Thoughts and Observations: Ravens

[DaaBears]

Probably one of the most deceiving stats in the NFL right now is the points per game allowed by our defense. For example, in yesterdays game 15 points off punt returns and I believe another 3 off of an offensive turnover already in field goal position. Tampa Bay almost all of their points were scored off of our offensive turnovers, plenty in the Green Bay game, and so on. Baltimore did not get an offensive touchdown. Our PPG allowed probably looks bad and probably should be in the top 5.

 

[dabears70]

Also, props to the WR's. Those guys blocked their asses off. Wright leveled Suggs right when Howard got past him. McBride was punishing DB's and even LB's a couple times when he motioned in. Gentry was strong there as well. I guess that's what having special teams players at WR do for you, they're used to blocking and being gunners.

Oh shit i forgot about that big hit/block Wright put on Suggs. A.Hicks was going crazy on the sidelines after that hit.

 

[Mdbearz]

I was at the Game yesterday and McPhee is acting like a little bitch. Every time he was pulled off the field he was strolling like he had nowhere to go and almost cost us a penalty every single time. Final someone yelled at him and he throws his helmet on the sideline like a 5 year old girl.

Sure wish we had someone that could replace him but we are thin at OLB.

 

[DC]

Whoa there, big fella.

Maybe best runner since Payton, maybe. Neal Anderson was pretty damn good. But best RB no. Forte could run, block, and catch. Howard still needs work in the last two areas, and has been abysmal in the last.

Agreed. Windy, like most of us at one time or another, is a little "prisoner of the moment."

Howard is off a good start, no doubt.

 

[WindyCity]

Jonathan Wood

By my count, Trubisky had 26 called pass plays yesterday. 6 on 1st down, 7 on 2nd, 13 on 3rd.

a huge number of them came behind the chains: 2 1st and 20, 5 2nd and 11+, 7 3rd and 9+. Only passing when they had to.

That's how you get 4 QB sacks (and 4 more having to scramble, + 6 throwaways) on only 26 dropbacks. Only passing in super obvious situations

 

[playthrough2001]

Yep. We're seeing a maturation of sorts. Fangio's system is complex and much different than the one he came up in early as a bear. The teaching points are hitting home now in his technique and it shows and, he's healthy.

He had a break up down the boundary yesterday that was a thing of art on a deep comback. I wish I had a GIF of the play.

Running step for step with the wr with his back to the ball and when the WR broke it back towards the sideline from a full Sprint Fuller's footwork was perfection as he did a pirouette as if he was rounding a cone in a 3-cone drill and got his right arm in to break up the pass just as it arrived. I was floored by that play.

It was the type of play only a small handful of DB's are capable of making in this league.

I know the play you're referencing. Barber made a point on his excellent technique on the replay. Sometimes it just takes some seasoning for the light to go on for certain guys. I think Fuller made the commitment to be a pro and trust his ability this year. Although the contract year may be a factor. Amos is another guy that may have benefitted from sitting down and realizing how important his next chance would be.

 

[JoJoBoxer]

Also, Cody Whitehair definitely needs to be a guard in the near future. He's really not very good at shotgun snaps. And I think he's been less effective as a blocker this year. He's allowed a lot of pressure and been called for more penalties already than last year. Not sure what you do with Sitton and Long, but I suspect injuries could play a factor in that decision anyway.

If we had a true center to own the position, I would have an easy answer to the Long, Sitten and Whitehair logjam: since we play lots of 3 TE plays, just make it two TEs and a tackle eligible with the tackle eligible being the tackle with the best hands. He can block better than a TE and no one would cover him so he could get a quick 5 years on a rare pass.

 

[Wild_x_Card]

Do you think that he is just healthy right now and that his injuries have held him back? He is one of the biggest positive surprises on the year for me. Along with Hicks who has got to make the pro bowl at least.

Like I stated in an earlier post, I think it's two fold, health and comfort in a complex system that he needed time to digest.

 

[Wild_x_Card]

I know the play you're referencing. Barber made a point on his excellent technique on the replay. Sometimes it just takes some seasoning for the light to go on for certain guys. I think Fuller made the commitment to be a pro and trust his ability this year. Although the contract year may be a factor. Amos is another guy that may have benefitted from sitting down and realizing how important his next chance would be.

The position change has helped Amos as well. He's a prototype SS. He played FS only because the team didn't have a better option and he has the speed to play it, not necessarily the ball skills. He's much better served in the box.

 

[westcoast bear fanatic]

I know Flacco and the Ravens offense is not very good but I was so happy for Amos and Fuller yesterday. Fuller is starting to play with an edge and confidence that we have not seen and I hope it continues because he is a man on a mission.

The Demps injury is looking like a blessing in disguise because Amos is putting on a hitting clinic out there.

Jackson looks to be the FS we have been yearning for. The range is incredible and when you have that guy then everyone else's jobs in that secondary is simplified. The INT's will come to him soon.

And props to Callahan and Prince. I was not a big Prince guy but he seems to be around every contested pass and has been sticking like glue to their routes making QB's look elsewhere.

Let's hope the Bears shut down the Carolina run game because I would love to see the secondary put on another show against the Panthers and Newton with his bad accuracy is the type of QB who our secondary can have fun with.

 

[SlickWilly]

Fuller is absolutely beasting and although i'd be very much worried about giving him a big contract because of what we know of him and it being a contract year i'd still be fine with it and think he's earned one with his play so far.

E.Jackson is the FS we've been screaming for with his great range. He doesn't have a int yet but i have no worries that they won't come.

A.Amos is playing where we've been saying we think he'd fit better since early last year which is SS. The kid is a great tackler but isn't great in his coverage skills which although it's still needed it's just not needed as much as it is at FS.

