Ray Lewis Video Interview

**ravenjoe** · 08-16-2009, 08:44 PM

I don't know if this video has been posted previously, but here it is. It's about 20 minutes long, but very captivating. All I can say is that we here in Baltimore have been very lucky, i.e. we have seen the Greatest QB ever in the history of the NFL perform - John Unitas - as well as the Greatest MLB to have ever played - Mr. Ray Lewis!

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcnorth/...html?post=true

**bmorebirds_24** · 08-16-2009, 10:18 PM

Thanks for posting that! just ran through two walls in my house and am looking for a brick one to knock down.

**Stealthbirds80** · 08-17-2009, 01:04 PM

My favorite part is about the defense seemingly not changing and to basically "do what you always have been doing b/c I'm (Mattison) is just here to facilitate". Well the defense should be lights out again especially if we can produce pressure with the front four and not expose ourselves to the deep ball as often as in the past. I hated when our blitzes would get picked up and it was bombs away.

**Jeremiah W** · 08-17-2009, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by Stealthbirds80

My favorite part is about the defense seemingly not changing and to basically "do what you always have been doing b/c I'm (Mattison) is just here to facilitate". Well the defense should be lights out again especially if we can produce pressure with the front four and not expose ourselves to the deep ball as often as in the past. I hated when our blitzes would get picked up and it was bombs away.

Me too. I thought it was an unneccery risk vs reward against certain Qbs. It really did punish and rattle guys with weak protection though. Hopefully we will still use it but not lean on it in every obvious situation. The 3 and 4 man rush that still gets pressure is by far the toughest to pass against, and I think we could still get pressure with Suggs Nagta and Pryce if they were all fresh on those 3rd and longs. maybe bring the 4th or 5th guy from the second level on a delay if they keep in an extra blocker. Most of the time it is the second effort of the QB that gets us so a delayed blitz or an aggresive QB spy could be more effective than the zone blitz stuff we have been using dropping Dts and stuff.

**Stealthbirds80** · 08-19-2009, 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by Jeremiah W

Me too. I thought it was an unneccery risk vs reward against certain Qbs. It really did punish and rattle guys with weak protection though. Hopefully we will still use it but not lean on it in every obvious situation. The 3 and 4 man rush that still gets pressure is by far the toughest to pass against, and I think we could still get pressure with Suggs Nagta and Pryce if they were all fresh on those 3rd and longs. maybe bring the 4th or 5th guy from the second level on a delay if they keep in an extra blocker. Most of the time it is the second effort of the QB that gets us so a delayed blitz or an aggresive QB spy could be more effective than the zone blitz stuff we have been using dropping Dts and stuff.

Agreed, I always felt that this defense was way to talented to run so many defensive gimmicks and tricks. Maybe last year it was needed with the injuries, but I think we can play vanilla (in our terms) defense and probably be #1 easily. Line up and try to beat us, but it worked to a point so far. I just think we can be even better than we have been if that is possible.

**Jeremiah W** · 08-20-2009, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by Stealthbirds80

Agreed, I always felt that this defense was way to talented to run so many defensive gimmicks and tricks. Maybe last year it was needed with the injuries, but I think we can play vanilla (in our terms) defense and probably be #1 easily. Line up and try to beat us, but it worked to a point so far. I just think we can be even better than we have been if that is possible.

I always felt like playing great D was like 90% personel and 10% scheme and game plan, while on O it is more like 60/40 or 70/30 because you decide what you are going to do and the D has to react, you can dictate what matchups you attack, who you double block and so on with motion, false cadence, audibles, option routes or whatever. There are 1000 plays in some O playbooks.