Ravens
23, Stillers 20 ��. Nov 6, 2011 ����Game # 9
Stillers-Ravens Postgame Analysis and Grades
The
Stillers and Purple Woodpeckers staged another slugfest.�� The Stillers came from behind and took the
lead, 20-16.�� With only 2:24 remaining,
the PoeBirds took over at their own 8 yard line.� Unfortunately, they had the vaunted Stiller defense right where they wanted.� The Ravens waltzed down the field, barely
fettered.�� They dropped a cake-easy TD
pass with about 20 secs remaining, but 2 plays later,
Torrey Smith hauled in the game-winning TD pass with only 8 secs
remaining, resulting in an exasperating, bitter-tasting loss.��� �Due
to the late nature of this game, this report will be a bit more succinct.��
Grades:
QB:� Benji had a fairly horrible 1st half, going thru
spurts of scattershot and tentativeness.���
��On 2d & 1 on the 1st series,
he threw a near INT on dumbassed, no-brained floater
in flat.��� We then failed to convert 3d
& 1, and had to punt.��
Ben
threw a clutch pass, 3d & 6 to Brown, mid 2Q for �20 yards, under a heavy blitz.�� But a slow, timid pass on 3d & 10 was batted
away, mid 2Q.�� A decisive pass moves the
chains.����� McClain shoulda
had INT, but pass deflect off hands to Cotchery for
reception deep in Balt territory.�� This was followed by a blatant force into
forest of defenders, 2d & G.����� Ben
finished 7 of 15 in 1H.�� ��
�
They
went NH (no huddle in the 2H.�� Ben had a
fine march to start the 3Q, but then threw a stupid fuk
INT on 1st� down� on BALT 14-yard line, on a WR screen.� Ben somehow failed to see big, huge Terrell Suggs
standing directly in the path of the pass.���
Ben
came alive in the 4Q.�� He had a good 3d
& 5 scramble, early 4Q, for a near TD.��
He then had a superb scramble on 3d & 5, tossing a 25-yard TD to
Wally at 4:59 4Q to give the team the lead, 20-16.��� Ben may have been passing to Brown, but
Wally cut in front as ball arrived and snared the TD.�� ��Ben
finished 20 of 37 for 330, but the moronic INT to Suggs really, really hurt in
a game this close.��� B
RB:� Socrates Mendenhall had an ok game, gaining
52 yards on only 13 carries.�� He had a good
run to start game 9 yards.�� But on 3d
& 1, Mendy, like the dimwitted dumfuk that he is,
runs RIGHT INTO the LONE tackler, rather than trying to ELUDE the man and make
something -- anything -- happen.����� He lost �2 yards, and we
punted.�� He had a good run up the gut
for 8 yards, 4:40 2Q, then good 2 yard plunge to set up easy 3d &
inches.���� He also had a good 10 yard
run, late 3Q, after he busted a tackle by Suggs in BF.�� Mendy had a good blitz pickup of Lewis on the
long play by Miller, late 3Q.���� But on a
run 6:50 4Q, he again ran directly into Miller and the defender for no
gain.��� For chrissakes,
try to ELUDE someone instead of just blandly plunging directly in the lone
defender.���
Redman
had only 3 carries and 1 grab.� He had a nice
delay run in the 3Q, 4 yds.��
Moore
was never involved, until the fateful, pile of shit out-pass late in the game
that fell inc on 3d & 5 at the Balt 29, which
would have salted away most of the clock had we made a 1st down.������� B- ��
FB: Not used much.�� Good lead block by David Johnson on Jameel McClain on Mendy�s 1-yard
TD run, early 4Q.�� ���Inc.���
WR:� Ward didn�t start, but played.�� In the 2Q, he grabbed a 3d & 7 crosser, then
got hit hard by Lewis on a helmet-to -helmet for 6 yds.���� Ward hobbled off field, and to add insult
to injury, Balt challenge and the catch was absurdly over-ruled.�� Ward never returned.��
Wally
was fairly quiet and had a mediocre evening.���
He had a lame, shit block on 3d & 1 in the 1st series, with Mendy
getting stuffed for loss.���� There was a
deep lob to Wally in the 2Q that appeared to be dropped along the sideline,
although they failed to show a reverse-angle replay.� It was hard to tell if DB ripped it
away.�� Wally had a dumbassed
false start late in the 3Q.�� He caught
the late TD pass, although that was hardly anything special.��
Brown
had yet another stellar game, grabbing 5 passes for a team-high 109 yards.�� He grabbed a throwback pass for 32 yards, late
1Q.����� �Ultra-clutch grab, 3d & 17, low pass, just
above turf, late 3Q.���� Nice pluck , deep crosser, 1st play after fumble recovery.� ���Regardless
