My thoughts from the land of the DVR.

[StingerNLG]

I did my best to stay away from the forum this afternoon as I have had the busiest month ever for my band and am playing 3 of 4 Sundays. So for the 3rd week in a row I get to come home and watch the game after everyone's done posting. And as I am pecking through this game I am becoming a little troubled. In fact if anyone who tells you that you shouldn't be itching towards that panic button, you can respond with a hearty kiss your ass.

Yes, I know we're still 3-2. Yes, I know we're tied for 2nd in the division with the Steelers. And yes, we could be the Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, etc. But we're none of those teams. But today we got beatdown by a better team with a better coaching gameplan.

The part that is more alarming is that we're showing we can beat the bottom of the barrel teams, but cannot beat good teams. And we can't play this way and beat Minnesota, Denver (who just beat the Pats to go to 5-0), Indy, Pittsburgh.

So let's start on offense.

1) So, instead of simply reiterating the point I've been making for a while now about our lack of impact receiver on the Ravens offense, I'll merely ask this: What do you think the game would have been like if WE had Chad Ochocinco on our side of the ball today?

A: A wide receiver would have been on the top of the receiving list for touches and yards.

B: A wide reciever would have completed a pass for over 23 yards (the longest of the day for our WR corps.

C: Our entire wide receiver corps would not have been held to a total of 4 receptions.


Let me repeat the last point. Today, our wide receivers had a TOTAL of 4 catches for 57 yards. Not one single receiver. No, OUR ENTIRE CORPS. Watching this game, it was increasingly difficult to find an open receiver until the last throw to Clayton in the 4th quarter. Everything else was either dink/dunk to Ray Rice or Willis, or McClain or Heap.

Guess how many receptions Mason had today? If you guessed anything larger than zero, you would be INCORRECT.

I'm not even going to go back to the Mark Clayton debate. If some of you are still waiting for him to be that big playmaker, you go right ahead.

By the way, hey Cam. I don't know if you noticed the play-by-play on NFL.com, but 98% of the throws listed to J. Flacco were "pass short........". That matches what I was watching today. Flacco's deepest pass completion was 21 yards to Kelley Washington, which incidentally was the ONLY pass thrown to him today. I know the Bengals seemed to be stuck in Cover 2 all day, but I dunno; maybe dial up a deep pass early in the game to make them THINK about covering deep so we could have hit some intermediate throws?

So in short, those in the "oh, we don't need a big play receiver with this offense" need to realize that no one went deep on the Bengals today because.......THEY CAN'T.

Second BTW, congratulations to Ray Rice for his first reception TD of his career. How he stumbled, came up off his hands, and STILL was able to run in for the touch

Third BTW. Gaither was sorely missed today.


2) And now for the defense:

Remind me how much we paid Terrell Suggs again? Because so far he's shown not a lot. 2.5 sacks, and not a whole lot of pressure on QB's.

Speaking of pressure, where the hell was it? At one point I think I saw Carson Palmer get his cell phone out and call in a dinner reservation before making throws. On the touchdown pass to Caldwell, is it me or did Palmer look to his left for almost 3 whole seconds before looking right to find Caldwell (who BTW was what you would call "wide open" thanks to two Ravens who decided even though they were 4 yards away would simultaneously slip to the ground like it was a dance routine). Are teams simply gameplanning to take Ngata out at the point of attack knowing that Kelly Gregg is getting too old to get into the backfield without help? BTW was Trevor Pryce playing today? I didn't see much from him either. Folks, we have GOT to get better at the point of attack. I'm not terribly concerned with Cedric Benson getting 120 yards on us today although the touchdown run kind of sucked. 28 yards to score? Really?

And then our secondary. I don't care what anyone thinks anymore, I really miss Chris McAlister. Man do I wish he had his head screwed on straight. Teams are just outright picking on Foxworth, and in the last two weeks especially it just exposes the fact that while Dominique is certainly not getting much help over the top, or but a lack of pass rush, when he is asked to man-up on a big play receiver he just simply cannot. And I'm not leaving out Fabian Washington either. Ochocinco and Chad Henry more or less abused these guys. So exactly what's going to happen when Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne come to town?

Oh yeah, and can we just go ahead and cut Chris Carr? He's not even really that fantastic of a nickle back. I have to think he's just saving that spot until the coaches think Ladarius Webb is ready to try some DB.

And finally, the penalties. Really? 10 more penalties? Why is it that you can always count on the defense for illegal contact penalties? Although I have to say thanks to Todd Heap to for an inopportune Holding penalty. Yes, I know some of these were tick-tack calls (I won't bother with the Ray Lewis penalty though. I have a feeling those defending Ray there will go ape shit on me). But we have GOT to get these under control. No roughing the passer penalties today though. Not that we had many chances to get them.

Thank goodness for Ed Reed. 'Nuff said.



Folks, I'm getting just a touch worried here. We've now got to go to Minnesota and play a 5-0 Vikings team with a tremendous running attack and old-man Brett Favre who seems to be playing like he's 24 again. Yes, you can say the Viking's have played nobody, and just pasted a Rams team that is among the worst in the league (damn, Kyle you really do suck. I'm sorry man. Different team, same results. I was hoping for you). But they're 5-0 and we are coming off 2 BAD losses.

