Ravens Revisited

[mushypeaches]

Don't overthink it

 

I was at the game and the long Henry TD run on the first play pretty much destroyed the Bills right away

 

The rest of the game was playing catch up, and the team was clearly pressing and out of synch on both sides of the ball

 

Even the best teams have 1 or 2 of those clunkers every year

 

We had one in the playoffs against Cincinnati

 

We might have one again before the year is over, just hopefully not when it truly counts

[K-9]

Reminds me of the ‘91 team that went 13-3 that would have been 14-2 if we played any starters in the meaningless last game of the year at home against Detroit. Anyway, we were 5-0 when we headed to KC for a nationally televised Monday night clash, just like the Ravens was a nationally televised Sunday night contest, and the Chiefs cleaned our clocks to the tune of 33-6 and the game wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. People had the same questions about how good we were at the time, too. 
 

As others have pointed out above, it’s a week to week league. 

[Big Turk]

14 minutes ago, Gregg said:

I am actually hoping the Ravens meet the Steelers in the playoffs. If that happens then there is a good chance the Bills won't have to play them.

 

Pittsburgh has Baltimore's number kinda like the Bills have the Dolphins number.

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

19 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Ravens revisited will be the Lions in a few weeks.

 

We'll see if the Bills figured out we cant play like cupcakes against physical teams, or if it's the same ol same ol.

Idk what we even could’ve done with the guys we had available lol. Vs Detroit with Milano and Bernard back(Both missed the Baltimore game) we’ve got the option to roll with three linebackers if we want. Our linebacker situation was dismal against Baltimore who’s probably the worst team to have that happen against so there was no real way to get an extra linebacker on the field 

 

and to top it off taron Johnson missed the whole game and rapp missed a half.  It was an absolute mess.  We were basically forced into playing nickel because cam Lewis who was playing bad at the time was a much better option than adding Morrow who was horrible 

[BrooklynBills]

No Taron Johnson or Terrell Bernard on defense and I think Rapp left pretty early as well. Offensively, Shakir was hobbled and was less effective than usual and I don't think the Bills had any answers for a team that just committed to playing man coverage all game. The game was also 21-10 in the 3rd Q with Bills fumbling at mid field on that terrible trick play. Not saying that the Bills offense was moving the ball super effectively but I think everyone who took this game as a sign that the Bills couldn't compete with good teams does need to reevaluate the personnel discrepancy. Plus, this was Ravens at home on prime time. They play very well in that spot.

 

Same with the Texans game. Bad start on defense (with key guys out) and the offense couldn't figure out how to deal with man coverage. And again, this game ended on a walk-off 50+ yard FG as time expired.

 

The season is a journey, especially for a team who is transitioning SEVERAL players into new roles. 

 

[PoundingDog]

The Ravens are the worst match-up to the Bills. Detroit might be the 2nd worst.

 

Henry/Jackson and the most complicated run oriented attack match well to the biggest weakness of Bills defense. I want to point out that Jackson's passing game has improved. On offense, man coverage maximizes Bills WR weakness.   

 

Watch how Steelers would even discourage the Ravens running Henry. They have guys like Keenu Benton and Cameron Heyward on DL which are relative unknown compared to Watt but key to disrupt Ravens blocking scheme. The Bills have Oliver and Jones, enough said.

 

I'm not saying we can't beat Ravens in January - most likely in Buffalo, but it would be a hard fought, tough game. Handling them then going to KC is indeed a tall order. Ideally you want to face one of them on your way to the superbowl from AFC.

 

If the Bills can get the #1 seed, it is like gifted a win in January. Facing both Ravens and Chiefs in Buffalo then is OK. In the most likely scenario where the Bills getting the #2 seeds, I hope we get a break avoiding the Ravens before heading to KC and there is a real chance for that based on what the Steelers are doing now. If the Steelers wind up winning the AFCN division, and the Bills manage to maintain #2 seed. The Ravens are going to be #5 or #6 seed. After the division round, say the Ravens win and other division winners pass thru, then the Ravens will actually go to KC. 

 

Things could change but I caution that Steelers might threaten the Bills with the #2 seed. Based on winning opponents remaining, the Steelers have to face Ravens and Eagles away and Chiefs at home. The Bills have Lions and Rams away and 49ers at home. The Lions might be the best team in NFL. 

[Heavy Kevi]

54 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

The Ravens game has stuck in my memory and led me to believe the Bills aren't as good as their record.  But I might be reconsidering my evaluation.

 

I don't remember the exact streak, but that game was something like the first Bills contest since the Tet Offensive that we lost by more than one score.  The Raven beat us by 25.  Power rankings, ELO, EPA, DVOA, betting markets, etc. All have us rated ahead of the Ravens, and yet they annihilated us.

