Are we the Dilfer led Ravens?

[X-Era]

I found this blurb interesting:

Said Whaley, “Defense, run the ball, because that’s the type of football that travels, especially late in the season in the northeast. And that’s playoff football, too. Because if you look at the stats of most of the playoff games, besides the Super Bowl when Tom Brady threw it 50 times, the Patriots were running the ball to get” to the Super Bowl. “Seattle, if you look at Russell Wilson’s stats, he very rarely throws it over 25 times a game because they’re playing great defense and running the ball well. He’ll make those three to four throws a game, those third-and-10s, that you need. And that’s all we need our quarterback to do this year.”

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bi...-goal-20150331

Many, including myself, still feel we need a true franchise QB before we can win a Super Bowl. But, others feel a guy that can simply do his job on a team that can run and plays great defense is all we need.

Can Manuel/Cassell/Taylor simply make 3 or 4 3rd and 10 throws a game and take us to the playoffs behind a great D and run game?

I don't think anyone feels we are all set at QB. But can we get to the playoffs with this team?

[DynaPaul]

No, I don't think any of them can make those 3rd and long plays on a consistent basis. I do feel we can get into the playoffs though largely on the defense and running game probably as a wild card.

[EDS]

I found this blurb interesting:

Said Whaley, “Defense, run the ball, because that’s the type of football that travels, especially late in the season in the northeast. And that’s playoff football, too. Because if you look at the stats of most of the playoff games, besides the Super Bowl when Tom Brady threw it 50 times, the Patriots were running the ball to get” to the Super Bowl. “Seattle, if you look at Russell Wilson’s stats, he very rarely throws it over 25 times a game because they’re playing great defense and running the ball well. He’ll make those three to four throws a game, those third-and-10s, that you need. And that’s all we need our quarterback to do this year.”

Just for the record, Russell Wilson threw the ball more than 25 times in a game 9 times during the 2014 regular season (and threw it exactly 25 times twice).

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bi...-goal-20150331

Many, including myself, still feel we need a true franchise QB before we can win a Super Bowl. But, others feel a guy that can simply do his job on a team that can run and plays great defense is all we need.

Can Manuel/Cassell/Taylor simply make 3 or 4 3rd and 10 throws a game and take us to the playoffs behind a great D and run game?

I don't think anyone feels we are all set at QB. But can we get to the playoffs with this team?

[chris66]

The thing is Russell Wilson is a franchise qb. Bills dont have one of those. Heck Bills dont even have a. Mark Sanchez.

[Joe Fo Sho]

Heck Bills dont even have a. Mark Sanchez.

And we can all be thankful for that.

[Ingtar33]

no, that Ravens defense was historically one of the top 3 defenses in nfl history, and depending on the stats you looked at it was arguably better then the 85 bears. (remember that Ravens team went 3-1 in an October where the offense scored 1 touchdown all month)

I think our defense has top 3 in the nfl potential, but i don't think it will be "historically" good.

[X-Era]

no, that Ravens defense was historically one of the top 3 defenses in nfl history, and depending on the stats you looked at it was arguably better then the 85 bears. (remember that Ravens team went 3-1 in an October where the offense scored 1 touchdown all month)

I think our defense has top 3 in the nfl potential, but i don't think it will be "historically" good.

I see the difference but a top 3 defense is good enough to put us in many games. If you simply can run the ball you could conceivably win you're way to the playoffs without the need for a potent air attack.

Problem is the NFL is a pass happy league right now. Teams will load the box and force us to throw. I want to run a spread again that opens up short routes when the box is loaded and gives the RB more room to run.

Easier on the QB, OL, and RB. But it also requires a QB and OC that can find the hot, quick reads to get it to the open guys.

[Mr. Pink]

That would mean whoever starts the year at QB will be benched for being ineffective by midseason.

Who's Tony Banks on this roster?

[Pinkerton Security]

I sure hope so.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I found this blurb interesting:

Said Whaley, “Defense, run the ball, because that’s the type of football that travels, especially late in the season in the northeast. And that’s playoff football, too. Because if you look at the stats of most of the playoff games, besides the Super Bowl when Tom Brady threw it 50 times, the Patriots were running the ball to get” to the Super Bowl.

