So what was Cameron’s problem? His offense didn’t use all the threats in unison, or to their full potential. The Ravens had the pieces to attack all three levels to the defense—Rice, Pierce and fullback Vonta Leach in the short field; Boldin and Pitta in the middle; and Smith and Jones deep—but synergy never materialized because Cameron failed to use Boldin and Pitta in the best way possible.
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The first picture shows routes run by
Boldin (blue lines) and Pitta (black lines) in two games before Cameron got fired: Week 11 at the Steelers and Week 12 at the Chargers for Boldin; Week 7 at Houston and Week 12 for Pitta
Now, let’s look at the routes Boldin and Pitta ran in the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots, and in the Super Bowl against the 49ers once Caldwell was firmly entrenched as the coordinator.
Look at all the in-breaking routes (especially deeper down the middle of the field) the Ravens used under Caldwell compared to Cameron.
Even if the passes weren’t completed, these routes were complementary to the other offensive weapons. Threatening the mid- to deep-level of the field between the hashes with Boldin and Pitta put pressure on a defense. It made safeties stay closer to home, which opened up the outside for Smith and Jones, and/or it caused the linebackers to drop a little deeper, which helped give Rice, Pierce and Leach a little more room to make a play once they caught the ball. Under Caldwell, the Ravens used all of their weapons in unison, and it was a beautiful thing to watch.
One of the Ravens’ favorite ways to spring a big play last season was to put a safety in a bind by crossing Boldin and/or Pitta underneath him, while sending send Smith or Jones over the top. It’s a simple concept that all teams use, but the Ravens had all the pieces to make it work. If the safety chooses to cover the underneath route, the deep receiver should be one-on-one and looking for the end zone. If the safety stays deep to protect against the big play, Flacco should have an easy throw to the underneath crossing route.
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The Ravens need two pass catchers who are capable of living in the middle of the field—the unforgiving ground that’s not for thinly built speedsters or for the faint of heart. It requires a rare breed who has the guts, the strength and the right feel for the game to excel in an area where defenders are looking to lay bodies out on the ground, or to jump short routes and turn them into a pick-six. That’s what made Boldin and Pitta so special last season, and what elevated the Ravens’ offense to a championship level.
It was one thing to part ways with Boldin. Losing Pitta just might put the Ravens back where they were under Cameron—a donut with good stuff on the outside, but nothing in the middle. Filling that hole was the secret ingredient that gave Baltimore its second world championship last season.
