Great D…until the end…AGAIN!

**KbubbaK** · 12-17-2013, 08:27 AM

Game in the balance and they fold once more. What's going on here?

**HoustonRaven** · 12-17-2013, 08:28 AM

That game ending INT was just terrible.

**GOTA** · 12-17-2013, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by KbubbaK

Game in the balance and they fold once more. What's going on here?

Their last play of the game was an interception that sealed the win.

**JohnBKistler** · 12-17-2013, 08:31 AM

Holding the Lions to their 2nd lowest point total...and their lowest point total at home...in a must win game for them....yeah, the Ravens D sucked.

**HoustonRaven** · 12-17-2013, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by JohnBKistler

Holding the Lions to their 2nd lowest point total...and their lowest point total at home...in a must win game for them....yeah, the Ravens D sucked.

I especially hated those three picks.

A properly coached team would have netted 10 INT's.

**GOTA** · 12-17-2013, 08:41 AM

After the way the Lions marched right up the field for a TD I think every Ravens fan was worried. But that was the first 4 minutes of the game. After that they really played well. Allowing a late TD wasn't great but the Lions have a top offense and it sure wasn't the missed tackle fiasco we saw last week. This was one of the best performances by the Ravens D all season.

**RavenScallywag** · 12-17-2013, 08:45 AM

To sit in the middle here...

What's frustrating is that this D struggles MOST of the time to play with a small lead. For 3+ quarters of the game, we completely slowed their offense. But they found a way to put together one drive to put them in position to win. How we can shut them down on 8-9 other drives, but always fold that one...

That said, it's really tough to blame the defense for holding a team to 16 points. I mean, even a not so impressive offense (EDIT - Don't know why I put "like the Lions", I meant even a less impressive offense THAN the Lions), 16 points is pretty easy to come by. So for our D, with that final drive included, to hold (EDIT)the Lions, who are a top offensive team(/EDIT) to 16 shouldn't get them a fail grade.

I would put this one on our offense being unable to get in the endzone. It's another tough row to hedge...you can't blame Flacco for this game because he didn't turn the ball over, he completed a majority of his passes, and he stood tall in the pocket while getting hit on several occasions. But how can we fail in 3 redzone trips to even get in the EZ ONCE?! I have no idea where to scrutinize for this one. Maybe playcalling?

**Bufflehead** · 12-17-2013, 08:46 AM

Complaining about the D again after that game??? Get real. Great job D.

**BIGBALL** · 12-17-2013, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by RavenScallywag

To sit in the middle here...

What's frustrating is that this D struggles MOST of the time to play with a small lead. For 3+ quarters of the game, we completely slowed their offense. But they found a way to put together one drive to put them in position to win. How we can shut them down on 8-9 other drives, but always fold that one...

That said, it's really tough to blame the defense for holding a team to 16 points. I mean, even a not so impressive offense like the Lions, 16 points is pretty easy to come by. So for our D, with that final drive included, to hold them to 16 shouldn't get them a fail grade.

I would put this one on our offense being unable to get in the endzone. It's another tough row to hedge...you can't blame Flacco for this game because he didn't turn the ball over, he completed a majority of his passes, and he stood tall in the pocket while getting hit on several occasions. But how can we fail in 3 redzone trips to even get in the EZ ONCE?! I have no idea where to scrutinize for this one. Maybe playcalling?

Scally

My opinion is the main red zone issue is the lack of a running game. If you can keep a little more depth on D and crowd the throwing lanes because you know the other team really can't run ( and don't call the most imaginative run plays either ) it makes it a lot tougher to get in. That, and it seem like our receivers really struggle with physical man to man defense, which you are going to have to beat down there.

**JohnBKistler** · 12-17-2013, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by RavenScallywag

That said, it's really tough to blame the defense for holding a team to 16 points. I mean, even a not so impressive offense like the Lions, 16 points is pretty easy to come by. So for our D, with that final drive included, to hold them to 16 shouldn't get them a fail grade.

"Shouldn't"? The Ravens gave up 2 scoring drives to a team that has averaged....averaged!!!...over 30 points a game at home.

I would put this one on our offense being unable to get in the endzone. It's another tough row to hedge...you can't blame Flacco for this game because he didn't turn the ball over, he completed a majority of his passes, and he stood tall in the pocket while getting hit on several occasions. But how can we fail in 3 redzone trips to even get in the EZ ONCE?! I have no idea where to scrutinize for this one. Maybe playcalling?

How about the team on the other side of the field that was literally playing for their playoff lives at home?

I think I also saw a stat about being a very good red-zone defense, too.

**bt12483** · 12-17-2013, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by JohnBKistler

"Shouldn't"? The Ravens gave up 2 scoring drives to a team that has averaged....averaged!!!...over 30 points a game at home.

How about the team on the other side of the field that was literally playing for their playoff lives at home?

I think I also saw a stat about being a very good red-zone defense, too.

I think Detroit was either #1 or #3 in RZ defense.

**HKusp** · 12-17-2013, 09:04 AM

The problem on this team is definitely NOT the defense. They kept this inept offense in the game and the ST's played extremely well, obviously. If the O could run a little bit more effectively, man, this team would be scary.