 

Brady, who's been having a good year, seemed powerless to generate any offense.  Babich, who is also enjoying a good year, seemed powerless to stop the Ravens attack.  Wierdly, both coordinators picked the very same day to have their worst game of the season.  

 

Maybe the impotency was, in a way, by design?  Maybe McD said something like this to his coordinators, "Come up with two game plans for the Ravens.  Save the better one for the playoffs.  Use the more vanilla one this week."  

 

Thoughts?

 

 

I think if we see them again it's imperative to score first. Maybe more than once.

 

We don't stop the run well and that's pretty much their whole schtick. Get up on the scoreboard and they can't just hand it off.

 

I also doubt josh would have as rough a game the second time around.

 

Overall I'd be pretty nearvous if we see them again in the playoffs (more than any other team), but we should be favored despite the drubbing we took back in week 4.

[djp14150]

45 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

The Ravens game has stuck in my memory and led me to believe the Bills aren't as good as their record.  But I might be reconsidering my evaluation.

 

I don't remember the exact streak, but that game was something like the first Bills contest since the Tet Offensive that we lost by more than one score.  The Raven beat us by 25.  Power rankings, ELO, EPA, DVOA, betting markets, etc. All have us rated ahead of the Ravens, and yet they annihilated us.

 

Brady, who's been having a good year, seemed powerless to generate any offense.  Babich, who is also enjoying a good year, seemed powerless to stop the Ravens attack.  Wierdly, both coordinators picked the very same day to have their worst game of the season.  

 

Maybe the impotency was, in a way, by design?  Maybe McD said something like this to his coordinators, "Come up with two game plans for the Ravens.  Save the better one for the playoffs.  Use the more vanilla one this week."  

 

Thoughts?

 

Thr Kelly teams always had one bad game where they would lose by multiple scores

 

 Baltimore  had lose 2 games to start the season and Almost lost to Dallas.  The team was overly motivated.

 

the drives…

 

Bills had a 4 th and 2 and punted

balt had thst one play runnTD

bills FG

balt TD but  there were 2 3rd and over 10 yard plays the D let them get first downs on.

bills punt

Balt TD two 3rd and over 10 yards plays, balt converted

buff punt

balt fumble near mid field 

buf punt

balt end of half.

score 21-3

this score easily could have been 13-10 buffalo 

2nd half

balt punt

buff TD

nbalt punt

buff fumble on balt side .

 

with 2 min left innthe game the score was 21-10.  This very easily could have been 24-13 for BUF at this point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ganesh]

The Bills were down 21-10 in the 3rd quarter but they were driving and were at the Baltimore 39 yard line before Josh fumbles the ball and gives it back to the Ravens.  Baltimore then takes the ball down the field and scores a TD...that was a 14 point swing due to the turnover...If the Bills score a TD there...then it is a 1-score ball game...at that point the momentum was with the Bills...Alas,  with this 14 point swing, the Ravens were able to put away the Bills

[MJS]

Sometimes games get away from you. It's just the nature of football. It doesn't usually happen to the Bills because they are really good and really well coached.

[DCofNC]

1 hour ago, hondo in seattle said:

The Ravens game has stuck in my memory and led me to believe the Bills aren't as good as their record.  But I might be reconsidering my evaluation.

 

I don't remember the exact streak, but that game was something like the first Bills contest since the Tet Offensive that we lost by more than one score.  The Raven beat us by 25.  Power rankings, ELO, EPA, DVOA, betting markets, etc. All have us rated ahead of the Ravens, and yet they annihilated us.

 

Brady, who's been having a good year, seemed powerless to generate any offense.  Babich, who is also enjoying a good year, seemed powerless to stop the Ravens attack.  Wierdly, both coordinators picked the very same day to have their worst game of the season.  

 

Maybe the impotency was, in a way, by design?  Maybe McD said something like this to his coordinators, "Come up with two game plans for the Ravens.  Save the better one for the playoffs.  Use the more vanilla one this week."  

 

Thoughts?

 

Serious question here, do you guys really believe the coaches are playing such a long game that they don’t want to win the game in front of them? You can’t be serious.