A lot of people were saying Trevathon was a horrible signing last year but he's showing why it was a great signing as long as he's healthy. I think why it wasn't seen as much last year is cause when Freeman is healthy and playing he's so good that Trevathon isn't as noticeable but he's playing great for us and is good at calling plays.

A.Hicks is just an absolute beast.

Love that we saw Goldman show up yesterday cause haven't heard his name called much this year so far.


I think S.McManis showed how valuable he is to our ST yesterday. He got hurt early and didn't play the rest of the game and look what their ST did to us.

The main poster saying this is a dipshit troll who thankfully has been perma banned.

 

[Les Grossman]

I totally agree with overusing Cohen. He is producing too many negative plays and this offense can’t overcome them. Plus he is taking carries away from Howard, he is churning out positive yard AND big plays. That’s a double whammy.

 

[SERE Bear]

-

Dion Sims made 2 catches, one for a TD, but he continued to kind of suck. If the Bears had a negative run you could often find Dion Sims lying on the ground near by. I get that the matchup of Sims on Suggs is not a great one, but he could put in a better effort. I am not sure that he is worth the money he is getting paid if he is going to alternate sucking at either blocking, catching, or both each week..
.

True, but on the flip side his blocking let Howard get the edge on the overtime run that won the game. He needs to be more consistent and the reality is that he is not capable of blocking Suggs 1on1.

 

[dabears70]

I know Flacco and the Ravens offense is not very good but I was so happy for Amos and Fuller yesterday. Fuller is starting to play with an edge and confidence that we have not seen and I hope it continues because he is a man on a mission.

The Demps injury is looking like a blessing in disguise because Amos is putting on a hitting clinic out there.

Jackson looks to be the FS we have been yearning for. The range is incredible and when you have that guy then everyone else's jobs in that secondary is simplified. The INT's will come to him soon.

And props to Callahan and Prince. I was not a big Prince guy but he seems to be around every contested pass and has been sticking like glue to their routes making QB's look elsewhere.

Let's hope the Bears shut down the Carolina run game because I would love to see the secondary put on another show against the Panthers and Newton with his bad accuracy is the type of QB who our secondary can have fun with.

That Carolina d-line is one of the best in the league so it's gonna be another tough day for our RB's. Hopefully we can open the offense up a little bit for Trubs to throw next week. What a tough first 3 games to start your career against for Trubs with Minn, Balt and Carolina.

 

[dabears70]

I totally agree with overusing Cohen. He is producing too many negative plays and this offense can’t overcome them. Plus he is taking carries away from Howard, he is churning out positive yard AND big plays. That’s a double whammy.

Howard had 36 carries yesterday which would be too many for a RB especially a big boy like Howard so i think as long as they're gonna keep Trubs from throwing too much we'll be alright using both Howard and Cohen. I don't think the problem with Cohen is they're using him too much, i think his usage is fine but they just need to be throwing it to him more instead of handing it off to him. They should be using him the way Clev uses Duke Johnson and the way Philly used to use Sproles.

 

[WindyCity]

a huge number of them came behind the chains: 2 1st and 20, 5 2nd and 11+, 7 3rd and 9+. Only passing when they had to.

This is a huge issue

14 passes in long distance. A bunch in ridiculous distances.

 

[BearbaFett]

Probably one of the most deceiving stats in the NFL right now is the points per game allowed by our defense. For example, in yesterdays game 15 points off punt returns and I believe another 3 off of an offensive turnover already in field goal position. Tampa Bay almost all of their points were scored off of our offensive turnovers, plenty in the Green Bay game, and so on. Baltimore did not get an offensive touchdown. Our PPG allowed probably looks bad and probably should be in the top 5.

yeah PPG is very deceiving because it accounts for special teams points and opponents' defensive points (pick 6s, fumble recovery for td). we're currently at 24.7 ppg, which is good for 25th in the league.

however, most defensive rankings are based on ypg, which is solely on the defense. we're at 302.7, which is 6th in the league.

yesterday's game, the defense gave up 291 yards and 0 TDs, had 3 takeaways, and looked fantastic. there was a thread before the season that discussed if we can be a top 10 defensive team this season...the popular theme of the thread was "top 10 defense my ass"

 

[ruprecht]

yeah PPG is very deceiving because it accounts for special teams points and opponents' defensive points (pick 6s, fumble recovery for td). we're currently at 24.7 ppg, which is good for 25th in the league.

however, most defensive rankings are based on ypg, which is solely on the defense. we're at 302.7, which is 6th in the league.

yesterday's game, the defense gave up 291 yards and 0 TDs, had 3 takeaways, and looked fantastic. there was a thread before the season that discussed if we can be a top 10 defensive team this season...the popular theme of the thread was "top 10 defense my ass"

This is easily a top 8 D. They have been screwed over by their teammates most of the year.

 

[Les Grossman]

Howard had 36 carries yesterday which would be too many for a RB especially a big boy like Howard so i think as long as they're gonna keep Trubs from throwing too much we'll be alright using both Howard and Cohen. I don't think the problem with Cohen is they're using him too much, i think his usage is fine but they just need to be throwing it to him more instead of handing it off to him. They should be using him the way Clev uses Duke Johnson and the way Philly used to use Sproles.

It wasn’t just the last game though, he’s been taking too many touches from Howard the last few games imo.

 

[WindyCity]

The number of negative yardage plays was really concerning.

The penalties continue to be an issue
Sims being asked to block Suggs 4-5 times was a problem
Cohen being over used in the backfield was an issue

The Bears cannot continue to be 3rd and 17 or 2nd and 15 if they do not want to let the kid throw.