The Ravens

[GrogansArmy]

It's that time of the season - Football season about to begin. Around this time of the year I like to go around to our rival teams websites and our own, and see whats new, whats going on, what changes have been made, etc.. etc...

One thing I have noticed the past couple of years - and it seems odd to me - is that everyone thinks we have no shot at beating the Ravens. This seems to be a common theme across the football world.

I don't get it.

Yes, we always have a hard time with them. Yes, Brady seems to get happy feet when we play them. For the most part though, we usually beat them. Unless I'm misremebering (palinism!), haven't we only like lost once to them in like the last 10 match-ups?

What am I missing? Why does it seem to be a "given" to everyone that we will lose to Baltimore this year? Last year too if I recall correctly. We lose 10% of the time to them and its an automatic loss for us now??

I've visited several of our rivals' forums - jets, fins, bills, steelers, ravens, broncos, and chargers - they all pretty much say the same thing about us:

"Ripe for the picking"
"Easy schedule"
"No way they beat the Ravens"
"Brady slow and old"
"Defense is crap"

These seem to be the most common arguments about us sucking. And the Ravens beating us seem to be a no-brainer to pretty much everyone.

Are the Ravens really that much better? I admit I do get nervous when we play them (more so than other teams), but if history is a glimpse into the future, wouldn't that say that more than likely we'd beat the Ravens?

I guess I just don't understand the thinking that we have no shot against the Ravens. Especially since we've beaten them so often in the past. If it was just one or two rival teams fans that thought this, I'd just write it off to hatred, but from what I've seen it seems to be most all fans. Even some of our own that think this.

Have the off-season changes really put us that far behind the Ravens where its a almost a given that we have no shot at winning?

SMH.

 

[Sciz]

Suggs won't be playing week 3 and will be severely limited if the Pats and Ravens meet in the playoffs. That, combined with the Pats' upgraded receiving group, makes me awfully confident.

 

[randomk1]

Brady had a mediocre game and they still lost.

Bring it on!

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

misremember is a clemens-ism please keep the politics off of this forum

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

In that division I think the Bengals will be the overall best team but we don't play them unless it's a playoff game.

I would fear Cincy more than Baltimore whose 2 best players in Lewis and Reed are aging quickly and thier best pass rusher is out for most of this season.

Andy Dalton to AJ Green combo and that defense is looking pretty good.

I see the North Division this year as ....

Cincinnati 11-5
Baltimore 10-6
Pittsburgh 8-8
Cleveland 6-10

To sum it all up,Baltimore is a formidable foe but I don't think they are even the best team in the North Division

 

[GrogansArmy]

In that division I think the Bengals will be the overall best team but we don't play them unless it's a playoff game.

I would fear Cincy more than Baltimore whose 2 best players in Lewis and Reed are aging quickly and thier best pass rusher is out for most of this season.

Andy Dalton to AJ Green combo and that defense is looking pretty good.

I see the North Division this year as ....

Cincinnati 11-5
Baltimore 10-6
Pittsburgh 8-8
Cleveland 6-10

To sum it all up,Baltimore is a formidable foe but I don't think they are even the best team in the North Division

I have to disagree. I think Steelers will be back on top. They got embarrassed by Tebow last year. Regardless of the fact they had a lot of injuries and had a valid excuse, they still were embarrassed to lose to a running back QB. They're healthy again and I expect them to win the division as usual.

 

[randomk1]

I have to disagree. I think Steelers will be back on top. They got embarrassed by Tebow last year. Regardless of the fact they had a lot of injuries and had a valid excuse, they still were embarrassed to lose to a running back QB. They're healthy again and I expect them to win the division as usual.

I agree but what bothers me about them is wallace. brown got his contract and i wouldn't be suprised to see if he pulls a desean jackson - the move where you ***** all season long and develop bricks for hands.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Steelers lost a lot of veteran leadership.

Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, James Farrior...

 

[supafly]

In that division I think the Bengals will be the overall best team but we don't play them unless it's a playoff game.

I would fear Cincy more than Baltimore whose 2 best players in Lewis and Reed are aging quickly and thier best pass rusher is out for most of this season.

Andy Dalton to AJ Green combo and that defense is looking pretty good.

