I knew there was a chance we could lose, but to lose by that much in that way is what makes it so frustrating. Into the notes.
First Half
- Kickoff times: 4.3 (-8), 4.22 (-9, TB)
- Boldin touchdown. Why is McFadden playing so close on Boldin with just a single high safety, Clark, who is rolling over to the X receiver in Evans? Troy is on the TE Dickson leaving McFadden on an island. McFadden should be playing off and be able to see the deep route develop or at least, take it away by playing off. Plus, Harrison is dropping into coverage underneath. Let Boldin run something underneath and have Harrison take away any throwing lanes. Doesn't make any sense.
- Heyward and Johnson still on wedge team.
- Opening day offensive line. Reference for later since things have and will probably continue to change throughout the year. J.Scott, Kemoeatu, Pouncey, Legursky, Colon.
- Mewelde Moore entered the game on 3rd down during the first series.
- 1st team gunners. Lewis and it looks like Gay.
- Great manipulation by Flacco on his second throw, the Bang 8 looking play by Boldin.
But first, let's look at the play before. Because this was really impressive stuff by either Flacco or Cam Cameron, and shows that they had a better grasp on the details and little things than we did.
Simple run play to Ray Rice. Motion Dickson. Troy follows him, Clark has his coverage roll the other way, meaning the CB has to back off into a deep shell (Probably a Cover 3 look, didn't get the proper angle to see it) after playing relatively tight coverage before the motion.
The Ravens see that and on the next play, they do the same thing. Motion Dickson over, Troy follows, Clark rolls, and McFadden starts to back off. This allows Boldin to get inside position on his post. Plus, Dickson runs into the flats occupying Troy.
Here's a picture of McFadden right after the snap. Notice how he's already turning his hips and getting upfield to protect against the deep ball. http://i51.tinypic.com/2ljjmkh.jpg
- Don't think we were used to the speed of their TEs. Especially since they have two in Dickson and Pitta. Used to covering old, slow Todd Heap.
- Antonio Brown smartly lets a booming punt over his head bounce into the end zone.
- Great job by the Ravens going PA on the post to Pitta right after our first turnover. We're suspectible enough as it is with playaction because we're cheating to stop the run, and Rice was running well early making us focus on it even more.
- First time I can remember us splitting Heath out wide outside the numbers like we did on his slant.
- Couple new wrinkles in the offense. Faked a WR sweep, inside trap to Mendenhall, who lined up as a WR. RT Colon on the trap.
- Ben still able to read hot at times, just not consistently enough which has always been my biggest complaint. Hit a slant to Wallace on an Ed Reed blitz, 3rd down drag to Sanders on Baltimore's "A" gap blitz.
- Still running angle routes with the RB in red zone as we did in the past with Mewelde Moore (think pick by Joe Haden in Ben's first game back last year. Angle route to Moore.).
- Foote replaced Farrior with roughly 10:00 left in the second quarter.
- Bad decision by Ben when he tried to extend play on the near interception by Reed. Wasn't much of an effort to block Suggs on that play either. Basic schematic problems on our part.
- Even Colon was struggling against Suggs who played a lot of strong side OLB in this one.
- Timmons getting put on his butt by Leach when he rushed on one pass play. Ugly.
- Heyward getting first pro snaps at weak end in the second, replacing Keisel.
- Foote, for whatever reason, doubles TE on 3rd and 6 leaving Rice as a wide open checkdown underneath for a big gain. More miscommunication.
- Worilds gave Harrison a breather. New number by the way, 93. Heyward is wearing his college number 97. Cortez Allen sporting 28.
- Hard to fault Timmons on Rice receving TD. Jerk route is tough to stop. Can only cover for so long too and Flacco had plenty of time.
- Ike has some sort of soft cast on his broken thumb hand.
Second Half
- My theory for what happened on the Ngata forced fumble to start the second half. Kinda convulded because there's a lot going on but here's my take. I don't think David Johnson ever knew there was an audible.
You can hear Pouncey and Ben's voices picked up over a mic. We hear Pouncey say "52, 52" which I may be him identifying the MIKE for run. MIKE means "mine" so Ray Lewis would be Pouncey's guy. Then he says "Check, check" so some sort of audible. Ben's voice comes over and he says "Let's go Pouncey" leading to a hurried snap. On the play. Legursky ends up getting to the second level and blocking 52, Lewis. It appears the check is made that Pouncey will now pick up Cody and Legursky gets Lewis. So far, so good.
While all this is going on, David Johnson is being motioned from TE to into the backfield. With the crowd noise and the hurriedness of the snap right aftet the check, I don't think he knew what was going on. I think he thought Legursky was still going to block Ngata and Pouncey would be on Lewis. You can even see him after the snap and Ngata blows by, he looks confused. Doesn't know where to go or who to block.
