OK. I'm really confused on this one. There seems to be an endless circular argument that arises every time the question of our running game comes up. "It's the RB". "No, it's not the RB, it’s the O-line". "No, it’s not the RB OR the O-line, it's Foerster's stupid blocking schemes". "No, it IS the RB, AND the O-line, AND Foerster's stupid blocking themes". At this point, quite honestly, I'm dizzy.

Specifically, with regard to some of the assertions in your post, I would like to say: We HAD a power running game. The Ravens RAN basically nothing but leads and dive plays, all straight ahead stuff. Past tense. And while I don't doubt the veracity or the validity of what you've been lobbying for, until we see which personnel is and/or isn't going to be around in 2007, I think it's a bit premature to say with any certainty that our offense isn't going to change.

If JL is gone; and if JO & Flynn are gone; and if Mule is relegated to a backup role; and if we draft some O-line studs who CAN pull and trap and get to the second level with their blocks; then it would seem to me that our offense HAS to change, to keep up with the new personnel. How could it not? But if it's the same old tired retread junk (JO excluded) we've seen for the past couple of years, then yes, I agree – it's going to add up to yet another long sleepy season for the running game in particular, and the offense in general.

Mike, I wish you'd make up your mind. It seems like you're either mocking the Ravens for running a simplistic, boring offense, or criticizing their inability to run the ball by claiming that running isn't about scheme, but instead desire and smashing the other guy in the mouth. Which is it -- is their offense too simple, or not simple enough?

I’m not inclined to agree with you 100%. You’re right in that in order for the offense to truly change, the mindset (offensive system) has to change first and foremost. The Ravens have experienced significant change at every conceivable offensive position and they still have the same plain vanilla offense. So either Ozzie and Brian are very good at scouting players to fit the “ Billick Ball” scheme, or the scheme itself is mediocre at best and needs to be changed before personnel is .

But I do think that a lot of the running plays in “Billick Ball” are derived from the lack of confidence Billick has in both Jamal and his offensive line. Can you really see Jamal having success with a toss, counter or draw? No. Could Mike Flynn, Keydrict Vincent or Edwin Mulitalo get outside the box and run up the field escorting Jamal? Again the answer is no or highly unlikely.

So yes I agree that their needs to be a dramatic change in the offensive playbook before the Ravens draft the next LT or Reggie Bush. At the same time, cutting or not resigning players like Jamal, Vincent, Mulitalo and Flynn will open the door to at least some offensive diversity.

News flash!! You play to the strengths of your players! If your line is old and slow, you back has no vision, and you can't change up the snap count because Pashos false starts, you are stuck running plays that are predicatable. The Ravens should keep most of their players and become an 4 wide passing team that runs draws. Like the Patriots. They're a good team, right?

There is a larger point. The issue isn't the scheme. It isn't the personnel. It's the fundamental game philosophy. We play offense to not lose. With a dominating defense, play ball-control and field position, and eventually something good will come your way. Why take offensive risks? Brian will not put the game into the hands of the offense to win. They are caretakers. At some level this has to be dispiriting to the offense. Brian knows how to play exciting offensive football. We've seen it. He must feel that the best way, overall, to win is how he's doing it. I just wish he would use that good defense as an enabler of exciting football, challenging the offense to win and using the defense to bail us out when they make the inevitable mistake. It's not the schemes, play-calling or players. It's the philosophy. And until that changes, the scheme stays the same.

I think the Ravens are in the process of building an offensive line that is mobile enough to run misdirection plays. For a team that had never taken an interior offensive lineman higher than the fourth round to use a #2 pick on Chris Chester shows that this has become a priority. Dr. Z of SI.com had Jason Brown very highly rated this year, but was told by a team source that he wasn't experienced enough yet to run any thing other than straight-ahead plays. The implication was that such plays would be coming once Brown could effectively run them.

Ray, that philosophy you speak of is called "Billick Ball". Thank you for writing its first formal definition on here.

I think Ray has nailed it. Coach B obviously believes in our dominating defense, and has seen that, most times if the offense plods along, gets a few points, and takes advantage of turnovers and field position, we will win. That is also why, when are having a good offensive day and seem headed for a big output, things grind to a halt. (Witness the 47-1 record, or something like that, when we get up by 14.)

It is not fun to watch sometimes, kind of like watching the Pistons wear down opponents in the late 80s. Billick had great success with his offense in Minnesota, but he didn't have the Ravens defense there. So they probably had to open it up more often.

It would be great to see our offense come out next year in attack-mode, and stay that way most of the time. Yes, there would probably be some more turnovers on our part, but hopefully the fickle fandom could live with that if we are also scoring more and winning.
The real question is, could this change be enough to get us back to the playoffs, and then get some postseason wins?

I, for one, would like to go down swingin'.

I agree with Dan's suggestion for using a 4-wide set more often. It's not the complete solution, but a simple adjustment that should help. I do believe Jeff Fisher called that formation for McNair & Eddie George and it worked. A lot of QBs like the 4-wide because of the multiple options and it spreads the defense.

I'de like to see some "Billick Ball" I think we all caught a glimpse of it this year. Mostly I feel like it's still "Cavanaugh Ball." You know, the one where you can hear all the Ravens fans in the stadium at home on your TV, go "AAAAGAHAGAHAG!"

How in the world does Dr. Z still have a job?

That man is wrong about everything, I bet he's not even a doctor!