Each week, Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer a selection of reader questions on the Ravens' game day performance. This week Preston replies to questions that focus on the offensive game plan and play calling, Willis McGahee, who didn't play but was active Sunday, and the Ravens' pass rush, which was criticized after Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw for 292 yards and a touchdown Sunday.
Paul: What happened to play calling after the Ravens kicked the field goal early in the fourth quarter? The best I can describe it would be the very definition of "playing scared". In fact in OT, I think we were trying to play for a second OT!
Mike Preston: Paul, nice line about the second overtime. Funny. The Ravens went conservative. I don't have a problem with the Ravens trying to run Ray Rice, or the short passes to him. I would have tried the same thing. But once it didn't work, I would have gone back to what was working in the first three quarters, and that was getting the ball to the wide receivers or tight ends. When you play not to lose in the NFL, that's when you lose.
Elliott: Notwithstanding Le'Ron Mclain's boneheaded penalty, it looked as if Ray Rice was just missing breaking a big play during the game (on the edges after a cutback), when New England's defense stifled him, it seemed that the play calling in OT went way too conservatie. What's the deal with the offense being afraid of a "soft" defense, especially on the road in OT?
Mike Preston: I'll put it to you this way. Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron is just like everybody else. I thought he just had a bad day late in the game. I really do understand his thinking. He was using the same blue print from the week before against Denver. But when you play a Peyton Manning or a Tom Brady, you throw out the blue print and go pedal to the metal the entire game. You can't relax. Overall though, you have to look at Cameron's entire body of work. In three years, he has done a pretty good job. I just thought in this game he relied on the coach's manual instead of getting a feel for the game. And head coach John Harbaugh should have jumped both coordinators for not having that killer instinct Sunday.
Dr.Ruth: What is going on with our defensive game plan in the fourth quarter, three man rush, Brady standing back there with no pressure, guess what happens?
Mike Preston:Dr. Ruth, this is Dr. Preston. The above is a prescription for exactly what happened Sunday. The Ravens choked on the conservative approach, and died a slow death. The real mystery was the three-man rush when the Pats had the ball on the Ravens 5. I don't know what the thinking was, and I am afraid to ask. The answer might scare me for the rest of the year.
Johnny D.: Is it just me or is Tom Brady the biggest whiner in the entire league? Every time he gets nudged he begs and pleads to have a flag thrown for unnecessary roughness! However, there were at least two times that he attempted to take out a defender by a cheap shot to the knee during a running play. The first was on Suggs. If the league is going to go above and beyond to protect these wussy quarterbacks, is there any thought to protect these wussy quarterbacks when they decide to be even more womanly and cheap shot defenders? This is a huge annoyance and a major reason why the NFL is becoming a joke!
Mike Preston: Brady is a complainer, but what good quarterback in the NFL isn't? If you got clout, use it. Peyton Manning whines. What else is new? Now, about the NFL becoming a joke ... Darn, I wouldn't mind getting a piece of that action. Love or hate the rules about contact, the NFL is the greatest show going.
Ben: Are the short check-down passes to Ray Rice just Flacco not feeling comfortable in the pocket to look off his progressions, even though he had more time than he thought? What changed after the first half when he was spreading the ball around really well?
Mike Preston: What happened? It was called the Cam-Cam Slow Jam offense. He didn't want the quarterback to make a mistake or get a ball tipped and turn it into an easy New England field goal. New England is a good team with a great coach and a great whiny quarterback, but the Ravens gave this one away. And, that's what is so disturbing about the loss.
Lew: How do you grade the coaching, D-?
Mike Preston: I never put the entire blame on one play, one player or one thing. It's always a team effort where a play here or there adds up, and makes a difference. But the coaching in this game was bad on offense, defense and special teams. It was just one bad day at the office after three quarters. Grade: F.
Evan: It seems that the Ravens have always struggled against the quick slant routes that Brady and Deion Branch/Wes Welker burned us with Sunday. The cornerbacks and safeties tend to play soft off of the line, which I understand, but what can they do to contain this type of passing attack in the future?
Mike Preston: The Patriots didn't do anything the Ravens haven't seen before. New England took what the Ravens gave them. Unfortunately, when New England played a similar style on defense, the Ravens kept running Rice and throwing short passes to him. When you have a quarterback like Brady, you let him take control of the game. The Ravens aren't at that point with Flacco yet, and they might never be. When you face great quarterbacks, you just try to mix coverages and hopefully disguise some things after the snap. One thing for sure, you've got to bring constant pressure and you can't relax.
Brett: Where was Willis [McGahee]?
Mike Preston: We still don't know. The CIA and FBI are now involved and conducting a man hunt. There were no clues left in Harbaugh's doghouse.
Neil: Did we get out coached? Seems like NE made adjustments at half and the Ravens didn't.
Mike Preston: Is water wet? Is the sky high? Does a cow give milk? Hell, yeah, the Ravens got out coached.
Rob: Our pass rush stinks. I think I know your answers ... but just checking ... no to both Adalius Thomas and Shawne Merriman? Seems like we need to get more coming off the edge.
Mike Preston: No to Thomas, but the Ravens have some interest in Merriman even though he hasn't played well the past two seasons. If he signs here, he better come cheap. Very cheap.
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