The Mark Andrews, The Redzone Offence and ANOTHER Close Loss

[RavensMania]

I'm typically not a blame the coaching guy, and there's nothing saying the result would have been different, but the in-game management was dreadful this game. The fact that no coach was there to bail Huntley out on a critical play with the play clock at like 2 seconds is ridiculous. And then letting the clock run with the Rams in the red zone took another 45 seconds off the clock that we could have used.

Thought Huntley started off well and then regressed heavily once the pressure started getting to him. As I've said before, he just doesn't have NFL level arm strength and today that really showed with us being unable to use the sidelines in crunch time.

This team continues to fight though. Just not good enough.

Agree completely, but I do love the fight this team has, no matter how much more talent the other team has. In December we have lost 4 of 5 games by a total of 5 points (Steelers, Browns, Packers, Rams)

 

[Simba]

Well we were getting the snap off right at 0 half the time, Harbaugh would have used all his time outs if kept bailing him out.

Difference in a critical moment though. That was the game right there. Regardless, every coach has to be ready in that situation. Huntley had a mental error but the coaching wasn't there to bail him out as every other coach would have been.

 

[rossihunter2]

I know we are missing a lot of pieces on both sides but damn I am more pissed that the D never gets the stop we need. We are the worst team in giving up massive yardage.. The same bend and break D. And what is up with our guys with the damn almost sacks...

Wish we were blown out and not keep losing by 1 or 2 pts.. kind of makes it easier to take.

haha - sign of a well-coached team - undermanned in a way that should mean we're getting blown out and yet in 4 of the last 5 games (all losses) we've lost by a total of 5 points

 

[Florida Raven Fan]

Harbs has looked defeated for weeks. He been checked out this season you can see it in his demeanor but I don't blame him with all the shiz he has had to put up with.

 

[29BmoreBird22]

haha - sign of a well-coached team - undermanned in a way that should mean we're getting blown out and yet in 4 of the last 5 games (all losses) we've lost by a total of 5 points

Undermanned is an understatement.

They were going against the best receiver in the NFL and a generally explosive offense and they forced three turnovers, including a pick-6.

The defense isn't to blame. Just one touchdown and that game probably does look different.

 

[marklar]

<rant on> I really don't get why we don't let them score as soon as they are inside the 20 (or even 30) on the last drive. A upper-echelon offense playing 4-down football is bloody hard to stop in any case, and with our decimated secondary, we were lucky to even come close to doing it. If I'm Harbaugh, I'm telling the defense to please pick up and carry the ball carrier into the endzone so we get 2.30 + 3 timeouts to try to get a FG.

Not that it looked like we would have scored anyway, but with more time, less panic and perhaps we do.
Anyway, I don't have any stats to back up my rant. So I might as usual be talking right out of my ass, but it is what it is. I'm at least pissed-off after a game for the first time in a month rather than plain depressed
<rant off>

Other than that, pretty nondescript game from both teams. Now we just have to put some Upshaw-like hits on The Fat One next week to give him a nice send-off.

 

[rossihunter2]

I'm typically not a blame the coaching guy, and there's nothing saying the result would have been different, but the in-game management was dreadful this game. The fact that no coach was there to bail Huntley out on a critical play with the play clock at like 2 seconds is ridiculous. And then letting the clock run with the Rams in the red zone took another 45 seconds off the clock that we could have used.

Thought Huntley started off well and then regressed heavily once the pressure started getting to him. As I've said before, he just doesn't have NFL level arm strength and today that really showed with us being unable to use the sidelines in crunch time.

This team continues to fight though. Just not good enough.

huntley's arm deficit most obvious on 3 throws that i can think of straight away:

an outside throw on the drive after the pick that floated forever to bateman and allowed the defender to break on it
the 2 ducks to hollywood

 

[Florida Raven Fan]

<rant on> I really don't get why we don't let them score as soon as they are inside the 20 (or even 30) on the last drive. A upper-echelon offense playing 4-down football is bloody hard to stop in any case, and with our decimated secondary, we were lucky to even come close to doing it. If I'm Harbaugh, I'm telling the defense to please pick up and carry the ball carrier into the endzone so we get 2.30 + 3 timeouts to try to get a FG.

Not that it looked like we would have scored anyway, but with more time, less panic and perhaps we do.
Anyway, I don't have any stats to back up my rant. So I might as usual be talking right out of my ass, but it is what it is. I'm at least pissed-off after a game for the first time in a month rather than plain depressed
<rant off>

Other than that, pretty nondescript game from both teams. Now we just have to put some Upshaw-like hits on The Fat One next week to give him a nice send-off.