if Ward is 100% healthy, Brown must start every game from here out.��
Yancey
Cotchery was pressed into much greater PT due to Ward
and Sanders being unavailable.�� He had a
clutch grab off deflection by LB, for 17 yards, late 2Q.���� Nice grab off deflected pass in the 4Q !����� Then, a clutch,
3d & 4 curl for 14 yards late in the 4Q.���
Sanders
attended the game after attending his mom� funeral this week, but did not
dress.� ����Brown:�
A+��� All
others:� B��
TE:� Miller had another big game, grabbing 5 for
73.�� He had a big grab, 2d series, 1st
play, 15 yds.���� Big grab and run, 1st series 2H, 13 yds.��� He had a clutch
grab, huge RAC, busted 2 tackles for 30 yards.��
David
Johnson was tossed aside by Redding on a 2Q running play, Mendy crushed after 1
yard.����� Big RAC by Johnson, 2d & 10, rumbled and busted tackles for 25 yards.��� Like a goat, he dropped an easy swing pass,
4:24 4Q, which stopped the clock.�������
Miller:� A��� Johnson:�
C+�� ���
OL:�� The line played well in the face of the
ferocious Raven defense.��� They allowed only
1 sack in 1H (Gilbert tooled by Kreuger) and Ben
basically �accepted� it on 3D for chippie FG late in the 2Q.��� That was the lone sack, and Ben was very rarely
hit.���
Starks
swallowed Suggs and whoever else pass rushed against
him.�� He was flagged for a bullshit
holding call on a ground play in the 3Q.��
This was the only penalty the OL committed.�� Pouncey and his
guards Kemo and Foster just ate up Hloti Ngata, who for once was a total non-factor in this
game.��
All in all, a very, very acceptable nite
at the office.��� A
DL:��� Just like the last meeting, the D-line got
gashed on the 1st play from scrimmage, allowing a 76-yard TD run by Rice that
was called back due to a ticky-tack holding call by Smith
on Gay.��� Fat Hampton got blown off the
ball, and Keisel rabidly over-pursued like an ass-mongrel.���
Keisel
made a good stop of Dickie, 2d series. ��Keisel whiffed on Rice TD run, 4:27 3Q.������ On 3d & 3 in the 3Q, Keisel was
hopelessly in coverage on Rice, and basically just gave up and dove -- from
about 9 feet away -- as Rice sped away for 12 yards.� Can�t blame Keisel on this,
of course....blame the dumbfuk def coordinator.�� �He busted
up a pass to Rice, late 4Q, on a mid dump.�
Pretty much smothered Rice.��
�
Hampton
made a stuff in BF, 3d series, ��-1.������
Good
hustle by Hood, WR screen to Rice, 3d series.��
Woulda been a whole lot more had he not made
it.� ��Terrific hustle play.���
McClendon
stopped a run, 3 yards, 4Q.� ��������B+��
LB:� Harrison returned to duty and was a manster -- half man, half monster.�� He personally pillaged and plundered the
Raven offense.�� He stuffed Rice, 2nd
series, no gain.�� �Harrison applied hit in BF, NG, to force FG
try, mid 2Q.� He got a coverage sack,
early 4Q.����� he
then created the rarest of events -- a Steeler forced turnover -- on a strip
sack at 7:48 4Q.�� (Unlike Big LaMarr,
Harrison forces fumbles.)�� He vaulted
over the blocker (Rice), and forced a TA late 4Q.�� Harrison led the team with 8 solos and did
everything he could to win this game.�� ����
Larry
Timmons moved back to ILB.��� He had a stuff
of Rice, 3d series.��� That was about
it.� It�s incredulous how an ILB who
never leaves the field can finish the game with 1 solo and 3 As.��
Larry
Slow-a-Foote had a mostly solid game in the run stuffing dept.�� He was nowhere to be found on the 76-yrad TD
jaunt that was luckily called back.�� He
had a big stop on 2d & goal, 1st series.����
He then had a blatant over-run of Rice on the TD run, 4:27 3Q.���� Good stop of Rice, early 4Q, no gain.....shrugged
off lead block by FB.���� Batted pass
while in pass defense, �3d & 1, late 4Q.��
Worilds
started at LOLB in place of the injured Big LaMarr Woddley.��� ���He
was far too slow in coverage on Dickie Williams on 3d
& 2 on the opening drive, allowing an 11-yard gain.�� I just realized, having not seen Worilds
play in� weeks
due to his pansie injury, that this man somehow
managed to put on well over 20 pounds since his rookie season last year.�� Utterly incredible, and
utterly foolish.��� The speed and
quickness this guy had, is now gone.�� He�s
another Big LaMarr -- slow, hulking, plodding, and with all the mobility of an
