Can Billick improve the offense: Why or Why not?

**highwater** · 10-18-2006, 01:16 PM

One small thing I am concerned about is Billick's animated sideline behavior. How will his usual hooting and hollering be taken by the players and coaches now that he is directly responsible for calling the plays. When a player misses a block and the RB or QB gets blown up in the backfield, how will Billick's tantrums be taken by that offending blocker? How will Mason's displeasure with the offense be taken by the head coach?

I have no idea why anyone should think this will be a problem -- head coaches, from high school on up, tend to get in the faces of players who play badly. Who cares if Jamal whines like a whimpering bitch if he doesn't like the number of carries he gets? He's not the coach! Same goes for Mason.

I think Billick taking over the play calling is probably a good move, but the players need to shut up. Go out there and play.

**PeterB58** · 10-18-2006, 01:26 PM

I don't know if someone else can do more with the talent that we have, but I doubt that stubborn, arrogant Bilick can change his spots in a hurry to reverse the slide.

You mean the same stubborn and arrogant guy that (reportedly) listened to his players and his coaching staff and showed one of his long-time friends the door?

First thing he should do is re-sign Alan Ricard!

You mean the player that was injured and that none of the other 31 teams deams worthy of a roster spot?

**Ravenswarrior19** · 10-18-2006, 01:29 PM

I sure do hope they get better. And I have absolute faith that Billick will do everything he can to make them better. Afterall, his ass is on the line. But hoping to see Mike Flynn on the bench is just not realistic. We don't have anyone to replace that weathervane. Wish we had gone after Kevin Mawae in the offseason.

**larrylater** · 10-18-2006, 01:33 PM

I think Billick can improve the offense, he certainly has desperation on his side and this is apparently what the players want so they'll be motivated. I think the Fassel firing streamlines the process on gameday and this will help us. There are some huge limitations though, the O-line is suspect at best and McNair has looked pretty bad for the most part. If the Cleveland d-backs knew how to catch, we'd be sitting at 3-3 and even more people would be peeing down their leg. We haven't shown that we can beat anybody downfield and until we do, we'll see 8-9 in the box and lots of blitzing. Also, I understand the frustration of Jamal, Mason and others but airing it in public is not the way to handle it and sets a very bad precedent for this team. These guys screw up too and Billick has never thrown them under the bus in public.

**FadeToBlack** · 10-18-2006, 01:37 PM

If you believe the offensive line is the problem and has been for years, then it won't matter who calls the plays.

An offense that can't run the ball can't move the ball.

**bobw2829** · 10-18-2006, 02:04 PM

No - unless Billick can get out on the field and protect the quarterback, get open on pass plays, run for 4.0+ yards on 1st down, and throw accurate passes. Scheme, playcalling, whatever - doesn't matter. Offensive woes can be mostly attributed to the lack of execution of the players on the field IMO.

**sandiegosean** · 10-18-2006, 02:27 PM

I think he can help even though we're limited with what we can do because of the line. It's obvious that the players had no respect for Fassel, so the change alone should help.

**GreenWave52** · 10-18-2006, 02:42 PM

Yea, I think it will improve; but I don't know by how much. If Billick can get us 10 places better. from 28 to 18 we will be tough to beat. That isn't even top half in the league and I think it's a reasonable goal.

**StingerNLG** · 10-18-2006, 02:42 PM

I hope that this changes things on offense or we're going to be screwed, and next year we'll have a new head coach. This has to be the final straw.

Can Billick do it? I really don't know. This has still been his offense, his playbook, his way. His OC's have appeared to have been simply calling his plays. Or have they?

We'll know in NO. If we start seeing play action all over the place, or GASP, a screen pass or two, then we'll know Billick has a different approach. I'm just not sure yet. Billick is the only thing that hasn't changed, and the results have been the same.

**flraven** · 10-18-2006, 02:58 PM

How about the receivers stop running 6 yard routes when its 3 and 8? Hopefully, they won't face too many third and long situations. I know its naive to think they never will, but if they pound the defense with some 3-4 yard gains on 1st and 2nd, then 3rd down play calls won't be so obvious.

**PeterB58** · 10-18-2006, 02:58 PM

If it is primarily a lack of talent at key positions (such as OL), then no, Billick cannot improve the offense. Of course, you then need to question is wheter this problem is the fault of the chef or the one buying the groceries? But that is a post for a different day.

If the talent is present; then it is a matter of the coaching staff doing their homework in terms of gameplanning towards the Ravens strengths and then putting the players in the best position to execute that gameplan. It now appears that that lack of planning or properly configuring the gameplan to the players was at the root of much of the frustration (both spoken publicly and behind closed doors) within the organization.

I certainly think their are talent issues on some areas of the team, but I also think that I've seen enough to show me that the team can mitigate this risk and move the ball and score points.

So yes...I think Billick can improve the offense.

**RAVENOUS52** · 10-18-2006, 03:03 PM

Unlike Marty Chokenheimer, I beleive that Billick is fully capable of " changing his spots" and leading the offense in a positive direction.

Jamal tends to run well inside domes and will be fresh after the bye against the Saints (although his fumbling is problematic), so we may as well pound him all day... After 2 or 3 quarters of being hammered by our 3-headed ground attack, New Orleans may be ripe for their first dome loss since it reopened...If we keep our turnovers to a minimum, we're golden...