What was the problem with the offense against Jax?

**Ravenswintitle** · 12-15-2014, 08:54 PM

Acknowledging Jax has a solid D line but the Ravens had no running game. That's very unusual this year and it impacts play action and the passing game.

There were a few dropped passes but overall I didn't see much push and at one point Flacco had the longest run of the day (a designed run!)

Just curious what some of you saw. I plan to rewatch the game tonight.

**CincyCat** · 12-15-2014, 09:01 PM

I didn't see the game but reading game thread I was surprised they played that well (Jax). I think there is always a bit of subpar play against lesser teams. They played tough against the Browns and took them down.

**Ravenswintitle** · 12-15-2014, 09:12 PM

yeah but that was in Jax. This was a home game coming off a big AFC win. Oline seemed to really struggle and there wasn't much for Forsett.

**akashicrecorder** · 12-15-2014, 09:13 PM

I feel like Jacksonville keyed the frick in on stopping Forsett as Priority #1. Both because he's been obviously a central part of our offense AND because they knew Justin would be amped to make them "pay" for releasing him.

Their almost undue focus on that was shown when we gashed them for three huge play-actions in a row despite having run with no success, the third one being for a WIDE OPEN touchdown.

I would've loved to see what Joe could've done against their secondary from some shotgun sugar huddle, because it became apparent early on that standard dropback run-reliant stuff was not going to work.

**BlackBeak** · 12-15-2014, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Acknowledging Jax has a solid D line but the Ravens had no running game. That's very unusual this year and it impacts play action and the passing game.

There were a few dropped passes but overall I didn't see much push and at one point Flacco had the longest run of the day (a designed run!)

Just curious what some of you saw. I plan to rewatch the game tonight.

I'm just throwing poop against the wall here to see what sticks, but was wondering the same thing so here's what's been rattling in my empty spaces .... one theory from another poster was familiarity with the Houston scheme ... Another was the coach came from Seattle and the have an unusual front four alignment. I don't understand it but they often don't align the DTs opposite the center. I never tried to make sense of the scheme but for sure, it's different. So maybe they just didn't get to work out the assignments ... Finally, in the Mia game they had a safety crash the run side edge seemingly off a key, and it seemed to work. Jax seemed to copy that. So I propose one of these or all three ...

**Ravenswintitle** · 12-15-2014, 09:41 PM

Those are valid points except I believe their DC is from Chicago. They did say they were installing Seattle's scheme and they brought in a couple of guys on their D line.

but they were coming into the game ranked 28th against the run and in the lower half of the league against pass. They were 3rd in sacks.

They did sell out against the run as aka pointed out, the play action was working even without the run game

**BlackBeak** · 12-15-2014, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Those are valid points except I believe their DC is from Chicago. They did say they were installing Seattle's scheme and they brought in a couple of guys on their D line.

but they were coming into the game ranked 28th against the run and in the lower half of the league against pass. They were 3rd in sacks.

They did sell out against the run as aka pointed out, the play action was working even without the run game

Aka is surely right about their game plan emphasis. And your are surely right about the coach coming Chicago. I knew it was something like that. I would check out how they brought in the safety high against the edge. Against the stretch zone my guess is that little trick eliminated a cut direction. Seemed like whenever Forsett encountered it he froze and got swallowed. But like aka pointed out, it left somebody open downfield.

**NC Raven** · 12-15-2014, 10:17 PM

Gonna watch on NFL Rewind tonight.

But all in all my first reaction is that game was a lot like Pittsburgh's game against Jax early in the year. Pitt's lead was only 10-9 going into the 4th, and they got a pick 6 to ice it. Jax could've easily won it.

One thing is we couldn't stretch the D with Torrey being gimpy. SSS is still largely anonymous -- I'm curious about what adjustements teams have made to erase him from games. We've seen more of Marlon lately as a result.

People can say what they want about Torrey -- and I agree he's far from a true #1 -- but he's a key part of our current offensive design and when he can't stretch the field there isn't as much space for the other guys to work in.

Will be interesting to look at it all more closely tonite at 10 though.

**StaticRaven** · 12-15-2014, 10:27 PM

I'm guessing it's familiarity with the offensive scheme. If you recall, the offense wasn't so hot vs the Colts either.

Might make the game next week interesting.

**AirFlacco** · 12-16-2014, 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

yeah but that was in Jax. This was a home game coming off a big AFC win. Oline seemed to really struggle and there wasn't much for Forsett.

As a player put it after the Piss game they won, it's hard to play at that emotional level every week and he didn't say
playing vs lousy teams. It's hard to get motivated vs them.

HARBs failed to motivate the offense. They simply just didn't show up like in week 1 vs Cincy and in Indy.

**Ravenalytics** · 12-16-2014, 01:34 AM

Just because Jacksonville has a bad record doesn't mean their defense is bad. We failed to convert some red zone opportunities, had a turnover, and got gashed on a trick play. Some big drops. Stuff happens. Sometimes a totality of circumstances add up where things just don't get going (see the Indy game - two fumbles in key times). I wouldn't be too worried.

**The Excellector** · 12-16-2014, 05:59 AM

Jacksonville's defense is better than the statistics would lead you to believe, they get run on late in games, because their offense struggles.

They have a very good front four and they tackle well on the back end. Jonathan Cyprien is the guy that I wanted over Matt Elam and he played well yesterday.

Baltimore couldn't physically dominate them and this is one of those times were just having a group of slightly above average pass catchers made it difficult for them, because they didn't have anybody to rise up and take over the game.

Jacksonville was simply disciplined up front versus the run. They took away the backside lanes and tackled well. Even if Forsett had been healthy, he'd have had a tough go of it.

This was the type of defense, clearly fired up, that they couldn't afford a lot of mistakes against, and they had too many. Juice's fumble was really bad, he wasn't anywhere near the first down marker and it was only second down no less. Torrey had a sequence where he got called for holding, then dropped a pass that would have got the yardage back, and some. Joe had an overthrow of Owen Daniels down the sidelines late.

They couldn't physically impose their will and after that, they just didn't play clean.