The Ravens' Model of Success: Bills Are Following It

[jumbalaya]

The Bills are becoming the Ravens. Here's why I say that.

 

Ravens coach John Harbaugh made the tough decision to fire offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. We hired an inventive, young, positive OC in Hackett.

 

Terrell Suggs returned from Achilles surgery to solidify the defensive backfield. Jairus Byrd will do just that, have patience.

 

The Ravens' offensive line became dominant once Bryant McKinnie was inserted at left tackle. The Bills stole Cordy Glenn, Wood returned stronger from injury, and Kraig Urbik continues to impress me.

 

Anquan Boldin proved to be a clutch slot receiver, and Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones gave the Ravens speed on the outside. Bills now possess 3-4 outside threats to complement Stevie J.

 

In the backfield, Rice and his backup, Bernard Pierce, were big-play threats on the ground and through the air. The Bills have CJ Spiller, FJax, and (As long as I'm out on a limb anyway) Kendall Gaskins.

 

Joe Flacco gave the Ravens one of the best deep arms in the game. Enter EJ and Tuel, both can air it out.

 

Up to this week, Ravens TE's Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta gave Flacco the security blanket underneath. Chandler, Smith, Gragg, and Provo are a decent substitute.

 

Ray Lewis is now Kiko Alonso, quick to see the play unfolding and fearlessly blowing up the play.

 

A pressuring D with multiple d linemen? Check.

In reality what you are saying, is because each team has 11 starting players the teams are the equivalent.

[NoSaint]

 

In reality what you are saying, is because each team has 11 starting players the teams are the equivalent.

 

also, they fired their coordinator and we hired one.

 

and we have qbs that can throw the ball more than 20 yards in the air this year which is becoming more similar.

[K-9]

actually thats exactly what he said

 

If the Bills are trying to emulate anyone its the Steelers where Whaley came from

 

I dont care who they emulate as long it works and they start winning

 

I should have said I don't think that's what he meant.

 

I also agree that the Bills are trying to emulate the Steelers as well. Especially in terms of an organizational philosophy. But the personnel groups assembled more closely resemble the Ravens in the early stages as Astro pointed out. Either way, I'd be ok if they resembled either organization.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[boyst]

What astro is saying is we are securing our core positions. Getting youthful talent and developing them. Relying on the fundamentals of football to create a team - speed, aggressiveness, and smarts. Size is also nice but I am not seeing it. We are not getting a hybrid this or that. We are not getting 10 guys down field for the QB. We are going to play football and we have good players at many positions to do so. But we are not the Ravens and I do not want us to be. I do not want to have to sign guys that are long in the tooth to wait on someone like Kiko to develop

[dancing_joker]

Ray Lewis is now Kiko Alonso. This is a joke, right?

[BillsVet]

The Bills are becoming the Ravens. Here's why I say that.

 

Ravens coach John Harbaugh made the tough decision to fire offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. We hired an inventive, young, positive OC in Hackett.

 

What does the decision to fire Cameron have to do with hiring a young inexperienced OC? Cameron was bad and experienced. Hackett is an unknown entity at the NFL level and has no experience coaching positions.

 

Terrell Suggs returned from Achilles surgery to solidify the defensive backfield. Jairus Byrd will do just that, have patience.

 

Terrell Suggs was a former DPOY winner who suffered a serious injury, returned, and was only partially effective. Byrd is healthy, not quite a DPOY winner, and is not at camp due to a contract issue.

 

The Ravens' offensive line became dominant once Bryant McKinnie was inserted at left tackle. The Bills stole Cordy Glenn, Wood returned stronger from injury, and Kraig Urbik continues to impress me.

 

The Ravens invested resources into their OL as someone else has pointed out in another thread. Glenn has 1 season and is still very much a work in progress. Wood an above average center, and Urbik is a RG that can win in a phone booth but offers little mobility, hence his playing RG not LG. What is the correlation?

 

Anquan Boldin proved to be a clutch slot receiver, and Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones gave the Ravens speed on the outside. Bills now possess 3-4 outside threats to complement Stevie J.

 

Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith are proven NFL receivers. T.J. Graham is not, nor is rookie Marquise Goodwin, although they may be with game experience. Johnson remains the only proven NFL receiver on the roster.

 

In the backfield, Rice and his backup, Bernard Pierce, were big-play threats on the ground and through the air. The Bills have CJ Spiller, FJax, and (As long as I'm out on a limb anyway) Kendall Gaskins.

 

Spiller and Ray Rice are different types of backs. The former is a more outside the tackle runner, the latter being a more all-around talent.

 

Joe Flacco gave the Ravens one of the best deep arms in the game. Enter EJ and Tuel, both can air it out.

 

JaMarcus Russell had a big arm as well, and arm strength is often overrated. It's not a comparison of Russell to EJ either.

 

Up to this week, Ravens TE's Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta gave Flacco the security blanket underneath. Chandler, Smith, Gragg, and Provo are a decent substitute.

 

Chandler is a short to medium range type. Smith is strictly a blocker, with Caussin, Gragg, and Provo complete unknowns who've taken few to zero NFL snaps.

 

Ray Lewis is now Kiko Alonso, quick to see the play unfolding and fearlessly blowing up the play.

 

I'm speechless on this one. One is a future HOF'er with multiple All-Pro appearances and the other hasn't taken an NFL snap yet.

 

A pressuring D with multiple d linemen? Check.

 

Perhaps.

[Big Turk]

This kind of post pumps me up. I agree that the blueprint is being followed, but realistically, part of the Ravens' success was luck ... just like the Kelly-era Bills. Having guys like those Boyst listed is no different than having the 90s Bills roster.

 

That said ... I think Buffalo is making the right moves. Run the ball and stop the run.

