Are the Ravens in trouble?

[JDM]

Jones was never good. That means nothing to me.

 

[Money]

Exactly that was a huge gaffe on Harbaugh. Like I said would it have changed the outcome who knows..but it would have slowed Denver down right then.

Here's the deal though. Harbaugh had to waste a challenge in the first half to overturn a Denver completion where the ball clearly bounced off the ground a foot in front of Thomas. If Harbaugh challenged the completion to Welker and lost, the Ravens would have been out of challenges with almost a half to go. If Harbaugh still had both challenges in his pocket, he wouldn't have hesitated to challenge that play.

 

[Bunkamania]

I wouldn't say the Ravens are in trouble. I saw this as a rebuild year with a chance, if everything went right, to make a deep run into the play offs.

This was only one game against one of the better teams in the AFC and not a season ending loss in the play offs.

 

[Broncos6482]

Here's the deal though. Harbaugh had to waste a challenge in the first half to overturn a Denver completion where the ball clearly bounced off the ground a foot in front of Thomas. If Harbaugh challenged the completion to Welker and lost, the Ravens would have been out of challenges with almost a half to go. If Harbaugh still had both challenges in his pocket, he wouldn't have hesitated to challenge that play.

But he wasn't going to lose it. That's the point. The replay clearly showed in plenty of time for him to challenge that Welker trapped the ball.

 

[Money]

But he wasn't going to lose it. That's the point. The replay clearly showed in plenty of time for him to challenge that Welker trapped the ball.

It absolutely did not show in plenty of time...otherwise he obviously would have thrown it. I still think Denver would have won the game though, so it really doesn't matter. I just don't think blame on the non-challenge should necessarily fall on Harbaugh. There were other factors which made it a very difficult decision.

 

[Midnightangel]

Here's the deal though. Harbaugh had to waste a challenge in the first half to overturn a Denver completion where the ball clearly bounced off the ground a foot in front of Thomas. If Harbaugh challenged the completion to Welker and lost, the Ravens would have been out of challenges with almost a half to go. If Harbaugh still had both challenges in his pocket, he wouldn't have hesitated to challenge that play.

Harbaugh said he never saw the play - which isn't surprising. Most clubs run up to the line before the other team has a chance to view it.

 

[SoPortland]

Should prob give the ball to that one guy named Rice a little more.

 

[mcro_rave_2001]

Should prob give the ball to that one guy named Rice a little more.

Rice has really slacked off in the running department, and it' kind of hard to give the ball to him when you're down 20+ points, but yea, i agree he needs more touches.

 

[flaraider]

Rice has really slacked off in the running department, and it' kind of hard to give the ball to him when you're down 20+ points, but yea, i agree he needs more touches.

WTF, Rice is slacking? Damn I hate to hear that, I don't think Ozzie and Harbs will put up with that for long.

 

[Broncos6482]

It absolutely did not show in plenty of time...otherwise he obviously would have thrown it. I still think Denver would have won the game though, so it really doesn't matter. I just don't think blame on the non-challenge should necessarily fall on Harbaugh. There were other factors which made it a very difficult decision.

You're wrong. Not only did he have plenty of time to challenge after the replay, he had more time to challenge than it took him to use his challenge in the first half. From Peter King's MMQB:

Denver trails 17-14 with 14:13 left in the third quarter. Manning throws low to Welker, who appears to trap it. The officials call it a catch. Cornerback Corey Graham immediately motions to the ground that it bounced. Now, keep in mind that each coaches’ booth in every NFL stadium is equipped with a TV monitor that shows the exact feed that is shown in the replay booth; the only difference is the coaches cannot run a play back and forth the way it can be done in the replay booth. But the replay shown by NBC, with Welker clearly trapping the catch, comes either 10 or 11 seconds before the snap of the next play by Manning. (I was using the sweep hand on my watch, so it’s not precise.) And in the first half, when Harbaugh challenged almost exactly the same kind of trap by Demaryius Thomas, the Ravens threw the challenge flag six seconds after the first replay of the Thomas trap. So, unless there was a blackout or a TV malfunction in the Ravens’ coaches booth, the replay was shown up there in plenty of time for Harbaugh to have been told he should throw the challenge flag. The coach upstairs blew that one.

