Can someone intelligently explain how we lost 41-7 at home to the Patriots?

**Complex** · 12-23-2013, 10:21 AM

That is exactly why they won - better coached and Pats players made better plays. That is why they lead the division. That does not mean teams they beat suck, it just means exactly what I stated. One team has to be better. In this case, the Patriots. Say what you will about Brady and Belichick, they are two of the best in the business. Teams lose to the Patriots on a consistent basis and will continue to do so. That group does have three 3 SB's for a reason.

**JohnBKistler** · 12-23-2013, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

Agreed. Flacco played very poorly yesterday. However, IMO the most appalling thing from yesterday's game was the fact that the Ravens could not run the ball versus a very banged up Pats DL

I actually thought they ran "ok" (which is a huge improvement over other games). They got taken out of it by falling behind so quickly. Had it been a closer game, I think the running game would have broken a few big plays in the second half.

, and how little pressure the Ravens were able to get on Brady against a banged up Pats OL. What has happened to Suggs and Dumervil?

Agreed. With the Patriots going five wide, the Ravens needed to get pressure from the front 4 and it just didn't happen. They also got exposed on the cut-back runs. Sure do miss Jarrett Johnson setting the edge.

**lowrider** · 12-23-2013, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by SeattleRaven

I also think that Joe was hurt much more then anyone in the organization was letting on.

Phil Simms was talking about this in the pre-game. He said he couldn't believe that this wasn't headline news throughout the week.

It was obvious that it was affecting him allot, especially early in the game. He fell down on the one play with no one touching him. He was missing badly on most of his throws. This had a much bigger impact on the outcome of that game than they want to admit.

**JStruds** · 12-23-2013, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by JohnBKistler

I actually thought they ran "ok" (which is a huge improvement over other games). They got taken out of it by falling behind so quickly. Had it been a closer game, I think the running game would have broken a few big plays in the second half.

.

In fact, because they were running "ok", the failure to run on 3d and 2 and 3d and 1 and then going for it on 4th down may have been the biggest coaching errors of the game. The odds of gaining a first down by running it twice in those two situations were much better yesterday, than throwing the ball.

**PatsFan in MD** · 12-23-2013, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Pretty much spot on.

The Harbs blame is more emotional IMO than it is rational.

I listen to the sports radio shows once in a while, and the vitriol that Harbaugh gets is mind boggling. From listening to the complaints, you would think the Ravens are the Jaguars. Harbaugh is one of the better HCs in the league. If he gets fired, he wouldn't be jobless for more than 24 hours.

**pslholder96** · 12-23-2013, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by DonNMass

So he was wearing a leg brace in Buffalo?

What the heck are you talking about? Re-read my response.

**HoustonRaven** · 12-23-2013, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by PatsFan in MD

I listen to the sports radio shows once in a while, and the vitriol that Harbaugh gets is mind boggling. From listening to the complaints, you would think the Ravens are the Jaguars. Harbaugh is one of the better HCs in the league. If he gets fired, he wouldn't be jobless for more than 24 hours.

He won't get fired but I agree with your sentiment.

The man has faults, all coaches do, but the nonsense that sometimes gets said in connection with his name is, as you put it, mind boggling.

**Dirt1** · 12-23-2013, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by PatsFan in MD

I listen to the sports radio shows once in a while, and the vitriol that Harbaugh gets is mind boggling. From listening to the complaints, you would think the Ravens are the Jaguars. Harbaugh is one of the better HCs in the league. If he gets fired, he wouldn't be jobless for more than 24 hours.

I don't think Harbaugh is getting fired anytime soon. That said, I recall the same thing that I have bolded above being said about Billick. Billick has been out of coaching for six years and counting.

**pslholder96** · 12-23-2013, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by JohnBKistler

This also explains why the "lowest IQ coaching staff" has NEVER beaten the Patriots.

Wait....what?

LOL. I love the passion from fans on this board but seriously.....

**bmorecareful** · 12-23-2013, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by JohnBKistler

Harbaugh made some questionable calls. I am tempted to say the team "wasn't ready to play", but I don't know what that means and in general, Harbaugh's teams are well-prepared. The team did not play well, and a patriots did and took advantage of the Ravens mistakes. It happens. It would have to happen many more times, over a sustained stretch, for me to conclude that a head coaching change was warranted.

Personally, I didn't see signs of a team "quitting".

I'm not advocating for a HC change. I feel as though I've been very clear on that point for a long time now. Let me briefly outline my key concerns with the coaching staff at this point. I believe John Harbaugh wants this team to be the 1980's Schembechler Michigan teams: dominant on both sides of the line; elite run game; simple defensive schemes, mostly zone-based, that stop the run first and get pressure second; a passing game that has 2 roles and 2 roles only, taking deep shots off of play action and converting 3rd and longs when necessary; and a general philosophy of keeping the schemes as simple as possible and letting the players win their individual matchups.

I think the Ravens' coordinators have been given the task of implementing schemes that match that overall philosophy. That is why Jim Caldwell kept Cam Cameron's scheme, just adding in a few things like a bit more crossing routes, but still very few throws over the middle. Dean Pees is running an extremely vanilla defense that tries to stop the run, keep everything in front of them, and make stops in the red zone.

These schemes are outdated and can only work when you have a very rare mixture of personnel. For a while, the Ravens had that, because they had several HOF caliber defensive players and a ton of other talented young players in their rookie contracts. Now things have changed and I don't believe those schemes are putting the players they have in the best position to succeed.

I would like to see the Ravens move away from the Schembechler philosophy and acquire new coordinators--young, high-football-IQ guys who can run their sides of the ball with free reign. Let Harbaugh focus on the CEO aspects of the HC job, which he is usually very good at it, and let him focus on getting better at his gameday responsibilities. That's a much better coaching setup than Harbaugh and a bunch of yes-men, which is what it seems like we have now.

**NOLARavenFAN** · 12-23-2013, 10:51 AM

OK, here you go.

1> We just came off two huge comeback wins on the road and a win against the Steelers and were emotionally flat.
2> Flacco was hurt more than he let on and it showed early he was hesitant in his plant and couldn't scramble.
3> Ron Winter "crew" assigned-- PI on Smith early set the tone of the game
4> Pats were getting downplayed in the media, we were overconfident
5> The wanted revenge for last year
6> Bad matchups with the two smurfs.......we would have done better against Gronk
7> Brady is probably the best QB in the league
8> They just came off a loss to Miami in which they played crap.
9> This game we actually missed Boldin who owned Talib Aquib (?)
10> They had a good defensive feel about where Flacco would go in his passing tree.....ie to the deeper player.

**Terpsfan82** · 12-23-2013, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by NOLARavenFAN

OK, here you go.

1> We just came off two huge comeback wins on the road and a win against the Steelers and were emotionally flat.
2> Flacco was hurt more than he let on and it showed early he was hesitant in his plant and couldn't scramble.
3> Ron Winter "crew" assigned-- PI on Smith early set the tone of the game
4> Pats were getting downplayed in the media, we were overconfident
5> The wanted revenge for last year
6> Bad matchups with the two smurfs.......we would have done better against Gronk
7> Brady is probably the best QB in the league
8> They just came off a loss to Miami in which they played crap.
9> This game we actually missed Boldin who owned Talib Aquib (?)
10> They had a good defensive feel about where Flacco would go in his passing tree.....ie to the deeper player.

Excuses. We got our asses handed to us at home against a superior coaching staff with a superior quarterback. That simple. All of the points made by bmorecareful are spot on. Unless he adapts to today's NFL and stop being so damn conservative, Harbaugh won't ever get any better.