What needs fixing?
You don't expect the Ravens' defense to allow a game-winning drive with two minutes left to play. You also don't expect the 2009 Ravens' offense to put up just 257 yards and score just seven points.
We saw both of those rather unfamiliar sights in Baltimore's 17-14 loss to the Bengals yesterday.
When the Ravens have a four-point lead with 2:15 to go in the fourth quarter, conventional wisdom says that the game is in the bag.
Conventional wisdom didn't apply in Charm City yesterday.
Needing a late touchdown drive to come away with the W, Carson Palmer took the Bengals 80 yards in 11 plays, and his 20-yard TD pass to Andre Caldwell gave Cincinnati the go-ahead score with 22 seconds remaining.
"It was unsettling," cornerback Domonique Foxworth said. "It doesn't feel good. You want the pressure on you in situations as an individual and as a unit on the defense. Especially in Baltimore, you welcome that situation, and you think it's to your advantage, and it wasn't today."
"I'd take that opportunity every day of the week," said linebacker Jarret Johnson. "Being up and [forcing the Bengals to go a] long field, you know, I want to be in that opportunity every single time, and we didn't come through today."
While the Baltimore defense couldn't hold the Bengals late in the game, the Baltimore offense didn't exactly keep up its end of the bargain either.
Through the season's first three games, the Ravens were averaging 34 points per game and were putting up over 430 yards per contest.
Yesterday, Joe Flacco completed just four passes to his wide receivers, the Ravens had 18 or fewer rushing plays for the second straight week, and Ray Rice's 48-yard touchdown reception was really the only play that saved the unit from a truly embarrassing performance.
"We know we have work to do," wide receiver Mark Clayton said simply. "We've got to score points. We'll work on that and get it next week."
The Bengals' big road win surprised me, and apparently it surprised most of you as well. Of the predictions that you guys posted late last week, only "LimoDriver" correctly forecasted a Bengals victory.
Kudos to you, Mr. Driver.
Judging from a couple of the comments after the game yesterday, some of you are a little frustrated with how the Ravens have played, especially on the defensive side of the ball, the last two weeks.
But let's not freak out yet, people. It's early in the season, and a playoff run could obviously still be in the cards. There are a lot of positives that we've seen in the first five games.
Of course there have been a few negatives as well, and there are some flaws that head coach John Harbaugh and his staff need to correct.
It's always easier to point those flaws out after a loss, so, with that in mind, this week's Monday morning question to you is: What about this team concerns you the most right now?
Is it the play of the Ravens' secondary? The sudden decline in the number of running plays? The lack of a consistent pass rush? The length of Ed Reed's beard?
Now's your chance to vent (not that you wouldn't if I didn't ask you to.) What's the one main issue you've got with how the Ravens have played the past two weeks?
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Categories (click for archive)Dan Kolko | Ravens News |
Dan,
One thing I'll say about yesterdays game (and its only for one game) is the Ravens looked out coached on the offensive side of the ball. Its not that Cam called a "vanilla" game but it just seemed like the Bengals were guessing right at every turn. Flacco also looked a little gun shy after throwing his first pick, almost like he didn't trust himself to go down field again. Defensively we've been playing a "bend don't break" kind of style which is okay except that the #'s don't look to good when everything is said and done. Reed forced 2 turnovers yesterday which kept the score close when you think about it. Honestly, this is the worst the Ravens have looked as a team this year and they still almost pulled out the W. I'm a little worried that we aren't pounding the ball as much recently it seems but I'm certainly not in panic mode. We have a rough stretch still ahead of us w/ Minnesota and Denver games coming up and then the Bengals again. This team we'll need to get it in gear soon, its going to be a tight race for playoff spots.
No venting necessary. Just a short term crisis that should right itself this week. When have the Ravens ever played well as front-runners? It would be nice to have just ONE big corner though. Being a Terps alum and a Ravens fans, I'm having a hard time looking forward to the weekend these days.
One question, where is D. Williams? He would've been able to run under that Flacco pass.
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Brwils,
Williams is planted firmly on the bench right now. The coaching staff is happy with the receiving trio of Mason, Clayton and Washington, and that leaves Williams on the outside looking in.
