New England & Baltimore: opposing QBs

[brdmaverick]

If you were watching the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night you probably caught the graphic that was shown that displayed all of the quarterbacks the Ravens have to face this season. It was qutie a daunting list.

I was looking at this list and compared it to the Patriots list. They couldn't be more night and day. As the consensus preseason front runners for the one and two seeds in the AFC, this I'm sure will play a large role by the end of the year.

Here's how it breaks down.

Baltimore
Andy Dalton
Mike Vick
Tom Brady
Brandon Weeden
Matt Cassel
Tony Romo
Matt Schaub
Brandon Weeden
Carson Palmer
Ben Roethlisberger
Philip Rivers
Ben Roethlisberger
Robert Griffin III
Peyton Manning
Eli Manning
Andy Dalton


New England
Jake Locker
Kevin Kolb
Joe Flacco
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Peyton Manning
Russell Wilson
Mark Sanchez
Sam Bradford
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Andrew Luck
Mark Sanchez
Ryan Tannenhill
Matt Schaub
Alex Smith
Blaine Gabbert
Ryan Tannenhill

 

[Kontradiction]

The only plus to their schedule (besides facing Brandon Weeden twice) is, should they survive and advance into the playoffs, their pass defense will be EXTREMELY battle tested. If their offense continues to play like they did Monday night, they'll be a very tough out.

 

[BradyManny]

The only plus to their schedule (besides facing Brandon Weeden twice) is, should they survive and advance into the playoffs, their pass defense will be EXTREMELY battle tested. If their offense continues to play like they did Monday night, they'll be a very tough out.

I did not expect their offense to come out firing on all cylinders last night. That was scary. I may have to revisit how big a threat I see Baltimore as. I already knew they'd be tough, but I thought they had a weak offseason. But it looks like they remained very strong.

Honestly, I'm not sure facing tougher opponents really matters all that much in the end. The Patriots had a pretty weak schedule last year and were a play or two away from the Lombardi. If we played one more good passing offense, does Pat Chung get there in time on the Manningham throw? Does Mayo turn his head around on the Cruz TD? Doubtful. If I've learned anything from our crushing playoff losses, it's that you just want to get in and see what happens.

 

[Kontradiction]

I did not expect their offense to come out firing on all cylinders last night. That was scary. I may have to revisit how big a threat I see Baltimore as. I already knew they'd be tough, but I thought they had a weak offseason. But it looks like they remained very strong.

Honestly, I'm not sure facing tougher opponents really matters all that much in the end. The Patriots had a pretty weak schedule last year and were a play or two away from the Lombardi. If we played one more good passing offense, does Pat Chung get there in time on the Manningham throw? Does Mayo turn his head around on the Cruz TD? Doubtful. If I've learned anything from our crushing playoff losses, it's that you just want to get in and see what happens.

The secondary also tightened up enough at the right time for us last year as well. In the end, it doesn't hurt the be battle tested going into the playoffs in a league where the passing game has claimed ultimate dominance thanks to Polian growing frustrated that the Forehead couldn't sniff a Super Bowl.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

The only plus to their schedule (besides facing Brandon Weeden twice) is, should they survive and advance into the playoffs, their pass defense will be EXTREMELY battle tested. If their offense continues to play like they did Monday night, they'll be a very tough out.

My thoughts exactly.

I was looking at the Patriots schedule a few days ago and thought that the regular season isn't going to prepare our secondary for any elite-level QBs (1-2 exceptions and they happen early). The one saving grace, is they can practice against one every day.

 

[PatsGirl2011]

Well the Ravens played a tough schedule last year, and T.J Yates nearly beat them at home in the divisional round.

 

[BradyManny]

The secondary also tightened up enough at the right time for us last year as well. In the end, it doesn't hurt the be battle tested going into the playoffs in a league where the passing game has claimed ultimate dominance thanks to Polian growing frustrated that the Forehead couldn't sniff a Super Bowl.

Yeah, I'll agree with all of that. It can't hurt, it can only help. Our championship teams were very battle tested, as was the 2007 team. So was the 2010 team, and in that case maybe it didn't help, but like you said, it certainly didn't hurt.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

I did not expect their offense to come out firing on all cylinders last night. That was scary. I may have to revisit how big a threat I see Baltimore as. I already knew they'd be tough, but I thought they had a weak offseason. But it looks like they remained very strong.

