The Baltimore Ravens have finally admitted what fans have been crying out for weeks, that their offense is under performing this season. Derrick Mason exclaimed it to the media in dramatic fashion after the game on Sunday night and head coach John Harbaugh told the media in his Monday press conference that the Ravens are “not good enough on offense.” While fans are pleased to see the head coach step up acknowledge the Ravens problems, they have to wonder if Cam Cameron will pay for the disappointing season.
Pointing the blame solely on Cam Cameron may not be entirely fair, but with the additions of Anquan Boldin, Donte Stallworth and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, mixed with an up and coming running back in Ray Rice, a Pro Bowl full back in Le’Ron McClain, a promising quarterback in Joe Flacco and a solid year from tight end Todd Heap, there is no reason that the Ravens should be ranked 14th in total offense, 15th in pass offense and 16th in run offense.
The identity of this powerful offense has never been established. It seems as though Cam Cameron has tried to make everyone happy, with passes spread to various receivers and a mix or rushes from Ray Rice. Unfortunately, those game plans never seem to correlate with the Ravens defensive opponent. Baltimore failed to establish the run against the Buffalo Bills, the 32nd ranked run defense in the league, but gave up on the pass for a running attack in the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the NFL’s best run defense.
Cameron has also allowed to offense to fall asleep late in games with a lead. The Sunday Night matchup against the Steelers was no exception. The Ravens pounded the Pittsburgh secondary with an aggressive passing attack that included two receptions to Anquan Boldin for 75 yards, one for a touchdown, three to T.J. Houshmandzadeh and two to Ed Dickson in the first half. But in the second half, the Ravens scored just three points, then had two three and outs, a fumble and of course a turnover on downs. They held the ball for just three minutes and 41 seconds in the third quarter.
As Derrick Mason said, “If we were a good offense, we’d move the ball up and down the field. Especially with the people we have and the quarterback and the personnel we have. But we’re just not a good offense at times.”
At 8-4, the Ravens are looking at a Wild Card berth and would most likely play the Kansas City Chiefs on the road. Assuming that their offense continues to play at below their ability, it is my belief that Cam Cameron will fall on the sword and take the heat for the offensive failure during the most anticipated season in franchise history.
Cam Cameron was coach in San Diego when I lived there. He coached the Chargers exactly as he has in Baltimore – poor offense, poor play calling, couldn't exploit a high school team! We had a BIG celebration when he was fired… now I move to Federal Hill and can't wait to throw another FIRE CAM party.
Cam wasn't fired in San Diego – he accepted the head coaching job in Miami, based on his performance as the OC with the Chargers.
…and he promptly lead the team to a 1-15 record (lets not talk about the 1 win).
Players there discribed him as "unapproachable" "disorganized". Now we have him here replete with all of the offensive weapons the Ravens now have, and training wheels on our first round draft pick, 3-2 in the playoffs, QB.
Anbody that thinks this offense has not underachieved, given the talent they have, is sorely mistaken. Actually, this team as a whole has underachieved really failing to put together 60 minutes of consistent championship calibre football all season, save maybe the Denver game. The bar was set really high this year and when they fail to live up to the hype, people are dissappointed. Are they a top 12 team in the NFL? Of course, we all knew they'd make the playoffs, but have they shown anything at this point to make you believe they are a Super Bowl contender? 10 points versus Pittsburgh, didn't the lowly Bills put up twice as many just a week before?!?!
Actually, it was more than 3 times that number…34 I believe…
The Ravens don't run good plays. We never use the middle of the field enough. We don't throw to the back shoulder and Flacco holds the ball too long. I say we try Bulger. He's got a crazy quick release. Plus, I question passing with only 3 minutes left and 2nd and 5. We were up by 4. We should have ran the ball, ate up the clock and punt if needed. They would need to go 80 yards with no timeouts and the need to score a TD. We also, let the Patriots, Falcon and Bengals come back in the 4th quarter because the offense gets too reserved. I never understood not going deep on 3rd and long, it's just like a punt.
There has to be some mention of the struggling offensive line. Cam Cameron isn't the only reason this offense has sucked.I want to blame everything on Jared Gaither.
Just for another opinion from an outsider (yes, Steelers fan)… Flacco is much better now than he was earlier in the season, and the key for the Ravens' offense to get better is his continued development, and consistency of the OC is very important for that – see Stewart, Kordell and a new OC each of his first ~5 seasons.
The Steelers' defense is set up specifically to stop the type of offense the Ravens have, and gets beaten with offenses that can send a TE into the seam and do dink-and-dunk passes all the way down the field. With Heap out early in Sunday's game, the first part of that equation was gone, and Flacco just isn't a QB (yet) who can read everything from the line, take the snap, and quickly fire to a slanting receiver play after play.
This isn't to take anything away from the guy, Ben still can't do it either. It might be that it's not his style, but as much as I hate to admit it, I think Flacco will get there. Remember when Peyton Manning couldn't close the deal in big games? He seemed to work that out eventually, and it wasn't in his 3rd year.
The first paragraph of this post is the REAL problem, WHY should this even be in print "the head coach step up acknowledge the Ravens problems" … HAVE not this town and team been down this road before??? Where do we get theses coaches from????? We have had soooo much talent on this team over the past 10 years, but have FAILED to use it because of Extremely POOR Team management.
We desereve WAY better than this ….. and so do the players.
Cam will not lose his job. Look up the head coach’s background
Harbs” also coached one season at Indiana in 1997 as the DBs coach/special teams coordinator under Cam Cameron, the Ravens’ current offensive coordinator, and one year at Morehead State in 1988 as the DBs coach/special teams and strength and conditioning coordinator.
This is the kind of Stuff that go on behind the curtains, Harbaugh have known all along that Cam was not and IS not getting the job done, and will throw the team and city under the bus because of personal ties to Cam.
Math/numbers do not lie, if you have the talent on the field, then where is the problem ??? Cam is calling the plays …..
Figure it out for your self.
Just a little history on Harbaugh and you can figure it out
“Harbs” also coached one season at Indiana in 1997 as the DBs coach/special teams coordinator under Cam Cameron, the Ravens’ current offensive coordinator, and one year at Morehead State in 1988 as the DBs coach/special teams and strength and conditioning coordinator.
The numbers are telling you that Cam do NOT know what he's doing, some of it is a lack of talent. Maybe a QB that can Consistently deliver the ball under some pressure most of the time would help too. Harbaugh is throwing everbody under the bus (the city, the players and the fans).
Harbaugh do not want to face the TRUTH, it took Mason to put some real light on the subject.
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I dont think this should be blamed on harbaugh. He's had a good season. The Ravens record speaks for itself.
HOWEVER. The offensive yards per game, and our TERRIBLE 3rd and 4th quarter offense ALSO SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
If there's anyone to throw under the bus, its CAM CAMERON.
Get rid of that guy, he has no ability to form a consistent offense.
I've always been a Ravens fan, but I absolutely hate Cam Cameron's play calling. There's nothing redeemable about it.
Harbaugh is the Head Coach and should take all the blame! He can tell Cameron what to do… So if he let this joke of an offense go like this all year which he did then he should take full blame.
Quit giving Harbaugh carte blanche!