overloaded grocery cart.��� �On the very next play, he did deliver a
punishing hit on Rice on a 2-yard gut run.���
He had a tackle of Rice on a draw play, 2nd series, 5
yards.��� Woridls
got hand on Flacco on Harrison sack, late 2Q.���
Quick -- Colbert should sign this guy for at least a $30-million contract
extension !���
He got a hand on the QB !!��
Taunto
Farrior and Big LaMarr did not dress due to injury.������� Harrison:� A+����
Foote: A-����� All others:� B-��
DB:� Ike had a decent night before falling apart
on the final drive.�� He was beaten by Boldin on the 1st drive, on 3d & 7, when he failed to
get a good jam at the LOS.�� He had a
good tackle on WR screen, 9:50 3Q, 2 yds.����� He was flagged for PI on a deep lob in
the 3Q, when he failed to get a good jam at the LOS and then was flailing
badly.�� Ike was beaten by Smith on a
stop n� go for TD with 42 secs remaining, but the
rookie dropped the pass in the EZ.���� In
that situation, WHY would you even bite on the stop route??�� Ike was then beaten by Boldin
on the next play, 3d & 8, out pass for 11 yards.��� He then had good coverage on deep lob to
Lee, inc.��
Pola
had a solid night.� No splash plays, but
he did created havoc in the ground game.��
He slashed in and eluded FB, made a stop in BF, NG, in the 2Q.������
After a few solid weeks of play. Gay came back down
to earth with the kind of ass-clumsy coverage that we have come to know and
despise.�
������ He and Clark were tooled by Pitta on the 1st drive, for 23 yards.� He was beaten deep on the 2nd series, but
Smith dropped the ball, and got away with a hold of the jersey.��� Gay had a rare break-up of a pass, 3d &
5, 2d series.��� Coulda
been INT, but clanged off his mitts.����
Gay had a good tackle on WR screen, 3Q, NG.��� He then had a huge, key fumble recovery
after the Harrison strip sack.�� The
late, fateful series was just dreadful, as the Ravens picked on Gay like the weak,
skinny 3rd grader on the school playground.��
He was beaten on 4th &� 1 by Boldin,
then badly tooled by Boldin on a deep in at 11 that
was dropped.�� Gay was beaten deep (really
stupid, given only 14 tics left ina
4-point game) and then flagged for PI on the game-winning TD, which obviously
was declined.�� Yes, Gay was nudged off
by Torrey Smith as the ball was arriving, which happens in about 68% of all
pass plays in the NFL.�� This play shows
you just how ridiculous the OPI flag on Seattle�s Daryl Jackson was in the 1Q
of Super Bowl 40.�
Ryan
Clark had his usual dogshit game.� He delivered a needless helmet-first big hit,
late 2Q, for a 15-yard flag.�� Ha had shit
coverage on Rice , 14 yards, with about 4 extra RAC
yards, to set up the 50 yard FG as the half expired.���� On the game-winning TD pass, he took an assaholic, incredibly sophmoric ANGLE
on the ball.� As usual, Clark wasn�t
looking to make a PLAY OIN THE BALL; he was looking for yet another cjheap shot on a defenseless receiver.�� It�s 3d & 10,
and all he has to do is BAT this pass away, and the Ravens are down to a
26-yard Hail Mary attempt.��� Instead,
like the complete asshump this guy is, he allows the game
winning TD.��� A shit
play by a shit FS.��
Keenan
Lewis failed to make a PLAY on ball, 3d & 9 floater,
snared by Smith, 29 yards.��� �Abused on curl, 3d & 10, 3d series.��� 15 yards.����� Beaten late 4Q on out curl, but kept
Williams IB on tackle.�����
Cortez
Allen saw limited PT.�� �Mundy� had good coverage, 3d & 10 on Pitta, incomplete, late 4Q.��
Gay:� C-��
Clark:� D�� Ike: C+��
��Pola:� B������
All others:�� B-��
�
Spec
teams:���� The KO coverage sucked elephant gonad.�� Shitty KO coverage early 2Q, Suish had to make stop, then fumble caused by Fadden and no
Steelers around to recover, Balt recovered.��� Again, shitty KO cover, late 2Q, returned
32 yards.���� Fadden had a good stop on
KO cover, late 4Q.��
Nice
13 yard punt return, late 4Q, Brown.� Suisham, 36-yard FG, good, tied the game at 3 early
2Q.�� Barely made
30-yard FG, late 2Q.� �Supposedly the FG unit was late getting on the
field, hence the late DOG penalty....although it seemed to me that Kapinos and Suisham were more
than ready for the snap.��
Kapinos:�� 1st
punt, 41 yds, short return of 3.��� 2nd punt, DOGSHIT, 33
yards, FC at Balt 23.���� Pooch punt, late 4Q, from Balt 34, FC at 8, which was acceptable.�� �����B-���
