Week 1 in The NFL: Not a Sight For Sore Eyes

After Week 1 in the AFC North, the Ravens find themselves in a three-way tie for second thanks to surprising losses by the Bengals and Browns, both home favorites. The Steelers beat the Falcons in Atlanta in a game that was hardly a sight for sore eyes. It had the look and feel of a preseason game, just like many opening games across the NFL.

The AVERAGE amount of passing yards on Sunday afternoon was 185.

YIKES! https://t.co/gtnCYJYqxw

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) September 9, 2024

If you think about it, it’s just another example of how the arrogant, self-entitled aristocracy of the NFL (aka the league owners) fleece their customers (aka fans) without a hint of remorse. They charge fans exorbitantly for fake games that most starters boycott, and when said starters finally take the field, the rust shows, the product stinks and the price to watch such “entertainment” climbs even higher.

Meanwhile, the smug consigliere (aka Roger Goodell) and his merry band of slappies, concoct new and innovative ways to nickel and dime fans to death as the 32 Godfathers sport cheshire cat grins and watch the cash cycle through state-of-the-art money counters.

A Good Loss

There is such a thing as a good loss IF the losing team can do some honest and transparent self-scouting, correct mistakes, and eventually get better. Thursday night’s loss was one. The Ravens showed resiliency and despite all the mistakes both on the field and those made by the coaching staff, they came within an inch of Isaiah Likely’s cleat and a 2-point conversion from defeating the NFL World Champions despite the enormous odds stacked against them.

This week they’ll host the Raiders, and the early line has the Ravens as 8-point favorites. The Ravens will be well-rested while Las Vegas will be traveling across country following a road loss in Los Angeles. And you’ve all heard about the challenges faced by west coast teams playing 1 PM games in the Eastern Time Zone. Meanwhile the Steelers travel to Denver; the Browns go to Jacksonville and the Bengals are in Kansas City.

By this time next week, the vibe could be quite different for #RavensFlock.

A Full NFL Season from LJ8

Anytime Lamar Jackson takes the field, the Ravens have a chance to win. But as we’ve seen in the past, when John Harbaugh’s team competes without their franchise QB, the results regularly take a turn for the worse. So, it stands to reason that the Ravens need to protect Lamar at all costs. The problem is, they aren’t built to do that. Not with a bad offensive line. Not with bad play calling. Not with a poorly designed offense.

Not when Lamar is forced to put the offense on his back and play with reckless abandon.

That formula just isn’t sustainable in the NFL.

Former teammate and Heisman Trophy Winner Robert Griffin, III shared a few interesting thoughts on the topic and while I’m not a big fan of Griffin’s work as a member of the media, he speaks glowingly of Lamar and the Ravens organization and therefore, the criticisms he shared on social media regarding the Ravens offense, should be viewed as fair and balanced. Some of his points bulletized:

• [Lamar] is having to make a play down in and down out so much that his Superman Cape is getting worn down by the end of the game.

• When you watch the Chiefs, you know Patrick Mahomes is special, but their scheme isn’t reliant on him “just making a play” all the time. It’s systematically built to allow him to have “layup” completions and be the point guard dishing out dimes instead of always having to score himself. Even Steph Curry needs a few layups before it’s just all 3’s and night-night time.

• But when the time comes, [Mahomes] nails the big play, in part because he hasn’t been shooting fade away 3 pointers while being doubled all game long.

• The Ravens have Derrick Henry and need to run their offense through him and play action pass. They have 2 tight ends in Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely who are mismatch nightmares for linebackers and safeties, while also being willing blockers.

• Bateman and Flowers can eat in 1 on 1 situations, so run the ball relentlessly and force the defense to add an extra defender to the box before getting enamored with throwing the football all over the yard.

• The Ravens need Lamar at his best at the end of the game, so getting the rest of the team engrained in the game early is more important than having Lamar be EVERYTHING on offense from start to finish.

• [Lamar] would tell you he needed to be better at the end of the game. The Ravens can help him by not asking him to be Superman the entire game.

• The Ravens can only do this if their offensive line play improves dramatically to protect Lamar in pocket and help the running game outside of him scrambling.

Todd Monken knows this. John Harbaugh knows this. At least I think they do. Only time will tell.

The Go Route

Lamar is a 2-time NFL MVP and possesses the arm strength to make any throw. What he lacks is timing and the ability to throw receivers open. Maybe that develops over time but one would think at this point, the time is now.

Despite practicing it regularly during camp, you don’t see Lamar using back-shoulder throws. If placed properly, even well-covered receivers can make catches provided the receiver and QB are on the same page. The Ravens had a chance at a back-shoulder target with Rashod Bateman during the fourth quarter in Kansas City. But Lamar didn’t take that opportunity. Bateman seemed frustrated when the pass sailed over his head. He was well covered but there was an opening to Bateman’s outside shoulder along the boundary.

You also don’t see Lamar throwing to a spot, and that happens when a QB trusts a receiver’s routes. The deep ball is also problematic. Lamar had a couple opportunities to make 30+ yard connections on Thursday but failed – one each to Likely and Zay Flowers.

The points made by RGIII above are legit. But maybe Lamar’s limitations also place limitations on Monken’s playbook.

But then there are throws like this one, that make you go, “WOW!”

