You can't pin the loss solely on Haushka

**Fanman** · 10-19-2009, 10:10 AM

There are several reasons why we are losing and why we lost yesterday.

1. Lack of a pass rush. Favre had plenty of time all game to just wait and hit his WRs.

2. Poor def in the redzone. Landry esp looks lost on his assignments and the passes are far too easy.

3. The O-line struggled all day. Flacco had a hand in his face or tugging on his jersey on most of the pass plays. Only b/c he is amazing did we even make a comeback in the 4th qtr.

4. They settled for a 44 yd FG. They ran 2 plays before the kick and just wasted clock while not trying to gain 5 more yards.

5. Hauska miss was big...I grant you that. He def needs to make that kick and my guess is that if he misses one more like that, he will be gone or we will will begin to carry 2 kickers again.

We have a bye week now and a chance to regroup and be a better team when we host the Broncos. I still think we have the players to make the playoffs.

FM

**ravenjoe** · 10-19-2009, 10:19 AM

No loss can ever be pinned on one individual; but, all can agree, that he had to make that kick, just like Clayton needed to make that catch in NE. Winning teams have players that find a way to deliver in crunch time. The Ravens have several of those - Joe Cool, Rice, their Oline, Ray, Ed - but they also have those who don't.

**Flipping Birdie** · 10-19-2009, 10:22 AM

Did you just give the secondary a free pass? Otherwise, I agree that I don't blame this on Haushka. If it wasn't for Rice and Flacco and their heroics we would never have been in a position to even debate Haushka's role in the loss.

But what about Flacco and Rice? Wow. I would never have guessed that I would be so grateful to New Jersey for those two gifts.

**Fanman** · 10-19-2009, 10:44 AM

I am def not giving the secondary a free pass. I specifally called out Landry in the original post.

Our corners are average at best and when there is little to no pass rush they get exposed big time. Mattison must make some changes b/c we see a lot of good QBs / WRs coming up.

FM

**3RDRowRaven** · 10-19-2009, 11:21 AM

They settled for a 44 yd FG. They ran 2 plays before the kick and just wasted clock while not trying to gain 5 more yards.

Thats no shit. Wasted all that time. :grbac:

**Purpleguy** · 10-19-2009, 11:31 AM

That kick would have missed from 30 yards. It was never heading towards the goalpost. The only way it would have had a chance is if it was on the right hash mark.

The fact of the matter is the whole reason we have Haushka was because he was supposed to be able to make long field goals and kick it in the endzone. Yesterday he only had one kick that was a touchback and missed a 44 yard clkutch FG for the win. This was all in a dome. It's inexcusible, and he should be fired.

**StingerNLG** · 10-19-2009, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

That kick would have missed from 30 yards. It was never heading towards the goalpost. The only way it would have had a chance is if it was on the right hash mark.

The fact of the matter is the whole reason we have Haushka was because he was supposed to be able to make long field goals and kick it in the endzone. Yesterday he only had one kick that was a touchback and missed a 44 yard clkutch FG for the win. This was all in a dome. It's inexcusible, and he should be fired.

Oh come on. That's a hair bit overdoing it, huh? By your standards a handful of other teams in the league should be firing their kickers on a weekly basis.

By those standards, we should also fire half the defense too.

He missed the kick. He should have made it. No question. We need him to bounce back now and make the next one.

**Lee Van Cleef** · 10-19-2009, 11:43 AM

Oh! But it's so much easier to make one scapegoat than face reality that the team has several issues!

You killjoy!

**ravenjoe** · 10-19-2009, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by StingerNLG

We need him to bounce back now and make the next one.

water over the dam now; we need to move on.

**Purpleguy** · 10-19-2009, 11:52 AM

This is the second field goal he has missed with very limited attempts this season. Missing a game winner could crush his psyche, not to mention the guy isn't kicking the ball very deep on kick-offs, WHICH IS THE WHOLE REASON HARBAUGH WANTED HIM AND NOT STOVER!!!

I'd like to think there is somebody out there that could do a better job. I know this team has a ton of issues, especially at DB, but we can't fix those so easily. Rotten kickers are pretty expendable if you ask me.

**RAVENOUS52** · 10-19-2009, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

This is the second field goal he has missed with very limited attempts this season. Missing a game winner could crush his psyche, not to mention the guy isn't kicking the ball very deep on kick-offs, WHICH IS THE WHOLE REASON HARBAUGH WANTED HIM AND NOT STOVER!!!

I'd like to think there is somebody out there that could do a better job. I know this team has a ton of issues, especially at DB, but we can't fix those so easily. Rotten kickers are pretty expendable if you ask me.

I agree with the majority of this. Dude, you're a kicker! All we're asking you to do is kick the damn ball through the uprights from 45-yards and in on the rare occassion when we call on you to do so.

But Hauschka looked nervous from the jump. Icing him only made the situation worse. I had very little confidence that he would make that kick and if you look at the replay, there's a nervous tick in his normal kicking wind-up and delivery that caused the immediate shank. As soon as it left his foot we all knew what the outcome was.

I wonder if Stover was sitting at home LHFAO?

**RavenScallywag** · 10-19-2009, 12:15 PM

Both Stover AND Longwell like Hauschka. Longwell said after the game he feels for Hauschka because all kickers have these kind of games. Stover, though I don't have a quote anywhere, I think did say he understood why the Ravens were going in the direction they went in, and that he did think Steve would make a good kicker in time. Longwell actually worked a lot with Hauschka to improve his kicking in Vikings camp last year.

Just something to mention.