Week 8 Gameday Thread: Ravens vs. Steelers

[Danand]

All 22 1. quarter offense observations.

1. The Lamar pick 6 - Duvernay as the Z WR has a big cushion and is open basically the whole play - Lamar reads left to right and never gets to him as he passes before pressure arrives - could have been a big play or an adjusted comeback route from Duvernay after seeing the big cushion

2. Boykin lines up in the slot, runs a deep in route and Lamar hits him although the ball is placed a little behind Boykin. Boykin gets a free release

3. Tackle for loss on Gus after Phillips is beat badly (really bad) on a swim move by #91. Andrews in motion and doesn't choose to block Watt who tackles Lamar way after the handoff has happened

4. Random observation - not specific plays - our interior oline struggles with awareness on stunts and in situations with a shallow rush - instead of looking for work they commit to double teams which allows stunts and loopers free access to Lamar

5. Empty formation on 3 and 7, bad route combo imo, Lamar did have an opportunity though to find Andrews on the scramble right as Andrews find a vacated zone, play result in hit out of bounds

6. The TD to Boykin - Boykin lines up in the slot, gets a free release and run a corner route (sort of), great throw from Lamar who trust Boykin to reach his spot as the pass is delivered with Boykins back to the football

7. The long Dobbins run to the right after the strip fumble by Marcus peters - that is all Boyle making a great block and Dobbins speed to take advantage

8. The Lamar strip fumble, Boyle falls and blocks Andrews from going into his route, Brown comes across - I think Brown is the hot read to take advantage of his speed and Andrews second in the back of the end zone - difficult to say anything about play design other than they have both Boyle and Ricard in on this play and Ricard is a non factor

9. The pass play where Stanley is injured - Steelers rush 4, Dobbins and Boyle stay back to block and release late #91 abuses Mekari, no one is open downfield

10. Lamar chooses to sidearm a pass without reason to Boyle on a crosser and it is a little inaccurate - I do feel Boyle pulls up a bit

11. Final play of the quarter, play can't develop as #91 again blows up the play

[Danand]

That holding flag on Skura on the Lamar TD run, it came really late

[Danand]

I do understand some of Marquise Browns frustrations. There are opportunities for him on jet sweeps and on out breaking routes, for instance on the second to last play of the game, where Lamar for some reason comes off Lamar, and goes to Duvernay on the other side.

Then on the final pass, if Lamar pump fakes, he has a chance for a better matchup with Brown on the seam route similar to the one he scored on against the Steelers last year.

[AFlaccoSeagulls]

1 hour ago, Danand said:

That holding flag on Skura on the Lamar TD run, it came really late

It was also a terrible call.

[diamondbull424]

If the refs don’t make that call, we don’t lose a challenge flag on the Hollywood “did he or didn’t he” play and have extra time at the end of the game as we’re mounting our comeback.

Its pathetic that with all the late EXTRA late hits allowed on Lamar, that they choose THAT play as the one to punish physicality with. So pathetic. At the very least they robbed Lamar of arguably his best run in his career... probably only behind the Bengals spin.

[AFlaccoSeagulls]

1 hour ago, diamondbull424 said:

If the refs don’t make that call, we don’t lose a challenge flag on the Hollywood “did he or didn’t he” play and have extra time at the end of the game as we’re mounting our comeback.

Its pathetic that with all the late EXTRA late hits allowed on Lamar, that they choose THAT play as the one to punish physicality with. So pathetic. At the very least they robbed Lamar of arguably his best run in his career... probably only behind the Bengals spin.

It really is a shame that play didn't get posted everywhere because it was beautiful.

[Danand]

7 hours ago, diamondbull424 said:

If the refs don’t make that call, we don’t lose a challenge flag on the Hollywood “did he or didn’t he” play and have extra time at the end of the game as we’re mounting our comeback.

Its pathetic that with all the late EXTRA late hits allowed on Lamar, that they choose THAT play as the one to punish physicality with. So pathetic. At the very least they robbed Lamar of arguably his best run in his career... probably only behind the Bengals spin.

I watched the entire all 22 1 and 4 quarter of the game last night, and there are holdings on both sides which were more egregious than the one called on Skura - plus the flag came in late, so it would seem the ref made an afterthought call there instead of throwing the flag when the penalty occured

[AFlaccoSeagulls]

I just didn't like the formation. Everyone knew we were running (and running was likely the right call), but going 5 wide with no pre-snap/snap motion OR even the slightest hint that someone other than Lamar could be running the ball was just not good.