OC:� Arians pissed away the entire 1H with rampant
grab-bagism and playground offense�..no purpose, no
planning, no scheming, no sense.�� �There was also a wasted TO, mid 2Q on 3d &
10�.took too long, playclock ran down.����
� The offense clicked the entire 2H, because,
wouldn�t you know it, the O went no-huddle and Arians wasn�t calling the plays
unless a timeout or injury occurred.���
��� The late-game playcalling
was an absolute fiasco.�� The Stillers
took over at 4:30 4Q, on their own 46, which is GOLDEN field position.�� The 1st play was a pass to, of all people,
David Johnson, who promptly dropped the pass.�
We can�t be sure if this was the playcall by Arians coming off a TV
timeout, or if Ben checked down to DJ.��
��� Undaunted, the Stillers got a key 1D, and
needed really to only obtain 1 more to salt most of the clock away.�� What does Arians call on 1st down at the BAL
34 ??�� A WHALESHIT counter by Redman, which is engulfed by a desperate,
evil-may care defense that shot every gap and swarmed Redman for a 3-yard loss.� A simply stupid, jack-assed
playcall.��� Yes, you want to run
the ball.�� Simply PLUNGE it, straight
ahead, and let Redman gain 2 yards.�� If
you can simply nudge the ball to the 28, it�s a 45 yard FG.�� On 2nd down was a out-dump
to Red, for 8 yards.�� On 3d & 5 with
2:37 left, they tried some cutesy lil� out pass to
Moore, which was wildly mis-communicated and more
wildly off the mark for an inc pass that stopped the clock.�� With the way the OL was blocking and how
nimble Ben had been, I have no idea why a rollout -- such as the 1 that salted
away the AFC title game vs. the NYJ last season -- was not called.�� Ben might very well have scooted ahead for 3
or 4, and kept the clock RUNNNING, or, as good as he is on the move, he may
have hit a short pass for the 1st down.��
���� Let�s not
go into the WR screen, which is Arian�s most favorite play of all time.�� If he were permitted, the guy would call
this play at least 17 times per game.� ���C+�� ���
DC:� Dick LeBeau, known as THE Supreme Almighty Lord
and Deity of Defensive Football, Dick LeBeau, used his oft-favorite �Maginot
Line Defense�, and got ROASTED and SCORCHED at the end of EACH HALF, urinating
away a MUST-win game with a brainless, softee,
pitiful defense.�����
Near
the end of the 1st half, Balt took over with only
1:00 remaining, and casually marched 32 yards on 5 plays, with only 1 timeout, and
kicked a huge FG as the half ended.� Really soft, shameless defense.���
Balt had the ball only ONCE in the 3Q.� Of course, they marched 71 yards in 12 plays
for a TOUCHDOWN against LeBeau�s vaunted �#1 defense�.�
Then,
at the end of the game, Balt took over at its own
EIGHT yard line with only 2:24 left.� ��Supposedly �the #1� defense in the league�, they got
RIDDLED and SHREDDED by Joe �Mr. Average� Flacco.�� Balt actually
scored a TD with 20 secs left, but Smith DROPPED the
pass.��� But Balt
came right back and scorched Dick�s softee defense -- which never applied any REAL PRESSURE on
Flacco the entire drive -- for the easy game-winning TD.� ���NINETY TWO yard, GAME WINNING �TD march allowed by THE Supreme Almighty Lord
and Deity of Defensive Football, Dick LeBeau.��
Mister Ninety Two, they now call him.�
14 (FOURTEEN) 3rd down
conversion tonite by Baltimore, who just incessantly picked
apart Dick LeBeau like a vulture picking apart a carcass.�� WHERE, praytell,
were all the �diabolical schemes� and �clever disguises� and �exotic blitz
packages� ?�� WHERE ??�� Of course,
Dick did have a clever little wrinkle today, placing Keisel on� quick-footed RB Ray Rice.�� On a key 3d & 3 in the
3Q, Rice badly burned Keisel on a lil� out pass,
gaining 12 yards and a huge 1D, a drive which culminated in a TD.�� Isn�t Dick just so clever and diabolical ?���
Obviously, Dick learned nothing from the TD pass to TJ
Houshmanzadah last season that won the game for the
Ravens with only 32 tics remaining.� .�� It�s a FOUR point game, 3rd & 10, with 14
seconds remaining, and Dick had NO ONE covering the END ZONE.�� What a complete dumbfuk !! ���Let me repeat -- There's 14 seconds left,
3rd & 10. �The Ravens are down by
FOUR, not 3, and need a TD. Little 4-yard dumpoffs
mean NOTHING here. Absolutely NOTHING.