Jesus man what a play this almost was pic.twitter.com/pIYeL46HEy

— RAMEY (@HoodieRamey) September 8, 2024

Under Pressure

I read that Lamar’s first half passes against the Chiefs traveled in the air less than 2 yards from the line of scrimmage, on average. That’s not by design. That has everything to do with the pressure created by the Chiefs defensive front. Everyone saw it. Well, everyone except John Harbaugh.

When asked after the game about the O-line’s performance against Kansas City, Coach Harbs served up the following:

“The offensive line I thought did a heck of a job out there. [There were] a lot of question marks the pundits and the prognosticators had about the offensive line, saying that with that offensive line we couldn’t do anything. To see the way they went out there and played against that defense I thought was pretty impressive, and that’s a challenge, especially in this environment [with] communication.”

Remember that honesty and transparency I discussed above? This ain’t it. This is the equivalent of a participation trophy.

Hopefully ball coach is more honest to his players than he was to the “pundits”.

Big Ben

No, not Roethlisberger. Cleveland.

I saw some banter on Twitter about Cleveland’s absence from the field. I received text messages asking, “Where’s Ben Cleveland?” when Daniel Faalele was struggling mightily.

My answer?

“Harbaugh’s doghouse!”

Cleveland doesn’t have a reputation for being a grinder – the blue collar worker that the Harbaugh Family attaches itself to. He’s not the best practice player and that’s something that the Harbaughs put a lot of stock in. But if Faalele continues with his matador impersonations when in pass pro and his Frankenstein-like plodding in the run game, the Ravens might have to put more stock in backup quarterbacks. Lamar won’t survive.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to give Cleveland a get-out-of-jail-free-card.

From The Doghouse to The Hot Seat

It has been a long, long time since Bill Belichick hasn’t been on an NFL sideline during a regular season game – not since 1974 to be exact. 50 years! And perhaps that in part has led to some speculation over Coach Hoodie’s next landing spot.

If things go sideways for Harbaugh in 2024, Belichick’s name could be linked to the Ravens but at best it would be nothing more than pure media speculation.

What would stop Belichick to Baltimore?

More than likely, Eric DeCosta. EDC won’t want to work with a controlling head coach who wants not only some say in personnel matters, but probably no less than equal say with the GM. DeCosta hasn’t been a Ravens lifer and remained loyal to the organization despite opportunities to be a GM elsewhere, to have a new head coach come along and usurp the authority in personnel matters that he spent nearly three decades trying to secure.

In the unlikely event that owner Steve Bisciotti decides he’s had enough with Harbaugh, the replacement won’t be Belichick if DeCosta has any say. And if Bisciotti were to pull rank and higher Bill anyway, he’ll have fixed one high-end personnel problem and replaced it with another.

Odds & Ends

If you an NFL fan outside of #ChiefsKingdom, chances are you think that Travis Kelce is a total d-bag. And it has nothing to with Taylor Swift. It has more to do with things like screaming at his head coach during the Super Bowl like a roid-raged lunatic; or throwing aside Justin Tucker’s helmet before the AFCCG; or cheap shots like this that he knows won’t get called. And it didn’t. But I promise you one thing. Roquan Smith won’t forget it.

Travis Kelce blindsides Roquan Smith after Xavier Worthy gets in the end zone pic.twitter.com/35gOi4Pdzd

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) September 7, 2024

Out of Focus

Many discerning NFL fans place a lot of stock in Pro Football Focus grades. I get it, they do some nice work that isn’t “grade” related, so their rep is solid. Plus, with Cris Collinsworth being NBC’s top analyst and his obvious influence upon the way his network features said grades, it can lure you into seeing those grades as a benchmark.

They are not!

I’ve been told by more than one source at The Castle that the coaching staff and personnel evaluators use certain PFF metrics as a reference tool but…they think the grades are laughable. And oftentimes, their grades don’t match up with the impact of certain players upon the game, good or bad.

PFF grades are like Bold Predictions and NFL Power Rankings. They’re just something to talk about. No better, no worse. And certainly no benchmark!

Love, Mom

Rob Long has been part of the Baltimore sports media for the better part of 20 years. He’s grown as a broadcaster; grown as a man. I’ve long admired the tenacity, work ethic and outside-the-box thinking he brings to his profession. Recently, he revealed his heart to all of us during a moving display of affection and respect directed towards his mother Charlee, who is courageously fighting ALS.

Rob considers his mom to be a “fighter”.

I’m not surprised. The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. Recently Rob, with cooperation from the Baltimore Orioles, arranged to have a game’s first pitch dedicated to Charlee.

Orioles broadcaster Rob Long and his mom, Charlee, who is courageously fighting ALS, threw out today’s ceremonial first pitch. pic.twitter.com/YjmSq9dK0p

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 7, 2024

Your love and devotion are inspiring Rob Long. And both say so much about the person you are. Speaking for all of us at RSR, our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and of course your beautiful mom as you courageously take on an undefeated foe. May your future together include poignant moments that become wonderful memories that span lifetimes.

Love y’all for this day. THIS is #Birdland. @BirdlandInsider @masnOrioles @Orioles @1057TheFan @BBMS1057TheFan pic.twitter.com/xlKIiaWB0k

— Rob Long (@RobLongSports) September 7, 2024

The post Week 1 in The NFL: Not a Sight For Sore Eyes appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/09/09/tltakes/nfl-week-1/