I was telling my wife the same thing just let them score would have saved more time and the timeouts.

 

[airconteka]

Difference in a critical moment though. That was the game right there. Regardless, every coach has to be ready in that situation. Huntley had a mental error but the coaching wasn't there to bail him out as every other coach would have been.

Yeah true, I guess my poorly made point is that we are constantly late the snap the ball always seems rushed.

 

[rossihunter2]

If you're blaming the defense, you're an idiot. And I mean that sincerely.

The defense got THREE turnovers and the defense outscored the offense off of those turnovers.

The Ravens scored 12 offensive points.

I know people have been frustrated with Lamar and how he played recently, but Lamar led offenses were averaging over 28 points a game.

12 points is unacceptable when you force three turnovers.

tbf 1 of those turnovers didnt result in an offensive possession because of the return for a pick 6

but to not score a single offensive TD despite a few trips to the redzone is brutal

 

[ravenslord]

huntley's arm deficit most obvious on 3 throws that i can think of straight away:

an outside throw on the drive after the pick that floated forever to bateman and allowed the defender to break on it
the 2 ducks to hollywood

This is why he is not even close to Lamar Jackson. This bullshit i kept hearing that he is on par with Jackson dont know the fucking game. I have never been so mad about a loss as this. The coaches let the team down .

 

[Simba]

huntley's arm deficit most obvious on 3 throws that i can think of straight away:

an outside throw on the drive after the pick that floated forever to bateman and allowed the defender to break on it
the 2 ducks to hollywood

Why I've been so adamant against this narrative that he's some starting level QB. I absolutely trust him as a backup to come in and keep us competitive for a few weeks should we need it. But I don't know how any sane person with any ability to evaluate QBs can watch what we saw today and say that there's a team in the league that would take him as an unquestioned starter and/or give up meaningful draft capital for him. Just doesn't have the physical arm traits that you need in this league to be an impact starter.

 

[rossihunter2]

The ONLY reason I'm mad about this loss is because we could have and should have won. Hopes were high then just snatched from us. I'd love to beat the Steelers but honestly don't give a fuck at this point and would be fine with better draft position. And I won't be shocked if our first pick is DB at all.

i mean id love to send ben out with a bloody chin

but take away sentimentality and the higher draft pick is probably more valuable

 

[ravenslord]

Why I've been so adamant against this narrative that he's some starting level QB. I absolutely trust him as a backup to come in and keep us competitive for a few weeks should we need it. But I don't know how any sane person with any ability to evaluate QBs can watch what we saw today and say that there's a team in the league that would take him as an unquestioned starter and/or give up meaningful draft capital for him. Just doesn't have the physical arm traits that you need in this league to be an impact starter.

Only a team towards the bottom of the league.

 

[Simba]

Only a team towards the bottom of the league.

That's how a team like that stays at the bottom

 

[RavensMania]

Harbs has looked defeated for weeks. He been checked out this season you can see it in hplais demeanor but I don't blame him with all the shiz he has had to put up with.

checked out. REALLLY?????????????? What have you been watching. He's the reason we have played games close instead of being blown out by the Rams and Packers

 

[Dom McRaven]

that team lost a ridiculous number of close games they had no right being in too

No kidding. Fucking cursed season.

 

[OURavensFan]

Undermanned is an understatement.

They were going against the best receiver in the NFL and a generally explosive offense and they forced three turnovers, including a pick-6.

The defense isn't to blame. Just one touchdown and that game probably does look different.

They were atrocious the final drive

 

[purplepittabread88]

Whelp!

Another close loss. Rams stars overcame that deficit at the end and we had nothing to answer with.

Frustrating that we couldn't even give Justin Tucker a chance at the end to try and win it but that 2 minute offence is so limited without any vertical threat which Huntley doesn't give us.

More promising signs from our skill position guys and lots to hang our hat on with how competitive we've been even with the backups all over the field but...



We've lost 5 games in a row and 4 of those 5 have been lost by a total of 5 points. The difference just a few extra players could have made in those games is going to haunt us.

A season of horrifying "what ifs" continues.

Playoff chances now something like under 10%.

Only 10% of making it? Well in 2017 we only had a 3% chance of missing them in week 17 and we made it happen! Don’t stop fighting!

 

[RavensMania]

i mean id love to send ben out with a bloody chin

but take away sentimentality and the higher draft pick is probably more valuable

you got it