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DEFENSE:
Did not take very long for the Defense to set the tone today. Even though we endlessly heard about all the Ravens offensive unit injuries the Defense did not let up and also did not give up any silly penalties like in some games past.
Kendricks had 4 tackles for a loss and he and Barr we just relentless along with the great pass rush.
The Ravens were allowed to add some garbage time stats and a TD but otherwise we had them at around 200 total yards and 9 points until the prevent.
Did not think the game was well officiated at all, the 15 yard on Tom Johnson was bogus and the first pass/interception Treadwell's arm was being pulled down before the ball got there and should have been a PI not an interception. That said, I really liked the play call of going for the TD there. I think Shurmur has been awesome with play calls the whole year and has quickly changed our whole offensive scheme. He has also been able to teach it to Keenum rapidly.
OFFENSE:
Keenum started out poorly and then got into somewhat of a rhythm. The interception throws his QBR off etc but it was a good play call and a decent throw IMO. But Keenum is clearly a fill-in backup and while steady he is not really improving week to week from what I can see (just a fan but he is literally a game manager asked to not turn the ball over and he is doing that). I just don't see him as having the ability to win games for us vs playoff caliber teams. I really hope Sam and/or Teddy can get back for the stretch run and a playoff push.
The officiating on WR push-offs is out of control and I am talking about all season not just this game. I think Thielan was getting upset because he was being held so much and then got called for a bogus push off.
That said - we only had 4 penalties (Raven's had 3) so the flags were not flying but the one that were (theilan push, johnson QB, and the none call vs Treadwell)
Treadwell was targeted 4 times with 3 receptions and he had the 3 receptions on 3 targets last week. Wright came in and did a nice job as usual. We are pretty deep at WR if/when Diggs back. Good to see some production from the second year player and hope to see him on the field more even when Floyd get back.
Murray obviously looked better then previous games and he certainly ran with authority so maybe his ankle is nearing 100%. Nice to have him/ and McKinnon and maybe combined can replace Cook for us down the stretch. They compliment each other very well and are two different style backs.
OL:
Another well played game - 0 sacks - can you imagine that after last year. Now Reiff got dinged at the end so hopeful that it is not serious but it was nice to have Hill come off the bench and play with competence at LT. Meanwhile Cam was sacked 5 times today but not sure how many were on Kalil. Remmers has been playing very well at the other tackles spot and someone had a stat on our run game when it goes off right tackle and averageing 9+ yards.
We had another rookie sighting in Isadora at LG who seemed to fill in for the fill in (Sirles) very well with my limited OL eye. First snap was Murray running for a 35 yarders right in his gap. Saw him getting downfield nicely as well.
It has been an amazing OL rebuild by Spelly (personnel), Sparano (coaching) and Shurmur (scheme). Not only does it look like we have a good OL we actually seem to have depth. Not saying we are done at all just saying that we actually have guys that come in an not see a huge drop-off. Obviously it would be ideal for Isadora to steal the starting spot.
ST and Coaching:
Obviously our ST played well with all the long FG's and Sherels punt returns but we also held the Ravens ST in check and that was a strength of theirs.
I liked Shurmur's play calling and it seemed to me that we went for the jugular on a few occasions. No real opportunity for Zimmer in terms of reviews etc so not much comment on him other then the team really seemed ready to play, did not play sloppy (very few penalties), and we played aggressive on both sides of the ball so that is a great coaching job IMO. Trip to England and then a Bye week which after the Bye week might we see - Sam and/or Teddy, Diggs 100% for the stretch run.
good takes Minny. This is a well built team with depth, good coaching and character. Shurmer is a really good OC and with our oline fixed we could still make a run using the style of play we saw today... physical football while mixing in some high percentage passes. if we can get teddy or sam healthy. we can make a deep run
Good review. Really stood out that Murray does not break tackles. When his speed drops off he is done, great game though, nice to see him getting going.
Murray seems very slow a the start to me. Anyone else see it that way?
Most surprising has been Remmers at RT. Most folks on here thought he might struggle to be even average and he has exceeded everyone's expectations. Most of the critics were saying that Reiff was average and that Remmers was below average and would need to be replaced next year. Then in preseason, Reiff barely played and Remmers has some lapses although I was defending him because the vast majority (not all) were miscommunication with the TE's on blocking scheme.
I think Remmer's playing more with Ruddy has helped instead of playing with Morgan etc...because Ruddy knows the blocking scheme and he and Remmer's are more in sync. Not saying Ruddy is a better blocker then Morgan just that he understands or has grasped Shurmur's blocking scheme better and that has benefited Remmers as well.
We have a second year out on Remmers and his Cap hit is 10.6 million next year after 5.5 million this year. Very reasonable contract when you consider his play so far.
I like to compare our RT position to the what the Lions did for obvious reasons:
Reiff was a former LT who they swtiched to LT after drafting a stud LT who then got hurt but after the fact. The fact being that Reiff wanted LT money and with the supply so low and the demand so high both Reiff and the Lions knew that he would get LT money and he did from us....so Reiff moving along was inevitable. We signed him to good money and he is performing very well.
Then at RT, The lions and Vikings were supposedly the top 2 teams for Ricky Wagner (Baltimore RT) who I thought was very inconsistent so I was happy when the Lions made Wagner the highest paid RT in football and went with Remmers. Wagner's dead money is 17.5 million this year, 11.6 million next year, and 8.7 with an out after year 3.
Remmers is 10.6 this year, 5.5 next year and then an out. The Lions OL has not been playing well at all but I don't know how Wagner is playing.
One thing I like to point out about both of our Tackle signings is something obvious to most of us - Spelly and the team saw Reiff all thos years twice a year at both Left and Right so we knew what we were buying. Also, don't forget that Remmers was in our camp a few years back before starting in Carolina so we also had a good idea of what we were buying with him. No buyers remorse right now that is for sure!!!
Nice write up Minny. I too like the call to go deep after the turnover. I am not a coach, but if I were, that would be my philosophy. After a turnover, take a shot, go for the jugular, go deep. Not sure why, but it just seems to work so often (in the past it worked against us with our crappy D). The defense is not ready, maybe just sitting down after coming off the field, mentally let down by the offense, but if they are on their heels, go for it.
Quote: @"twgerber" said:
Murray seems very slow a the start to me. Anyone else see it that way?
Yes. On the long scamper I could have drank a pot of coffee from start to finish.
Quote: @"greediron" said:
Nice write up Minny. I too like the call to go deep after the turnover. I am not a coach, but if I were, that would be my philosophy. After a turnover, take a shot, go for the jugular, go deep. Not sure why, but it just seems to work so often (in the past it worked against us with our crappy D). The defense is not ready, maybe just sitting down after coming off the field, mentally let down by the offense, but if they are on their heels, go for it.
I thought Case said (maybe in the post game) that he felt like taking the shot. One of the press crew asked if it had been called and he said it was just in the normal progression of check downs.
Thielen's alleged push off was joke from what I saw.
What really pisses you off is that the referees will make picky call like that and then later in the game you will see them ignore much worse push offs/holding/and hand fighting.
Quote: @"ThunderGod" said:
Thielen's alleged push off was joke from what I saw.
What really pisses you off is that the referees will make picky call like that and then later in the game you will see them ignore much worse push offs/holding/and hand fighting.
Yea for a home game we certainly didn't get the edge on calls that is for sure. But overall, I think only 7 penalties accepted during the game which is pretty clean and of course don't count missed calls like the PI on the Treadwell pick.
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