-Dan
it would be great if we were only concerned with the past two weeks but unfortunately our defense has struggled in every game except against the browns. our defense has never been this embarrassed. it may be time to replace mattison with someone who can get this defense playing better. maybe someone like romeo crennel could produce better results with our defense.
There are a lot of things that need to be fixed. I was really disappointed in how bad they played yesterday. The offense was unwatchable and I thought the defense played pretty well up until that last drive. The defense is the only reason we were still in the game. I'm having a hard time seeing any positives out of this game and I really don't see this team making the playoffs. I think there is very little chance that we pull out a win in Minnesota. Were the receivers even on the field??? I would much rather have a loss like last week in NE where at least I still felt good about my team but I just don't know what to think right now.
The biggest concerns for me is not only the secondary, but also the huge decrease in the amount of blitzing. These two things go hand in hand. In order to blitz you have to have confidence that your secondary will hold their man, of which it seems like every time we send a blitz, we get burned for big chunks of yardage. So conventional thinking would mean that we should blitz less, but with that being said we leave ourselves open to be picked apart by good quarterbacks (i.e. tom brady, carson palmer, big ben, etc.) So what do we do? It seems like we need to do better in the secondary and everything else will start to remedy itself. This means more successful blitzes due to the large amount of time the quarterback will take in order to find an open receiver. Also, this would force a team to run the ball more, of which run defense is our specialty (even if yesterday didn't look like it).
The offense just had an off day - they will be ok.
M.
The only thing worse than watching the meltdown is waking up this morning and listening to all the "Who Dey" chants here in Cincy. I should have scheduled a meeting out of town today! The Ravens weren't as good as the media hyped them early. Wins over KC and Cleveland and holding on against SD weren't exactly confidence inspiring. Some discipline and execution in the NE and Cincy games and they're 5-0 however. Like most contenders, the Ravens have time to find their game but the discipline likely cost them a Super Bowl trip last year (thanks Mr. Stone) and so far in 2009 is still the key issue to address. Poor pass rush, undersized corners and conservative playcalling aside, this team is sitting 5-0 with some concentration and discipline.
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Hang in there. The Ravens are heading your way in just four weeks, so you've got a chance to get even if Baltimore can swipe one at Paul Brown Stadium.
-Dan
The secondary and the pass rush--they are obviously related--both me the most.
The offense puzzled me yesterday Where was Derrick Mason? Why weren't there more 15-25 yard passes? Was that something that the Bengels did? Why were 3rd down passes thrown to receivers short of the 1st down marker? That was something we didn't do in the first few games, and did with regularity yesterday. Or so it seemed to me, without actually looking at the stats.
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Sam,
Yes, the Bengals made it a priority to take away the Ravens' deep shots down the field and limit them to check downs and screens. They wanted to keep everything in front of them, and they executed their gameplan to perfection. Now that this tape is out there, other teams will surely copy that strategy, so we'll see how offensive coordinator Cam Cameron responds.
-Dan
Man - where did all the FUN go from the Ravens offense?? NO surprises no trick plays no wildcat - where is Troy Smith?? We ain't no fun no more and it's hurting us. It's like we got TOO serious and taken all the other teams "guessing" out of the equation?! And did Derrick Mason retire again before the kickoff? How do we go from Flacco to Mason time after time after time to Derrick WHO?????? What's up with that? Cam stunk yesterday and it killed us. Ray Ray let his THUG rise up at just the wrong time and cost us the game!! He leads by example and his followers followed him with yellow flags marching the Bengals right down to a touchdown! Be smarter than that Ray Ray - come on man!!! Sorry sorry game all around. We will either get much better or they will pass us by BEEP BEEP!!!
Although Landry has made a few plays this year, he is struggling in pass coverage. Also, I get nervous every time Ed Reed is near Landry when Landry goes in for a huge hit. #26 has literally missed the tackle and crushed Reed above the shoulders several times this year.
I like the kid, but he's got to play better. What do you think?
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FPC,
You're right, Foxworth and Washington are getting a lot of attention for their struggles, but Landry hasn't played especially well either. I've seen him take a few poor routes to a ball in the air, and he's not playing at the level he was prior to his injury last year. He's another guy that needs to step it up.
-Dan