Quote:First, I agree, he looked bad for the second game in a row. He is regressing, and falling back on his horrible rookie mechanics.  I think it's because he's losing confidence in himself, and the ability to carry the team.

 

But he shouldn't have to carry the team. He needs help!

 

To me, the second to last drive of the game sums up Blake's season. We get the ball, deep in Ravens' territory. Chris Ivory runs the ball on first and second down, and gets nothing. So now we're at 3rd and 10, and Blake is forced to make a play, which turns out to be an INT.

 

It may be true that Bortles will never develop in the quarterback we all hope he can be, but he can probably get better if we have a running game that doesn't force him to be the sole play maker on offense. The constant 3rd and longs put too much pressure on him, as they would on any QB in the league.

 

Mark Brunell had Fred Taylor, and you can bet #28 made #8's job a lot easier. David Garrard had Jones-Drew. 

 

Now, I don't blame Yeldon or Ivory
. I think the run blocking is suspect, and could be improved if we had an extra blocker - a fullback. But Gus won't do that, because apparently they don't do that in Seattle.  Gus doesn't make adjustments to fit his players' strengths.  That's why Myles Jack spends so much time on the bench.

 

I don't blame all of Blake's problems on Gus. But my number one problem with this coaching staff is that they don't use schemes that makes the game a little easier on their young players. I think one reason Philly and Dallas are having so much success with their rookie QBs is because the coaches don't make the game any harder for them than they have to.

 

Blake was the leading rusher in the game yesterday. He can't do it all by himself. Give him some help, and his confidence will probably improve.  Then maybe he'll get back to improving.

Well, I don't know about that. I also 'don't blame them' in the sense that if we had a decent run blocking like they would be better. But I do blame them for not just being good enough to deal with it in the first place. Especially Ivory, this is what he is supposed to be good at. I think we might have paid for a back that's already past his prime again...

---