National Football League
A lesson in how NOT to play offense
National Football League

A lesson in how NOT to play offense

Published Oct. 24, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

It’s the kind of recurring nightmare that Edgar Allen Poe would have appreciated for sheer horror.

When at their best over the past decade, the Baltimore Ravens were good enough defensively to win Super Bowls. Offenses ranging from dreadful to inconsistent were largely the reason they fell short.

The same book may be getting written again this season.

Falling to a 10-point home underdog like the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars is shameful. The main reason Baltimore suffered Monday night’s 12-7 loss was inexcusable.

ADVERTISEMENT

While not dominating in prime time in the manner it did three weeks ago against the New York Jets, Baltimore’s defense did turn in a strong performance. Perfection, though, was needed to make amends for what transpired on the other side of the football.

The Ravens finished the first half with 16 yards — the lowest total since the franchise moved to the late Poe’s hometown of Baltimore in 1996 and adopted the nickname of his celebrated poem. Baltimore’s initial first down didn’t come until almost 10 minutes into the third quarter. The Ravens entered the fourth quarter with more sacks allowed (two) than and as many lost fumbles (one) as third-down conversions.

One drive that began with a 50-yard pass interference penalty ended with Baltimore facing third-and-31 en route to one of nine overall punts. Wide receivers usually were stymied by Jacksonville’s secondary while trying to get off the line and run routes. The Jaguars (2-5) were able to consistently apply pressure with a four-man front while notching three sacks. The usually strong Ravens running game contributed nothing.

By the time Joe Flacco finally led Baltimore into the end zone with 2:02 remaining, the Ravens were trailing 9-0. Even when Baltimore (4-2) had a chance to salvage the win on one final possession, Jaguars safety Drew Coleman jumped a short hook route for an interception that sealed the deal.

“It was bad football,” said Flacco, who finished the game with 137 yards passing (90 on that late scoring drive) with the interception and a touchdown. “You could see it. We felt it. They’re a good, physical defense. We were never able to keep the momentum going.”

Ravens coach John Harbaugh was equally blunt when admitting, “They basically beat us with their defense.”

“I don’t think there’s any one thing,” Harbaugh continued. “It was lack of execution — missed assignments, missed blocks. They outplayed us one-on-one. They beat our man a lot more than we beat their man. It’s about as bad as you can play on offense. I don’t know if you could play any worse until the one (scoring) drive.”

But things actually can get worse in the aftermath of this debacle. The “offense vs. defense” internal strife that Harbaugh worked so hard to defuse since becoming head coach in 2008 may be resurfacing.

A postgame salvo was fired by Ravens stalwart Terrell Suggs. The outside linebacker criticized the approach of Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, saying he was “baffled” that running back Ray Rice received only eight carries and wide receiver Anquan Boldin didn’t get more touches.

Rice finished with 28 yards, lost a fumble and dropped a pass, leading to him spending an inordinate amount of time on the bench in the second quarter. Boldin had four catches for 40 yards and Baltimore’s lone touchdown. He was targeted 12 times.

“I don't really know what the game plan was,” Suggs said. “When I have a Pro Bowl running back and he's not getting his touches, I’m going to feel some kind of way about it. He wants the ball, and I think we should feed him. Ray Rice is a phenomenal player. You have to use your phenomenal players.

“We’ve got guys on this team that can do some great things. We have to use those guys. It’s that simple.”

Unfortunately for the Ravens, nothing is ever simple when it comes to their offense.

Since the defensively dominant 2000 Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV, Baltimore brass has tried — and failed — to provide better offensive support. The Ravens actually entered this game ranked No. 12 in total yards and fifth in scoring with a 29.6-point average. They enjoyed great outings in prior routs of Pittsburgh (35-7) and St. Louis (37-7). Flacco, though, was brutal against the Jets, up-and-down in a win over Houston eight days ago and deficient in a lopsided Week 2 loss at Tennessee.

“We’re a young team,” Flacco said. “We’re switching guys out and in up front. We have some new guys up there. We need some time.”

Time isn’t on Baltimore’s side with Pittsburgh (5-2) and Cincinnati (4-2) also vying for AFC North supremacy, as well as playoff berths. Harbaugh claims the offense will improve, but he also is a realist.

“If we don’t get consistency, we’re not going anywhere,” said Harbaugh, who leveled his harsh appraisal of Baltimore’s offense as Flacco stood impassively listening to his news conference.

“We can’t play a game like we played tonight and expect to accomplish anything. We all know it. We got our butts handed to us in that sense.”

Baltimore’s top-ranked defense is again good enough that the Ravens don’t need a Tom Brady-caliber quarterback running the show. But they do need someone who can help the offense carry its end of the load.

Doubts are growing about whether Flacco is that guy. Although he’s 26 years old and in his fourth NFL season, Flacco has faced increasing criticism from Ravens fans wondering whether he is good enough to get Baltimore over the hump or ultimately will join the ranks of other failed signal-callers such as Kyle Boller and Elvis Grbac.

Flacco knows he again will bear the brunt of the criticism after looking more like a rookie at times than Jacksonville’s Blaine Gabbert, who won his first NFL start despite completing just nine of 20 passes for 93 yards.

“What are you going to do? It’s not like I pay attention and watch all that stuff [the criticism], but that’s the name of the game in the NFL,” Flacco said. “It’s the name of the game in football. Like John said, they look at the quarterback when things are good and things are bad. That’s what happens.”

Unless the Ravens’ offense can get its act together, things will stay bad in the big picture and the Super Bowl shall remain a pipe dream.

Nevermore.

share


Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more