I see the North Division this year as ....

Cincinnati 11-5
Baltimore 10-6
Pittsburgh 8-8
Cleveland 6-10

To sum it all up,Baltimore is a formidable foe but I don't think they are even the best team in the North Division

Personally, I think that Cincy is tremendously overrated in general.

What was their record last year against teams with a record above .500? Did they even win one game? If they did that was it.

Dalton had an okay year for a rookie, but I don't know that I believe in the hype that is coming with him. I wouldn't be remotely worried about playing the Bengals, especially in the playoffs.

Their defense will be their wildcard this year. If they can have another decent year, then they may have a shot at the playoffs again. I personally don't expect their offense to put up a tremendous amount of pts, but that's just my opinion. You are certainly not alone in thinking that CIN may be on the uprise, so please don't take my comments personally. It's just my 2 cents of course

They play 4 games against the NFC East this year, not exactly an easy schedule. On top of that, they still have 4 more vs PIT and BAL. I certainly would be downright shocked if they won their division.

 

[resdubwhite]

will be interesting to see what Dalton does in his Sophomore year.

Cinci have a lot of expectation to live up to.

In the past they've usually tanked in moments like this.

 

[BTTA]

They play 4 games against the NFC East this year, not exactly an easy schedule. On top of that, they still have 4 more vs PIT and BAL. I certainly would be downright shocked if they won their division.

The NFC East is the most consistently overrated division in the NFL. Once in a while the Giants go on a playoff run, but during the regular season it is an average division.

 

[BTTA]

I don't get it

Most want the Pats to lose, and the Ravens are the best option they see, so they adopt this stance. When they missed that field goal last year, there were a lot of upset NFL fans.

 

[Reckedtrek]

Most want the Pats to lose, and the Ravens are the best option they see, so they adopt this stance. When they missed that field goal last year, there were a lot of upset NFL fans.

I agree, and think it goes even farther than that.

Some of our wins have been real nail biters, down to the wire. Ones that come to mind right away are in 2007 we beat them because of an ill timed time out by Baltimore at the very end (Thanks, Rex!).

2010 was an overtime field goal win for the Pats. I was there for that, and NO ONE in our area looked 100% sure regardless of what colors they were wearing.

Considering the Pats hatred throughout the country, whenever it's that close you get the hater response of "they were probably cheating again, anyway" and as a result it's then seen as the Ravens "really" beat the Pats, but the scoreboard shows differently.
"If this hadn't happened, the Pats would have lost"
"Had (fill in the blank) only caught that pass, it would have ended up as a TD not a FG"
and of course "The Refs hate us. But we're the better team".

It gets old, but that all they have.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Baltimore always gets overrated because:

They are always talking. Who on that team ever shuts up?

They have an "elite" defense that hammers inferior opponents. Ofcourse, when they go to San Diego and get lit up......it's an off day.

Certain teams just get legacy benefit. Why is San Diego suppose to be so good every year? How did Houston and Arizona get so much consideration every year?

 

[patman52]

"Ripe for the picking"
They have been saying that for years
"Easy schedule"
very true
"No way they beat the Ravens"
Ravens are tuff to beat at home, but "no way" is strong.
"Brady slow and old"
True, but what does that mean, he has been slow forever
and he is only 1 year older than last year
"Defense is crap"
I 2nd that

 

[patsinthesnow]

I think it's our toughest game of the season and the main thing in the way of another historic go at it. Without Suggs, there pass rush will be lacking. They held us to 23 because:

1. Brady had a meh game.
2. They had a top 3 defense.
3. Deion Branch, Ochocinco, Edelman-replace them with Lloyd, Gaffney, and Shiancoe on the field.

I think we could light them up if Brady has all day.

 

[1960Pats]

Baltimore always gets overrated because:

They are always talking. Who on that team ever shuts up?

They have an "elite" defense that hammers inferior opponents. Ofcourse, when they go to San Diego and get lit up......it's an off day.

Certain teams just get legacy benefit. Why is San Diego suppose to be so good every year? How did Houston and Arizona get so much consideration every year?

