Another week, another win, but Cam and Harbs still don’t get it

John Harbaugh hinted that some changes would be made offensively heading into the Monday Night game, and he didn’t disappoint. Yanda was moved from RT to RG, Oniel Cousins played RT, and Chris Chester played TE at times.

All this was designed to get the Ravens back to a power-run oriented team.

I like that the coaches wanted to switch things up, but what makes them think the Ravens, at this point, should be a power run team?

Coming into this season, I thought the weapons the Ravens had accumulated at the WR position would open things up immensely for Ray Rice. Thus far, for whatever reason, I have been dead wrong.

Ray Rice isn’t a power runner. Yes, he can run up the middle at times and break some tackles, but he is a better outside runner. His quickness is what makes him such a great rusher, not his strength like a Willis McGahee.

I admire the Ravens for attempting to stick with the run as the season began and unfolded. But at this point, they need to stop being who they want to be, and be who they are. They need to be what gives them the best chance to win, and doing it the way they are doing it is absolutely not it.

Cam Cameron and John Harbaugh throughout three years here in Baltimore have insisted that they do not strive for an identity. They want to be able to be whatever they need to be to win games.

If they are going to be true to their word, we should see no more games where run is the focus. We should not see anymore games where the run game and play action make up the majority of the offensive snaps.

Rather, the four WR’s that Ozzie Newsome brought in need to be on the field together. Joe Flacco needs to be in the shotgun running the no-huddle, both of which he has proven to be more comfortable in, even though he has said otherwise.

The Ravens of the past had Travis Taylor, Mark Clayton, Kevin Johnson, Randy Hymes, Demetrius Williams, and Kelley Washington getting significant time at WR.

They had to adjust to that, and Brian Billick and John Harbaugh both got the most out of what they had.

But times are different now. The Ravens have the personnel to have a prolific passing attack. Joe Flacco is 8th in the NFL in passer rating, ahead of QB’s such as Brees, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, and Matt Schuab. He has the ability to run a dynamic passing attack.

I look at what Tom Brady is doing in New England, and I acknowledge that Joe Flacco is not Tom Brady. That being said, imagine what he would do with the Ravens receivers. Wes Welker and Deion Branch would have trouble cracking the Ravens starting offense, yet they are putting up 30+ points a game, with Brady working primarily out of the shotgun. They are doing it with a running back who is worse than perhaps all 3 of the Ravens’ much hailed 3 headed monster.

For a guy who is known and respected as one of the top offensive coordinators, I do not understand why this is so hard to understand. Willis McGahee said it himself. Tom Jackson said it before the MNF game. Jon Gruden said it during the game.

This team should be lighting up the scoreboard, but for whatever reason, Cam is not putting his offense in the best position to succeed.

Not to mention, at the same time, the defense is clearly falling steps behind of what they were in years past, which should serve as even further incentive to want to score as many points as possible.

Jon Gruden called the Ravens WR corps the best in the NFL last night. John, please get that memo to Cam, before it’s too late.

This loss is on Cam and offense, which needs a total makeover

Listening to the radio after a Ravens loss, and everyone wants to play the blame game.

Cam should be fired! The line can’t protect! What was Harbaugh thinking?

The truth is, every NFL play stands on its own. Joe Flacco wasn’t protected well enough when he was stripped late in the 4th quarter Sunday night. Cam didn’t disguise Stallworth’s reverse well enough when that play was stuffed for a loss of 11 yards.

It is not always possible to blame one specific player, or one specific call. There is so much that happens on a football field to possibly attempt to do so.

That being said, tonight is an exception. I feel that there is a clear reason why the Ravens lost this game.

It doesn’t take a Hall of Fame coach to figure this one out. After going up 7-0, the Ravens failed to put their foot on the pedal and take control of the game. With the way the Ravens defense was playing, it taking over the game didn’t have to be going up 28-0. Turning that Stallworth catch into a TD would have been a start. Executing on first and goal at the 8 would have been another.

I am not a big Cam Cameron critic. I feel that he is a solid coordinator, especially considering what he did with the offense in 2008. Maybe he is better squeezing the most talent out of a mediocre squad, rather than maximizing the abilities of a dynamic offense.

Make no mistake, the Ravens have the makings of a juggernaut offensive unit. Fans that have clamored so long for playmaking receivers now have three of them, plus Todd Heap, plus three quality running backs, including a potential top 5-7 RB in Ray Rice. Not to mention a guy like Ed Dickson who can step right in and contribute.

The NFL is an offensive league now. The 2000 Ravens team likely doesn’t win the Super Bowl in this era. The Saints were not a dominant team last season, but they won games with their offense. The rules favor the offense. The NFL is a passing league.

As much as the Ravens want to be a smash-mouth football team, they are better off letting loose.

Let Flacco line up in the shotgun, put Boldin, Mason, Stallworth, and Houshmandzadeh in a 4 WR set, put Rice next to Joe, and let it rip. Run the hurry up offense. Make defenses adjust on the fly to an offense with such dynamic talent.

The Ravens lost this game by not adding onto their lead. Cam Cameron lost this game by not coordinating a way for these playmakers to get down the field and into the endzone after taking a 7-0 lead.

I’m not one to pay the blame game, but I have no choice tonight. If this team plans to go to Dallas, there needs to be an offensive makeover. Talent needs to dictate the scheme, not the other way around.