Thoughts on the Franchise. We can't beat good teams. Are we the definition of average?

[Frenchy789]

2020, we lose to all the teams that made the playoffs during the regular season minus VGreenBay thanks to the fumble. This year is just more of the same. 

 

Since the beginning of Frank Reich's tenure, I've noticed how calm he is no matter what is going on. I don't want Vic Fangio levels of explosive blabbering but what coach on the sidelines is giving the players motivation? 

 

This leads to the possibility of fired up players like Darius Leonard and Jonathan Taylor having to pick up all the slack and that leads to 4th quarter collapses like 2020 @Steelers and tonight @Baltimore. The Defense also comes out clutch at the goal line but this EXTREME bending (remember the 2 games vs the Texans last year?) where we let the opposition run down the field in 3 huge plays and then a miracle fumble/turnover at the goal line saves the day for us. 

 

We should have won that Steelers game and we've seemed to fix our red-zone issues, Carson Wentz is coming back into the player he was. 

 

Both games came down to us leading by multiple scores and then our D getting injured and gassed and just giving up TD's in 3-5 plays. @Baltimore, a blocked field goal would have won us the game. Rodrigo is a 2nd year player, this was the first time he had 70k Raven fans yelling at him and the kick is blocked.

 

We've had ridiculous injuries and came close to beating the Rams and SHOULD HAVE beaten the Ravens tonight..

 

What can we do? 

[Stephen]

We are fine if we can get healthy

[Frenchy789]

That's an issue with every team though! 

 

Our secondary is barely average even when 100% healthy. 

 

Let's not forget we made the play-offs last year with a cake-walk schedule and help from Buffalo. 

[MikeCurtis]

6 hours ago, Stephen said:

We are fine if we can get healthy

Agreed

 

We werent a SB team going into the year

 

I feel much more confident that we have found our QB of the future in Wentz .... the guy is very good

 

He didnt lose the game for us

 

If we can fill 2-3 needed positions for next year (and with Rookie development) , as well as staying somewhat healthy we will compete for SB NEXT year

 

We still need

1) Improved DE play

2) Improved LT play

3) Play making safety

4) Better depth on OL

5) Explosiveness at WR

 

Still a Colts fan.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TimetobringDfence!]

Our Defensive scheme is average, we have to play perfect for it to work. It's too demanding speed wise. The more and more I look at this game I blame Leonard for the loss. He blew four coverages in a row. He is a captain and leader constantly failing in coverage situations. Maybe it's time to adjust this Eberflus D . It always seems to work for part of a game but this scheme lacks adjustment potential.

[GoHorse1992]

31 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

Agreed

 

We werent a SB team going into the year

 

I feel much more confident that we have found our QB of the future in Wentz .... the guy is very good

 

He didnt lose the game for us

 

If we can fill 2-3 needed positions for next year (and with Rookie development) , as well as staying somewhat healthy we will compete for SB NEXT year

 

We still need

1) Improved DE play

2) Improved LT play

3) Play making safety

4) Better depth on OL

5) Explosiveness at WR

 

Still a Colts fan.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agree with this but I would put play making corner as the number 1 need. I know our scheme doesn’t necessarily fit a dominant shut down corner but we need someone who can turn their head and make a play on the ball every now and then. Also wishfully hoping we change to more of a man scheme than the soft zone. 

[krunk]

We need to finish games. Thats our problem. None of our contests have been over in the 4th quarter. We need to finish teams off.

[Mr.Debonair]

We are average. No playmakers or above average player in the secondary. Bad LB play, including Leonard who will get a pass for being hurt. Inconsisten DL play all across it. That coupled with a very passive scheme

 

Lack of cohesion on the O-line due to injuries. Boring Offense, that forgets about good players like MAC, or JT *see Titans game*, Redzone woes.

 

Special Teams with no juice at all in the return game. Punter is very good. Kicker inconsistent also

 

HC poor time management, questionable 4th down calls, and play calling in general 

 

 

[MikeCurtis]

2 hours ago, GoHorse1992 said:

Agree with this but I would put play making corner as the number 1 need. I know our scheme doesn’t necessarily fit a dominant shut down corner but we need someone who can turn their head and make a play on the ball every now and then. Also wishfully hoping we change to more of a man scheme than the soft zone. 

The true shutdown corners are extremely expensive and in this defensive scheme, are a bit wasted.

 

Average CBs that can tackle, can look REALLY good in this defense........ IF.. (a big IF)  you have a pass rush

 

If we go to a man scheme, we will have to change several other positions as well

 

The zone , "tampa" style defense CAN work well but you need to invest in a pass rush, and we need a play making safety back there

[Defjamz26]

9 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

The true shutdown corners are extremely expensive and in this defensive scheme, are a bit wasted.