[diamondbull424]

1 hour ago, AFlaccoSeagulls said:

I just didn't like the formation. Everyone knew we were running (and running was likely the right call), but going 5 wide with no pre-snap/snap motion OR even the slightest hint that someone other than Lamar could be running the ball was just not good.

Agreed. The Steelers are the 2nd best run DVOA in football. You’re not going to bully them for 4 yards. You confuse them with a look and you’ve got a shot, as we did on our big plays all day.

The lack of clutch playcalling with Roman has shown in playoff appearances when we need our coaching at its best, he’s at his most vanilla. When we need him calling his best plays down the stretch, he goes vanilla. He’s like the Rex Ryan of OCs.

[AngusMcFife]

13 hours ago, diamondbull424 said:

Agreed. The Steelers are the 2nd best run DVOA in football. You’re not going to bully them for 4 yards. You confuse them with a look and you’ve got a shot, as we did on our big plays all day.

The lack of clutch playcalling with Roman has shown in playoff appearances when we need our coaching at its best, he’s at his most vanilla. When we need him calling his best plays down the stretch, he goes vanilla. He’s like the Rex Ryan of OCs.

How would that play even work? The O-lineman can't block beyond the line of scrimmage, because if it's a pass then that's a penalty. The only way to do a run pass option is fake handoff and quickly fire a slant to a WR. But in the redzone, the DBs are all pressing the WRs, so they can't get off the line fast. Ugh. 

So you have Skura playing patty cake with the DT, not even run blocking. How is that going to work? 

Alternatively, maybe it was a pass and Lamar just decided to run with it. And the coaches are covering for him. 

[AFlaccoSeagulls]

7 hours ago, AngusMcFife said:

How would that play even work? The O-lineman can't block beyond the line of scrimmage, because if it's a pass then that's a penalty. The only way to do a run pass option is fake handoff and quickly fire a slant to a WR. But in the redzone, the DBs are all pressing the WRs, so they can't get off the line fast. Ugh. 

So you have Skura playing patty cake with the DT, not even run blocking. How is that going to work? 

Alternatively, maybe it was a pass and Lamar just decided to run with it. And the coaches are covering for him. 

I think what Roman meant by having options is that he gave 2 play calls for the same formation. Lamar could have audibled out of the run into a pass.

At least, I have to believe that's what he meant because the alternative, like you said, makes my brain hurt.

[diamondbull424]

10 hours ago, AngusMcFife said:

How would that play even work? The O-lineman can't block beyond the line of scrimmage, because if it's a pass then that's a penalty. The only way to do a run pass option is fake handoff and quickly fire a slant to a WR. But in the redzone, the DBs are all pressing the WRs, so they can't get off the line fast. Ugh. 

So you have Skura playing patty cake with the DT, not even run blocking. How is that going to work? 

Alternatively, maybe it was a pass and Lamar just decided to run with it. And the coaches are covering for him. 

 

3 hours ago, AFlaccoSeagulls said:

I think what Roman meant by having options is that he gave 2 play calls for the same formation. Lamar could have audibled out of the run into a pass.

At least, I have to believe that's what he meant because the alternative, like you said, makes my brain hurt.

Yup. This is my interpretation as well. I also wouldn’t be willing to trust a pass in that situation, not a full pass play. Considering we’ve got guys running their route into the same space and guys running into each other on routes all game.

Instead with JK Dobbins having over 100 rushing yards in the game. The play to get the 1st down was obvious. Motion JKD into the backfield and right as he’s slowed down enough and in position hike the snap.

With two incredibly fast threats that have proven they can kill the Steelers, make them pick their poison. Lamar up the gut or Dobbins to the right side of the field. IIRC it was pretty empty over there and he’s got the explosiveness/speed to beat angles.

The play worked earlier in the game. That was the PERFECT time to call it again. And for my money Dobbins probably scores a TD on that play if we hand it off to him. As the Steelers would’ve expected Lamar to want to keep and Dobbins has far too much contact balance for them to keep him from getting 4 yards unless they’re tackling him for a loss, which if they overcommit they risk Lamar.

No way motion RPO Dobbins shouldn’t have been the play.

Whats more I would’ve had Hollywood split out to the same side as Dobbins running a slant. If the defense overcommits up the middle, you’ve got a chance at sneaking a pass behind them to Hollywood. This if the defense aggressively blitzes to stop any and all runs, while also getting immediate penetration. 

Though this assumes we have such a play in the playbook. We probably don’t.