We Won, But . . .

[highwater]

Any time we can win a game on the road should be a happy occasion, and although I'm the kind of person who generally savors every win, this was a pretty unsatisfying victory. The defense was dominant but our offense is a mystery. Why is it so hard to actually get into the end zone? Is it the playcalling? Is it McNair? Is it the injuries?

I don't get it -- even with Heap out, we've got a pretty decent receiving group, but McNair has to throw 40 or 50 passes just to have an average day in terms of passing yardage. Are these short passes Neuhisal's idea? I know Billick is calling the plays but Neushisal's supposed to be in charge of the offense.

I don't know, but the offensive philosophy seems different this year.

[Heap86]

We are 3-2 right now, but without a few lucky breaks, this team could easily be sitting at 0-5.

This team has yet to have a dominant victory.

Nobody in there right mind should be taking this team as a serious contender.

Changes have to be made, and the first one is the Quarterback.

If big changes are not made, this team is headed for 8-8 at the most.

[RavenScallywag]

Here's what I can see wrong...

We have a serious problem going deep. We seemed to take a few shots yesterday, but the ball either sailed overhead or out of bounds...Don't know if it's McNair tanking on the throws or just Billick not giving us enough deep ball practice, but our dink and dunk game is getting stale FAST.

Since our passing game can't go deep, that's allowing teams to stack the box on our runs, which are still pretty kindergarten at times (Run forward into a huge pile of defenders).

The D played well yesterday, outside of the back to back long passes from Dilfer.

[RavensNTerps]

We are 3-2 right now, but without a few lucky breaks, this team could easily be sitting at 0-5.

This team has yet to have a dominant victory.

Nobody in there right mind should be taking this team as a serious contender.

Changes have to be made, and the first one is the Quarterback.

If big changes are not made, this team is headed for 8-8 at the most.

We were 4-0 last year and could have easily been 2-2, so what's your point? Let's be honest, we shouldn't have beaten Cleveland or San Diego last year and we still ended up at 13-3.

[Fiesty Ravens Chic]

I will take and ugly Win over a pretty Loss anyday!! But we all know that if something doesn't change soon we will be having serious issues. 9 pts will not beat IND,PIT,NE or SD. So they have 2 weeks to pull it together. STL is 0-5 and we should concider this a W since we will be at home but they way we have been playing we can not concider anything a W anymore.:(

[Purpleguy]

Here's what I can see wrong...

We have a serious problem going deep. We seemed to take a few shots yesterday, but the ball either sailed overhead or out of bounds...Don't know if it's McNair tanking on the throws or just Billick not giving us enough deep ball practice, but our dink and dunk game is getting stale FAST.

Since our passing game can't go deep, that's allowing teams to stack the box on our runs, which are still pretty kindergarten at times (Run forward into a huge pile of defenders).

The D played well yesterday, outside of the back to back long passes from Dilfer.

Even if McNair didn't practice a deep pass for 3 weeks is it acceptable for a guy that has been a starter for over a decade to miss that badly on his few deep shots. Billick isn't calling these plays. You don't call a play that asks the QB to wait 5 seconds to throw a 3 yard pass. McNair doesn't look all that injured either, so I'm tired of hearing that excuse. He is playing scared and his arm is shot and he knows it. This may be the first time in his career that he has even remotely been on the "hot seat" and he's not reacting well to it.

[Mwjergs]

Sports cliche #265
"If we don't get a few breaks, this team is 0-5."
Well, they did get them and they won. Just as if they didn't get them they would have lost. Stop living the media creation of possible futures and alternate timelines. They are 3-2. They have not played a full game well on both sides of the football.
Just win baby!
It may have been sleep inducing and ugly but it was a "W".
It is clear that there are offensive issues a plenty. As the Red Zone problem of 2000 has reared it's ugly head once more. We know how that ended.

I went searching and found this on NFL.com.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d802b2b0b&template=with-video&confirm=true
Could this explain the lack of committment to the run?

[3RDRowRaven]

We won but.....it's not going to be easy after we play the next 2 cupcake teams ahead of us. After the bye week the shit is really gonna hit the fan.

