What we saw tonight was eye opening. This offense, in spite of the team being 11-0, is just not that good.
1). They can't run the ball. I am undecided on whether it is scheme or execution exclusively, but I am leaning toward scheme. This team run blocks for ****. This is nothing new. Been this way all season with two or three exceptions. This team is so unimaginative when it comes to running the ball, it makes your head spin. The vast majority of the plays are runs to the outside from the shotgun or jet sweeps, and the results are awful. Where is the pulling or trapping or I formation? THE ONE damn play they pulled the guard, it went for 12 yards. Next play was a two yard run out of the shotgun that went for two. To me, the running game is the biggest problem this team has. I see guys like coach rip on Conner, but this isn't a Conner problem. It's a poorly designed run game. It is so ineffective it has become an afterthought to Ben throwing 40-some times per game. And that would be great, except....
2) 90% of those passes are 3-5 yards in the air, and the Ravens were sitting on that **** because they knew it was coming. There is no threat of a real, robust run game, so why worry about it? Even with one starting DL and one starting LB, the Ravens had that **** on lockdown. And it isn't just the Ravens that have it figured out. To his credit, Ben threw some terrific passes to wide open guys anywhere between 10-20 yards downfield, but......
3) Receivers keep dropping the ball. This problem isn't new to this game. Johnson and Ebron are good for dropping at least one pass a game. Tonight they were in rare form. Claypool dropped two by my count, and he has had a few drops throughout this season, but the guy is a rookie and NFL defense is better than what he has ever seen in college so he kinda gets a break.
4) This team was prepared for a cakewalk. Tuitt's post on instagram, to me, was a window into the mindset of this team. Easy win, pad your stats. Except he forgot you have to actually play the game. This team bullshitted through a game they could have and should have dominated. The defense did well, given what the offense left them with, the TD pass by McSorely notwithstanding. They pulled it out, thankfully. Part of me is not sure how. A win is a win, but......
5) There are issues to address. And they are on offense. It boggles my mind that as ineffective as the run game has been, they have changed nothing. Same plays. Same blocking schemes. Same impotence. Regardless how this season turns out, and I feel like in spite of the 11-0 start, it is going to be an enormous let down, the offensive coaching staff needs to be let go. There is too much talent to struggle like this, for at least a half, every damn week. This team should be better than this, right? Teams that struggle like this are not usually 11-0, so it tells me the talent is there. It is either the scheme or execution. Either way, that is on coaching. The players on this offense are not being put in the best position to succeed. If the scheme is bad, change it. If the players aren't executing, sit them. At least for a while. Send a message.
I know I should be happy that my favorite team is 11-0. But I just feel like they are bullshitting. They are getting lucky, at least to a degree. And I know sometimes ou have to be lucky, but this team, right now on offense, is more lucky than good. They owe this season to the defense. This defense is stellar, especially with the rules so slanted to favor the offense. And in spite of those rules, our offense struggles. Mightily at times.
Anyway, flame away. 11-0 will mask a lot of problems. And with this offense at least, it has.