Honestly, I'm not sure facing tougher opponents really matters all that much in the end. The Patriots had a pretty weak schedule last year and were a play or two away from the Lombardi. If we played one more good passing offense, does Pat Chung get there in time on the Manningham throw? Does Mayo turn his head around on the Cruz TD? Doubtful. If I've learned anything from our crushing playoff losses, it's that you just want to get in and see what happens.

The reality is that while the Lombardi is the ultimate prize, who actually wins each year is actually artbitrary. Every year there is a bounce, circumstance, or play that turns the process.

Even with Welker, what's the odds that the Giants get to recover all their fumbles or Gronk get hurt........ditto Kyle Williams.

In 2010, had Tampa beat Detroit late....the Packers don't even get in.

The consistency of how much you legitimately really determines hoe good the organiztion is (ofcourse, they should win it all atleast once).

The problem with the Ravens lovefeast is they lost an AFCCG where they has +2 turnover differential.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Wow, our list of opposing QB's might be even worse than last year's attrocious list. Oh well I'm not complaining, anything that improves our chances of homefield throughout.

If the personnel is as good as it appears, BB will have this defense ready for any QB in the postseason whether they get them in the regular season or not IMO.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Meh. You guys overrate the "battle-tested" aspect. All teams will play their best and cover their assignments, regardless of who they're playing. Might the Patriots defense be overrated statistically if they put up good pass defense numbers? Absolutely. Will it put them at an actual disadvantage down the road? Absolutely not. An elite quarterback will either torch them or not.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

They will still make playoffs and be very tough to beat

 

[Patstopia]

The Ravens and Flacco looked impressive. But unless they upgraded to a new Flacco 2.0, I will expect more of the last 4 years as the season progresses, not that that is a bad thing for the Ravens.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Let me be the 1st to offer my services as scout team QB as the Pats prepare for the Bills. I bet that I could make turn overs just like Fitzpatrick. Plus my mother's name was Fitzgerald. It doesn't get any better than that. BB take note!

 

[UK_Pat37]

Flacco did nothing new...he flashed brilliance and made some brain farts and he was lucky not to be picked off two or three times. On another day, he wouldn't have been so lucky. Fortunately for him the Bengals defence forgot all about ball skills.

I'm still not sold...and I still think he's a slightly better Sanchez. We've always seen flashes...what he needs to prove is can he be consistent.

 

[Kontradiction]

Flacco did nothing new...he flashed brilliance and made some brain farts and he was lucky not to be picked off two or three times. On another day, he wouldn't have been so lucky. Fortunately for him the Bengals defence forgot all about ball skills.

I'm still not sold...and I still think he's a slightly better Sanchez. We've always seen flashes...what he needs to prove is can he be consistent.

Flacco is not elite by any means, but I would say that he's much more than only "slightly better" than Sanchez.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Flacco did nothing new...he flashed brilliance and made some brain farts and he was lucky not to be picked off two or three times. On another day, he wouldn't have been so lucky. Fortunately for him the Bengals defence forgot all about ball skills.

I'm still not sold...and I still think he's a slightly better Sanchez. We've always seen flashes...what he needs to prove is can he be consistent.

I'm pretty sure in the early part of 2009 (or it might have been 2010) he had a similar start to the season where him and the Ravens offense looked incredible, then came back down to earth quickly. Right now he's put together 2 great starts in a row, so I agree there may be some overreaction to these games. Let's not forget how he looked 3 starts ago vs. the Texans.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm pretty sure in the early part of 2009 (or it might have been 2010) he had a similar start to the season where him and the Ravens offense looked incredible, then came back down to earth quickly. Right now he's put together 2 great starts in a row, so I agree there may be some overreaction to these games. Let's not forget how he looked 3 starts ago vs. the Texans.

That was actually last season, Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh.

 

[Danger Zone]

The best thing BB can do for our DBs is

1. Have them look for the ball (or pretend to).

2. Practice their ball catching skills. We let 3 or 4 interceptions drop through our hands last week.

... and I personally would "pay" for a proven shut-down corner.. but I'm already off topic enough as it is

Here's hoping we make Flacco look like Brandon Weeden..

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

That was actually last season, Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh.

That too, but after looking it up the stretch I was recalling was 2009. The Ravens started out 3-0 averaging 34 PPG. Flacco had 2 300-yard games and ratings of 95.8,96.8, and 111.8, well above his final season stats/averages.

 

[IllegalContact]

flacco is a god when his defense is in control.....which mostly happens at home.......

last year, win big at home against pittsburgh, SF niners and texans........lose on the road to the titans, jags, seahawks

they're not the same team away from home