As of now after the 5 games we played we are scoring on avg 17.6 points per game. This offense has not shown me jack shit so far this season. I might give them alittle credit vs the Cardinals but thats it. When we play Cincy, Pitt, Indy, Pats at home this year do you really think 17 points is gonna win any of those games? Don't bet your life on it. If this offense continues to play the way it is now I won't be writing any check for playoff tickets come December.

JMO :grbac:

[WxKevin]

Don't forget that road wins on the West Coast are tough. We haven't faired well in the past. Playing without Samari, Trevor, Todd Heap, Daniel Wilcox, JO, and Flynn to name a few it is a miracle we won. Tell me if you would have expected a win going into the game if you knew that 3 rookies were playing the OL. It is great win!

Now, they are going to have to decide what to do with McNair. I am not going to be one of those people that say we should have gone down the field more because watching it on TV we have no idea if the receivers were even open. It is pretty obvious that Billick's game plan was to dink and dunk because the 49ers defense is fast. That's how you have to play against a fast, aggressive defense. Sound familiar? That's what the Colts, Patriots, Bengals and the Chiefs did a couple of years ago did to our fast and aggressive defense.

That being said, the times that McNair does go down field he is missing the receivers. The next 2 teams we play are so bad that we could probably get away with how the Ravens have been playing. But after the bye, things get extremely tough. They have 3 weeks to decide whether Boller would give them a better chance this season.

[camdenyard]

We were missing so many pieces on offense yesterday that it is fortunate we won...on the road...on the west coast. Seriously, three rookies on the OL...and McNair wasn't sacked ONCE that I recall. How many teams can say that?

That being said, the offense (except for McGahee, who's a keeper) smelled like rotten fish. Really bad. I don't know if it's McNair, but I can definitely see that he has a habit of checking down much faster than he has been. It almost looks like he's afraid to get hit.

[ffeineandsugar]

Is it just me, or did Musa Smith really plug up the ground game this time around? He had 5 carries for 2 yards, but to my eyes, those 5 carries destroyed several drives. He's not hitting the hole with any authority, he's not breaking tackles, and to my eyes, he's not what we need in a 3rd down back. I can live w/some of the other stuff the Ravens showed, including the young OL adjustments and McNair's performance. But we need to consider other options at RB to spell McGahee. Your thoughts?

[highwater]

I don't know if it's McNair, but I can definitely see that he has a habit of checking down much faster than he has been. It almost looks like he's afraid to get hit.

You might be right, but why would he have that fear? The OL actually has been pass blocking pretty well -- he didn't get sacked once yesterday, and they ran about 45 pass plays. I don't have an answer but he doesn't play or look like the same QB we saw last year.

[RavenFanatic2k6]

I don't get it -- even with Heap out, we've got a pretty decent receiving group, but McNair has to throw 40 or 50 passes just to have an average day in terms of passing yardage. Are these short passes Neuhisal's idea? I know Billick is calling the plays but Neushisal's supposed to be in charge of the offense.

I don't know, but the offensive philosophy seems different this year.

I don't get why we are throwing 40 and 50 passes when you have a RB that is averaging 4 YPC.

The offensive philosophy is different. Billick is passing the ball WAY too much this year, I don't know if he doesn't realize we don't have two packs a day running for us anymore or not, but he better realize it soon, and realize that the best chance for this offense to be successful is to let McGahee carry us.

I wouldn't have a problem if the passing game was producing big plays, but it isn't. Throwing the ball two and three yards, IMO you might as well just run it, McGahee has a better chance of breaking a tackle or two and getting a 10, 15, 20 yard gain than the recievers do.

[highwater]

I can live w/some of the other stuff the Ravens showed, including the young OL adjustments and McNair's performance. But we need to consider other options at RB to spell McGahee. Your thoughts?

Two words -- Mike Anderson. Why aren't we using this guy? He was a thousand yard rusher at Denver, but he can't even get into a game? He is supposedly healthy now, so why not work him back into a game?

