Discipline

[ravenjoe]

Here is what Kevin Byrne had to say about the Ravens disciplined/undisciplined play Monday night:

"Heard and read some about our lack of discipline in the last minutes of Monday’s game. We are not an undisciplined team. We are a passionate team that is as physical as any in the league. We wear emotions on our sleeves, and every team that plays us knows we are going to battle to the end. Whether it’s the blowout loss in Pittsburgh earlier this season, or the titanic battle at the end of Monday’s game against the Patriots, we will not let up.

How we play reflects the type of competitors Ozzie Newsome brings to this team and how our coaches get them to play with emotion and a physicality, game in and game out. I’ll take Ray Lewis’ constant screams of “Let’s go!” before and after each play. I’ll take Jonathan Ogden’s frustrations when plays don’t work. I’ll accept Ed Reed’s effort to make every play into a turnover and every turnover into a touchdown. I love the way Coach Billick fights for his players on game day. Heck, Rex Ryan has me wanting to tackle someone by kickoff.

Privately or publicly, I’ve never heard a coach or player from another team say that the Ravens are an undisciplined or dumb team. What you hear is that you better be ready to go when you play the Ravens. You hear opponents almost every Wednesday say: “If we can’t match their emotion and their physical play, we won’t beat them.” .........

The Ravens bring a lot of passion and emotion to every game we play. Does it sometimes boil over? Sure, but I’ll take it. I’m not picking on Bart Scott. He knows he shouldn’t have picked up that flag and thrown it. How many other times has he done something like that? None. I’ll take a Bart Scott, with his economics degree and fight, every time. He represents the best of the Ravens. He’s a good family man, who generously gives back to the community. He prepares intently and with intelligence for games. He’s fearless and gives us everything he can muster to help us win every time out. He’s a Raven, and I’m proud to be on his team."

Look the emotion and passion demonstrated by both our players and HC alike is what has made Baltimore a SB champion, and an opponent teams don't like to play. It is the team that annihilated the Steelers last year, and went 13-3 in our conference. Yes, this emotion is sometimes uncontrolled; but, like it or not, it is what defines the Baltimore Ravens, and I, for one, would not trade it for anything.

[HoustonRaven]

Crap.

We didnt have "passion" (i.e. stupid mistakes) in 2000. We had every reason to get frustrated and lose our heads, but we didnt.

Passion is not an excuse for losing your head at key moments in games. If there is one thing universal about winning teams is they have passion AND control of their emotions.

I, for one, want and expect both from our team and wont settle for just one, especially when it costs us games.

[ravenjoe]

What cost us that game in the end were two unfortunate events, i.e. the timeout called by Rex, when both Ray and Bart had just adjusted the defensive alignment, and the lucky (for the Pats) penalty on one of their offensive lineman, which nullified our stuffing the Patriots in their own backfield. Had neither of those events occurred we would not be talking about lack of discipline. I'll take an inadvertent 15 yd penalty (or two) any day of the week over a dropoff in the emotion and passion which the Ravens bring to the table.

[HoustonRaven]

And that same passion minus using their heads has "propelled" this team to almost the top of league leaders in penalties.

Im sorry, but you're way off on this. We wont go anywhere unless start playing smarter.

[AZRAVEN]

Kevin Bryne is a PR guy, of course, he's going to defend what happened. If it makes him proud and happy to see his team acting like a bunch of loud mouth, out of control idiots so be it. Personally, I believe it is possible and, in fact, desireable for a team to play with passion and emotion and still play under control and not yapping and hooting the whole game. Nothing excuses Scott's conduct to me.

[StingerNLG]

Kevin Byrne needs to watch some game film before he goes running his mouth to the fans like that after we watch these players "wear their emotions on their sleeve" and blow games for us.

I'm tired of watching Ed Reed cough up the ball after an interception or try to stupidly lateral it to someone because he wants to look cool for the camera.

I'm tired of players jumping up and pounding their chest after every single tackle instead of getting back to the line and getting ready to stop the offense again.

I'm tired of watching guys lose their cool on the field and cost the defense a stop an yards. Yeah, I'm looking at you Bart.


I'm sorry Ravenjoe, I would ABSOLUTELY trade our uncontrollable passion for controlled intensity. Sorry, but going nuts on the field after a tackle doesn't make you hit harder or stop you from blowing an assignment or letting a receiver blow by you.

Ask the Patriots, Steelers, Cowboys, Packers, and Bucs if control is costing them games.

[ravenjoe]

I would ABSOLUTELY trade our uncontrollable passion for controlled intensity.

I agree; however, I believe this "uncontrollable passion" is engrained in the type of players we draft (Ray, Ed, Bart), and so my point is I'll take the good with the bad. Ed Reed is a playmaker, always has been, and his style either pays off, or it results in turnovers/misques; however, I'll take his style and what it brings to the table. Ray is obviously very passionate, and thumps his chest, which I have no problem with, because this is Ray. Bart is also very passionate, extremely so, and sometimes loses it; however, I doubt you'll see any more flagrant fouls from him this year.

[Dont Know]

To me, the more telling part is

And, just like you, if a player can’t follow the rules, he’s gone.

I can't think of one player let go recently, where they publicly said he couldn't follow the rules. It also strikes me as odd that he would write that if it was just empty talk.

Would I like some more composure on the field? Sure, but I also believe there is a lot going on behind the scenes, that isn't shared with the fans. Just because they don't talk publicly about it, doesn't mean nothing is changing.

In all fairness, some of the early season penalty streaks are almost gone now .... maybe next season in other words.