I get why Jim Caldwelll and John Harbaugh want to insert Tyrod Taylor as a wildcat option in the Ravens offense— mainly because almost nothing is happening in the Ravens' running game between the tackles.
Joe Flacco may see it as an "insult" to his overall command of the offense. But the reality is the Ravens' offensive line is broken and undermanned. It has nothing to do with Flacco's ability or responsibility. The "wildcat" is first aid for a horrible running game—a running game which traditionally has depended upon very strong offensive line play. At this point in the 2013 season, the Ravens' offensive line is barely functioning—mostly due to injury, inexperience and depletion.
Enter Tyrod Taylor, the Mike Vick-Lite alumnus of Virginia Tech whose job now is to stretch out the defensive formation when he is put in there.
But a defiant Joe Flacco once again ripped his team's use of the wildcat offense during Sunday's 19-3 win over the New York Jets, saying it makes the Baltimore Ravens look "like a high school offense."
The Ravens lined up backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor behind center for the first time last Sunday, using him on five of their 62 snaps, and split out Flacco as a wide receiver on those plays. The wildcat offense generated excitement early with a 17-yard run by Taylor but ended with the Jets dropping him for losses of six and seven yards on his final two carries.
Flacco made it clear after the game that he disliked the Ravens using the scheme. He was stronger in expressing his disdain for it Tuesday.
"I'm just not a huge fan of it," Flacco said. "I'm the quarterback. I want to be behind the line of scrimmage, I want to be taking the snaps. That's really the only thing. I don't necessarily take it personally, either, in terms of our offense trying to get better. I just think it makes us look like not an NFL team."
Flacco said the coaches know how he feels about the wildcat.
Despite Flacco's dislike for the wildcat, coach John Harbaugh said the team will still look to be creative offensively.
"We're going to do everything we can do to move the ball offensively," he said. "We've got guys that can play [and] that we'll put on the field in different spots where we feel like we need to. And all our guys support that."
Harbaugh declined to say whether the Ravens would use the wildcat again.
"I can't comment on that, as you all know," Harbaugh said. "We'll see."
Flacco doesn't believe it will become a staple of the Ravens' offense.
Asked if he expected to see the wildcat again Tuesday, Flacco said, "I don't think so."
Baltimore hosts Pittsburgh on Thursday (Thanksgiving nig. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is prepared to see the Ravens use the wildcat.
"No doubt you have to spend time on it," LeBeau said. "[Taylor] is a quarterback, and he can run and he can throw, so you've got to be careful with that."
Flacco said he doesn't consider the use of the wildcat a personal slap in the face.
"I want as many chances as I can get behind the line of scrimmage," he said. "I just don't like that stuff in general. Me and Tyrod talk about it.
"It's just interesting to me. I'm all for us doing things to get better, but we're not going to be good if we just can't get good at the basics of what we do 90 percent of the time. We have to be good at those things or we're not going to be good no matter what. I just want to make sure that we're focusing on getting good at those things."
Flacco didn't hide his dislike of the wildcat when he lined up at wide receiver. He was so disinterested, he kept his hands in his front pouch and barely moved off the line after the ball was snapped.
"I'm not doing a single thing," Flacco said about splitting out wide. "I'm not blocking. I'm not doing anything."
It all adds up to another very interesting angle to tonight's Thanksgiving Day game between the Steelers and the Ravens. I believe the Ravens' best bet is to keep the ball in Flacco's hands at all times. But that's just my opinion.
Expect a dramatic game with Ben Roethlisberger at the top of his form matching big plays in the air with Flacco. It's going to be very cold in Baltimore tonight. Neither team has been running the ball well against the rest of the league. Somebody's got to establish dominance in the passing game. My best bet is it will come down to Flacco taking over the intermediate airways and winning the time-of-possession battle. Tyrod Taylor will not be a major wildcat factor. Joe has made his point.
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