 

Average CBs that can tackle, can look REALLY good in this defense........ IF.. (a big IF)  you have a pass rush

 

If we go to a man scheme, we will have to change several other positions as well

 

The zone , "tampa" style defense CAN work well but you need to invest in a pass rush, and we need a play making safety back there

We don’t have either of those things and that’s the problem. I keep hearing about how this defense is supposed to work, but it hasn’t materialized on the field. Eberflus and Ballard are equally to blame. If soft zone coverage is getting you beat constantly you’d think the team would….idk try something else. Also can’t fault Flus when your stable of pass rushers are Lewis, Muhammad, Turray, and Banogu and your corners are Rhodes and PS level players. 

[r a y s k i]

 

2 hours ago, TimetobringDfence! said:

Our Defensive scheme is average, we have to play perfect for it to work. It's too demanding speed wise. The more and more I look at this game I blame Leonard for the loss. He blew four coverages in a row. He is a captain and leader constantly failing in coverage situations. Maybe it's time to adjust this Eberflus D . It always seems to work for part of a game but this scheme lacks adjustment potential.

The problem was that by the end of the 3rd quarter we were down so many coverage guys and had newbies in that ultimately Leonard was given assignments that I feel he shouldn't have. I barely recognised our D in the 4th. Keyes, Sendejo, Chesley etc all on the field when the game mattered.

 

Leonard is leaving it all on every play and is getting imo unwarranted criticism because he got paid

[GoHorse1992]

24 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

The true shutdown corners are extremely expensive and in this defensive scheme, are a bit wasted.

 

Average CBs that can tackle, can look REALLY good in this defense........ IF.. (a big IF)  you have a pass rush

 

If we go to a man scheme, we will have to change several other positions as well

 

The zone , "tampa" style defense CAN work well but you need to invest in a pass rush, and we need a play making safety back there

The tackle whiffs by the corners this year have been incredibly frustrating. 

[TimetobringDfence!]

16 minutes ago, rayski said:

 

The problem was that by the end of the 3rd quarter we were down so many coverage guys and had newbies in that ultimately Leonard was given assignments that I feel he shouldn't have. I barely recognised our D in the 4th. Keyes, Sendejo, Chesley etc all on the field when the game mattered.

 

Leonard is leaving it all on every play and is getting imo unwarranted criticism because he got paid

Sendejo has been solid for us, I'd rather see him over Willis. You may be right, but this has been an issue with him and Okereke for a while now. I will say Leonard was probably gased by the 4th.

[r a y s k i]

I need to see more to "evaluate" Sendejo myself but I have been pretty happy with both Willis and Blackmon as our safety pair.

Also unpopular opinion but been happy w Okereke and Leonard too. 

 

We might not have the same expectations but imo in a passing league like this with insane pass catching talents everywhere when it comes to coverage linebackers as long as they are there to make the tackle it's good coverage, breaking up a pass is cherry on top. Like if you look at Okereke on the drive the Ravens tied, he was right there just not made the play. It's his second year, he'll get better. But I understand many are disappointed w him so far

[Jackie Daytona]

11 hours ago, Frenchy789 said:

2020, we lose to all the teams that made the playoffs during the regular season minus VGreenBay thanks to the fumble. This year is just more of the same. 

 

Since the beginning of Frank Reich's tenure, I've noticed how calm he is no matter what is going on. I don't want Vic Fangio levels of explosive blabbering but what coach on the sidelines is giving the players motivation? 

 

This leads to the possibility of fired up players like Darius Leonard and Jonathan Taylor having to pick up all the slack and that leads to 4th quarter collapses like 2020 @Steelers and tonight @Baltimore. The Defense also comes out clutch at the goal line but this EXTREME bending (remember the 2 games vs the Texans last year?) where we let the opposition run down the field in 3 huge plays and then a miracle fumble/turnover at the goal line saves the day for us. 

 

We should have won that Steelers game and we've seemed to fix our red-zone issues, Carson Wentz is coming back into the player he was. 

 

Both games came down to us leading by multiple scores and then our D getting injured and gassed and just giving up TD's in 3-5 plays. @Baltimore, a blocked field goal would have won us the game. Rodrigo is a 2nd year player, this was the first time he had 70k Raven fans yelling at him and the kick is blocked.

 

We've had ridiculous injuries and came close to beating the Rams and SHOULD HAVE beaten the Ravens tonight..

 

What can we do? 

Definition of avg?  No.  1-4 is not the definition of avg.

[Jackie Daytona]

1 hour ago, rayski said:

I need to see more to "evaluate" Sendejo myself but I have been pretty happy with both Willis and Blackmon as our safety pair.

Also unpopular opinion but been happy w Okereke and Leonard too. 

 

We might not have the same expectations but imo in a passing league like this with insane pass catching talents everywhere when it comes to coverage linebackers as long as they are there to make the tackle it's good coverage, breaking up a pass is cherry on top. Like if you look at Okereke on the drive the Ravens tied, he was right there just not made the play. It's his second year, he'll get better. But I understand many are disappointed w him so far

Yeah, people wanting constant pbu from NFL lbers is kind of funny.  The defense let's slants get thrown into the soft zone constantly, and when people see a completed pass there or quick in the flat, assume it's lack of skill by lbers....nah, it's mostly by design.  I hate the design, but it's what it is.