Week 13: MNF Ravens @ Packers

[roadman]

OFFENSE

SCHEME

Second-year coordinator Cam Cameron calls the plays (43.3% run). He uses more two-back sets than most teams. Cameron likes to max protect, fake the run and throw downfield from deep drops. The Ravens rank tied for fourth in fewest turnovers (13), 12th in points (23.4) and 13th in yards (353.4).

RECEIVERS

Derrick Mason (5 feet 10½ inches, 195 pounds) is averaging 14.1 yards, which if it stands would be his highest in a season since 2001. He's one of those guys who just knows how to get open: short, intermediate, deep. Even in his 13th season, Mason is by far the Ravens' No. 1 WR. Mark Clayton (5-10½, 190) can get deep occasionally and is tough inside but rates as a very ordinary starter. No. 3 Kelley Washington (6-2½, 217) has used his big body effectively on third down from the slot. Injuries and declining speed have knocked Todd Heap (6-4½, 245) from the ranks of the leading TEs. He has an excellent feel for the passing game, catches everything and is a smart, wall-off blocker. L.J. Smith (6-3, 245), a starter in Philadelphia during most of his six-year career, has made little impact.

OFFENSIVE LINE

C Matt Birk (6-4½, 309) is in his 12th season, whereas none of the other four starters reached the NFL before 2007. Birk, who took $5 million in bonuses to leave Minnesota on March 4, isn't nearly the player he once was. He has lost strength, quickness and speed. At this point, Birk is trying to get by on his smarts (38 on the Wonderlic intelligence test). LT Jared Gaither (6-9, 340), a fifth-round supplemental-draft pick in '07, is an improving second-year starter. Gaither has immense arm-span and tries hard. He's also somewhat stiff and susceptible to outside and inside moves. Rookie RT Michael Oher (6-4½, 310), the 23rd pick, has been adequate. He handles bull rushers but struggles sliding his feet against edge rushers and has missed too often in the run game. LG Ben Grubbs (6-2½, 315), the 29th pick in '07, has been more of a persistent than dominating blocker. He battles, works hard to lock on and finish, and probably ranks among the top 10 to 15 guards in the league. RG Marshal Yanda (6-4, 313) blew out his knee in Week 5 last season and didn't regain his job until Sunday. Yanda is more physical than Chris Chester (6-3½, 315) but isn't much of an athlete.

QUARTERBACKS

Joe Flacco (6-6, 235), the 18th pick in '08, is a pure pocket passer with a strong arm. He has been playing on a bad right ankle since Oct. 18. Recently, he has thrown way too many ugly, off-target balls. Flacco, who scored 24 on the Wonderlic, has absorbed some beatings and his play has suffered. Scrambling Troy Smith (6-0, 225), who has two starts in three seasons, is No. 2.

RUNNING BACKS

Ray Rice (5-8, 210) has emerged as one of the NFL's premier backs in his second season. Willis McGahee (6-0½, 235) remains a solid player and FB Le'Ron McClain (6-0, 260) rushed for 902 yards as a fill-in RB in '08, but Rice beat them both out. For his size, Rice runs very hard and almost never goes down on first contact. His 40-yard dash time of 4.47 seconds is good, and he might be even faster in pads. He is an exceptional receiver who presents matchup problems for LBs out of the slot. And he will stand in tough on blitz pickup. McGahee, a three-time 1,000-yard runner, generally is used to run outside. Built low to the ground, the highly emotional McClain packs a mighty wallop, both as a runner and blocker, and also is a capable receiver.

[roadman]

Sorry for the triple posting, just thought it was easier to divide up.

DEFENSE

SCHEME

When fourth-year coordinator Rex Ryan departed to coach the Jets, LB coach Greg Mattison was promoted to replace him. Mattison, a 1967 graduate of Madison East High School, runs a 3-4 scheme that often becomes a 4-3. He has blitzed more lately. The Ravens rank fourth in points (17.1), 10th in yards (308.9) and tied for 16th in takeaways (17).

DEFENSIVE LINE

DT Haloti Ngata (6-4, 345) is an elite player. He has phenomenal strength and rare range (5.13 40 speed) for his bulk. However, he has been hobbling on a bad ankle. NT Kelly Gregg (6-0½, 315), a starter since '02, missed all of '08 with a knee injury and isn't all the way back. He's rugged, knows how to play and still has enough quickness to be effective. DE Trevor Pryce (6-5½, 290), DE Dwan Edwards (6-3, 305), DT Justin Bannan (6-2½, 310) and NT Brandon McKinney (6-2, 360) also play extensively. Pryce has 88½ sacks in 13 seasons but is a part-time player now and nearing the end. Edwards does a reliable job against the run but provides no rush. Bannan, 30, has a big heart and is hard to budge. McKinney is hard to move but can't move, either.

LINEBACKERS

Possibly the best player on defense has been SLB Jarret Johnson (6-2½, 265), a fourth-round pick in '03 and a four-year starter with a career-best six sacks after 11 games. He's a relentless overachiever who delivers a lot of punishment. SILB Ray Lewis (6-0, 250), a 10-time Pro Bowl pick, is an encompassing team leader. A student of the game, he diagnoses plays almost instantly. He has a knack for slipping blocks. He has lost his sideline-to-sideline speed, struggles shedding blocks and has problems in man coverage, partially due to a bum ankle. WILB Tavares Gooden (6-1½, 242) has been splitting time with rookie free agent Dannell Ellerbe (6-1, 243). Gooden, a third-round pick in '08, runs (4.59) fast and hits hard but isn't as stout at the point as Ellerbe, a top athlete with so-so instincts. With Terrell Suggs (knee) out, Jameel McClain (6-0½, 250) is playing. A free agent in '08, his best attribute is the ability to bull rush. Energetic rookie Paul Kruger (6-4½, 260), a second-round pick, is a narrow-based, one-dimensional speed rusher.

