Why do we believe in Mike Macdonald ?

[ArgentinaRaven]

With Wink at the helm, we were the worst defense of the Ravens in history, yes, he had many injuries, but year after year we saw how our defense, our flagship, was declining.
our pass rush dropped, our linebackers got run over, our cb got burned, miscommunications, tackling, aggressiveness, malice, it didn't measure up to what you'd expect a Raven defense to be.
From what he showed in Michigan, Macdonald looks systematically more flexible, with more zone coverage, more blitz from the safeties (I think we're going to see a lot of what Holland did to us with Miami.
It also seems that he has a good relationship with young people, a 20-year-old boy today is going to pay more attention to what someone like Macdonald says and not someone like wink or rob ryan who would already be like drunken guys at meetings.
Let's hope this change is for the better

[ThankyouArt!]

Close your eyes and picture this:

Week 2.. Dolphins run cover-0 at Lamar again. Dolphins blow out Ravens as our offense just can’t get it going. The Flock finally get their wish, as Harbs fire GRo.

I don't have to close my eyes........this is coming, like the sun coming up in the morning. Gro has had to be thinking about this game ever since. I am going on record right now........Ravens win this game.

[QtR Nevermore]

With Wink at the helm, we were the worst defense of the Ravens in history, yes, he had many injuries, but year after year we saw how our defense, our flagship, was declining.

According to PFR, in 2018 we were the number 2 defense. In 2019 we were number 3. In 2020 we were number 2. Other sources have other rankings but by any measure Wink's defenses were top 5 until the injury crisis.

I would take that kind of 'decline' in 2022 in a heartbeat.

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

This is a rabbit hole, but just to be clear. The blitzing and use of C0 got overblown. People saw a stacked LOS and ignored the rain check coverage they were running (which is simulated blitzes - seriously go back and watch, 2 defenders drop into hooks from the opposite side of where Bozeman slides). Stats per Sports Info Solutions:

Dolphins use of blitz packages
In 50 coverage snaps, the Dolphins sent 5 or more on just 22/50 plays (so they blitzed 44% of the time - high, but not "blitz every play" high as it's been referred to).

Dolphins use of Coverages
In 41 pass attempts (beleive there was 9 scrambles that SIS charts different, so I dont have them), the Dolphins used the following coverages:
C0 - 1
C2 - 3
C3 - 17
C4 - 9
Prevent - 4
Uncharted due to screen passes by the Ravens - 6
Outstanding plays (I think 2? were goal line so they dont chart the smae)

There was a misconception that the stacked LOS was them using C0. They did not, and that's per the best charting company that football has.

[ArgentinaRaven]

According to PFR, in 2018 we were the number 2 defense. In 2019 we were number 3. In 2020 we were number 2. Other sources have other rankings but by any measure Wink's defenses were top 5 until the injury crisis.

I would take that kind of 'decline' in 2022 in a heartbeat.

Yes, the statistics can say that, on the playing field it didn't look the same (at least in my opinion).
at key moments, the defense stopped making plays and began to allow them, there are many examples, I would never have imagined that we would enter games knowing that our defense was not going to be able to stop the rival attack, and it happened in many, too many for a Raven defense .
I have nothing against Wink, he had great moments and was hopeful at first (compared to Pees), but his departure was inevitable.

[Terpsfan82]

With Wink at the helm, we were the worst defense of the Ravens in history, yes, he had many injuries, but year after year we saw how our defense, our flagship, was declining.
our pass rush dropped, our linebackers got run over, our cb got burned, miscommunications, tackling, aggressiveness, malice, it didn't measure up to what you'd expect a Raven defense to be.
From what he showed in Michigan, Macdonald looks systematically more flexible, with more zone coverage, more blitz from the safeties (I think we're going to see a lot of what Holland did to us with Miami.
It also seems that he has a good relationship with young people, a 20-year-old boy today is going to pay more attention to what someone like Macdonald says and not someone like wink or rob ryan who would already be like drunken guys at meetings.
Let's hope this change is for the better

This is where I am. Worse than '96 or '97, the dark days of this franchise. Despite the personnel issues, I think he was let go for philosophical differences.

[DeltaRaven]

This is a rabbit hole, but just to be clear. The blitzing and use of C0 got overblown. People saw a stacked LOS and ignored the rain check coverage they were running (which is simulated blitzes - seriously go back and watch, 2 defenders drop into hooks from the opposite side of where Bozeman slides). Stats per Sports Info Solutions:

Dolphins use of blitz packages
In 50 coverage snaps, the Dolphins sent 5 or more on just 22/50 plays (so they blitzed 44% of the time - high, but not "blitz every play" high as it's been referred to).

Dolphins use of Coverages
In 41 pass attempts (beleive there was 9 scrambles that SIS charts different, so I dont have them), the Dolphins used the following coverages:
C0 - 1
C2 - 3
C3 - 17
C4 - 9
Prevent - 4
Uncharted due to screen passes by the Ravens - 6
Outstanding plays (I think 2? were goal line so they dont chart the smae)

There was a misconception that the stacked LOS was them using C0. They did not, and that's per the best charting company that football has.

Maybe the wrong terms are being used. It's just easier to convey a crowded LOS with stuff like zero blitz/cover 0 even if it isn't 100% accurate. But the Dolphins definitely had most of their personnel within 5 yards of the LOS and Roman/Lamar didn't know wtf to do. The fact that we ran 6 screens given the defense they kept showing is more than enough justification to fire Roman.

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

Maybe the wrong terms are being used. It's just easier to convey a crowded LOS with stuff like zero blitz/cover 0 even if it isn't 100% accurate. But the Dolphins definitely had most of their personnel within 5 yards of the LOS and Roman/Lamar didn't know wtf to do. The fact that we ran 6 screens given the defense they kept showing is more than enough justification to fire Roman.

Screens are blitz beaters. Screens are C0 beaters.

The problem was the WRs didnt know who to block. Numerous examples of the WRs literally not knowing what to do.

I did a film room on this exact topic:

[Terpsfan82]

Screens are blitz beaters. Screens are C0 beaters.

The problem was the WRs didnt know who to block. Numerous examples of the WRs literally not knowing what to do.

I did a film room on this exact topic:

So the million dollar question is - why were they seemingly not prepared in the games that followed?

[jonboy79]

Screens are blitz beaters. Screens are C0 beaters.

The problem was the WRs didnt know who to block. Numerous examples of the WRs literally not knowing what to do.

I did a film room on this exact topic:

Stop getting j t he way of the fire a Roman narrative…


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[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

So the million dollar question is - why were they seemingly not prepared in the games that followed?

THAT is the key!

I'm all for criticizing Roman, but you have to criticize the right thing. Lack of practice reps on these pieces are more relevant to me than in-game adjustments.

They called like 8 screens. Go look at what the Bills did against the Dolphins. They countered with...drum roll...SCREENS! They're blitz beaters!

[leachisabeast]

I actually think wink under achieved with the group we had from 2018-2020, particularly 2020. I know we had injuries in 2020 and the covid crisis etc... but when you look at what we had on paper in 2020...

Judon, Bowser, Yannick, healthy Wolfe, Campbell, Peters, Humphrey, and a bunch of solid supporting cast type players that would start on almost every other roster in the league... I expect significantly better than what we got. We had games were we did look flat out dominant (the Bills and Titans games in the play offs come to mind)... but the consistency was just not there. And I think (just my opinion) a lot of that was on Wink.