Billick's news conference
With the Ravens set to wrap up the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, the speculation surrounding the end of Jonathan Ogden's career has escalated. Coach Brian Billick spoke at length about the decision facing Ogden.
“We’ve all kind of kept that at arm’s length," Billick said. "Jonathan will decide what he wants to do. Certainly his Pro Bowl selection (Ogden's 11th in his 12-year career) is an indicator to everybody that he can continue to play probably for as long as he wants to. I don’t know that Jonathan’s made a definitive decision. I don’t know that he’s shared that with anybody. So we’ll give him the proper respect that he’s due to kind of decide what he wants to do going forward. Regardless of what he wants to do, coaching Jonathan Ogden has been one of the highlights of my coaching career. To be around a bona fide, guaranteed, first-ballot Hall of Famer, you don’t get that opportunity all that often, and to be around that and see what that’s like, it’s special as a coach.”
Pressed on whether he has inferred any signs from Ogden about his decision, Billick chuckled lightly.
“It’s hard to get a read on Jonathan," he said. "Like I said, he deserves – like we all will do – to step back from this experience and kind of sort out, ‘OK, what do I want to do now?’ There’s no question that he can continue to play. No one would argue that, I would think. It’s a matter of – and everybody enjoys playing – do I want to do these things in the upcoming offseason that I know that I have to do to continue to play at a high level? That’s usually what the question always comes down to for an athlete at this point in his career going forward. And that’s not a question that he’ll have an answer for two days, three days, three weeks, a month after the season, I wouldn’t think. Or he might. I wouldn’t want to guess here.”
Other notes:
*As uneven as Troy Smith's first career start yesterday against the Seattle Seahawks was, Billick said he gleaned a few reasons for optimism from the rookie quarterback's performance. “I think he managed the game very well for his first real start in a very tough circumstance," Billick said. "The crowd noise, a very multiple defense and he kind of pieced things together very well. There wasn’t a blatant ‘My God, what did you do there?’ So it was pretty good. Now it has to step up in the recognition and the execution, but he handled the game as we thought he would. He’s been in a big arena before, so you had a sense that he wasn’t going to be blinded by the headlights so to speak.”
*Billick said despite the team's nine-game losing streak, the message to the players remains the same. “There’s not much that you say, and it’s not something you really focus on," he said. "There’s nothing you can do about what’s happened. You stay focused on the task at hand whether you’re winning or losing. And that’s where they will immediately revert to. Obviously, this is the last game of the season. It carries a little bit different perspective for it. It’s a divisional opponent, someone we have a great rivalry with. So that will captivate their interest.”
*With yesterday's game winding down to its 27-6 conclusion, the Ravens called two timeouts on the Seahawks' final possession. Billick said he explained his reasoning to coach Mike Holmgren after the game. “Mike understood," Billick said. "I told Mike, ‘Hey, man, sorry, but I need to get these young guys as many snaps as I can.’ And Mike was, ‘Hey, been there, know that. I know exactly what you’re talking about.’ He’s tried to get Seneca Wallace some reps the last couple of years. So Mike understood completely what we were trying to do. Two, three, four more reps, excellent.”
Comments
I have a questiopn. When we scored the only touchdown why did the great offecsive brain of Billiack go for 2 points. I mean a rockie QB and since he didn't go for the win last week why the two points this week? Did he really think he could get the team to score 3 more TDs? God I wish he was gone, until he does we won't be near any payoffs unless we are sitting in a bar watching them.
Posted by: Bud | December 24, 2007 2:29 PM
Oh how the mighty have fallen! What was once a proud franchise as late as last year (and who can forget 2000) has become the embarrassment of the league. Yes, there have been devastating injuries, but the coaching decisions have been abominable. Until the Ravens shed Brian Billick and aquire a durable quarterback and decent offensive line, Baltimore will remain the punching bag of the AFC along with Miami, NY, Oakland,and KC.
Posted by: Earl Myers | December 24, 2007 3:36 PM
Since he is a rookie, it's exactly why they should've gone for 2. It was meaningless as far as the score goes either way--PAT or 2. The only meaning would be for Troy to get another snap in a real game and to run the goal-line offense--read the article. Matt doesn't need practice with extra points--Troy could use another snap. I liked the decision.
Posted by: Marty | December 24, 2007 3:47 PM
I believe that he did the 2 point attempt as a practice exercise to give troy some more experience.
Posted by: joel glassen | December 24, 2007 4:16 PM
He went for 2 for the same reason he called the time outs. They were running an organized practice as soon as the score was out of hand. There was almost no sense of urgency or situational things like punting down by 3tds in the 4th, on the opponents side of the feild for the first time all game, they punted, because that is what they do on 4th down, and the punter needs practice too.
Billick is not going anywhere and he knows it or he would be coaching to win a game instead of running practice scenarios and squad players during the past couple of games. The way they told any player who got hurt, they are not going back in the game. They are playing for next year, and a better draft pick, and that is what they should be doing. Billick would not be so willing to lay down if he did not worry about his job security.
He has a fresh fat contract and even bigger money waiting for him at his next job, that he will have his choice of.
How many coaches are making the first playoff appearance this year? I think Billick will be back in the playoffs next year with a heathy squad, a top 7 pick, and a little softer schedule. Then you haters are just going to have to find a new team, because he will be around as long as he wants to be.
Making the playoffs is not as easy as you seem to think. The Clowns had the first playoff spot all but wrapped up, for the first time in the Billick era, but got Bungled up just like we did.
Posted by: Jeremiah | December 24, 2007 4:29 PM
If you don't understand why Billick called for the 2 point conversion, than I'm sure glad you aren't involved in deciding the Ravens coaching personel.
Posted by: RavensLJ | December 24, 2007 4:34 PM
I AGREE WITH BUD, I WISH HE WERE GONE. HOW CAN YOU EVALUATE ANY OFFENSIVE TALENT WITH THIS JV OFFENSE. PLEASE MR B. GET RID OF THIS GUY. ONE OF THE GREATEST OFFENSIVE LINEMAN PROBABLY WILL NOT COME BACK BECAUSE OF THIS OFFENSIVE "GENIUS". MY NAME IS ON THE TABLETS OUTSIDE THE STADIUM & I AM ASHAMED THAT IT IS WITH THIS MAN AS HEAD COACH.
Posted by: GERALD | December 24, 2007 4:52 PM
I agree with Gerald, Billick must go. As a charter PSL member with 7 seats, to me, if Billick stays, it means that ownership has little regard for us. No more excuses!
Posted by: R.C. Fillmore | December 25, 2007 12:10 AM
Bud,
You must be knew to the Ravens, so on behalf of all disgusted and disgruntled fans, welcome to Billick Ball! This is where the NFL and offenses come to die!
Down by 21? Go for two! Need one yard on second and short? Throw it three times! Have an injured QB? Keep playing him! Need to mismanage a clock and ruin any chance of winning a game? Put Billick in charge!
This is Billick Ball folks and we looked blessed with three more years of it, so get used to being a laughingstock of the NFL. I have been lamenting this horrible system for three years now and all of you have called me blasphemous and ignorant time and again, accusing me of not being a true Ravens fan. Yet Billick has proven me right week after week. His system stinks, it is self-defeating and it is going nowhere.
Welcome to 4-12.
Posted by: Patrick | December 25, 2007 8:48 AM
Billick should get a job as the White House press briefing guy! All his big words after games is a bunch of BULL! "Character"? What kind of discription is that of the Ravens' players? His play calling is amongst the most boring in NFL history! Who ever labeled him as an offensive genius was smoking crack!!!
Posted by: JTIZZLE | December 31, 2007 2:52 PM