Question for Ravens Fans

[Ivan]

Pretty much everyone is aware that the achilles heel for the Patriots this year has been the secondary, safety in particular. What is the Ravens achilles heel?

An early look at draft sites has them going OL pretty consistently, is that their weakness?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Pretty much everyone is aware that the achilles heel for the Patriots this year has been the secondary, safety in particular. What is the Ravens achilles heel?

An early look at draft sites has them going OL pretty consistently, is that their weakness?

Quarterback, offensive line (their tackles are pretty bad), followed by lack of speed and inability to cover the middle of the field in the nickel formation, since Ray Lewis doesn't have much mobility anymore.

 

[Clonamery]

Cam Cameron - every Ravens fan wants this man GONE. Wanted him gone last year, but the lockout saved him. He's the biggest problem. Flacco is inconsistant, but i'd like to see what he could do without this idiot. His numbers the first 3 years are infact similar to Brees in SD under Cam

Offensive line-they do a pretty good job protecting unless going against elite d-lines, which NE doesnt have. Same applies to getting push on run blocking. False starts have been their biggest problems

D-Line - has been having trouble getting to QB's without blitzing. Suggs has been beasting, but Ngata has been doing nada and many think he's playing with an injury

Brian Schottenheimer is available.

 

[Tunescribe]

Cam Cameron - every Ravens fan wants this man GONE. Wanted him gone last year, but the lockout saved him. He's the biggest problem. Flacco is inconsistant, but i'd like to see what he could do without this idiot. His numbers the first 3 years are infact similar to Brees in SD under Cam

Offensive line-they do a pretty good job protecting unless going against elite d-lines, which NE doesnt have. Same applies to getting push on run blocking. False starts have been their biggest problems

D-Line - has been having trouble getting to QB's without blitzing. Suggs has been beasting, but Ngata has been doing nada and many think he's playing with an injury

The parallels with the Jets here are startlingly similar. Fans hate the OC and want him gone but the quarterback is inconsistent, offensive line is balky, defensive line needs blitz help, etc., etc.

 

[i82much]

Probably the biggest defensive liability was demonstrated by the Chargers - we don't have the horses to cover big, strong receivers that run great routes. Your TE's out wide are a matchup problem. Inside with safety help or LB's I am less worried - Ray, Reed are older and slower but still find a way to get it done - really.

Offense - just inconsistency, really. Two biggest problems are dropped passes and some really bad days by Flacco. But the offense is not as bad as you might think, there are games when they really get it done. For that to happen, just has to be one of those days where Flacco and his receivers are in sync. Doesn't happen often enough.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Probably the biggest defensive liability was demonstrated by the Chargers - we don't have the horses to cover big, strong receivers that run great routes. Your TE's out wide are a matchup problem. Inside with safety help or LB's I am less worried - Ray, Reed are older and slower but still find a way to get it done - really.

Offense - just inconsistency, really. Two biggest problems are dropped passes and some really bad days by Flacco. But the offense is not as bad as you might think, there are games when they really get it done. For that to happen, just has to be one of those days where Flacco and his receivers are in sync. Doesn't happen often enough.

Nice to hear the level-headed Ravens fans being heard from in this thread. A little analysis rather than bravado!

Definitely correct on the offense and its inconsistency, I have seen Flacco look like he's really figured things out and then look like he's having trouble getting on the same page with the receivers.

As for the OL, living in MN for so long I cannot help but think Bryant McKinnie has been a bit of a liability this season, but I love their guards and Matt Birk still gets it done. This could be improved but really doesn't seem like a unit in need of a face lift.

 

[i82much]

Nice to hear the level-headed Ravens fans being heard from in this thread. A little analysis rather than bravado!

Definitely correct on the offense and its inconsistency, I have seen Flacco look like he's really figured things out and then look like he's having trouble getting on the same page with the receivers.

As for the OL, living in MN for so long I cannot help but think Bryant McKinnie has been a bit of a liability this season, but I love their guards and Matt Birk still gets it done. This could be improved but really doesn't seem like a unit in need of a face lift.

Yeah, I mean the tackles have been serviceable, not great. Getting Grubbs back has helped quite a bit but it wasn't enough for us to run the ball effectively vs. the Texans, and even Yanda didn't look great out there.

Kind of hard to believe watching Flacco vs. Jacksonville and then thinking it could be the same guy who led that last-minute drive in Pittsburgh. I think everyone in Baltimore (including Ed Reed) is wondering which Joe shows up Sunday?

As far as the D goes, there have been some games where they absolutely snarled, just took over. Suggs for one, Ngata less often this year due to injury. But also there have been games where the D hasn't come up with any big plays. I guess we'll see. I really hope Reed plays, got to give Brady something to think about before he throws the ball over the middle or it will be a long, long day for Baltimore fans.