Ray Rice...

[OriginalColtsFan]

Rushing yards: 20 carries, 40 yards
Receiving yards: 5 catches, 53 yards (31 yards on one play)

Yeah. Just keep handing the ball off to Rice so he can win games for the Ravens. That's the formula alright.

[CIB]

Rushing yards: 20 carries, 40 yards
Receiving yards: 5 catches, 53 yards (31 yards on one play)

Yeah. Just keep handing the ball off to Rice so he can win games for the Ravens. That's the formula alright.

I'm going to agree with you here. At least mostly. Even if its true that Rice can win games by running them out, he can't usually do if you keep running him up the middle when you aren't usually getting good penetration there. And the Ravens penetration was pretty crappy tonight. The way Rice was running tonight he was almost a liability until you factor in that he did make a few 1st downs here and there.

[Eastside Terp]

yea, they should have been throwing it all over the place because joe was so on target tonight ......

[OriginalColtsFan]

I'm going to agree with you here. At least mostly. Even if its true that Rice can win games by running them out, he can't usually do if you keep running him up the middle when you aren't usually getting good penetration there. And the Ravens penetration was pretty crappy tonight. The way Rice was running tonight he was almost a liability until you factor in that he did make a few 1st downs here and there.

And given his 2 yard average, when he SHOULD have been given the ball in the final 2 minutes on 3rd and 2, Cameron decides to pass. Just astounding.

[NCBirdfan]

Rushing yards: 20 carries, 40 yards
Receiving yards: 5 catches, 53 yards (31 yards on one play)

Yeah. Just keep handing the ball off to Rice so he can win games for the Ravens. That's the formula alright.

The offense needs balance and creativity. Opposing defenses are able to figure out the offensive plays mostly. It's the equivalent of a baseball team stealing the opposing team's signs.

Ray Rice is still a good running back. He is not getting much on the ground because the offense lacks that creativity to make the defense honest. It really seems opposing defenses have the Ravens offensive playbook and know the calls before they are played out.

[OriginalColtsFan]

The offense needs balance and creativity. Opposing defenses are able to figure out the offensive plays mostly. It's the equivalent of a baseball team stealing the opposing team's signs.

Ray Rice is still a good running back. He is not getting much on the ground because the offense lacks that creativity to make the defense honest. It really seems opposing defenses have the Ravens offensive playbook and know the calls before they are played out.

Given Cam Cameron's moronic play calling, especially on the road, they DO have the playbook.

[Eastside Terp]

its a shame we lost that game tonight and don't have a shot at the playoffs now ......

[AFKAR7]

Rushing yards: 20 carries, 40 yards
Receiving yards: 5 catches, 53 yards (31 yards on one play)

Yeah. Just keep handing the ball off to Rice so he can win games for the Ravens. That's the formula alright.

Blah, Blah, blah, whine, whine, whine. Doesn't matter if 31 game on one play. RR accounted for 93 yards tonight against oh BTW the best defense in the NFL. It's the Pittsburgh friggin Steelers, that's what they do to people. RR is their best offense player, keep giving him the ball.

[CIB]

And given his 2 yard average, when he SHOULD have been given the ball in the final 2 minutes on 3rd and 2, Cameron decides to pass. Just astounding.

ROFLMAO
You are right. You know what is funny/sad? When it was 3rd and 7 I was SURE they were going to run, and I figured they should pass. Then they luck out and get it to 3rd and 2 and then they pass when I thought they should run.
This team amazes me sometimes

[CIB]

its a shame we lost that game tonight and don't have a shot at the playoffs now ......

LOL!
Point taken, we did win.
And it WAS the Steelers and that has to be factored in. Nonetheless I don't think Rice was used very well tonight and I'm surprised they didn't try more run looks. It's amazing how many times they tried to power right up the middle.

My other idea is that I would have mixed in more passes. They were trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to establish the run, so they'd typically run two run plays in a row both that gained 3 yards at best.

Where was the intermediate passing game?

[Omaha Beach]

Pitta being knocked out of the game early on obviously hurt the passing game. He and Boldin are the go to guys with sure hands for short and intermediate passes.

[OriginalColtsFan]

Pitta being knocked out of the game early on obviously hurt the passing game. He and Boldin are the go to guys with sure hands for short and intermediate passes.

And of course, Cameron didn't counter with Doss, who is ALSO a very sure handed WR.

[BlandFood]

Given Cam Cameron's moronic play calling, especially on the road, they DO have the playbook.

Yes, I think it was called "Hey Diddle Diddle, Lydel up the middle" or something like that except tonight it just didn't work. Employ Rice in screens, off tackle but not straight up every time.

[West Chester Raven]

yea, they should have been throwing it all over the place because joe was so on target tonight ......

The original post is silly. Rice, while not perfect, is a Pro-Bowl Running Back. Teams will game plan for him and key on him as we saw in Pittsburgh. Th trouble is that we had no answer. You stop Rice, you can really slow the Ravens down.
OCF is making am attempt at pretending that Joe wasn't the primary problem last night. He wasn't making reads, just throwing into a spot. He threw to T. Smith into double coverage at least twice. It's as if he can't scan the field and look for secondary targets. Hopefully he plays better in the next game at home.

[West Chester Raven]

And of course, Cameron didn't counter with Doss, who is ALSO a very sure handed WR.

Tandon Doss? Sounds like a character from Star Wars. Seriously - the guy has 4 career catches in the NFL and sat out last year injured. You're basing this "sure handed" observation on 4 career catches? Oh - I see now. He was the no-name wideout that Flaccostein asked Eric DeCosta to draft (see link). That's why we're plugging him, eh? He sucks. If he didn't he'd be playing more and he wouldn't have slid in the draft.


http://articles.baltimoresun.com/201...avens-receiver

[ivanbalt]

The offense needs balance and creativity. Opposing defenses are able to figure out the offensive plays mostly. It's the equivalent of a baseball team stealing the opposing team's signs.

Ray Rice is still a good running back. He is not getting much on the ground because the offense lacks that creativity to make the defense honest. It really seems opposing defenses have the Ravens offensive playbook and know the calls before they are played out.

Run up the middle, run up the middle...run up the middle.

[Baltimore Ravens Lets Go!]

Cameron's road offensive game plan sucks. The only reason they won this game was they didn't turn the ball over like the Steelers and had that punt return. Should have gone to Bolden more when they were doubling up Smith all game and/or put Rice out as a receiver. Pittsburgh has nobody to cover him one on one.

[ziptop]

Ray Rice WAS a pro bowl running back at one time. Nice memories aren't they?

[bmore_ken]

Rushing yards: 20 carries, 40 yards
Receiving yards: 5 catches, 53 yards (31 yards on one play)

Yeah. Just keep handing the ball off to Rice so he can win games for the Ravens. That's the formula alright.

Who said that?

[tigercruise]

The offense needs balance and creativity. Opposing defenses are able to figure out the offensive plays mostly. It's the equivalent of a baseball team stealing the opposing team's signs.

Ray Rice is still a good running back. He is not getting much on the ground because the offense lacks that creativity to make the defense honest. It really seems opposing defenses have the Ravens offensive playbook and know the calls before they are played out.

Balance and creativity and Cam Cameron do not compute. If last night wasn't a perfect example of how the man simply cannot adjust, nothing ever will be. It borders on comedy.