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View Full Version : john czarnecki column on fox sports net



festivus
10-15-2007, 03:45 PM
It's part of this (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7333810) column, but I am copying and pasting the whole Ravens section here because it's so relevant and perceptive. Thanks Ravenwoman for pointing this out in another thread; I thought it deserved a thread of its own.


Billick has the brains

Brian Billick is a very good head coach. His offense was simply efficient on Sunday against the Rams, but you also must consider that he put quarterback Kyle Boller behind basically a new and unproven offensive line. Billick played the percentages, basically what he's been doing since arriving in Baltimore. He allowed his defense to mess with Gus Frerotte and give his offense good field position.

The Ravens were an interesting Super Bowl pick by a few in early August, but Billick doesn't have a quarterback that can compete right now with Brady and Peyton Manning. If Samari Rolle can play himself back into the starting lineup after a heart ailment, the Ravens have a playoff-caliber defense. But that's all they have. Their best offensive weapon is kicker Matt Stover, who converted five field goals against the Rams. Billick needs a new quarterback, but he'll probably wait until next year, hoping one falls into his lap.

Big tip of the hat to Czarnecki. Unusually *right* for a sports writer. :)

I will say I think the Ravens can get far into the playoffs if they get lucky here & there and whichever qb is upright at that part of the season isn't atrocious.

RAVENOUS52
10-15-2007, 05:33 PM
We'll see how well we do after some of our injuries heal...:thumbup:

Mista T
10-15-2007, 06:16 PM
If Samari Rolle can play himself back into the starting lineup after a heart ailment

heart ailment?

BertJonesMyHero
10-15-2007, 07:32 PM
If your offense can't score in the red zone vs possibly the worst team in the NFL, you are not doing a great coaching job. Not having Brady or Manning has nothing to do with that. If your team makes costly mistakes year in and year out, you are not doing a good coaching job. The OL excuses for yesterday only go so far. We were playing a terrible team who had like 400 guys on IR. Our guys are young, but so were theirs. One of the key offenders yesterday was Brown... A guy who has been starting for 2 years. First 2 plays sum up Billick's offenses over the years. Play 1, false start, 5 yard penalty. Play 2, sack. HEY GUYS, going the wrong way......

(I exclude the defense from any criticism yesterday. While they did what they did against a team with literally no offensive talent, they did what they had to do.) The offense and their schematic leader are another story. A win is a win so I don't care in the context of yesterday, but for the rest of the season. If you can't pummel St L when they are on their last legs, AT HOME, who can you score against? What I see coming is many second half games that will look a lot like last Years Colts playoff game.

Rayvens52
10-15-2007, 07:34 PM
It all sounds good but what QB will fall into our lap there are no real decent QB's that will be hitting the free agency this offseason, maybe through the draft but that will not help us for atleast 3 more years, maybe troy smith can pan out and play like he did at ohio st

RockyMRaven
10-15-2007, 09:58 PM
heart ailment?

Same thing I was asking when I read that.

Mwjergs
10-17-2007, 12:48 PM
The post is right on.

Currently the rosters of the Pats and Colts are better than ours and we'll have to see about the Steelers.

How are false starts the coach's fault? That's on the player.
Do you honestly think they don't practice and prepare?

I have never seen more people complain about winning in my life.
Worry about the future when it becomes the present. One week at a time.
Imagine if we were 1-5??????

camdenyard
10-17-2007, 12:56 PM
His offense was simply efficient on Sunday against the Rams

I stopped reading right there.