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Post by Ravenchamp on Dec 9, 2015 15:25:59 GMT -5
Baltimore Ravens
4-8, 3rd in AFC Northern Division
Sunday, December 13, 1:00 PM on FOX
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Seattle
Seahawks
(7-5)
@
Baltimore
Ravens
(4-8)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2015 1:42:19 GMT -5
The Seahawks look like they're starting to roll, while the Ravens look like a prime candidate to get rolled this Sunday. I'm thinking that this one could get a tad ugly.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Dec 10, 2015 11:11:57 GMT -5
If Schaub is too dinged up to go, it will get ugly fast. A guy on the radio this morning offered some numbers on Clausen, and they were... well, let's just say it's not hard to understand why he was available. I would bet the string of close games ends here, with some kind of blowout along the lines of what Belichick's Patriots often hand out.
Apparently, Harbaugh has long history with both Pees and Castillo. That's a pity, because the Ravens clearly need to say goodbye to both those men in the offseason, and it shouldn't take Bisciotti telling Harbaugh he has to fire them; Harbaugh should do that job himself. Trestman's play calling has been Cameronesque vanilla, but let's give him another year.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2015 2:07:53 GMT -5
Interestingly enough, the Ravens defense has actually ranked among the best in the league since their bye week. In those four games, they've allowed the fewest passing yards (164), and the second-fewest passing yards (257).
The skeptic in me, however, immediately recognizes that this defensive renaissance has occurred against the likes of Blake Bortles, Ryan Tannehill, Case Keenum, and whoever happens to be under center for Cleveland at any given time. I'm guessing that the Ravens won't be able to maintain that lofty perch in the coming weeks against the likes of Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger and Andy Dalton. |
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Post by Evil Yoda on Dec 11, 2015 11:33:15 GMT -5
The defense has improved, but neither Smith nor Webb has been terribly impressive deep. Earlier I thought that as was Pees schemes, but maybe he's got those guys playing like that because he knows that can't succeed playing close; he's got to allow the pass and hope to prevent too many yards after the catch. Except that Webb can't tackle, either. Meanwhile, the Ravens could be putting a third string passer against some talented corners. I just don't see any wins in the rest of the season.
Will the Bengals/Dalton continue their tradition of not actually winning playoff games, I wonder?
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Post by Ravenchamp on Dec 13, 2015 15:11:42 GMT -5
The game is sad as expected
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Post by Evil Yoda on Dec 13, 2015 16:15:06 GMT -5
The game went pretty much how I expected. Some guys are clearly auditioning for next year (Aiken), and some guys are ready for the gold watch (the entire secondary). Pees needs to go. Castillo needs to go.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2015 23:58:10 GMT -5
The game went pretty much how I expected. Some guys are clearly auditioning for next year (Aiken), and some guys are ready for the gold watch (the entire secondary). Pees needs to go. Castillo needs to go.I don't necessarily agree with that, and I don't think it's going to happen.
Castillo was the whipping boy two years ago when the run game stagnated and the line couldn't keep Flacco vertical. Last year, however, that talk was muted when the line performed much better in both respects. The line has regressed somewhat this year, but I don't think that's all on Castillo. Eugene Monroe has basically been sitting on his wallet after the Ravens gave him that fat contract, Zuttah has been hurt, and James Hurst might be the first lineman to be pushed backward a thousand yards in a season. The Ravens certainly didn't blow any holes into Seattle's defensive line today, but then again, the Seahawks were jamming the line of scrimmage and playing the pass essentially from memory.
Osemele has already shifted to left tackle, and (assuming the Ravens can re-sign him, which is a big if) hopefully that will provide the blindside protection the Ravens have lacked. Ryan Jensen (who didn't do too well today) should be put in Osemele's spot to see if he can hold up against some of the NFL's better defenses in the coming weeks. If not, then the Ravens have work to do in the offseason on an area that was thought to be a strength going in, but that isn't all on Castillo.
Ditto Pees. He looks like the Easter Bunny scratching for eggs right now. The Ravens had no pass rush, which was compounded by a complete lack of coverage in the secondary. The Seahawks scored on five touchdown passes today, and would have had a sixth if not for a drop in the end zone. Most of the time, those plays looked completely undefended; Russell Wilson could have shot-putted the ball and there still wouldn't have been a defensive back close enough to do anything. Ladarius Webb, in particular, has been atrocious, but at least he's consistent. He can get beat from both the corner and safety positions. You can scheme all you want, but the bottom line is that for any defense to effective, there needs to be talent. Pees is woefully short right now.
When a season goes south, someone has to be the sacrificial lamb, but I don't think it will be anyone remotely high profile. Maybe the secondary coach--whoever that is, or the associate assistant strength coach in charge of protein shakes, but that's likely about it. The Ravens typically aren't ones to go through and clean house.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Dec 14, 2015 19:01:07 GMT -5
Both men have history with Harbaugh, apparently, so you're probably right: he won't fire them, but it will be for that reason, not because they're any good. The offensive line was better last year because the offensive coordinator was better. Now that Kubiak is gone, it has regressed. My low opinion of both men is not solely based on this year, but on their several years of work. Likely the only way they get fired is if Bisciotti makes Harbaugh fire them; I don't know if he will do that or not.
People in the front office responsible for ensuring there was some depth also failed. This could be seen during the preseason, when it was apparent how much better other teams' second and third string players were than what the Ravens were putting on the field. The talent isn't there, and and injuries have made that apparent. But that's this year. Neither Pees nor Castillo set their positions on fire, and one way you know is this: as other coaches are being hired away for promotions by other teams, no one wants these men. The other way you know is that they keep approaching the game the same way, week in and week out, despite it demonstrably not working. I'm talking about that loose, sloppy secondary work Pees schemes call for, for one example.
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