SECONDARY

Ed Reed (5-11, 200), regarded as one of the NFL's top three safeties, plays a deep center field and uses his uncanny instincts to make big plays. Quarterbacks never know where he'll end up. Once a hard hitter, Reed's ongoing neck problems have turned him into an arm tackler. SS Dawan Landry (6-1, 210), who missed 14 games in '08 with a neck injury, does the dirty work near the line. He's OK. Problems were evident at CB even before marginal starter Fabian Washington (knee) went on injured reserve last week. RC Domonique Foxworth (5-11, 180) runs 4.35 but has been beat like a drum and now is giving excessive cushion. Plus, he's soft in run support. Replacing Washington was rookie Lardarius Webb (5-10, 175), an extremely impressive third-round pick from Nicholls State. Webb can run (4.39), is learning how to cover and is a big hitter. Nickel back Chris Carr (5-10, 180) is vulnerable. Erratic former Packer Frank Walker (5-11, 200) is the dime.

[shnuskis]

On paper I think the Packers have the edge. And that is before you mention it is at home with a longer rest. But Baltimore is a physical team that gets after you and are always a tough opponent. Ray Rice is a beast as well as some studs on the D. I am cautiously optimistic about the Packers chances but will not be suprised either way. It will be a great game.

[LBzrule]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

Was wondering when you would chime in. Let me know what you think about this scouting report on the Ravens. The writer agrees the secondary is a weak point, but also mentions Flacco a weak spot at the moment. The writer states that Flacco has his stats going down hill the past 4 games. http://www.jsonline.com/packerinsider/78287347.html

Flacco's stats are down because we haven't been getting TD's and we haven't run the ball well or consistently whether that be from the gun or under center. We changed the OL lineup and moved Yanda in and did a lot better job on the interior, which was the biggest problem. He passed for 250 + and 1 TD against Pitt. As an offense we put up over 400 yards against Pitt. He didn't throw an INT vs Pitt which is good. I don't like him in this game against Charles Woodson though. Not with our current WR cast. He needs a big play WR to take advantage of his arm. Dez Bryant anyone LOL.


With all that said, I'll take the Packers. Woodson will shut down whoever he is covering and if we don't get any pressure up front, I don't like our secondary matching up against GB WR's.

[wwharton]

Damn, I wish I was an insider. That's a Packer guy? Those are some pretty good break downs. A couple of slight errors (McClain was a Raven in 08... he became a free agent and then was picked back up if I'm not mistaken; I also don't know if I'd call Flacco a pure pocket passer. He's not Steve Young but he's not Peyton Manning either. I'd actually say he's like Rodgers) but nothing that changes the break downs. I think the tone of most of those are negative, for obvious reasons, but overall that's pretty good.

Getting to the overall analysis, I think this is a pretty good quote:

Quote:

"I think they're pretty beat up because that game was really physical," an assistant coach for a recent Ravens' foe said. "Playing at home, I'll give Green Bay the edge. The Ravens are not the defense people used to fear playing against. If Green Bay scores 21 points, Baltimore will have a tough time."

We were saying earlier that it seems like you guys would be in good position for this game and bad position for next week bc we played PIT last week and you'll play PIT after playing the Ravens. It's also true that it isn't the same D, even if everyone was healthy. There are more holes and Ryan did a better job of hiding holes last year too. I don't know about the Ravens being in trouble if GB gets 21 though. The offense can score, it just hasn't been consistent. I think a better ending to that paragraph would be "Green Bay could score 30 on this Ravens team, which would make Baltimore have a tough time."

This part is a bit off too:

Quote:

"Watch the two Cincinnati games," an opposing assistant said. "They about killed (Flacco). He is a tough guy, but he's not the same quarterback he was last year. I think Dom Capers will get after their (expletive)."

As mentioned later, Cincy plays Bmore twice every year AND are coached by Marvin Lewis (2000 Ravens D Coordinator). They ALWAYS give the Ravens problems. I also think the second CIN game was either when Gaither got hurt or he didn't play at all. Flacco is ten times better than he was last year. Last year he would've had a couple of picks in those CIN games he's talking about. Actually the Ravens would've tried to run 40 times to protect him. Flacco's problems have been the injury and zeroing in on Mason and Rice. Now there's a good chance these are still problematic but Capers will probably look at film and pick his spots more than that assistant thinks.

Finally:

Quote:

"As long as they can protect, Green Bay will be able to throw the hell out of the ball on them," another assistant said. "But the Ravens will be smelling blood. They'll be trying to bring pressure from every which way. If the Packers turn the ball over and can't protect, they'll get beat."

Agree with that 100%, and would put more money on GB getting good protection most of the game. The Ravens will need turnovers.

[roadman]

Yeah, he is the Packers beat writer for the Milw. Journal Sentinel. Every week we are treated with his in-depth anaysis.

I appreciate the feedback vs a beat writer for the Packers.

He has a book out now about every game of the SB I think.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/66766992.html

The Ultimate SB Book.

[wwharton]

Nice. Yeah he definitely does his homework. Man I'm almost as excited for this game as I was last week for PIT. That's crazy. Where the hell is PPM?

[Adam Dayton]

Quote: Originally Posted by wwharton

Nice. Yeah he definitely does his homework. Man I'm almost as excited for this game as I was last week for PIT. That's crazy. Where the hell is PPM?

Prob cuz if we win this one, every game other than the Steelers is very winnable (Lions, Bears, Raiders, etc). If we win the games we should after this one, playoffs are on the schedule.