No one is talking about that one team......

Baltimore!!!

Yes, yes... I know. They don't stack up against the Pats on paper and I really don't think they'd beat the Pats. However, if there's that one team that's not afraid of the Patriots, at home, its them. We've seen what they can do here in the playoffs on multiple occasions. I think they are that one team that could maybe upset the Pats.

Thoughts?

Not the team they were in years past. They have beaten chumps and lost to good teams this season. The defense is what made them problematic in past meetings. Good run defense, so teams just throw on them (early and often). They are decent in points scored, but take out the NFC South games and not all that impressive.

BAL is a good team. Flacco is having a solid year, they can run the ball and their D is pretty solid.

However, their secondary is sub-par coverage-wise but because of their pass rush and because they have guys on their roster that have "been there before", I would not take them lightly.

I actually think that lots of people are talking about them. I've seen at least a few post referencing them as a team to watch for in the playoffs. I know I would rather not face them especially when Nagta is back. They are probably the second most dangerous team in the AFC after Denver. Still I like the Pats chances against anyone at home as long as they take care of business these last two weeks.

MassPats38 said:

Not the team they were in years past. They have beaten chumps and lost to good teams this season. The defense is what made them problematic in past meetings. Good run defense, so teams just throw on them (early and often). They are decent in points scored, but take out the NFC South games and not all that impressive.

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Yep. Their 5 losses are vs Cinci twice, Pitt, SD, and Indy.

"No one" as in "everyone"? You literally can't go a single day without someone saying "watch out for Baltimore!" or "Baltimore is a bad match up for the Patriots!"

Oswlek said:

"No one" as in "everyone"? You literally can't go a single day without someone saying "watch out for Balitmore!" or "Baltimore is a bad match up for the Patriots!"

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I don't see Baltimore as a bad matchup for the Pats. They have no secondary, and I think Flacco would make a ton of mistakes against ours. Any given Sunday, but Pittsburgh to me is much more formidable than Baltimore.

Kid~Brady said:

Baltimore!!!

Yes, yes... I know. They don't stack up against the Pats on paper and I really don't think they'd beat the Pats. However, if there's that one team that's not afraid of the Patriots, at home, its them. We've seen what they can do here in the playoffs on multiple occasions. I think they are that one team that could maybe upset the Pats.

Thoughts?

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I will talk about them if they play each other, until then it makes no sense.

I'm not buying it. You can chalk them up to an easy schedule, imo. They've played eight games against teams with winning records (five of them divisional tilts against teams with similar cake schedules), they're 3-5 in those games with their best non-divisional win coming @Mia. If beating up on the NFC South, JAX and Tennessee constitutes a good team then the AFC North is full of world-beaters.

Baltimore still has some leftover swagger, they wouldn't be intimidated coming to Foxboro. But they'd be beaten, handily, in my opinion.

They're like the Giants of the AFC(?): Mediocre reg season, lightning in a bottle in playoffs.

These Patriots look and feel like the early 2000's Patriots. For the first time in a long time, I feel as if this team could go toe to toe with Baltimore (well, anyone for that matter) and repeatedly smack them in the mouth before standing over them encouraging the next contender to take their best shot.

Ive been a broken record harping about Baltimore for 2-3 weeks now.

I like the pats putting in a beating on them........I just don't see their offense being effective

they feast on crappy QB's, but good ones tear 'em a new one

They let a west coast team that doesn't normally travel well to the east after being down 10 twice in the last 13 min of the game score 3 TDs in the 4th quarter who has since scored only 2 TD in 2 games at home

Also real great job stuggling to beat two teams that could be picking #1 and #2 who were playing rookie QBs and both games were in Baltimore

And now they luck out again this week and play a team that will start either a QB that was re-signed by Houston who had been on the Rams practice squad all season in Case Keenum or a guy that couldn't cut it as a Browns or Bills 3rd string QB in Thad Lewis who was signed not even 3 weeks ago.

Then they more than likely get another rookie QB in Manziel the following week.

Everyone got on the Pats for beating 1 quality opponent last year which was Denver. Sorry if I am vastly unimpressed by what Baltimore has done this year.

If Baltimore had the Pats schedule that would be under .500

???

NFLN analysts were discussing BALT as a team with a good shot at taking it all in the AFC. They were mentioned after the favorite NE and our major contender DEN.

BALT is given at least as good a shot as INDY.

The analysis was that BALT had one HUGE flaw, their secondary. They suggested that they would be very vulnerable to Brady, Manning and Luck. Their chance, as always, is to pressure the quarterback. The difference with BALT is that they are well capable of doing just that.

I actually feel like people aren't talking about Denver very much these days. After the Pats beat them they seem like almost an afterthought but they're still tied for the best record in the league.

Dam.. I was under the impression that next week is the official " no one wants to play Baltimore" song and dance .. Week early this year ..

They are always dangerous. They have a very good front 7 and the run game is a strength again. The difference between this and previous years is their secondary is below average. I would much rather play the Steelers/Bengals in the divisional round than the Ravens

IllegalContact said:

I like the pats putting in a beating on them........I just don't see their offense being effective

they feast on crappy QB's, but good ones tear 'em a new one

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Good ones used to tear them a new one, this year they have faced the best in football and came away winners in all but one of the contests.

Ivan said:

Good ones used to tear them a new one, this year they have faced the best in football and came away winners in all but one of the contests.

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I was talking about the Ravens .....