 

If these guys (namely, Spiller, Jackson, Dareus, Williams, Williams) can be as good as advertised, it's a great start.

 

The best moves, in my opinion, have been the coaching hires - although, the ST Coach hire still has me scratching my head, but I have faith.

 

I like the comparison to the Ravens. I think it's accurate and I think it's encouraging. We just need a little luck, like every successful team has.

 

Go Bills!

 

I agree with having some luck..I mean how often do you see a team blow a deep coverage so badly to lose a game like Denver did against Flacco on that improbable bomb to tie the score late in the 4th...

 

If you reran that same play 25 times, it probably would not even happen again...luck, coupled with an ability to produce at the biggest moments when you see an opportunity likely is involved in virtually every team's championship run at some point...look at the Heat with Ray Allen drilling a 3 at the buzzer to send it to OT in a game they won against the Spurs...very unlikely series of events led to that opportunity...

 

 

[ganesh]

It really comes down to QB in this league. If you have a good one you win. A stout defense can help take some of the pressure off of the offense. At the end of the day this league is about moving the ball effectively through the air. If you can't do that you will not win.

 

Don't forget coaching and the attitude of the staff. I think the difference between the Harbaughs, Peyton, Chucky and the rest of the also ran's is their attention to details. They motivate their players in different ways. They use technology to gain the slightest of advantages.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Ray Lewis is now Kiko Alonso. This is a joke, right?

 

I have got to think this is a joke.

[Homey D. Clown]

I'm really finding it hard to see the parallels here... Love the optimism, but just don't see it... yet.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

I see where you are going but it's hard to say they are following any model just yet as the new regime inherited much of the roster so models like the ravens take a few seasons to play out.

 

 

I am hoping we will see more of a niners effect, where a new coaching regime takes an underperforming team and with virtually the same players makes a playoff contender.

 

Redskins are another recent turn around success story which I feel offers a roster with compatible talent by position.

[Max997]

 

 

The problem is you dont' EVER overpay for a Guard...EVER. And Tenn is going to get bit in the ass for overpaying our guy. The Vikings signed one of the best guards in NFL history and the best guard in the NFL at the time, it didn't help them win a superbowl.

 

So bc they didn't win the Super Bowl it means that wasn't a good signing and it bit them in the a$$?

 

My problem with the Levitre signing is we didn't hear anything in previous years about Bills even trying to extend him when it was onvious he was their best lineman. Of course Levitre could hv wanted to hit free agency but to not hear a word about even trying to extend him the year before is what bothers me

 

They also should hv been more aggressive in finding a replacement

Edited August 6, 2013 by Max997

[Gugny]

So bc they didn't win the Super Bowl it means that wasn't a good signing and it bit them in the a$$?

 

My problem with the Levitre signing is we didn't hear anything in previous years about Bills even trying to extend him when it was onvious he was their best lineman. Of course Levitre could hv wanted to hit free agency but to not hear a word about even trying to extend him the year before is what bothers me

 

They also should hv been more aggressive in finding a replacement

The biggest thing to come out of the Levitre departure, to me, is the flaw in the franchise tag system where an OL = an OL. Guards shouldn't get Tackle money.

[Coach Tuesday]

Everything but the winning part.

 

In all seriousness, the Ravens' blueprint is not about x's and o's. Their business model is about having an extraordinary scouting department that works seamlessly with great coaches. The scheme is much less important to them.

[stony]

Ray Lewis is now Kiko Alonso. This is a joke, right?

 

All things considered, I'd rather have Kiko on the team than Ray Ray,

[Mark Vader]

I see where you are going but it's hard to say they are following any model just yet as the new regime inherited much of the roster so models like the ravens take a few seasons to play out.

 

 

I am hoping we will see more of a niners effect, where a new coaching regime takes an underperforming team and with virtually the same players makes a playoff contender.

 

Redskins are another recent turn around success story which I feel offers a roster with compatible talent by position.

The 49'ers would be a more accurate example, although I understand Astro's point.

 

The coaching staff and philosophy is the big addition to the team this year.

 

Having a lot of younger players and instilling a new attitude could very well pay off.

 

Of course we shall have to wait and see, but I do like what I have been reading and what I am seeing from camp.

[RevWarRifleman]

Great Stuff Astro, BUT 1 Caviat I see. The Ravens have always had good to great Offensive lines and a damn good Front 7 on Defense. Our DL has been a turnstile for RB's the last few seasons. Our OL though has had some promise but I am slightly concerned with Guard. Granted most of the time you can pick and plug in a new guard but it seems the Bills can't find a clear cut starter that doesn't want to be vastly overpaid. (Ie Wants out of Buffalo imho).

Good points, especially about the O-line. But I sure hope Astro is right, and soon! Go Bills

[Best Player Available]

I see where you are going but it's hard to say they are following any model just yet as the new regime inherited much of the roster so models like the ravens take a few seasons to play out.

 

 

I am hoping we will see more of a niners effect, where a new coaching regime takes an underperforming team and with virtually the same players makes a playoff contender.

The niners were pretty stacked with talent when the coaching change was made. In fact it was the main reason the change was made.Good talent but a under performing HC.

 

The Bills are stacked with unknowns, a new staff, a new GM, a new CEO, and hope. There are no similarities between these 2 teams. The Bills would love to have half the talent the niners had when harbaugh took over.

[billsfan89]

Lets see exactly how this pans out on the field, a lot of teams are building with speed and a big armed QB. A lot of teams are going with blitzing defenses that can get a lot of pressure up front and confuse teams. Its just the nature of the game, but for once I am glad to see the Bills taking a modern approach.

[The Helmet of]

Ray Lewis is Kiko Alonso? I also recall someone comparing Trent Edwards to Joe Montana. Both statements are equal in their accuracy...