[starrymessenger]

The pundits following Sunday's loss to the Steelers are saying that the Ravens foolishly got away from their running game and relied too heavily on the pass. 
But the Ravens have always had a very good rushing attack. Henry makes it better but the thing is late in the year and certainly in the playoffs Ravens have to play top Ds, like Steelers or KC. Top Ds can usually scheme to shut down the run. So at the end of the day Lamar inevitably has to be able to beat you with his arm. He has never been able to do that when most needed and his performances in the biggest games pretty much look all alike. 
Ever since Louisville and Patrino Lamar struck me as capable of executing a decent NFL passing game so unlike some I don't see a fundamental change this year. To me he has always had NFL worthy arm strength (not a gun) with good accuracy. And he has decent weapons that he has shown he can use.
Despite his stats though he is simply not a top shelf NFL passer who can make the clutch throws when needed under pressure with the required consistency.

You have to worry about all good teams, and the Ravens can be very good, but I think we beat them if and when we see them again this year (assuming no further injuries to key players). 

[hondo in seattle]

42 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

Serious question here, do you guys really believe the coaches are playing such a long game that they don’t want to win the game in front of them? You can’t be serious.

 

Of course, I believe every coach tries to win every week.  I used to believe that coaches throw everything including the kitchen sink at the game in front of them.  A one week at a time mindset.

But I've come to believe, mostly because of comments coaches have made over the years, that they don't always throw the kitchen sink. 

 

I heard one of Belichick's coordinators - forget which one - talk about playing the AFCE.  He said they wouldn't scheme both games the same way (which would be predictable).   They would think ahead and decide to use one scheme one game and another scheme the next meeting.  I'm guessing they employed the better scheme in the matchup they considered more important or challenging. 

 

To give different Pats examples, Belichick devised the so-called "ameoba defense" during the 2011 regular season but didn't utilize it till the playoffs.  In the 2014, Belichick came up with some weird formations with eligible receivers as ineligible - another idea he saved for January.  

 

Sometimes the kitchen sink is saved for the playoffs.  

 

I don't know if McD does this.  It doesn't seem his style.  Yet is seems odd to me that both Babich and Brady both laid big dirty eggs at the same time.  Though, I admit, there's a bit of homerism here.  I don't want to believe we're as bad as that scoreboard.  

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 05:12 PM by hondo in seattle

[Mr. WEO]

"planned impotence"?

 

nah

[Solomon Grundy]

I'm ready to play ANY team in NFL with a HEALTHY Bills roster. The Bills complement of offensive and defensive talent

[dma0034]

Bills left some plays on Offense in the 1st half. I remember them having a chance (maybe Coleman?) late in the 1st half to pull closer but couldn't. THe most important thing is the Ravens and Texans effectively beat the O-Line, something we rarely see. It does appear that the O-Line has adjusted since then. 

On Defense: missing the LBs and the run support CB hurt a ton. The Ravens O-Line played better than they normally do.

 

Still imo it came down to the trick play. Bills had the momentum and completely reversed it. The Ravens are definitely a team that can get into their own heads and struggle. Lack of solid coaching imo

[boyst]

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I just think the Ravens exposed our limitations on both sides of the ball. Reasons to be encouraged are Johnson, Bernard and Milano all missed that game and the Ravens attacked that "second level" of Lewis, Williams and Spector relentlessly. I counted it up and in the first half they called only 2 offensive plays not designed to attack that unit. And on the other side they, by their own admission, compressed the field because they didn't think the Bills could beat them outside down the field. I doubt they'd be so confident to do that with Amari Cooper on board. 

This is the best place I can put it. But it's amazing how good Can Lewis is and he's only the backup. He could start most places. We are lucky to have him and Johnson 

[Dukestreetking]

2 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

don't remember the exact streak, but that game was something like the first Bills contest since the Tet Offensive that we lost by more than one score. 

Now THAT is a funny reference. Well played Hondo.

[boyst]

1 hour ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

Idk what we even could’ve done with the guys we had available lol. Vs Detroit with Milano and Bernard back(Both missed the Baltimore game) we’ve got the option to roll with three linebackers if we want. Our linebacker situation was dismal against Baltimore who’s probably the worst team to have that happen against so there was no real way to get an extra linebacker on the field 

 

and to top it off taron Johnson missed the whole game and rapp missed a half.  It was an absolute mess.  We were basically forced into playing nickel because cam Lewis who was playing bad at the time was a much better option than adding Morrow who was horrible 

I'm more worried about the Detroit turf than I am the Detroit football team. 

[Chugga]

Disclaimer - I’m a huge homer and could very well be quite a bit delusional here….

 

Regardless of the final score, I truly felt like the god awful trick play ruined the momentum of the game and lost it for us.  Don’t get me wrong it was a rough start but in the 2nd half things started to click and momentum was swinging the bills way in a BIG way.  Then that trick play happened.

 

If we keep doing what was finally working and move the ball down the field on that drive and score and actually put pressure on Lamar to answer I felt like he was going to crumble & disappear.  As he has numerous times during this MVP season he’s having.