Week 4: Bills at Ravens 10/2 1pm

[Scott7975]

22 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

That's fair. Lamar needs to continue to grow as a passer. I think he's much improved but still has lots of room to improve. He is good at throwing in the middle of the field. That's where he hit Andrews. He needs a lot of work throwing outside the numbers. His evolution is pretty fun to watch as a football fan. I truthfully  thought he was a long shot to be a succeawful QB. Boy was i wrong. He's going to get a massive new contract and I rooting for him to do well. Just not this week. 

 

Agree.  He has a very good ball in the middle.  

[Logic]

36 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

That's fair. Lamar needs to continue to grow as a passer. I think he's much improved but still has lots of room to improve. He is good at throwing in the middle of the field. That's where he hit Andrews. He needs a lot of work throwing outside the numbers. His evolution is pretty fun to watch as a football fan. I truthfully  thought he was a long shot to be a succeawful QB. Boy was i wrong. He's going to get a massive new contract and I rooting for him to do well. Just not this week. 

I'd like to add my name to the "I was wrong about Lamar Jackson" list as well.

I've doubted him every step of the way. I STILL have reservations about the notion that he can go toe-to-toe with other top passers in heavyweight fights in the playoffs. But all in all, I was just wrong to doubt him as much as I did. Simple as that.

He's a dynamic playmaker, a one-of-a-kind athlete, and he seems to get better at passing every single year. 

JUST as a passer, taking his running out of the equation completely: Jackson has thrown 94 touchdowns in 61 career games. For comparison's sake, Josh Allen has thrown 112 touchdowns in 64 career games.

Jackson is very, very good. He also seems like a pretty great guy. At the end of the day, it's awesome that the two "long shot" QBs from the 2018 draft are the only two that wound up being worth a damn, while all the "sure things" have flamed out or are in the process of doing so.

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If anyone feels like scouting the enemy, this article about the Ravens offense and Lamar Jackson is awesome:

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2022/9/29/23378476/lamar-jackson-mvp-race-baltimore-ravens-offense

I'd post highlights of it here, but honestly, the whole thing is a highlight. If you want to know what the Ravens are doing and how they're doing it, give this article a read.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Logic

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, JaCrispy said:

I’m so dreading going to this game…first game in 6 years and I end up with a hurricane…Lol

First game in 6 years and you choose going to Baltimore?  😣 

[NickelCity]

On 9/27/2022 at 10:27 PM, Awwufelloff said:

Rg3 was as dynamic as Lamar and injuries got him. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when. Only takes 1 hit..

 

Oh I agree. I was just saying that people (like us) have indeed been saying that it's a matter of time...

[NewEra]

41 minutes ago, Logic said:

Whether or not Ronnie Stanley plays feels like it will have an enormous impact on this game.

If not, it'll be the Ravens 4th string left tackle, a 4th round rookie, making his first ever start at left tackle. And not just his first ever NFL start -- he didn't play a single snap at LT in college, either.

 

You know he’s playing 

[Logic]

"While the passing game has been very productive on early downs, that hasn’t been the case on third down. The Ravens rank a mediocre 23rd in success rate on third-down dropbacks, per RBSDM.com, which means Baltimore hasn’t been able to pass when the defense knows it’s coming. That’s a prerequisite for winning in today’s NFL.

It wouldn’t be fair to pin the issues in obvious passing situations on Jackson, because he’s not playing in the same environments that his peers are. While teams around the league are loading up on talented wide receivers, the Ravens came into this season with just two that they’re willing to play consistently: Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay. And so far, Lamar has played only 15 pass snaps with three or more receivers on the field, per TruMedia. That ranks last in the league behind even Jimmy Garoppolo, who has started only one game."


https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2022/9/29/23378476/lamar-jackson-mvp-race-baltimore-ravens-offense


This tells me two things:

1.) We may be seeing more of Terrell Bernard this week than we normally would. I know the Bills like to stay in nickel, but the Ravens are in pro sets A LOT, and if the Ravens are able to run and operate play-action out of those sets with success against the nickel, the Bills may have no choice but to operate more in 4-3.
2.) Success on early downs against the Ravens will be CRITICAL. Getting them into consistent 3rd and longs will be a major key to victory.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Logic

[dollars 2 donuts]

38 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

His arm strength is not quite in Allen/Mahomes territory but he’s up there 

 

 

Yolo, today I hate you and love you at the same time.  It is very confusing to me, but I will get through it.

 

🤣  Just funning you, brother.

