Keys to the Game - Week 18 - Wildcard - Ravens at Dolphins

Awesome read like always. I too think the wildcat could work again this week.

 

A pleasure and an education as always, con.

It's funny, I thought when I read your keys for the first Ravens game that you were very pessimistic. Of course you turned out to be dead on. So I was expecting a real downer of a read this time, and was very pleasantly surprised to encounter a lot of optimism. Let's hope you're right again!

Let me ask you a couple of questions.

(1) Do you think Pennington's arm is getting tired? His rating has been very high for the last few weeks because he has thrown a fair number of TDs and next to no INTs. That's great, but he seems to be throwing shorter too. In the first half of the season he had 3 games where he averaged more than 10 yards per pass. In the second half he hasn't had any.

(2) Flacco had ridiculous numbers against the Jags. Was it just really poor coverage? Can we stop this guy?

 

That was a good breakdown. I have to say I agree with most of it, good or bad.

 

Thanks man. I try very hard to be fair to both sides. Both sides have weaknesses and strengths and I try and show both - hopefully.

Obviously I can't put every single thing in there each week, as I'd go nuts to be honest but I try to provide some relevant content.

Good luck this weekend.........you're gonna need it.

 

I will add one thing. While you are correct in the fact that the Ravens sack numbers have dropped from previous highs, I believe their pressure and hurry stats have climbed. They don't get the QB on the ground as much as before, but they put the heat on them constantly. That's why the INT numbers have skyrocketed this year.

Sacks look great and make a great stat. But a sack is really nothing but a tackle for a loss of yardage. Hit the RB 4 yards behind the LOS or the QB and the result of the play is the same. But constantly harrass and hurry the QB and eventually he will make a throw he shouldn't and that's when the defense gets a pick.

 

Yes, that true. But quoting a hurry can be problematic, as it can be much like a dropped pass - very open to interpretation by different people. One person may see the play as a hurry, the other may not. A sack is easier to quantify in the end.

 

Nice short questions huh?

Well, it could just be what coverages are dictating. It could also be that his favorite target at wide out has gone from Camarillo to Bess. Camarillo could stretch the field a little more than Bess can, so that may be the reason.

Yes we can stop him. It won't be easy, but taking away Mason short will help. Thats the primary option for the offense, and chain mover.

I may touch on this in a bit.

 

WEll done Richard, thanks a bunch. The amount of boasting that they did after they stopped the wildcat really pissed me off. It will be a joyful thing if we can gash them a couple times just for GP.

Crow Magnon, someone asked our Coach about the "lack" of sacks from Porter. He went on to say we were all around him all game ..and we got three picks. I think your point is very valid.

 

Excellent as always Conu.!

One thing stuck out at me though, actually 2:

1. The Jets began to hop on the slant routes last week, Krusnick hopped one and dropped the pick, you can expect that to happen this week as well, now if Pennington waits a bit to throw, a slant will turn into almost a skinny post route..and a TD.

I fully expect us to drop Dlineman out into the passing lanes, and I can see us snagging a pick, probably from Vonnie Holiday.

I expect the Ravens to do the same thing with Ngata.

Like the old Dom Capers Zone Blitz scheme, a big ol Dlineman is where he is not supposed to be..

2. Ted Ginn...his inconsistency right now is actually his largest weapon, teams don't automatically offer deep help on Ginns side, meaning he can get some matchup advantages...for now..

And I'm surprised you didn't cover the Ravens biased line, the one with three tackles lined up on one side of the formation with Lorenzo Neal acting almost as a pulling guard running in behind the tackles.

Right now, I'm thinking our Running Back comittee is a bit better then the Ravens, and Pennington's accuracy and experience will be our difference makers against a really solid Ravens team.

Pennington has seen Dlinemen in the passing lanes before on 3rd and 5..not so sure about Qb Flacco.

 

That was written with mind-numbing attention to detail... AWESOME job! I hope coach reads this!

 

no offense to con but if sparano doesn't have his own game plan we're screwed.

 

I know it sounds counter-productive. Who doesn't want their team to sack the QB? But look at the Steelers and Roethlisberger. Big Ben is hard to sack as a rule. But he has thrown a lot of picks this year because his O-line sucks and he is constantly under pressure.

Sack the QB and the offense loses yards. Get a pick and you put the ball in the hands of your offense while keeping the opposing team out of the end zone or a chance at a FG. You may even run it back to the house for six.

 

Nice work man. Looked forward to reading it.

 

That's true. A hurry doesn't guarantee a pick though. It could be an incompletion, a completion for a first or even a touchdown. It is a much lower percentage pass, and no question, is better than the QB setting his feet and throwing with no pressure. A sack is a known quantity. There will be no first down, no yards gained, no points scored, no chance for anything positive by the offence. That’s why sacks are way more important than hurries.

 

No, but most of the time the QB is getting put on his keister just after the pass. Those add up, too.

 

True, but everytime he is after a sack...


Oh and great stuff Con. Allways look forward to your keys.

 

Great write up! I agree about Bess. He has filled in for Camarillo without slowing down the offense at all. What a steal!!!

 

To be completely honest, I just didn't have the time to fit that in there as well - not the way I wanted. I didn't want to make it a cliff note, but couldn't get into it or the piece would have been just too long to be honest.

If I was charging for this stuff, you'd get more content. I'd have to earn then wouldn't I?

 

Brother Richard I posted this over here at this Ravens site. They are pretty cool, and you have some comments already bro.

http://talk.baltimoresun.com/showthread.php?t=179335

 

Perhaps our Athletic Dlinemen will have to bust the three tackle wedge?

9 pages...and they were triple spaced as well, it's the PLAYOFFS..

What, you expect us just to watch the game or something...sheesh..

 

Thanks John.

 

Good write up Con.
Was this at University of Oklahoma?

 

Thanks, would say it was fair to your team? I try to be fair when I do these, and had not intentions of anything away from your team. I try to be as objective as possible.

Yes, it was. He was always a nice guy, hard worker - always worked hard in the weight room etc. I can't remember the exact year(s) we crossed, as he wasn't a personal friend and it has been over a decade.

I never finished my eligibility because I broke my knee.

I think its great that he has done something most of us dreamed of doing, and I wish him luck,........just not until the game after this one.

 

Amazing write up again. Thank you.

 

Great write up, as always. To simplify, I think this game will be a classic match-up of Pennington's brain vs. the Ravens brawn. Can Chad outsmart that chaotic but relentless Ravens defense? I think he can.

 

Sweet! My first playoff edition of Keys to the Game!! Thanks brother Con!

That has me worried the most. I feel that a fair bit of blitzes are in store. The Ravens D will be hungry, lets hope we can use this to our advantage.

 

Blitzes will be handed out like candy - trust me.

And I'm not great, just another ordinary poster like everyone else here. There are a great number of people on this site that can do this stuff better than me - believe me. But thanks just the same.

 

This conversation is going on at the Baltimore Sun site as well.


http://talk.baltimoresun.com/showthread.php?t=179335