[WxKevin]

Is it just me, or did Musa Smith really plug up the ground game this time around? He had 5 carries for 2 yards, but to my eyes, those 5 carries destroyed several drives. He's not hitting the hole with any authority, he's not breaking tackles, and to my eyes, he's not what we need in a 3rd down back. I can live w/some of the other stuff the Ravens showed, including the young OL adjustments and McNair's performance. But we need to consider other options at RB to spell McGahee. Your thoughts?

I started thinking the same thing last week. Musa is not doing anything with regards to the running game. He is a nice option out of the backfield but that only ever happens on 3rd down.

[RavenFanatic2k6]

Thing is, the Ravens don't need to take McGahee out on third downs. He is more than capable of catching the ball and getting yards after he catches. He is the complete back.

They are pulling McGahee out way too much. I know you can't leave him in the entire game, but taking him out after he gains 20+ yards on two carries is borderline moronic, he's a physical specimen, he's not Jamal Lewis who could only carry twice for 4 yards and have to go to the sideline for oxygen.

I also agree about Smith, when they need to pull McGahee for a breather, Smith has been killing drives the past two weeks. Lets see what Anderson can do.

[btownraven]

I don't get why we are throwing 40 and 50 passes when you have a RB that is averaging 4 YPC.

The offensive philosophy is different. Billick is passing the ball WAY too much this year, I don't know if he doesn't realize we don't have two packs a day running for us anymore or not, but he better realize it soon, and realize that the best chance for this offense to be successful is to let McGahee carry us.

I wouldn't have a problem if the passing game was producing big plays, but it isn't. Throwing the ball two and three yards, IMO you might as well just run it, McGahee has a better chance of breaking a tackle or two and getting a 10, 15, 20 yard gain than the recievers do.
I agree 100%. You also have a gimpy QB right now. How can anyone justify 43 passes when you lead the entire game? As a point of comparison - Roethlisberger threw 22 passes total yesterday.

[Dade]

McNair threw 43 times Sunday. Why would you call so many pass plays when you lead for 2 and 1/2 quarters and you have an aging QB whose arm should be rested for the big games in November. McGahee is good back and has potential to have a break out year. But he needs more than 10-15 carries, he should be carrying the ball 20-30 times a game. I remember when our D would shut down offenses and we would chew up the game clock by pounding away with Jamal. We need to go back to that gameplan.

[ravenwoman]

We are 3-2 right now, but without a few lucky breaks, this team could easily be sitting at 0-5.

This team has yet to have a dominant victory.

Nobody in there right mind should be taking this team as a serious contender.

Changes have to be made, and the first one is the Quarterback.

If big changes are not made, this team is headed for 8-8 at the most.

Truer words have not been spoken. If we don't start stretching the field and quit making stupid penalties when we do something right, we are and will remain behind the 8 Ball every single game. I just wish for once, the team would be honest with the public and not dodge questions after every game. Is anyone tired of hearing "We have to look at the film, first?"

[festivus]

I just wish for once, the team would be honest with the public and not dodge questions after every game. Is anyone tired of hearing "We have to look at the film, first?"

The Ravens are not 'honest with the public', and I don't *think* any teams are. I know for instance the Patriots treat the public the same way. The only goal is to win, and the curiosity - for the inside scoop - and demands of the public - for changes in playstyle, gameplanning or personnel - be damned. They will tend not to say anything genuinely informative because either (a) such a statement would be a lie, or (b) such a statement would help other teams game plan against the Ravens, and both are undesireable. The other alternative is to have a coach who is surly or inaccessible with the media, and I'd much prefer to have Billick then Nick Saban.

Casey Willet on NST, who I believe has pretty good locker room access, reported today the coaching staff and players are aware there is a problem in the red zone and they are working on fixing it.

I don't know what more we as fans can reasonably expect then that.

[highwater]

I know for instance the Patriots treat the public the same way.

I think the Patriots are even worse, far worse. Belichek may be a great coach (or maybe not) but he's the most boring, I'm-not-answering-your-questions coach ever. And as festivus suggested, Saban was the same way.

[festivus]

I mentioned the Patriots precisely because Belichek is always saying, we'll have to look at the tape. They're all the same way. Saban hated them. Probably still does.