Can Cameron Get the Offense on Track

[Corey]

I really think that game week 2 vs. the Bengals had a lot to do with the way Cameron handled Flacco last year. I dont know that Cameron had completely let the reins off for that game but it was clear that they put the kid gloves back on him after that game.

Part of the problem is that Flacco is a young QB that has to have games like that in order to develop. However, the Ravens are a team hungry for a championship and they cant have a young QB making mistakes like that. Its a conflict of interest. Let Flacco take his lumps and develop into a long term better QB because of it or fight for the championship now and have him take his lumps some other time down the road or never.

I like Flacco as a player but if he's giving the type of freedom fans want, its going to be very ugly at first.

I dont really have a problem with Cameron's philosophy as a whole. As an OC, he's damned if he does and if he doesnt. He kicks the game in cruise control and the defense blows a lead and the fans are screaming he should have been more aggressive. He gets aggressive vs. our arch rival, and the offense misses a block and the fans scream he should have been conservative. My biggest issue with Cam is that he doesnt know how to effectively adjust his personnel. The Ravens offensive line took a huge hit with Gaither's injury. And they really never overcame it all year. At some point you have to be able to figure out whats working for your players and what isnt and try to find a way to play more to their strengths. He failed miserably with that along the offensive line. And that threw off everything they were trying to do in the passing game and running game.

[Beerracuda]

Don't even get me started on Cam Cameron. I think the guy has about 5 offensive plays in his playbook, and his trump card (in his mind) is the end around.

Everybody says we needed a speedy guy for a deep threat, and they're right. Trouble is, we had one on the team last year in Stallworth. How many catches did he have? TWO, and one was for 67 yards. It got to the point where the only time Stallworth saw the playing field was to run the End Around, and it always failed because everyone in the stadium knew it was coming when they saw Dante step onto the field.
(EDIT TO ADD: I'm not saying throw to Stallworth. But when your best receivers are possession receivers running underneath routes (Mason, Boldin, Heap), you need to at least give the impression that you might throw long, send Stallworth deep and try to clear out some space underneath.)

Instead of using Stallworth, he'd do ridiculous things like run Heap down the field (which got him hurt). WTF?? I'm not saying that Stallworth was some great WR, but hell, he didn't even get a chance to see what he could do on this team. And if he's your only deep threat, then why wouldn't you use him?? There are other things too, like not being able to read a defense - which is exactly what happened on that home game against the Squealers when Polamalu hit Flacco. Cameron should have seen him come to the line and either changed the play or called time out.

Flacco's not without blame though. He needs to quit relying on that out pass to Mason (assuming Mason's on this team this year). While that's been a safe play for him most of the time, there were several occassions last season when the defender jumped the route and nearly intercepted it for a pick 6.

As for holding onto Cam after last season because of the lockout: I don't buy that argument. The guy has a very limited playbook, so what harm could a new OC do with less time to prepare? It's very obvious that Cam has no balls to go for the throat against defenses, so a new OC could hardly do worse.

Of course, Harbaugh's not without fault either, since he should be recognizing the problems with Cam on offense, and should take the appropriate actions so the same mistakes aren't made repeatedly. He didn't do that, and therefore has to accept part of the blame.

[wickedsolo]

Teams ran a lot of Cover-2 and zone on us last year because we had no real vertical passing game. They anticipate the come back route and dump off's.

[SC_Raven_Fan]

The problem is the two men at the center of the whole thing: Cameron and Flacco. I guess three, if we toss in Harbaugh.

Cameron and Flacco are both cautious, by nature. Harbs didn't force the issue due to his trust level in Cameron. Problem is that the offense needs to carry the team now. Opponents couldn't be shut down in the 4th qtr last year and a team CANNOT trade FG for TDs in the 4th QTR!

We will see what kind of season we're in for in a few weeks

[GOTA]

My hope is that Cam knows his butt is on the line and that will motivate him to find a way.