Doug, what the hell are you talking about? New England rushed for 14 yards against Baltimore and didn't call a rush play in the entire second half. You'd have a better argument if you just focused on Indianapolis, which New England flattened in the run game both times they played, and against Cincy. But against several other teams, New England's rush game was somewhat ineffective. 66 yards against the Broncos and 57 against the Seahawks are two examples.

“Seattle, if you look at Russell Wilson’s stats, he very rarely throws it over 25 times a game because they’re playing great defense and running the ball well. He’ll make those three to four throws a game, those third-and-10s, that you need. And that’s all we need our quarterback to do this year.”

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bi...-goal-20150331

I think he's selling Wilson incredibly short (yuk yuk). Wilson's legs require a QB spy, which opens up lanes for the run game in the same way that Kaepernick and Gore fed off each other. Also, Wilson is absolutely not a game manager, which is what Whaley is implying. Wilson is one of the best deep-ball passers in the league (http://regressing.deadspin.com/chart...nfl-1469917039)(http://grantland.com/the-triangle/qu...ts-of-nfl-qbs/) because he has a howitzer arm and is very effective extending his time in the pocket. Wilson's struggles are in the short and intermediate game.

[EDS]

Doug, what the hell are you talking about? New England rushed for 14 yards against Baltimore and didn't call a rush play in the entire second half. You'd have a better argument if you just focused on Indianapolis, which New England flattened in the run game both times they played, and against Cincy. But against several other teams, New England's rush game was somewhat ineffective. 66 yards against the Broncos and 57 against the Seahawks are two examples.



I think he's selling Wilson incredibly short (yuk yuk). Wilson's legs require a QB spy, which opens up lanes for the run game in the same way that Kaepernick and Gore fed off each other. Also, Wilson is absolutely not a game manager, which is what Whaley is implying. Wilson is one of the best deep-ball passers in the league (http://regressing.deadspin.com/chart...nfl-1469917039)(http://grantland.com/the-triangle/qu...ts-of-nfl-qbs/) because he has a howitzer arm and is very effective extending his time in the pocket. Wilson's struggles are in the short and intermediate game.

Whaley just looks like he does not do his homework by making these types of statements. Wilson through the ball more than 25 times in more than half of Seattle's games this season (that is by any definition more than rarely) and NE basically tailored its offensive game plan to its opponents weaknesses (running the ball against Indy, for example, and throwing against Baltimore).

[YardRat]

I'll be pleasantly surprised if the defense ranks in the top 10 or 12 in a majority of the ten or eleven 'relevant' stats, and IMO that's not good enough to carry a team.

[Night Train]

I just want them to get that final wildcard spot.

I don't think that's a reach at all but injuries will decide that.

[cookie G]

Not even the Ravens wanted to be the Dilfer led Ravens.

That's why, even after winning the SB, they threw a bunch of money at Elvis Grbac, who was coming off a Pro Bowl year.
That's why a year after that, they used a no. 1 pick on Kyle Boller
And when it was becoming apparent that Boller was average, they traded for Air McNair.
And when he retired, they used a no. 1 on Joe Flacco.

[Mace]

Not even the Ravens wanted to be the Dilfer led Ravens.

That's why, even after winning the SB, they threw a bunch of money at Elvis Grbac, who was coming off a Pro Bowl year.
That's why a year after that, they used a no. 1 pick on Kyle Boller
And when it was becoming apparent that Boller was average, they traded for Air McNair.
And when he retired, they used a no. 1 on Joe Flacco.

Real good points.

[Mike]

And... With such an Elite Defense the Ravens only win 1SB....until they drafted Flacco

[better days]

And... With such an Elite Defense the Ravens only win 1SB....until they drafted Flacco

The year after they won the Super Bowl, the Ravens got rid of Trent Dilfer signed Elvis Grbac to an expensive contract.

Grbac proved to be not worth that contract & the Ravens moved on from him. The Ravens had nobody at QB as good as Dilfer or Grbac until they got Flacco.

In retrospect, the Ravens should have kept Dilfer all those years until they drafted Flacco.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

That is a cruel insult to Trent Dilfer.

[Mace]

That is a cruel insult to Trent Dilfer.

Dilfer was not a terrible QB, he was just inadequately skilled to achieve better statistics in an offense he was unprepared to be more capable in.