The thing that makes this even worse is this was the first play coming out of halftime. There shouldn't be miscommunication, everyone should be calmed and on the same page. Instead, there is a big screwup and a turnover. Sickening.
- Again, Ravens use playaction to their advantage. A touchdown to Dickson this time around. 1st and 10, run heavy set (22 personnel), their run game working well. You can see Troy definitely sell out on the run.
- Here's a picture of our FG formation on their two point conversion. Just three players to that side. Been doing that all game and they called us on it.
http://i53.tinypic.com/1jc6o.jpg
One over guard, one over end man on the left, and one player lined up wide.
- 3rd quarter for us this year felt like the 3rd quarter for the Ravens last year. Turnover after turnover.
- On Lewis' interception off the tipped pass by Ngata. Happens when you have a 6'1 guard against a 6'4 tackle. He can see when Ben is ready to throw and get his hand up.
- 4th and 1 stop by Harrison. There's the Deebo we all know and love. Fights off the block by Pitta and stops Rice cold. Big key here being we didn't shift our line when they motioned the TE away from the run as window dressing. I'll get into that more later when I break down the Ravens' runs. Credit to McFadden for again launching himself into Vonta Leach.
- Noticeable absense of Kemoeatu trap blocks. Only a few.
- Saw Wes Saunders in goalline package. Actually had a good block on Suggs. The rook is now wearing #82.
- Ran the same WR fake sweep later in the game only this time, the play was designed to go into the flats to Ward. He gets lit up by Jarrett Johnson and Ben throws a pick to Reed.
- When we got down big later in the game as we did, the Ravens could pin their ears back and send the house. And they did.
- Looks like Lewis and Cortez Allen were gunners in the 3rd quarter.
- Ike celebrates a 3rd down stop then headbutts Oher to give the Ravens a first down. Doh!
- Didn't see us run our first CB blitz until the start of the 4th quarter.
- Ben with two red zone picks. Reminds me of two years ago against teams like Oakland and KC when this was his real trouble spot. Absolutely going to kill you.
- Some saw Harrison had a bad game and while he wasn't as good as he usually is, keep in mind he did have at least 8 tackles.
- Interesting pass protection look by us. Pulled both our guards out wide on OLB blitzes. The only time I've ever seen us pull interior lineman is when the center will come out wide against CB blitzes. Maybe it's a concession of how bad our tackles were?
- Did like Ben talking to/rallying the offense line late in the game. Being a leader.
- Late in the game. Ben extending the play, throws deep ball to Heath, who catches it over Reed, huge gain. But....holding on Colon. Microcosm of our day.
- Interesting stunt by Baltimore as if they really needed to get creative to pick apart our offensive line. They have the UT basically drive himself into the RG (sorta looks like a cut block in a sense) and then loop the strong side end to the inside. The tackle can't pick that up obviously and the guard can't pass off the tackle or block the stunt because he's trying to fight off the UT. This also creates a wide open lane for the end to run through.
- Ravens last FG attempt. Still had just three to one side but we did back off Clark and Foote and rolled them to that three side.
http://i56.tinypic.com/2jd3otc.jpg
- Props to Colon for finishing the game with a torn triceps. Though I don't think he realized it because he was talking to the media after the game.
Sacks
- 1st and 10, 3:18 left in first. 01 (empty) personnel, shotgun. Stunt by Suggs, looping inside. I didn't see anything that would indicate a stunt pre-snap. No difference in the stagger of his feet. Actually going to blame Ben on this one. He calls a slide protection to his right meaning Pouncey is crashing hard that way from the snap. Really doesn't have a chance to pick up the stunt.
- 1st and 10, 11:39 left in 4th. Empty. Looks like a good blitz from the Ravens. Didn't tip their hand to the right overload blitz, timed the snap well (clock wasn't down to zero either). Block/release from Heath, so two rushers come in free, Ben with no chance.
- 3rd and 18, 4:08 left in 4th. Shotgun, 10. Forced fumble, recovered by Ravens. Big mistake. Letting the playclock get down to one. Defense can jump the snap without worry, especially in an obvious passing situation. Suggs gets a great jump, Scott can't push him upfield. Johnson or Kruger fights off Colon too. Ben sandwiched. So part on Ben, part on Colon. This is also likely where Colon tore his triceps. His body weight and Suggs' body falls on his right arm.
- 4th and 10, :05 left in 4th. Empty. Suggs with good leverage on Scott. Ben with happy feet, anxious to leave pocket.
