Cam on the passing game
In the past two games, the Ravens have been predictable to a fault. Quarterback Joe Flacco has thrown to either Derrick Mason or Ray Rice on 33 of his 53 total passes. By contrast, wide-outs Kelley Washington (three) and Mark Clayton (four) have been targeted only seven times in that span.
Getting more receivers involved is always the goal, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said on Friday.
"That's what we always want to do," he said. "We've got to get back to doing that like we did earlier in the year, as early as a month ago. We'll do everything we can do to do that. It's easier said than done. Defenses can force yo to push things a certain way."
As an example, Cameron said the Colts played single coverage on Mason last Sunday. Not surprisingly, Flacco went to Mason 16 times for nine catches and 142 yards.
Rice has become a Flacco favorite as the checkdown receiver. He was the intended target 10 times on Sunday, and caught seven passes. It was the last pass throw for him -- an interception by the Colts' Gary Brackett -- that spelled defeat for the Ravens, however.
"There are so many snaps in a game and you've got to get to your quality players first and foremost," Cameron said. "We've got a lot of good ones, but obviously Derrick and Ray are two of our best. We can get that done."
Comments
You mean to tell me that Mark Clayton is being doubled? and Kelley W. is being lost in coverage?Are these guys just giving up on their routes because the D is leaning their way?You know,why don't you fire that rock on a good timing pattern and see what that does to loosen things up on the other side?We're playing timid to what you think the defense is showing and,in effect,we're letting their D DICTATE what our offense can try to execute.Have more savy and confidence in Joe Cool and accept some incomplete passes once in awhile.I believe our recievers are good enough to muster those completions against good coverage.Have some damn faith.......
Posted by: Dan R. | November 27, 2009 7:29 PM
Dan, i agree totally concerning our receivers, Why are they are the team if cam doesn't trust them, i think cam needs to adjust his game planning.
Posted by: Floyd Fowlkes | November 27, 2009 11:48 PM
I think Can Cameron must be hanging out with The Offensive GURU, Brian Billick! ZERO TD passes for Flacco in 3 games, somebody better start calling better plays lol! And I think this is Heaps and Claytons last season, they make a combined 10 million a year, and neither one of them could catch there way out of a wet paper bag!
Posted by: Tim Lumber | November 28, 2009 4:53 AM
Cameron knows that Mason and Rice are the only receivers that team can depend on. He knows that Ozzie should have given up 2 draft picks to get Brandon Marshall when he had a chance. Clayton's hands ooze crisco oil. He can't hold on to anything. He should be the team's leading receiver with at least 700 yds by now. As a QB, I wouldn't dare throw to him and risk the opposition taking the ball away. Like Keyshawn Johnson said,"The Ravens WRs are bums".
Posted by: Sped-Dog | November 28, 2009 8:03 AM
While I'm in agreement concerning Clayton, I completely disagree when it comes to Heap. He's not targeted enough. He's always had good hands. I don't think Washington is given enough chances either. For a while there he was bailing us out of a lot of 3rd and long situations. Any, and I mean ANY good passing offense knows how to spread the ball around. It has to be done.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 28, 2009 11:49 AM
2 words: Demetrius Williams!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | November 28, 2009 12:36 PM
So, Cam means the defensive coverage is pushing the reads TOWARDS Mason?!! That's just plain dumb. He's insulting your intelligence. If anything, the defense cheats to Mason and Rice, and Clayton and Heap should be open. Heap was WIDE OPEN on the interception to Rice. Flacco is not reading defenses as much as he's checking coverage to see if Mason is open, and then checking down to Rice.
Posted by: KS | November 28, 2009 1:22 PM
I am starting to think that just wearing Ravens' purple automatically jinxes the passing game. It has literally been 1997 since a competent passing offense existed. Ozzie's talent for drafting or trading for receivers is shown in the choice of Travis Taylor, Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, Patrick Johnson, Damon Figurs, and several other busts that I am too lazy to try to remember. The best of them all, Brandon Stokely, we dumped so that he could become even better with Indy and Denver. Meanwhile, where would this team be with Brandon Marshall, Boldin, or even Chris Chambers (recently released by the Chargers?) With Marshall alone I guarantee we would be 7-3 or better. It's getting old and tiresome, and I don't know why the media has an orgasm every time they talk about Ozzie Newsome when he clearly has whiffed again and again in recent years.
Posted by: rvnmaniak | November 28, 2009 8:44 PM
I agree with Demetrius Willaims, he had a great game I thought in the few minutes he played a few weeks back! He is clearly more talented than Clayton I believe!
Posted by: Tim Lumber | November 29, 2009 1:42 AM
I agree with KS Joe cool has gotten too comfortable with Mason and Rice, the good Quarterbacks and OC's realize this quickly before defenses do.
Posted by: Leroy Bruce | November 29, 2009 5:40 PM