So What's with the D?

[Merlin]

First of all, wanted to say that last Saturday's game was one of the best regular season victories we have had in a long time. The team played to win rather than not to lose.

However, in the last 2 games, we have to be concerned with how the defense is playing in the fourth quarter -- three touchdowns. The question is why.

The most likely explanation is injuries to cornerbacks. Samari Rolle was out for the 4th quarter in the Dallas game and Fabian Washington was out for the last drive in the Steelers game. We all know that Frank Walker is not an adequate replacement and that forces the defense to be less aggressive and blitz less because they don't trust the corners as much. This is probably the most likely situation.

The second explanation is fatigue. The amount of blitzing and attacking we do just wears us out and at the end of a 10 play drive we just can't hold them anymore. This may be playing a factor; I certainly saw a few missed tackles in the fourth quarter on our side.

The third is attitude. We go into the prevent defense and are playing more conservatively. While the talk shows are emphasizing this, I would disagree -- I think we see a more conservative defense but its because of injuries rather than attitude.

Anyways, would love to hear what others think.

Cheers

[xmradiodave]

I simply think it takes three quarters for the opposing offense to figure on the exotic looks. Once the opposing teams find the weak spots, they start to expose the holes a bit, forcing the Ravens D to have to adjust accordingly.

[psuasskicker]

No, it's the prevent defense. For instance, on one play late in the 4th quarter, we rushed TWO at Romo. TWO!!!

It's a simple change in the pressure schemes, and if Ryan doesn't figure out that shit doesn't work in the pros, we're in trouble in the playoffs.

- C -

[bmorebirds_24]

Like it was said above. We seem to play in a very light zone coverage and just try to prevent the big play. Anytime we go up 2 scores then it seems like Rex calls off the dogs. Personally i like the mentality to beat them so bad they dont know what hit them. But i am going to stay positive we are 10 and 5 and have 1 more big win to go.



Who is up for the challenge? MandT should be rocking this weekend.:rocking:

[elland]

I think it is much more surprising that Romo only had less than 100 passing yds after 3 Qs. So rigth now I have trouble to see the problem, and yes I am aware of it:)

Anyway we really need Ed, Fab and Rolle, without any of them there is obvious lack in our secondary.

Btw is there any possibility we could pick one CB with some quality, from one of the teams who is done.. Maybe give up a 3/4 round. When we go to the preseason?

[pyite32]

Btw is there any possibility we could pick one CB with some quality, from one of the teams who is done.. Maybe give up a 3/4 round. When we go to the preseason?


The trade deadline has passed.

[Bez513]

I hate the prevent...period. When you get no pressure on the QB they will pick apart the secondary. We played well when we were not in the prevent. I do think injures are big for use at the CB position. If we had our #1 guys in there I don't think it would have been so bad.

[RavensDomination]

Fatigue is the most likely reason. You can't tell Ray Lewis to blitz every single down, it's like running wind sprints. In the 4th qtr of a game no less, that's a little ridiculous. I agree when we didn't blitz in the 4th quarter they burned us, but think about the weapons the Cowboys have, the best TE in the league, two of the top 10 WR's in the league, an explosive young RB, it's not easy to stop all of that.

[BlackSunday]

Perhaps some of these issues are linked, e.g., we play prevent because the D is gassed after 3+ quarters of blitzing.

Just a thought.

BS

[ursula]

I think if one looks back at the last dallas scoring drive, one sees that we blitz several times. The defense does not have a "prevent" attitude. True, we did once rush only two but that's Rex mixing things up. So I think at least against Dallas the "we are doing prevent defense" excuse is not true.

What is true is that there's not only a huge drop off to using Walker and Ivy in the secondary along with Romo/Garrett finally realizing that they need to try harder. But mostly its because of the drop off that occurs when Rolle and/or Washington are out.

[Lee Van Cleef]

Well, it was Washington that gave up the weak Owens TD with a lazy attempt at jamming and then turning his back on Owens.

I also think that maybe the coaches are putting subs in a bit more often. I remember FilmStudy saying Ngata is playing less snaps now. he's also not been in on offense for the last few weeks. I was wondering if they were trying to give some of the starters a bit of a rest in the form of reduced snaps considering we had a week 2 bye. Who knows.

[RAVENOUS52]

Two Words.

Evan Oglesby.:grbac:

[PARavensJeff]

Just keep playing the D that got you to the 4th qtr. I don't buy their gassed, they stop playing the hard pressing defense & go soft into that damned prevent, which after the Pittsburgh game we all know that all it's good for is to prevent us from winning. These are world class atheletes, they don't get tired after 3/4 of the game.

[festivus]

We aren't as good a team when key players are injured.

It's been that way for years. It's not a coincidence that the worst Ravens down years - years like 07 - coincide with a string of injuries to key players.

When we lost McAlister we were down one starting corner. When Rolle went down in the 4th we lost the other. At the bottom of the barrel of our cornerbacks, we found Walker, Washington and Oglesby. They did the best they could but they just aren't the same as McAlister and Rolle.

The Ravens do not run a defensive scheme designed to give up touchdowns. They just don't. The staff is not stupid. But if our horses can't keep up with their horses then sometimes the other team will score.

[Galen Sevinne]

Fabian Washington has been very effective replacing McAlister...in fact, if he could play a ball better and make some catches, he might be more effective than McAlister. The problem lies when either Rolle or Fabian go down.

I said before the season started that the two things I wanted to see during training camp was a QB that could win 8 games and depth in the secondary. When we have guys that can cover, our defensive becomes wildly dynamic but when we can't cover, our defense becomes vulnerable.

I can't remember if someone went down during that final drive against the Titans but in the recent games where the defense became soft during the end of games, it was because either Rolle or Fabian went down. That moves Walker and Ivy up in the rotations and those two guys struggle in coverage.

Its not even long passes but short slants across the middle and quick outs...nickle and diming us to death. If we want to go deep in the playoffs, we need fabian and rolle to be healthy.