The Wrong Coach Was Fired

[Fang]

The Ravens defense was ranked 3rd last year. This year they are 24th. If our D makes a final stop for a TD in both the Phili and Washington games we're 11-2, division champs and hanging in there for a #1 seed.

I get the frustation with Cam Cameron, but in my opinion Dean Pees has been the real issue. I know we have injuries and we lost some players to FA. But 3rd to 24th with teams running all over us and wide receivers wide open seems to be this team's real issue.

Also, if Joe Flacco takes care of the ball yesterday we win the game. Most likely we kick a FG instead of the int and we score 31 which puts us up 2 full scores.

This fan is sorry to see Cam go when the real issue is still there.

[OriginalColtsFan]

LOL. You must have been the guy who voted a couple hundred times in the Sun poll, which shows NINETY PERCENT of fans -- thousands of them -- who are in agreement with the move.

[Ravens2006]

I'm not impressed with Pees... but he has two things going in his favor right now in terms of job security...

1) a short track record here, and
2) a lot of key players sitting on the bench

Unlike the offense, which is for the most part pretty healthy, and still showing the same maddening signs of hibernation for long stretches, week after month, after year...

[OriginalColtsFan]

On second thought...you might be right. They should have gotten to the root of the problem, and just fired Harbaugh. (A fish stinks from the head down. Or so they say.)

[Fang]

LOL. You must have been the guy who voted a couple hundred times in the Sun poll, which shows NINETY PERCENT of fans -- thousands of them -- who are in agreement with the move.

Fans are very reactionary. I think this was a desperation move by the Ravens. Jim Caldwell nearly went 0-for with the Colts just like Cam with the Dolphins. At least Cam has coordinator experience. Caldwell doesn't have any. I don't see what firing Cam accomplishes at this point. Unless they are eyeing Norv Turner and firing Cam allows them to talk behind the scenes a but more.

[BiggSeth]

I'm not impressed with Pees... but he has two things going in his favor right now in terms of job security...

1) a short track record here, and
2) a lot of key players sitting on the bench

Unlike the offense, which is for the most part pretty healthy, and still showing the same maddening signs of hibernation for long stretches, week after month, after year...

but your two excuses above do not factor in season-long issues such as:

1)unable to stop the run fromg game 1.(Ravens traditionally in top 5/10 vs run)
2) unable to cover the middle of the field 8-15 yds from scrimmage(has killed the Ravens on 3rd downs all year)

pees defensive scheme is NOT Ravens Fottball. He is an ex-Patriots coordinator for a reason, and that is not for having a perennial top-5 defense.

That being said, the fact that Cameron's vanilla offense produced more 3-and-outs than a pack of boy scouts at a whore house does put more pressure on a depleated D.

But pees needs to go as well. Get some young blood in the coaching staff. After all, wasn't Harbaugh just a young special teams coach with a binder full of "If I were head coach" ideas before he got this job??

[OriginalColtsFan]

Fans are very reactionary. I think this was a desperation move by the Ravens. Jim Caldwell nearly went 0-for with the Colts just like Cam with the Dolphins. At least Cam has coordinator experience. Caldwell doesn't have any. I don't see what firing Cam accomplishes at this point. Unless they are eyeing Norv Turner and firing Cam allows them to talk behind the scenes a but more.

Well, it's clear that you don't see what firing Cam does, while most of the rest of Ravens Nation does.

[Dub]

The Ravens defense was ranked 3rd last year. This year they are 24th. If our D makes a final stop for a TD in both the Phili and Washington games we're 11-2, division champs and hanging in there for a #1 seed.

I get the frustation with Cam Cameron, but in my opinion Dean Pees has been the real issue. I know we have injuries and we lost some players to FA. But 3rd to 24th with teams running all over us and wide receivers wide open seems to be this team's real issue.

Also, if Joe Flacco takes care of the ball yesterday we win the game. Most likely we kick a FG instead of the int and we score 31 which puts us up 2 full scores.

This fan is sorry to see Cam go when the real issue is still there.

I dont think they fired the wrong coach, I will say the past 2 losses were not the Offense fault. If you score 20 points against a 3rd string QB you should win. Also, if you score 28 points in any game you should win that game, especially against 2 rookie QBs.

[Andy in Hagerstown]

As much as I don't like it I suspect that Pees might get a pass once the Ravens do their end of the season organizational review.

He runs a defense based on a philosophy I can't stand which is bend don't break or better known as full game prevent. The logic seems sound in that you really don't care how many yards you give up as long as you don't give up the points. Seems reasonable but there are many flaws.

First, seeing chuncks of yards being given up by the defense not only demoralizes the defense but also the offense. It also can negate a great home field advantage which is something we have.

Second, as a season wears on and the yards pile up the defense gets fatigued. Tired players lead to poor execution and injury.

Third, in losing the time of possession battle you end up keeping YOUR offense off the field.