The Ravens need to get their shit together and quickly.

[Rza52]

Brett has posted some personal bests against us. If something doesn't give he will eat us alive.

[Galen Sevinne]

There is still a lot of time left in this season. Most good teams hit a low period somewhere in the year. I think it is best to hit that period early. You need to be peaking by week 13.

That being said, this team is mediocore good. There has been nothing in the five games that makes you walk away from thinking this is a complete and great team. We melted down in NE against a team that I really don't think is that good. I watched the NE DVR last night and came away thinking a great/elite team wins that game easily. Today against the Bengals, we just really got our butts handed to us. Minus the turnovers by the Bengals, we lose this game handedly. I think Cincy is that good. They are the team to beat in the AFCN this year...crazy as that might sound.

Its not really that hard for a team with a good secondary to take Mason out of the game. You saw it against Pitts. in the AFCCG...you saw it against NE in the last 50 minutes of the game and you saw in today's game. Teams just bracket him with the DB and a safety and he's ineffective. Clayton is a decent #3 receiver if that...he will never make a consistent impact. While not a bust as a player...he is most certainly a bust as a #1 pick.

I really think the Ravens, to make something out of this year other than coming down the final game of the year trying to salvage a damn wildcard, really need to look at making the tough trade of McGahee for a wide receiver and start letting Kelly Wash start doing something.

Our defensive line as highly touted as it was has been a HUGE disappointment which makes our d-backs looks suspect. Our nickel defense sucks and I would rather have Ivy back there than Carr...at least Ivy had a lion's heart and wanted to play the damn game.

At one point in the game we had 12 guys on the field...called a timeout and and 3 minutes later Carr is still on the field being the 12th guy before someone tells him to get lost. A defensive series later, we had 10 guys on the field minus Carr who is dicking around on the sideline until someone tells him to get on the damn field.

Yes there are some early things to worry about right now. I don't know if I even want to watch this one on DVR...maybe later in the week. Right now, I feel very flat about that game...very uninspiring game.

[Purpleguy]

You mentioned that 2 guys in the secondary slipped on the TD pass to Caldwell. I didn't notice because I was so pissed off, but it seems that there is a ton of slipping going on with that garbage turf we use.

[ravenjoe]

Ochocinko had the last laugh yesterday. His pre-game banter worked; cost the Ravens 15 critical yds when it counted most! Well-done, Ocho!

[RavensDomination]

Ochocinko had the last laugh yesterday. His pre-game banter worked; cost the Ravens 15 critical yds when it counted most! Well-done, Ocho!

Do you really think that was a legitimate call?

[ravenjoe]

Absolutely! Ray was totally at fault on that one, and I'm sure he would not have initiated that hit had it not been for Chad's pre-game banter; my opinion, of course.

[RavensDomination]

Absolutely! Ray was totally at fault on that one, and I'm sure he would not have initiated that hit had it not been for Chad's pre-game banter; my opinion, of course.

I'm a fan of football. As much as I would hate if that was done to one of our players, I would be pissed if they threw a flag for it.

To me the complete face of the NFL is changing, and calls like that are direct proof, similar to the roughing the passer calls we've been seeing. Back in the day it was known - you come across the middle you are paying for it. Now it's a penalty.

[RavenTD]

You come to battle armed with what you have.Sadly the small inkling that was Brodie Croyle and the Chiefs has now grown into gargantuan preportions.

The defense cannot shed blocks. The QB has too much time.
A good QB will find someone with too much time. Our above average CB's cannot cover a receiver forever.Hence getting ripped in the pass defense.

I do not know with what the Ravens have on defense that they can really change anything up.But you got to limit the damage being done.As there is a plenty of film on our defense now,and every QB will be drooling to attack it downfield.

The Ravens are a good team with two major holes,getting to the QB and pass coverage.

Brett Favre I hope you are not on form because I do not want the Ravens D adding to the legend that is John Maddens love story.

[HoustonRaven]

Back in the day it was known - you come across the middle you are paying for it. Now it's a penalty.

Yeah, when the WR has possession.

It was never acceptable to get hit without the ball, over the middle or not.

Likewise for helmet-to-helmet contact.

Both occurred. End of story.

There is not one soul over at 1 Winning Drive that thinks Ray's hit was legit.

It was a horrible penalty, committed by the usually unflappable Ray Lewis, at one of the worst times of the game.

[Galen Sevinne]

I can't believe 8 days after losing in NE there are those who are still complaining about the refs? Everyone is my section, after cheering that 85's head was knocked off, immediately groaned when thre flag was thrown. It was pretty obvious that hit was wayyyyyy late. Now, looking at pictures it didn't look helmet to helmet but it was still wayyyyyy late.

Undisciplined team making unforced errors at critical moments is the achilles heal of this team.

[RavensDomination]

Yeah, when the WR has possession.

It was never acceptable to get hit without the ball, over the middle or not.

Likewise for helmet-to-helmet contact.

Both occurred. End of story.

There is not one soul over at 1 Winning Drive that thinks Ray's hit was legit.

It was a horrible penalty, committed by the usually unflappable Ray Lewis, at one of the worst times of the game.

Chad would have caught that ball if Ray wasn't there - yes or no? And I didn't realize you spoke for the entire Ravens organization.