Our Achilles heel

[Merlin]

The 2 areas that I have the greatest concern about are:

Our running game -- I think our o-line has gotten better , especially in pass blocking but our yards / carry at 3.4 is atrocious. It's the second worst in the league! We have got to see if Mike Anderson can help here, because the trend has not been getting better. While winning cures a lot, anyone who watches the running game this year knows its a shadow of its former self.

Our punt return -- Special teams has been an enormous boon to us this year until BJ got injured. While I'm fine without Clayton or Reed playing that role for the next 2 games, we really need to think about having one of them step up fort the playoffs. Getting better field position makes all the difference for this team.

I think in both of these cases there are significant steps we could try to upgrade -- hope the team tries to do it

[highwater]

I agree about the running game -- Billick is doing the right thing by trying to establish the running game, but Jamal is still only averaging about 3.5 yards per carry, which doesn't scare anyone. It's a sad state of affairs when we act excited when Jamal runs for about 85 yards when it takes him about 23 to 25 carries to get there.

The punt return issue is a little sticky -- I think we need an upgrade but I'm a little reluctant to put Clayton back there. But then again, why not? I don't want to see him get injured (like Ismail several years ago), but he could make a big play in that role.

[sailorsam]

Jamal seems to have developed into a straight power runner w/o breakaway speed. clinching a playoff spot gives them a few more weeks to try out Ross; I think he'll be fine. how many starters do we want to risk the next two weeks? I have to think either the Colts or Chargers will lose a game, but it will be hard for the Ravens to win out as the Squealers are tough / at home, and the Bills are on a roll.

[PurpleRulz]

While the run blocking has been pretty bad, I do see signs that it could improve for next season. With young guys like Brown, Chester, and hopefully Pashos, when all of these guys were in there, big, sometimes huge, holes were opened for Jamal.

Part of our failure in running is in the hands of the RBs. We have an old RB in MA, and a run down Jamal. Jamal of 2003 would have had 200 yards last Sunday.

Get us a young RB with the first pick and team him with Jamal next season along with a OL with Brown, Chester, and Pashos on the OL, and I think things improve.

I think we are seeing the beginning stages of a very good OL, but these young guys have to grow.

[RavenScallywag]

What happened to P.J. Daniels. He hasn't gotten any carries this season, and we'd give Cory Ross a shot at RB AHEAD of Daniels?

But I'd agree, we're now seeing the downside of having two power backs as our main RBs. Jamal can bust through some defenders, but he can also be too slow to get through some holes. We need a speedy guy to take advantage of the weakened defense.