Akh's Thoughts: Preseason Week 1

[akhhorus]

Link

I will now take your guff.

[Biggie]

Yeah, pretty much.

[Patrick]

All I can say is that its the first game of the preseason and there were more negitives than positives but honestly there's nothing that can be determind off one game other than it was a bad team effort from the coaches and players. ............... On the flip side - I guess we could wish for a 4-0 preseason and everything looking rosey heading into the regular season ....... just like Detroit last year .....

[shane88]

Nice write-up Akh. You captured my thoughts exactly.

[Dolla Bill]

There's no accountability with this team. That starts with the top, and flows down. If your subordinates fail you, then you take them to task. Its that simple.

I feel this is a tank season, ala 1st season of Gibbs 2.0. That will put us in prime position to go after the upper echelon of coaching talent out there. I don't like retreads, but anythings gotta be better than what we have now.

[dj_stouty]

Originally Posted by Patrick

All I can say is that its the first game of the preseason and there were more negitives than positives but honestly there's nothing that can be determind off one game other than it was a bad team effort from the coaches and players. ............... On the flip side - I guess we could wish for a 4-0 preseason and everything looking rosey heading into the regular season ....... just like Detroit last year .....

The positives were so far and few between the negatives that you simply can't feel good about the direction of this team; regardless if it is preseason game #1. This is supposed to be "year 2" for Zorn and both he and the players have been talking all summer about how much easier it is to play as a cohesive team. I saw a team look like that last night; but they were wearing black helmets with a bird on them.

[akhhorus]

Originally Posted by Patrick

All I can say is that its the first game of the preseason and there were more negitives than positives but honestly there's nothing that can be determind off one game other than it was a bad team effort from the coaches and players. ............... On the flip side - I guess we could wish for a 4-0 preseason and everything looking rosey heading into the regular season ....... just like Detroit last year .....

Wins and losses don't matter, its how the team is looking in the various aspects of the game. And there was almost nothing I can point to and say that they looked good doing it. The passing game didn't work, the running game didn't work. They couldn't stop the pass or the run, no one could make a big play(or tackle), the ravens looked like they knew our offense backwards and forwards, and the effort was piss poor. If you want to be hopeful for the season, knock yourself out. It was just a preseason game, but they don't look like they're ready for a regular season game without another 2-3 months of work.

[akhhorus]

Originally Posted by dj_stouty

The positives were so far and few between the negatives that you simply can't feel good about the direction of this team; regardless if it is preseason game #1. This is supposed to be "year 2" for Zorn and both he and the players have been talking all summer about how much easier it is to play as a cohesive team. I saw a team look like that last night; but they were wearing black helmets with a bird on them.

Thats the other thing. How much fluff have we heard over the last few weeks about how amazing the defense looked, how the young players were making big strides etc etc etc...and it took about 3 plays to find out that all of this was fluff.

[Ibleedburgundy]

Originally Posted by akhhorus

Thats the other thing. How much fluff have we heard over the last few weeks about how amazing the defense looked, how the young players were making big strides etc etc etc...and it took about 3 plays to find out that all of this was fluff.

That happens every year though, doesn't it? That's why we have the legion of awesome.

Agree on the team cohesion thing. There were some good individual efforts, but clearly there is a lack of synergy.

Fincher did get torched by LJ Smith. I would think that one play was bad enough to not say he was not a standout.

Also, I though Rocky McIntosh looked strong in the limited time he was in. He was driving guys back.

[redskin_rich]

Love the comment about Barnes being Tryon with longer hair, I said something similar last night.

I didn't think Fincher looked good at all from what I remember.

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by akhhorus

Wins and losses don't matter, its how the team is looking in the various aspects of the game.
And there was almost nothing I can point to and say that they looked good doing it.
The passing game didn't work, the running game didn't work. They couldn't stop the pass or the run, no one could make a big play(or tackle), the ravens looked like they knew our offense backwards and forwards, and the effort was piss poor.
If you want to be hopeful for the season, knock yourself out. It was a just a preseason game, but they don't look like they're ready for a regular season game without another 2-3 months of work.