Yet Dick LeBeau, The Supreme Lord of Defensive Coaching, has NO ONE back in the
END ZONE. �NO ONE.
�To make matters worse, Polamalu -- the
team�s best pure pass defender -- is literally lined up at the 19 (just 7 yards
downfield) guarding NOBODY because NOBODY is going to throw a little dink pass
with that little time in a 4-point game.
Remember this fiasco the next time someone full of fire and fury starts a
babbling post or a preachy gospel with, "Dick LeBeau has forgotten more
about defense than most people will ever know." ��Uh, no. �At his advanced age, he's simply forgotten
more about defense. �And
forgets more and more each day.
Thru
8 games, this D had only 2 turnovers, lowest ever thru 8 games in NFL history .�� Mister
Ninety Two managed to get a rare turnover, making it 3 turnovers in 9
games.� How pathetic....just like the
coordinator himself.��� F��
HC:� So much for all the bravado about
�revenge�.��� The Stillers came out listless
and were outplayed the entire 1Q.�� They
never took it to the Ravens in the early going, and instead were playing
catch-up.�� It all began with the coin
toss, when the Stillers won but Momlin deferred.�� Hasn�t he seen this defense ravaged enough
on opening marches right after the KO ??��� Last week, our offense began the
game, then scored and set the tone.�� The
last thing you want to start a game, is for this
shit-laden, vastly over-rated defense to actually be on the field.� Sure enough, they allowed a long, laborious,
14 play, 75 yard march, and came within a whisker of allowing a TD before
giving up a short, chippie FG.�� ��
� �Early 2Q, 4th and half-yard�.Tomlin was gonna go for it, but Balt won the
challenge of Ward�s reception.�� This could
have been a ruse, however.������
�� The bizarre delay of game penalty before a 47-yard
FG at 2:37 4Q in a 4-point game will be discussed for days on end.� �Coach Momlin took responsibility for the penalty, saying he was
late sending in the field-goal team because he was hesitant about whether to
let Shaun Suisham try a 46-yard field goal.�� Hesitant ??�� There was a Balt
timeout before the 3rd down play.� You
have like 90 seconds of real-time to discuss and DECIDE what to do if there is
a loss, or a no-gain, or a short gain, or even a 1st down.�� Indecision by a head coach is a pure lack of
weakness and backbone, and nothing more.
�� Tomlin didn�t fiddle-faddle
and debate about the FG because he had no confidence in his FG kicker.� He did it because he had zero confidence in
his defensive coordinator and defense.�� If
he had the slightest bit of confidence in LeBeau and the defense, the FG try is
a �freebie, and Tomlin could care less if the FG is no
good, because he�d be confident in his defense actually making a STOP against
Joe Jacco.�� But after seeing his
defense incessantly picked and carved apart all night long, he figured an 85 or
90-yard march would be safer than a 63-yard march
against such a softee, over-rated defense.��� Callow and chickenshit �indeed, but in some respects, one can
see the man�s concern.��
� �Botched time mis-management
has plagued Tomlin his entire career, and tonite was
no different.�� C-�
Synopsis:��� Hard to sum this one up.�� It had a playoff feel to it, and rightfully
so.�� This was a must-win game for the
Stillers to win the division and get at least 1 home game.� That has now been pissed down the drain,
barring a Balt collapse.�� �To
shit the bed and piss away a 4-point lead -- just like last year�s home loss to
Balt -- is just incomprehensible and exasperating.�� Just ghastly.�� You can well envision an egg lay next week
at Cinci, with this loss still lurking in their collective minds.�� And be assured, Cinci is going into that
game ready to hunt bear and ready take a stab at knocking off the
Stillers.��
(Still
Mill and Stillers.com -- when it comes to the analysis of the