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05-27-2012, 11:40 AM #1Rookie Poster
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A different thought about the D.......
Aside from lockroom leadership which I value as much as anyone, and others will have to step up when the time comes. Don't you think the current sucess of the Ravens defense with a Ray Lewis, and an Ed Reed that are clearly no longer in there primes means their defense will continue to thrive after their respective retirements? Let's face it they are no longer the intrical parts of the defense they once were play in and play out. Subsequently they should be able to replace both of them without having to necessarily find the "Next Ray, and Ed". They will simply need to find good football players not Hall of Famers. Thoughts?
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05-27-2012, 12:31 PM #2Hyperbolic curmudgeometer
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
Kinda optimistic. There's a lot of yaddayadda about Ray & Ed's "leadership" but the likely truth is that the team around them simply plays harder & smarter because their examples challenge them to play with the same intelligence & intensity. You'd think Sizzle would slide right into that sort of role but I wonder with all his outside interests if he can maintain his own intensity & catalyze it throughout the team.
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05-27-2012, 12:34 PM #3Veteran Poster
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
I agree about Ed, completely. Ray brings a LOT more than on-the-field talent. He sets such an example in terms of overall intensity and effort (film room and on the field), that I don't think it will be easy to replace that. And I am not sure what happens if it is only half-replaced or poorly replaced. Then again, Ray was here with Billick, and there were some times the team imploded mid-season, so maybe Harbaugh is playing a big role as well with the recent stability.
I do think, in terms of young talent, we have a core that indicates our defense will be very strong for years after Ray and Ed retire.
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05-27-2012, 03:09 PM #4
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
Honestly, after seeing this team step up without Ed and Ray (albeit at different times), I am not really as concerned as I once was. Harbaugh does not build his team to be successful because of a few players. He finds ways to maximize the talent of lots of players which is why we are always so successful. In the absence of a starter someone always emerges. That's good coaching.
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
I think Ray and Ed have instilled enough tradition in that locker room that once they've left, other guys will step in to carry on "the Raven way."
Sizzle and Ngata come to mind immediately.
Then in a few more years you could see it being Webb and maybe someone like Upshaw who showed leadership at Alabama.
Just have faith in Oz and DeCosta that we draft high quality guys with good character. We're not the Bengals. I'm not worried about life after Ray and Ed.
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
I can tell you what could happen, if you're not careful. You'll get a young defense that struggles with adversity and discipline. We've seen this around the league. The Ravens happen to draft so well that leaders just seem to flow through. However, the Bengals had this issue last year. They didn't know how to respond when their opponent answered the ten count or when they themselves were forced to. You saw that in their play down the stretch. Tampa Bay is darn near cleaning house.
"Please take with you this final sword, The Excellector. I am praying that your journey will be guided by the light", Leon Shore
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
im also not too worried but im not sure you can say thats harbaugh when the offense is pretty much the exact opposite of that. Weve just been really lucky to have such great defensive coordinators over the years that our level of play remains. The best come here 1 because its a great organization and 2 its a fast track to being a DC or HC. As long as that ability remains and ozzie continues to draft defensive players that fit that mold, well continue to have a dominant defense.
-JAB
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05-28-2012, 11:07 AM #8
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
I disagree. I think you can see the same trend on offense. Even though at a much smaller scale. A few examples:
McGahee in 08- replaced by LeRon McClain who had never played running back.
Lee Evans injury last year led to the emergence of Torrey Smith.
When Boldin went down last season, we saw Dennis Pitta really emerge as one of Flacco's favorite targets.
The team never collapses because of the loss of a single player. Under Harbaugh our team always maintains the status quo no matter who is out there. It just so happens that the status quo for our defense is great and the status quo for our offense is average.
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
Much smaller scale we can agree.
I do think its more of sediment of Ozzie than the coaching staff though. Harbs has to play the players we have when others get injured, whether they perform or not i feel is more because they fit what we look for in general than Harbs altering what we do to fit them.Last edited by JAB1985; 05-29-2012 at 08:05 AM.
-JAB
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
A thing that people who claim that our defense is old forget is that the Ravens don't often start their rookies in their first and even their second years, especially when it's on defense. Our defensive system is so complex, perhaps the most complex defensive system in the league, that it evidently takes a rookie a while to learn it, so tutoring them for a year or two is the best way IMO, let them learn under our proven all pro players. Over the years we have stock piled on high draft round players. Paul Kruger, Sergio Kindle, Terrence Cody, Jimmy Smith, and now Courtney Upshaw. Webb has already totally proven him self, so not including him in this list. We also managed to find some gems like Arthur Jones and Pernell McPhee in the later rounds. Only Upshaw (would not be totally surprised, if Kindle finally shows his worth and actually starts ahead of Upshaw, with Kruger on the other side) is really expected to make an early contribution with Terrell Suggs going down. All the players who have been waiting for their chance, now has an opportunity to make a name for them selves and help maintain the greatness of this defense.
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05-29-2012, 11:39 AM #12
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Re: A different thought about the D.......
I definitely agree that Ozzie's knack for finding defensive players helps but I think Ozzie has always had that knack. And we've never been able to weather the storm like we have under Harbaugh. I look at Billick's last year compared to Harbaugh's first year. Both years the defense was decimated with injuries. The only difference is those injuries killed Billick's 07 team and they didn't kill Harbaugh's 08 team.
07-08
Trevor Pryce- Kelly Gregg
Cmac- Cmac
Rolle- Rolle (for parts of the season)
- Landry
Both years we lost key cogs but one year was vastly more successful than the other. Why?
I think it goes directly to better preparation by the coaching staff.
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