Ravens "dirty" blocking

[papillon]

Re: Ravens "dirty" blocking

I haven't had as much time to post and follow the news lately, but hopefully Hoke is able to play. He seems to deal with the cut-blocking type teams better than Hampton because of his style.

And if the Ravens insist on cut blocking again, I hope the Steelers respond in kind and have Kemo put his helmet into Ngata's bruised thigh a few times.

I agree... Hoke and McClendon are more agile than Hampton.

I think this is another game the offense has to win. In week one it seemed like we never had the ball more than a minute... probably due to the 8 TO's.

In the 2011 version of the NFL the offense is going to have to win any game against good teams. The defense can still dictate a game against the bad teams, but the teams like New England, Green Bay, New Orleans and Baltimore the offense has to win the game. A defense isn't keeping these teams from scoring points (in general). I'd like to see Ben kill them with the short stuff and force Reed closer to the LOS and then look for Wallace on go routes. Reed (even with an angle) isn't keeping up with Wallace.

Pappy

[flippy]

Re: Ravens "dirty" blocking

Why don't we block like this on Ngata. Pouncey takes him high and Kemo goes for the knee - or I mean thigh.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Ravens "dirty" blocking

Steelers ready for cut blocks from Ravens

By Mark Kaboly, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, November 5, 2011



Casey Hampton was shocked by the first play of the game when the Steelers played at Baltimore in Week 1.

No, not that Ray Rice broke off the longest run against the Steelers' defense in more than two years, but that he found himself lying on his back mere seconds after he engaged with center Matt Birk.

Hampton was cut to the ground by backside guard Marshal Yanda, leaving a gaping hole for Rice to tear off a tone-setting, 36-yard run.

Hampton had his legs cut out from under him by Yanda nine more times during the Ravens' 35-7 win. Those blocks helped Baltimore rush for a season-high 170 yards, and Rice's 107-yard day was the first time the Steelers had given up 100 or more yards on the ground in more than 50 games.

"We didn't expect them to do it, that's for sure" Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. "We didn't see it in tape in the past. We weren't prepared for it a little bit."

Hampton admits that he wasn't ready for Baltimore's blocking scheme in Week 1, but he will be expecting it when the two teams meet Sunday at Heinz Field.

"I think I am a little more prepared," Hampton said. "I am a lot more prepared than I was last time. I haven't seen them do that against a whole lot of people besides us."

Steelers defensive coordinator D!ck LeBeau isn't concerned about the success the Ravens had getting Hampton off his feet in Week 1. He said Hampton will adjust.

"I am sure he knows that is what they are going to try to do to him," LeBeau said. "They will do the same thing again. They will cut you on the backside, I promise you that."

Against Arizona last week, the Ravens used Yanda to cut on the backside only a handful of times — or at least not nearly as much as they did against the Steelers.

Baltimore feels the only way you can run on the Steelers is if you eliminate Hampton.

"It is something that you have to see over and over again, and once you get used to it, you can deal with it," Steelers backup nose tackle Chris Hoke said. "We faced that the entire next month with that cut-blocking stuff after that game."

The Ravens success — 96 yards on 10 cut-block plays — led to other teams trying it on the Steelers. But the defensive line, Hampton in particular, quickly adjusted. It hasn't been an issue since.

"The first game was a teaching tool," Steelers defensive end Ziggy Hood said. "We took a lot from it and moved on and worked on it. If you know it is coming, you know how to play for it."

Beating the cut block is relatively easy, Hoke said. You just have to stay on your feet by all means necessary.

"You have to see that backside guy and pick your feet up a little bit and stay on your feet," Hoke said. "The key to shutting down the run against a zone-blocking scheme like that is that you have to stay on your feet."

Some Steelers feel the block is dangerous and should be illegal because it targets the knees. But a cut block isn't illegal; a chop block is.

"It worked last time, so I don't see why they would do something different than they did last time," Hampton said.

[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_765693.html#ixzz1cnKTFam7"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1cnKTFam7[/url]

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Re: Ravens "dirty" blocking

Cut block vs. chop block?

Thanks for any help.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Ravens "dirty" blocking

Sending a Message?

by CRAIG WOLFLEY on NOVEMBER 5, 2011


After reviewing tape from the season opening loss to the “Angry Birds” otherwise known as the Baltimore Ravens the total went something like this according to the research of Tunch Ilkin.

On 26 run plays, Casey Hampton got cut/chop blocked 8 times. Defensive end Aaron Smith got whacked 4 times. Since that game the cut block has gone the way of 8-track tapes. For the Ravens offensive line, it has virtually dried up as an offensive weapon.

So what are the Steelers to make of the fact that the cut block, used so effectively in the first go-round against the Steelers defensive line, apparently was something reserved only for them? When you review game video of the Ravens against other teams, there’s nary a cut/chop block amongst them. So what can you read off of this?

The Ravens were sending a message. The message was simple, and to the point. Game on, and it’s no-holds barred. We’ve had an acid-drip in our stomach since the game ended in last year’s divisional playoffs and we are coming after you. It’s gonna get nasty. We will ask no quarter, nor will we offer any quarter.

Whenever i try to understand and evaluate situations such as this, i always go back to my playing days. Draw from personal experience. I’ve “sent a message,” and i’ve had a “message sent to me.” I get it.

This is a two-chinstrap, bring some duct tape, hunker-down-dawg, pier six brawl with a start time and a finish time. I for one, can’t wait for 8:20 sunday night. Actually, 8:21 to be more specific.

[url="http://craigwolfley.com/2011/11/sending-a-message/"]http://craigwolfley.com/2011/11/sending-a-message/[/url]

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Re: Ravens "dirty" blocking

I didn't know Wolf had a blog! I got a chance to meet him at a game last year (Ruthless showed me around), he was a nice guy! When I watch the games, I always turn the sound off, and listen to Tunch and Hilgrove and Wolf do the game. The delay in the signal (sometimes the audio, sometimes the picture) is well worth it to hear the game as if I were in the 'burgh.

HERE WE GO STEELERS!

[SteelAbility]

Re: Ravens "dirty" blocking

As long as what the Rats did was within the framework of the rules, I don't have a problem with it. It's up to the Steelers to make the adjustments. What I would have a problem with, is if we do the same thing and they cry foul.