Even if he the coach upstairs didn't signal down in time, why not listen to his players who immediately signaled that it wasn't a catch?

 

[Money]

You're wrong. Not only did he have plenty of time to challenge after the replay, he had more time to challenge than it took him to use his challenge in the first half. From Peter King's MMQB:



Even if he the coach upstairs didn't signal down in time, why not listen to his players who immediately signaled that it wasn't a catch?

He would have listened to his players IF he had two challenges in his pocket. You don't do that if it could very well be your last challenge with just about a half of football to play. You could see with the naked eye from a mile away that the pass to Thomas was incomplete. Of course it took no time to throw the challenge flag on that one.

 

[Bunkamania]

Coaches shouldn't have to challenge plays where balls skipping of the ground are being called completed passes. Let alone have it happen twice in the same game.

 

[Jakology]

They were playing in Denver against the no huddle. I wouldn't go too crazy over the loss. It just shows how great the Broncos are as a team. The Ravens will get it together and win their division.

 

[cdumler7]

NBC said the Assistant coaches got to see the replay with 13 seconds to spare in being able to tell their coach to throw the challenge flag. Obviously they did not so that is on them not on NBC. Teams know when they play Manning that if their is a questionable call they have to make quick decisions. This is not some new piece of information.

I understand he had already used one challenge so you have to make sure to save the other for an important moment but that one play did not decide the game. The Ravens had plenty of opportunities on offense to stay with the Broncos offense but they failed miserably. The Broncos forced 6 3 and outs and only allowed 8 of 22 on 3rd down in the game. If the Ravens expect to compete this year that offense is really going to have to step up. Yes I know their defense just gave up some ridiculous points in this game but the offense definitely did nothing to help.

 

[Midnightangel]

He would have listened to his players IF he had two challenges in his pocket. You don't do that if it could very well be your last challenge with just about a half of football to play. You could see with the naked eye from a mile away that the pass to Thomas was incomplete. Of course it took no time to throw the challenge flag on that one.

And I would caution you against listening to your players in the first place. Some of them think things happened one way when it actually was the other. It's always wise to let your guys upstairs look at the play and signal down to you whether or not you should throw the red hankie.

But you were dealing with Payton Manning and he wasn't going to give you that chance.

I hate the Ravens - I'm a Steelers fan - but I can't blame Harbaugh on this one. Not much more he could have done on this play.

 

[Bunkamania]

I think the defense letting guys run uncovered into the endzone had a lot to do with why they lost. They also let a 2 yard pass turn into a 78 yard TD. I wouldn't totally let the offense off the hook but, the D looked even worse than last year.

 

[Breaker99]

Huff had a rough first day in the NFL, thats for sure.

 

[Yu Lee - A Nova Lover]

I think the defense letting guys run uncovered into the endzone had a lot to do with why they lost.

Maybe... Flacco's 2 interceptions and 54% completions was part of it, too.

 

[Bunkamania]

One of the INT's had no bearing on the game because it was awarded back to the Ravens when the defender dropped the ball at the 1 and it was knocked around for a touchback. The many drops by the receivers may have lead to the 54% completion percentage.

It's funny that when guys like Cam Newton and Matt Stafford throw for 400 yards and multiple TD's people want to put them in the elite category but, when Joe does it he's just average.

 

[Midnightangel]

One of the INT's had no bearing on the game because it was awarded back to the Ravens when the defender dropped the ball at the 1 and it was knocked around for a touchback. The many drops by the receivers may have lead to the 54% completion percentage.

It's funny that when guys like Cam Newton and Matt Stafford throw for 400 yards and multiple TD's people want to put them in the elite category but, when Joe does it he's just average.

Don't get me started how how vastly over rated I think Cam and Matt are.