This is why I SAID there were more negitives than positives.
This is why I SAID it was a poor team effort from coach and players.
And OF COURSE I'm going to be hopeful for the season - why not. Or is it more practical to moan, cry, and complain......
IF YOU want to preach Doom & Gloom for the season knock yourself out!
Understand me when I say I HATE LOSING but I'll be damned if I giving up all hope on the season because of the first preseason OR any of them for that matter. .........
Sorry that's the way I feel about ..........

[shally]

agree. agree. agree.

how much difference would there be if Zorn had taken Cam Cameron as his OC instead of his friend Smith.. every coach on the offensive side of the ball is one level above what they are equipped to coach, except for Buges.. we have institutionalzed incompetence and it shows.
the plays are slow to get in.. who cares if it is plain vanilla, it doesnt get in in time to make any adjustments.

lo alexander got nicked.. his loss would be significant. all of a sudden we have a nice group of d linemen.. not only is Jarmon active, but he has burst.. also, per other sites, buzbee, wilson and even skolnitski had positive comments..
chris wilson also.
on the negative side, jackson and wynn did not get good reviews.. still, this is potentially the best unit on the team and guys like skolnitski and dixon will merit spots on the PS at the least..

with a sound back, doughty deserves to make the team as a reserve..


if mike williams isnt too injured, he might make the team by default because clark is not roster worthy. heyer is still heyer.. the reserve o line needs to buy
Colt a few beers..pass protection was a joke.. still, Collins is clearly the number 2..

we are officially in trouble if fletcher is suddenly showing his age, at least until henson develops enough to take over..

most of all, how bad an indictment of the front office is it if after all this time, Rock is STILL the best option as number 3 back and kickoff returner ?
that is simply inexcusable..

[shoogknight]

insightful....but premature.

you cannot read anything from a game like this except individual performances.

give me some thoughts after game 2 and 3

[shally]

Originally Posted by shoogknight

insightful....but premature.

you cannot read anything from a game like this except individual performances.

give me some thoughts after game 2 and 3

and we had a lot of poor performances.. as you said, a lot of our players where individually overmatched.. and not by Ravens starters either...

[jaylen]

alittle harsh after 1 preseason game but pretty accurate.

I'm not gonna draw any hard and fast conclusions after 1 game but as you said there are areas of concern and also areas of optimism.

I think the pass protection was good surprisingly.

the 2 things that really bother me is the coaching scheme's. Its clear to me that Blache is a very passive coach who doesn't seem to recognize what an opponent is trying to do. He puts players in difficult situations like the plays where fletcher was burned by Rice with no safety help.

It would be easy to say yeah tryon and Barnes got burned but they are playing so soft in coverage so far off their men at the snap its an easy pitch and catch situation. Maybe Blache should try having them press sometimes. lol

And Zorn on offense is just offensive. My goodness. The man coaches like the offenses from the late 70's he calls more bad runs right up the middle then any coach I have seen. he then plays JC only 2 series.

I watched some of the Patriots/Eagles game and both Mcnabb and brady played almost till halftime. The announces mentioned that the Eagles have been in pads everyday except for 1 half a day. And we're here playing our starters 2 series and going in shells too many practices.

I mean if anything we should just mimick the stuff successful teams are doing. Why wouldn't Zorn just try and put some special things in the gameplan to cross up the Ravens to have a good 1st impression this season if nothing else but to fool the fanbase.

Instead he pulls out his George Allen playbook and gums up the whole game with dumb play calling.

Mcnabb and brady both threw deep several times and JC didn't have one deep ball called the whole time and the deep passes called when Colt played were to Hackett who isn't a real deep threat.

Did Thomas and kelly even play or get a chance.

But its only preseason game 1.

Orakpo I agree with the assessment you make of him at lb he's basically just standing and waiting out there he doesn't have any instincts for the position. But considering it was his 1st game action at the position I'm willing to give him a few games there before I draw any hard conclusions that he's ill fitted to playing there. he could improve and start attacking from the spot. He was fine at DE.

Dixon to me played very intense and should be given a shot at more time earlier in the game. Jarmon was active and appears to have game.

Good write up.