John Harbaugh still doesn't get it.

**The Excellector** · 01-11-2016, 12:51 PM

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/...1-99aa13391160

"The Ravens expected the ground game to be the foundation of the offense coming into the season."

“Running the football, it’s our identity,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said.

**metro** · 01-11-2016, 12:54 PM

Harbaugh wants to party like it's 1999. The NFL is a passing league. I think Trestman understands this. Hopefully, the front office does too.

**xiao_ke** · 01-11-2016, 01:00 PM

By the time the season ended, the Ravens finished with 383 rushing attempts for 1,478 yards and eight touchdowns. The offense averaged 3.9 yards per carry, which ranked 24th in the NFL. Their 92.4 yards per game ranked 26th, which was a steady decline from 2014 where the offense churched out 126.2 rush yards per game.

The running game was subpar and needs to get better. I don't disagree with that, but I hope the expectation isn't 2003 Ravens and Jamal Lewis going for 2000 yards. Flacco needs to be the focal point of the offense, I hope Harbaugh gets this.

**The Excellector** · 01-11-2016, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by xiao_ke

The running game was subpar and needs to get better. I don't disagree with that, but I hope the expectation isn't 2003 Ravens and Jamal Lewis going for 2000 yards. Flacco needs to be the focal point of the offense, I hope Harbaugh gets this.

That's all that I'm saying. Of course, a rush offense can help, but there is something that for a guy that's been here for 8 years, still hasn't got through to his head.

JOE FLACCO IS THE REASON YOU STILL HAVE A JOB! NOT A GOD DAMNED RUNNING GAME!!!

**GOTA** · 01-11-2016, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by metro

Harbaugh wants to party like it's 1999. The NFL is a passing league. I think Trestman understands this. Hopefully, the front office does too.

Trestman definitely understands this. Even with backup quarterbacks he's throwing the ball and moving it down the field. I'm not so worried about Harbaugh's comments because the reality is that the Ravens had more passing attempts than any other team in the NFL this past year. That was about an 18% increase from 2014.

**footballfan** · 01-11-2016, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/...1-99aa13391160

"The Ravens expected the ground game to be the foundation of the offense coming into the season."

“Running the football, it’s our identity,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said.

You know Ex I don't think I would say he doesn't get it. In spite of the NFL being a pass happy league, having a tried and true running game can breed success. It can eat up clock control the pace of the game and demoralize a defense. I thinks stats will show passing 40 to 50 times game is not the recipe to win in the NFL I remember one season when Coach Bill Cowher had Tommy Maddox as his quarterback and became a enamored with passing the ball. It did not work out too well The next year they got back to running the ball and had some success

**DonNMass** · 01-11-2016, 01:05 PM

I wouldn't take any stock in what a HC says publicly.

**xiao_ke** · 01-11-2016, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

That's all that I'm saying. Of course, a rush offense can help, but there is something that for a guy that's been here for 8 years, still hasn't got through to his head.

JOE FLACCO IS THE REASON YOU STILL HAVE A JOB! NOT A GOD DAMNED RUNNING GAME!!!

For better and worse Harbaugh is an old school guy, hoping Trestman will convince him to tweak the offense to be passing first.

**Gabrosin** · 01-11-2016, 01:07 PM

Having a strong running game and having a strong passing game are not mutually exclusive. And what coaches say and do, strategically, can and often should be different things.

Let's see what the team actually does this offseason before we get upset about our passing game again. There's a lot of reason for optimism right now, assuming Flacco gets healthy by season's start. With Senior coming back, Perriman set to hit the field for the first time, a solid possession receiver in Aiken and the chance for improvement from young guys like Matthews and Waller, plus an offseason in which to add another WR or two through free agency or the draft... combine that with young TEs getting better and running backs who do well receiving the ball... there's no reason for doom and gloom.

**pslholder96** · 01-11-2016, 01:09 PM

I think Harbaugh gets it. Running the ball is still the best way to win in my opinion. It sets up everything else nicely. Balance is a good thing to have.

**I Touchdown There** · 01-11-2016, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by DonNMass

I wouldn't take any stock in what a HC says publicly.

This

**saintmatthew** · 01-11-2016, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

I think Harbaugh gets it. Running the ball is still the best way to win in my opinion. It sets up everything else nicely. Balance is a good thing to have.

Kubiak believed that you had to be able to run the gal effectively, to set up the play action and open the field and it worked. Trestman uses the RB in more ways, but even his screen and short pass game is essentially an extension of the run game. When shit gets cold, you're gonna be happy if you've built up your rushing attack. That said, get Flacco some goddamn weapons dammit!