when his 'stupid meter' as I like to call it goes off. However, part of the reason why that happens is, because he feels that he has to do everything himself. Because the reality is that there's no Demaryius Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski, AJ Green, Dez Bryant or Calvin Johnson walking onto that field wearing purple.

If you were to honestly go back and watch Ravens games during Flacco's career, I'd suspect that you would find very few plays where a WR made a catch when the ball wasn't put right in his wheelhouse. Where the defender was on him hard. When he saw the safety coming and knew he was about to get rocked.

The closest they've had have been the three oldest WRs that were cast offs from their career long teams. So, Flacco feels that he has to force it.

That is what you get when the front office doesn't make such a playmaker a priority. You get an improvement on offense, by virtue of better coaching, but in a rut, you still don't have that guy that can keep this offense going or recover from a blow more often than not. Torrey Smith is definitely not that guy. He does so little to help out his QB and make a tough catch more often it's sad.

This defense is a decent defense. However, it is not a very good defense, let alone 'great' defense. When a defense can tell you 'give us 14-17 and we got this', that is a great defense. This defense is more along the lines of thinking, 'If you give us 24, I think we have a good chance'.

They are good statistically, but as a poster eluded to in another thread, this defense does not handle adversity very well. When the offense is scoring 24+, more often than not, it's fine. As soon as the offense puts it in a bad spot on the field, more often than not, it struggles and we're left making the excuse that the offense put it in a bad spot. That's true in a way, but that's not great defense.

I would argue that the offense is more responsible for the victories, because we've yet to the see the team win a game when the offense struggled. The lowest point total (Since we're all up on PPG these days) in a Ravens victory this year has been 23 points. We've yet to see this team win a game when the offense has put up less than that.

There is some decent talent on this defense. I agree with Wicked in that regard. Although I want Pees gone as much as the next guy, before I get into him, he was dealt a bad hand in this secondary. Smith is a great CB, but Webb hasn't been the same since he tore the second ACL, Brown has royally disappointed, Jackson shouldn't have even been counted on to stay out of trouble, let alone the fact that he got hurt.

However, if you're going to run single high safety, of all people, why do you choose Stewart to be that high safety? Terrell Suggs was getting more schematic help to generate pressure when he was in his prime than he is now on the downside of his career. The most creativity I've seen with him seems like when HE decides that he wants to try and loop around the guard. His blitzes are predictable because it's not his style. He's being asked to coach out of his style and it works against teams with bad offensive lines, but it even makes decent QBs look better than they really are.

It's like he's trying to play vanilla but not aggressive. Like he's trying to be straight forward, but too willing to give up yardage as long as it only leads to FGs. Personally, I don't see how you can expect young defenders to be successful thinking too much like that. I think this defense needs a young personality like Ted Monachino to refreshen the aggression within it.

This is still a good team. We just aren't used to seeing them lose like this, even though many of us saw it coming. Usually, we're used to seeing them play like garbage for three quarters and turn it on offensively in the fourth before the defense blows it in the waning minutes of the game.

They will take care of business versus Tennessee and go into the bye at 6-4. Splitting the last six is very doable and even likely. The problem is that 9 might not be enough. 10 should do it. This team is capable of that.

Jacksonville is one. Home versus Cleveland is two. Houston is three. They'll need one out of New Orleans, San Diego and Miami.

Agree Ex - only thing for me is, if 900 year old Harrison caused all that trouble - what is Watt gonna do? Yikes!

**Jsmoove** · 11-03-2014, 03:00 PM

with this front seven we should not look that bad on defense, but I agree Exel good post.

**BIGBALL** · 11-03-2014, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Jsmoove

with this front seven we should not look that bad on defense, but I agree Exel good post.

I agree...but then again, no front seven is going to get home every play.( except for the Steelers against us last night! ) Problem for us is, if they don't, the secondary WILL get smoked.

**Jsmoove** · 11-03-2014, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by BIGBALL

I agree...but then again, no front seven is going to get home every play.( except for the Steelers against us last night! ) Problem for us is, if they don't, the secondary WILL get smoked.

james Harrison look like he was possess last night that shit didn't make no sense we just couldn't stop him.

**nickh0801** · 11-03-2014, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jsmoove

james Harrison look like he was possess last night that shit didn't make no sense we just couldn't stop him.

There wasn't a single spark of fire on Offense after the fumble! It looked like no one out there cared at all. That carried over to the D during the second quarter as well. The Steelers played with fire and it showed. The Ravens looked like they didn't even care to be out there most of the night.

**Jsmoove** · 11-03-2014, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by nickh0801

There wasn't a single spark of fire on Offense after the fumble! It looked like no one out there cared at all. That carried over to the D during the second quarter as well. The Steelers played with fire and it showed. The Ravens looked like they didn't even care to be out there most of the night.

and see bro this where I called Flacco out, we know he is not the type to be vocal but now that Ray and company are removed from this team this is now your team Joe. Once just once as 120 mil franchise QB you look around and you see your guys looking down and lost, pull your unit aside and say fellas we are still in this, show them that you are a leader that this your team but we are in this together..smh instead Joe looks like a frightened baby fawn and go sits on the bench away from rest of his guys...just show some leadership sometimes that's all it takes, ask some of the greats that ever played this sport.

**nickh0801** · 11-03-2014, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Jsmoove

and see bro this where I called Flacco out, we know he is not the type to be vocal but now that Ray and company are removed from this team this is now your team Joe. Once just once as 120 mil franchise QB you look around and you see your guys looking down and lost, pull your unit aside and say fellas we are still in this, show them that you are a leader that this your team but we are in this together..smh instead Joe looks like a frightened baby fawn and go sits on the bench away from rest of his guys...just show some leadership sometimes that's all it takes, ask some of the greats that ever played this sport.

After the first Jacoby sighting of the season, I figured that would have lit a spark and showed them that they were still in it, but even after that, there wasn't hardly anyone out there that looked remotely passionate about being there. I'm sure I will see it differently after watching behind the bench scenes later on, and I know it was in Stoolers home so there wouldn't be nearly as much camera time on the Ravens players, but I just didn't see any passion from them after the fumble on Offense and then after the 3 straight sacks followed by 3 penalties on one play by the D, they lost their fire.

**The Excellector** · 11-03-2014, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by BIGBALL

Agree Ex - only thing for me is, if 900 year old Harrison caused all that trouble - what is Watt gonna do? Yikes!

Bubba gonna kill

Watt gonna fuck us the fuck up.

**nickh0801** · 11-03-2014, 03:29 PM

I've mentioned it before, but to me it seems as if Sr. left all his fire and passion on the field during the Panthers game. I'm not saying he hasn't been somewhat productive, but it just doesn't seem like his fire and passion have been there since then. Were they all spoiled after playing TB and Atlanta?