With all that said here is why Pees probably stays: Suggs, Lewis, Ellerbe, Ngata, Webb, Smith, McPhee. All guys injured for extensive periods of time and/or still injured. I doubt when taking into account these injuries the Ravens will choose to dismiss Pees unless and extraordinary defensive coordinator becomes available.

[TDL]

With all that said here is why Pees probably stays: Suggs, Lewis, Ellerbe, Ngata, Webb, Smith, McPhee. All guys injured for extensive periods of time and/or still injured. I doubt when taking into account these injuries the Ravens will choose to dismiss Pees unless and extraordinary defensive coordinator becomes available.

Jack Del Rio was available briefly last offseason until Denver snatched him up but I don't think Harbaugh ever even considered looking outside of the organization for an upgrade.

[Fang]

The Ravens defense was ranked 3rd last year. This year they are 24th. If our D makes a final stop for a TD in both the Phili and Washington games we're 11-2, division champs and hanging in there for a #1 seed.

I get the frustation with Cam Cameron, but in my opinion Dean Pees has been the real issue. I know we have injuries and we lost some players to FA. But 3rd to 24th with teams running all over us and wide receivers wide open seems to be this team's real issue.

Also, if Joe Flacco takes care of the ball yesterday we win the game. Most likely we kick a FG instead of the int and we score 31 which puts us up 2 full scores.

This fan is sorry to see Cam go when the real issue is still there.

I'll give Dean Pees credit, the D played very well in the first half yesterday. But only so much can be expected against Peyton Manning when the offensive can't move the ball and is giving away points. Joe's fumble followed by the pick 6 destroyed this team.

I still stand by my comment that I'm sorry to see Cam go. This team has deeper issues than Cam Cameron. But for some reason he was the scapegoat. If Joe at least protects the football the Ravens are division winners and at worse 10-4 right now. At best they are 12-2.

[CajunRaven]

I'm not impressed with Pees... but he has two things going in his favor right now in terms of job security...

1) a short track record here, and
2) a lot of key players sitting on the bench

Unlike the offense, which is for the most part pretty healthy, and still showing the same maddening signs of hibernation for long stretches, week after month, after year...

The defense lost a couple of good players to FA as well. Too soon to judge Pees given those losses plus the injuries.

[reg_indy]

The Ravens defense was ranked 3rd last year. This year they are 24th. If our D makes a final stop for a TD in both the Phili and Washington games we're 11-2, division champs and hanging in there for a #1 seed.

I get the frustation with Cam Cameron, but in my opinion Dean Pees has been the real issue. I know we have injuries and we lost some players to FA. But 3rd to 24th with teams running all over us and wide receivers wide open seems to be this team's real issue.

Also, if Joe Flacco takes care of the ball yesterday we win the game. Most likely we kick a FG instead of the int and we score 31 which puts us up 2 full scores.

This fan is sorry to see Cam go when the real issue is still there.

Flacco's pick 6 before the half was the stake through the heart, yesterday

Pees gets a 'freebie' this year due to the mass injuries on the defense...

[CajunRaven]

Flacco's pick 6 before the half was the stake through the heart, yesterday

Pees gets a 'freebie' this year due to the mass injuries on the defense...

That pick 6 was probably a 14 point swing, 10 at a minimum and with us getting the ball coming out for the second half. That play did indeed kill us.

The defense was on the field most of the first half and played pretty well against Manning.

[tigercruise]

The defense actually played decently yesterday. Problem was, they were on the field the whole damn game. You can't let Manning and company have that much time and expect to win. If the offense had played any where near decent, I think we would have won the game.

[OriginalColtsFan]

The defense actually played decently yesterday. Problem was, they were on the field the whole damn game. You can't let Manning and company have that much time and expect to win. If the offense had played any where near decent, I think we would have won the game.

At least it would have been closer.

[Brohan]

Well, we can't fire the meddling owner.

His State of the Ravens will be a bigger mess than normal this year....if that's possible.

[Flu]

If Pees would call a man to man defense on 3rd and long sometimes it would help. Been way too many last minute drives where receivers are wide open.

[chrisbraven]

Well, I disagree that Pees is the problem. He has improved the defense over the course of the season. And he does not coach bend-but-don't break. I will demonstrate all of these points in my next post on the 4th and 29 blogsite, and then give a heads up when it's done.

We had 5 three and outs vs. Manning and co., including the first series, which was huge. There is an emotional element to this game, and when your high is instantly stoned by a Flacco fumble, it's recovery time. We held them to 3 after the fumble, only gave up 7 for the rest of the half, and had the O in position to make it a real game before halftime. In the depleted state we were in, giving the other team so many opportunities is simply too much for any team, anywhere, to overcome.

Braven

[Omaha Beach]

Well, it's clear that you don't see what firing Cam does, while most of the rest of Ravens Nation does.

What did the offense do differently against the Broncos then they did before Cameron was fired? What do you expect the offense to do differently the next two games?