Brady'sButtBoy

Why all the fawning and national love for the supposedly great and consistent talent on the Ravens? Why does Newsome constantly get mentioned as the best GM around and the Ravens always having the best roster? How are they better than BB and the Pat's FO?

Uh, last I checked the Ravens haven't been to the SB since 2001.
In that time the Pat's have played in 5, won 3, played and won more playoff games, have a better regular season record and hold a winning advantage head to head over the Ravens.

So someone please explain why Newsome and Co. are so darn great when they haven't accomplished the number one goal in the NFL in 12 years?

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Brady'sButtBoy

But if they draft so well why did they have a QB problem for so long?

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King of my matchbox sized world

RelocatedPatFan

I'm ok with all the love any team receives when they make it to the Superbowl. Whether it's true or not. Writers need to write, this is the biggest sporting event nationally and there are only 2 teams left.

All the stories for the other 30 teams can wait (unless it's really something big) until the game/post game analysis is over.

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Don't let a small thing like Facts get in the way of a good opinion.

Patriot Missile

Flavor of the month.

But make no mistake. The Ravens are right up there with the best of them when it comes to drafting.

Raymond

I think Ozzie has done a good job there.But, next year with Ray and Reed (possibly) gone, they may take a step or two back.

Flacco may be called upon to be more consistent in the regular season just to make the playoffs.

crew1954

What's the issue? Baltimore has been a continuously successful organization for over 12 years. That it does not win quite as much as NE doesn't negate that.

Is the Ravens front office better than the Jets? Dolphins? Buffalo? Cincy? Cleveland? Raiders? KC? etc? Top 5, at least, I give them.

When was the last season that you didn't circle the Ravens game as a tough out when the Pats schedule came out?

Patriot Missile

Replacing the murderer and the other hall of famer Reed will next to impossible but it will free up cap room to do other things. They had no problem replacing A Thomas or J Johnson. They just plugged away. Jamaal Lewis, no problem. I think they will be fine.

PatsSox363804

The Ravens have had a few down years but have been consistently involved in the upper echelon. Flacco has been to the AFC title game 3 times and they successfully shifted their team from a defense strength to an offense strength while maintaining a good enough defense to win their conference. Are they "better" than the Pats? I don't care, they're certainly on the same level and that's why they're playing today. Respect to them, they run a good program in Baltimore.

MoLewisrocks

And sometimes they fall in your lap. Brady did, and we just happened to be in position to take that flyer. The Ravens big mistake was that Billick didn't want to cater to Dilfer because he figured that level of talent could be easily replaced. Turns out competent isn't all that easy to find.

The thing the Ravens get credit for is talent evaluation. Bill taught Ozzie some of that, but in a way he was like Dimetroff in that he has his own vision and trusts his own instincts. As a former player Ozzie also takes a different tack when it comes to teambuilding. He's not so much a one voice guy, although in the final analysis he has the lone say. He's more willing to turn a blind eye to the chatter and behavioral issues as long as they deliver on the field. He's a little more reliant on and tolerant of talent. Media fawns over talent and personality, as do fans. Dry stuff like system and scheme bore them.

Jackson 2

They're damn good at evaluating DBs, I'll tell you that.