Sack Counter (Game)
Ben Roethlisberger: 2
Good defensive scheme: 1
Willie Colon: .5
Jonathan Scott: .5
Sack Counter (Season)
Ben Roethlisberger: 2
Good defensive scheme: 1
Willie Colon: .5
Jonathan Scott: .5
Injuries
Willie Colon out for year with torn triceps. Team has signed Jamon Meredith. Marcus Gilbert to start at RT Sunday.
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One of my biggest concerns of the game was our run defense. Definitely not our usual self, and if we don't stop the run, we don't stand a chance. That's what this whole defense is centered around. So I broke down every Ravens' run up until the end of the 3rd, with the exception of two runs right before halftime that were meaningless.
1. 1st and 10. 21 personnel vs 34. Rice over tackle on left side. Harrison slides down pre-snap and gets engulfed by Leach. McKinnie to second level on Farrior. 36 yard gain.
2. 1st and 10. 22 (Dickson motioned to backfield) vs 34. Timmons from backside to make the tackle. 3 yard gain.
3. 1st and 10. 21 vs 34. Run up middle. Cut by Birk on Hampton, Timmons with the tackle. 5 yard gain.
4. 2nd and 29. 11 vs 2-4-5 Nickel. Draw. Ziggy with good job getting off block, little gain.
5. 1st and Goal. 21 vs 34. Rice over LG, down at one after being tripped by Big Snack. Tons of cut blocks from the Ravens. Hampton, Aaron Smith, and Farrior all cut. Howard Mudd would be proud.
6. 3rd and Goal. 23 vs GL. TD over RG. Key block as Phil Simms pointed out. Marshal Yanda plows over Aaron Smith. Farrior can't fill the lane in time.
7. 1st and 10. 22 vs 34. Run to left side. Harrison with good outside containment. Hampton good first step and getd in the backfield for a loss.
8. 1st and 10. 21 vs 34. Run to left, Rice cutback right for a 9 yard gain. Clark caught on safety blitz. Woodley and Timmons slip as they react to cutback. Nice tackle by McFadden. Stopped Rice cold.
9. 3rd and 1. 22 vs 34. Harrison again slides down inside after Pitta motions away because he no longer has responsibility to the TE. When in reality, and this is obviously difficult to detect if you're Harrison, it's just window dressing. Dickson is able to seal him to the inside. McFadden smashes into Leach to take him out, but Larry Foote tries to one-arm it and goes to high. Rice breaks free for a big gain.
10. 1st and 15. 20 vs 34. Middle draw. About an 8 yard gain. Foote stonewalled by Leach. Dickson with a good block on Woodley, creating a running lane.
11. 1st and 10. 21 vs 34. Over RG, jump cut from Rice. Harrison on backside contain, Heyward also helps to make tackle after short gain. Aaron Smith turned, blown out. Ravens lineman does a good job of getting to second level and engaging Foote. Picture of Aaron below.
http://i54.tinypic.com/28jfgvl.png
12. 1st and 10. 22 vs 34. Run off tackle to left. Again TE motion as window dressing. Gets line to shift away from run. Worilds does a nice job fighting off two blocks and helps to make the tackle along with McFadden. Short gain.
13. 1stand 10. 21 vs 34. Middle draw. 4 yard gain. Oher puts Aaron Smith on his back.
14. 1st and 10. 22 vs 34. Harrison fights off cut, Timmons slashes through for stop.
15. 1st and 10. 21 vs 34. Good penetration, short loss on the run. Casey and Keisel get in the backfield. Smith blown out. Again. Noticing a pattern?
16. 1st and 10. 12 vs 34. Williams big urn up middle plus a Troy horsecollar. Cut block took out Hamp and Farrior got caught in the congestion. Grubbs takes out Heyward and Timmons. Wide open running lane.
17. 2nd and 10. 21 vs 34. Run up gut for short gian. Casey cleans him up. Smith blindsided (no pun intended) by Oher.
18. 1st and 10. 21 vs 34. Run up middle. Hampton with good penetration, short gain.
19. 2nd and 8. 12 vs 34. Run to the right side. Harrison comes from backside to get Rice. Farrior on blitz, out of posiiton. 7 yard gain.
20. 3rd and 10. 22 vs 34. Loss. Troy on a blitz, defense clogs all running lanes.
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Couple things to take away.
Aaron Smith had the worse game I've seen of anyone at any position in a long time. I pray it's just rust from being away from the game with the injry and the lockout but I think that's naive at this point. So sad to see because he's ben such a key guy for us.
Ravens zone blocking concepts worked well. I've talked in the past teams should do this more often against us.
The little things. Especialy with the TE motion. Ate us up time after time. The devil is in the details and this past Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens were the devil.
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Originally Posted by SteelerFanInStl