I think Phillip Rivers is a pretty good QB, but the team isn't that great and only gets the attention because they play in a weak division. Except for Tebowmania and an occasional surge by the Chiefs, SD seems to have been the team to get all the ink in the AFCW over the last few years. I'm pretty sure that will change now that Manning is in Denver.

I used to go at it with some AFCS fans over the legitimacy of the Texans and how it was always their year to make the playoffs. Weird how they finally made it even though they didn't have a QB. I think they're going to be the cream of the poor crop down there in the expansion division. They made it to the playoffs last year without a QB.

Arizona was in the SB recently, so they get some credit for that, even though with a normal league setup they wouldn't have sniffed the playoffs that year.

I think the Ravens play in a pretty tough division and have earned the consideration that they get. If their WR hangs onto that pass last year against the Pats they could have won it all and we wouldn't be talking the way we are.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

I think Phillip Rivers is a pretty good QB, but the team isn't that great and only gets the attention because they play in a weak division. Except for Tebowmania and an occasional surge by the Chiefs, SD seems to have been the team to get all the ink in the AFCW over the last few years. I'm pretty sure that will change now that Manning is in Denver.

I used to go at it with some AFCS fans over the legitimacy of the Texans and how it was always their year to make the playoffs. Weird how they finally made it even though they didn't have a QB. I think they're going to be the cream of the poor crop down there in the expansion division. They made it to the playoffs last year without a QB.

Arizona was in the SB recently, so they get some credit for that, even though with a normal league setup they wouldn't have sniffed the playoffs that year.

I think the Ravens play in a pretty tough division and have earned the consideration that they get. If their WR hangs onto that pass last year against the Pats they could have won it all and we wouldn't be talking the way we are.

The flip side is if Brady just played "standard" Brady...that game is a blowout.

Over throwing WIDE OPEN Gronk and AHERN in the first half means 8 extra points not scored.

The two INT's were under ZERO pressure. It's almost like Brady had too much time.

The reality is that game was only close based on the QB play. In all other aspects, the Patriots were much better.

It's the flipside mediotry. Somehow beating Baltimore was "luck". Yet the Giants winning the SB wasn't.

 

[Rob0729]

I think both the Ravens and Steelers have potential for both their defenses to go from great last year to average this year.

You look at the Steelers and their starting defensive line up is old:

Casey Hampton - 34
Brett Keisel - 33
James Harrison - 34
Ryan Clark - 32
Troy Polumalu - 31
Ike Taylor - 32

Other than Lamarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, and William Gay; the other starters are unproven (Stevenson Sylvester) or has been a disappointment thus far (Ziggy Hood).

Add the fact that Mike Wallace is looking to be a long term hold out.

As the Ravens, their defense took a big hit by losing Terrell Suggs. His loss actually weakens two positions because Courtney Upshaw was drafted to replace the loss of Jarrett Johnson opposite Suggs. Now he will have to replace Suggs and someone else will replace Johnson.

Also, Ray Lewis is 38 and he can hit the age wall fast and hard. Same with a 34 year old Ed Reed who has had injury problems in recent years.

I expect both teams to have between 9 and 11 wins and fall back to the pack of the mediocre AFC. .

 

[WhiZa]

I think both the Ravens and Steelers have potential for both their defenses to go from great last year to average this year.

You look at the Steelers and their starting defensive line up is old:

Casey Hampton - 34
Brett Keisel - 33
James Harrison - 34
Ryan Clark - 32
Troy Polumalu - 31
Ike Taylor - 32

Other than Lamarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, and William Gay; the other starters are unproven (Stevenson Sylvester) or has been a disappointment thus far (Ziggy Hood).

Add the fact that Mike Wallace is looking to be a long term hold out.

As the Ravens, their defense took a big hit by losing Terrell Suggs. His loss actually weakens two positions because Courtney Upshaw was drafted to replace the loss of Jarrett Johnson opposite Suggs. Now he will have to replace Suggs and someone else will replace Johnson.

Also, Ray Lewis is 38 and he can hit the age wall fast and hard. Same with a 34 year old Ed Reed who has had injury problems in recent years.

I expect both teams to have between 9 and 11 wins and fall back to the pack of the mediocre AFC. .

From what you described they shouldn't drop that much if at all. The biggest issue for them is avoiding injuries.