Game Thread: Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravans

[fightinredantz]

To me preparing for the early kick off needs to start with meetings and practice this week. Move everything up 3 hours. If you start at 10 then start at 7.

I think also getting to Baltimore Friday night and set the schedule for starting early there would help a lot.

We seem to have an advantage with our offense running the ball. Make them commit extra defenders to the box and then make them pay with big plays down the field when they do.

Defensively we have to limit the big passing plays. Statistically they have most of their success passing the ball. If the NFZ could return it would help a lot.

Lastly winning the turn over battle. If we do not turn over the ball it benefit the Defense by not defending a short field, and not taking points off the scoreboard.

 

[Duffman]

We should’ve gotten to Baltimore today. Get a good 5 days in at that timezone to be ready.

 

[MileHigh64]

Yeah, I thought they should travel to B'More on Friday but VJ has elected to take the team there on Saturday. His reasoning is one more good practice at their home facility prior to departure. I'm not a fan of the Saturday trip decision. Then again, I'm not an NFL head coach so what do I know?

 

[cdumler7]

So have watched Baltimore and what they like to do.

Offensively they are about as opposite of the Raiders as one can be. Seems like about every 3rd pass is a deep ball. Flacco for the most part does a lot of high/low reads. Has a deep guy and if there is an opportunity he pulls the trigger otherwise he hits his check down.

Running the ball they are a lot like the Raiders in they want to power the ball down the field.

Defensively they want to put pressure on a QB and trust their secondary to hold up in tight man coverage. They blitz a ton. To me in the passing game you need to run some deep come back routes and crossers. Throw in some of the wheel route looks we have seen with Lindsay in the preseason as I think he could be wide open on a few of those. Screen game can also slow them down.

Pass rush wise they have no speed rushers. They want to collapse the pocket or overload a side to get a free man.

Against the run I would say they are above average. Just have to stick with the run game and I would recommend attacking the edges trying to catch them short handed on a side when they blitz.

 

[nflbronco]

Keenum throws picks without pressure. Be interesting to see what he can do with pressure. I'd say this normally would be a easy game but, we struggle in Balt usually. This team is highly flawed right now we lucked out first two weeks. I do think we will improve over the season. I want to sweep KC and beat the Rams this year.

 

[Draft Crazy]

One thing that surprises me about the Ravens thus far is the lack of carries they have given Alex Collins. Javorious Allen is receiving darn near the same amount. They didn't give Collins a ton last year but he did a lot with them. This year they have even decreased that. I think they need to get him move involved to have more success.

To me the Ravens are a very average team. Maybe just a step up from the two teams we have seen so far this year but not much.

Very winnable game, but playing early with the Ravens having 10 games rest is why I have the Ravens pegged to win right now with the hope obviously it is wrong.

The Ravens are a very simple team to game plan for IMO, but they have good coaching and that allows them to execute well.

Week 1 the Rams visited the Raiders and Talib did not get to see his friend Crabtree.

Now, this week Crabtree gets to host the Broncos and he won't get to see his friend Talib.

 

[iknowftbll]

I was encouraged to see this:

Vance Joseph: ‘We gave Raiders’ offense too much respect’

My hope is the Broncos defense has a breakout game. They are built to be aggressive and the game plan last week...well not so much. It reminded me of the 2014 defense where JDR had the DBs so far back they may as well have been in the locker room and dropping Von and Ware into coverage when they should have been rushing. I’d like to see a game plan that reminds us all of 2015. Aggressive, swarming to the ball, and feasting on turnovers.

 

[cdumler7]

Couple of cool stats about our rookies. The offensive skill players for the Broncos have combined for more yards through two games than any other rookie class in NFL history.

Also Bradley Chubb while the sack numbers are not quite there leads all rookie edge defenders with 8 pressures through two games. He is also only one of two edge defenders from what I understand to score a 75 or better grade in both pass rush and run defense in the first two games.

 

[cdumler7]

I was encouraged to see this:

Vance Joseph: ‘We gave Raiders’ offense too much respect’

My hope is the Broncos defense has a breakout game. They are built to be aggressive and the game plan last week...well not so much. It reminded me of the 2014 defense where JDR had the DBs so far back they may as well have been in the locker room and dropping Von and Ware into coverage when they should have been rushing. I’d like to see a game plan that reminds us all of 2015. Aggressive, swarming to the ball, and feasting on turnovers.

If people can't see the change in Joseph this year then they are not paying attention. There is no more of the "well we practiced well all week" kind of conversation. He is very open and honest about the mistakes that are happening both in the coaching staff and the players. He holds himself and everyone on the team to a very high standard and I think that is showing up in game planning, preparation, and the fixing of mistakes in games.

 

[iknowftbll]

If people can't see the change in Joseph this year then they are not paying attention. There is no more of the "well we practiced well all week" kind of conversation. He is very open and honest about the mistakes that are happening both in the coaching staff and the players. He holds himself and everyone on the team to a very high standard and I think that is showing up in game planning, preparation, and the fixing of mistakes in games.

Agree. I want to see how they handle a road trip in a place they’ve historically struggled, but so far I like what I’ve seen in VJ’s improvement.

 

[MileHigh64]

Three more days! Big test this weekend.

I think the Ravens will be ready to shut down Phillip Lindsay. I look for Freeman to get most of the 1st half snaps. Depending on the halftime score, Lindsay will have a bigger 2nd half impact. Ravens are tough to run on.

I think this is the classic game where you use the pass to set up the run. Take a page from the Patriot offense and morph the crap out of our defensive game plan to match up with this opponent. Broncos are going to really need to jump out to an early lead, IMO. I'm looking for a pass play on first downs more than not.

Go Broncos!!

 

[Draft Crazy]

They have actually been better vs the pass this year then the rush, but IMO, they aren't great at either. Not terrible at either, but with Jimmy Smith out I think the Ravens can be exploited even more vs the pass this year.

Their first game vs the Bills is hard to factor in as the Bills can't pass or rush, sooooo.

Last week AJ Green and Joe Mixon both had excellent weeks vs the Ravens.

 

[fightinredantz]

Agree that the Bills really helped their stats. They are really bad. It will be interesting if they will find a way to win a game this year. They might the the 3rd team to go winless.

 

[Draft Crazy]

I think they will win a game. I think Allen will get better as the year goes on, but they need a lot more then him too. The OL is pretty bad. No run game as of now, and the D has had a very rough start...Either way they might be in for the worst season following a playoff berth a year prior.

 

[cdumler7]

Looking like one of the big key players for this game on the Ravens squad will be a no go in CJ Mosley.

As for the game itself I do think the Broncos will be able to run against the Ravens. I would attack the edges with a lot of zone stretch plays then run bootleg off of that to set up the big play down the field.

 

[fightinredantz]

This feels like it should be a winnable game. Flacco likes to push the ball down the field and that plays into our pass rush. The Ravens have struggled to stop the run and we have run the ball well all year.

The trip to Eastern time zone is an issue.

Vance is trying to set the mindset of it doesn't matter when or where the game is the team is going to show up and play well.

We will see if the players buy in on Sunday.

 

[nflbronco]

We will win 35-20

 

[SpringStein]

We will win 35-20

The half empty glass guy thinks we will win?????

 

[nflbronco]

The half empty glass guy thinks we will win?????

Indeed

 

[CEH]

Freaky schedule
Last year first 5 games
Afcw , nfc , east coast trip early start, Afcw, ny team
This year
Nfc, Afcw, east coast trip early start , Afcw , ny team