 

 

...oh man, though, we need this one.  Wow, we really do.  If Miami wins tonight and we lose on Sunday?  😬

 

EDIT:  I'm tired of every game so far this year (and at least 2-3 more straight after this...yes, even Pitt) being a "Test" we have to pass.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2022 by dollars 2 donuts

[Son of a K-Gun]

46 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Agree.  He has a very good ball in the middle.  

 

Christian Wilkens agrees.

[Marv's Neighbor]

1 hour ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

 

OK, Marv, so looking at it the other way...could this help us, or rather hurt them as well or more?

 

I think Josh can cut through those winds.  LJ has a pretty good arm, but can he?  Are they limited here in this situation?

 

 

Crossing myself that our running game shows up.

[UKBillFan]

2 minutes ago, Marv's Neighbor said:

Crossing myself that our running game shows up.

 

... We have a running game?

[uninja]

4 minutes ago, UKBillFan said:

 

... We have a running game?

When our entire line is healthy we do. We ran decently enough against the Rams week one that they had to respect it.

 

I don’t care about having an elite rushing offense. I just want it to be good enough that it needs to be planned for. 

[MiltonWaddams]

26 minutes ago, Son of a K-Gun said:

 

Christian Wilkens agrees.

Could we say that Wilkins is an analyst? Seems that he knows that aspect intimately...

[K-9]

43 minutes ago, Logic said:

"While the passing game has been very productive on early downs, that hasn’t been the case on third down. The Ravens rank a mediocre 23rd in success rate on third-down dropbacks, per RBSDM.com, which means Baltimore hasn’t been able to pass when the defense knows it’s coming. That’s a prerequisite for winning in today’s NFL.

It wouldn’t be fair to pin the issues in obvious passing situations on Jackson, because he’s not playing in the same environments that his peers are. While teams around the league are loading up on talented wide receivers, the Ravens came into this season with just two that they’re willing to play consistently: Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay. And so far, Lamar has played only 15 pass snaps with three or more receivers on the field, per TruMedia. That ranks last in the league behind even Jimmy Garoppolo, who has started only one game."


https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2022/9/29/23378476/lamar-jackson-mvp-race-baltimore-ravens-offense


This tells me two things:

1.) We may be seeing more of Terrell Bernard this week than we normally would. I know the Bills like to stay in nickel, but the Ravens are in pro sets A LOT, and if the Ravens are able to run and operate play-action out of those sets with success against the nickel, the Bills may have no choice but to operate more in 4-3.
2.) Success on early downs against the Ravens will be CRITICAL. Getting them into consistent 3rd and longs will be a major key to victory.

The same predictions for more 4-3 D fronts were made before the Titans game as well and we didn’t see it. McFrazier don’t like coming out of their base nickel very often and I think they’ll focus on the same disciplined run fits we saw against Tennessee. I’d be surprised to see them running much 4-3, if any. Then again, LJ can make any alignment look stupid when he breaks containment. 

[stevewin]

1 hour ago, Scott7975 said:

 

put some bread bags on your feet to keep them dry

 

Lol - brought me right back to days as a kid putting the bread bags on before putting on our boots to go play in the snow

[Warcodered]

 

[UKBillFan]

So, reading the forum, we have a Quarterback who consistently fumbles, a non-existent O Line, a reserve secondary and lack a run game.

 

Yet we're favourites to win on Sunday?

[MiltonWaddams]

4 minutes ago, UKBillFan said:

So, reading the forum, we have a Quarterback who consistently fumbles, a non-existent O Line, a reserve secondary and lack a run game.

 

Yet we're favourites to win on Sunday?

Don't forget that our fumbling QB also can't read the defense pre-snap to help set-up the running game. I bet Case Keenum could do that!

[UKBillFan]

5 minutes ago, MiltonWaddams said:

Don't forget that our fumbling QB also can't read the defense pre-snap to help set-up the running game. I bet Case Keenum could do that!

 

I'd forgotten that - perhaps we should consider putting Keenum on the field with Josh to tell him what to do?

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

10 minutes ago, UKBillFan said:

So, reading the forum, we have a Quarterback who consistently fumbles, a non-existent O Line, a reserve secondary and lack a run game.

 

Yet we're favourites to win on Sunday?

 

GM who neglected the OL in favor of worthless ST players

[UKBillFan]

1 minute ago, Tom Donahoe, GM said:

 

GM who neglected the OL in favor of worthless ST players

 

Yeah. To this day I have no idea why we wasted cap space on Sam Martin.