AzPatsFan
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Bill Belichcik is frequently heard to say nothing stays the same.
Here is one man's opinion of the changes in the AFCCG participants from last year to this.
Baltimore Ravens
The superior Ravens Defenee has aged notably. Defensive seasonal stats for the Ravens are way down. All three of thedefensive Ravens superstars are playing injured. Lewis has a bad triceps and is gutting it out while he plays the last few games until retirement. Suggs has a bad wheel and only recently rejoined the team, only a shadow of himself. The superb ball hawking Safety has slowed to a crawl, getting by on craftiness and little else; and may announce his retirement as well.
This is the last go round for the Ravens Defesne of old. But they may be able to summon enough for one more Super Bowl run.
OTOH the Ravens Offense has gotten better. Flacco as a QB has matured noticeably. Some of the Offensive line issues have been solved. Ray Rice the RB, is in his prime. There is even an adequate reserve now. The receiving corps Torry Smith, Aquin Boldin and TE Dennis Pitta are all producing consistently now. So the Offense is measureably better.
New England Patriots
The Patriots are a mirror image of the Ravens. Their poor Defense of 201 has developed and will soon become one to be feared in 2013 and 2014. Now they are mesureably better, but still uneven and somewhat inconsistent.
To the 2011 core, they added Chandler Jones, Justin Francis, and Trevor Scott and moved Jermaine Cunningham and Rob Ninkovich to the Defensive line. Vince Wilfork remains an immoveble rock in the middle of the line. Meanwhile letting Anderson and the injured Carter walk in FA.
They added Donta Hightower and got back a healthy Spikes beefing up their LB crew while freeing up Mayo to be even more of a tackling machine. In the secondary, they added CBs Aquib Talib and Alfonzo Dennard, acquired Safeties Tavon Wilson and Steve Gregory and moved Devin McCourty to Safety and Kyle Arrington to slot CB. The transformation was total, the results very encouraging.
The Defense was reorganized is very young, big, and very speedy, while retaining the ability to produce turnovers. The Run defense is better, the pass defense significantly better.
The Offense has changed little except they initiated a new LOT in Nate Solder, have seen a maturing Marcus Cannon, Ryan Wendell, Dan Connolly take their palces as regualars and have Donald Thomas and Nick McDoanld able to playh as proven reserves, along with Cannon. The TEs have gotten deeper behind Gronkowski,(injured), and Aaron Herneandez with Hoomananui and Fells providing depth. The WRs were augmented with Brandon LLoyd and the return of Deion Branch, to add to star Wes Welker.
The real change was the maturing of a talented RB corps along with the healthy and strong OLine. Ridley, Vareen, Woodhead and Bolden provide a deep and now more dependable and experienced RB group. The maestro Tom Brady returns and is having a usual impeccable season.
On net, the Pats Offense remains the most talented in the league, and now even deeper than last season.
In summary the Ravens have gotten better, and also worse. While the Patriots have gotten better and better, IMHO.
Here is one man's opinion of the changes in the AFCCG participants from last year to this.
Baltimore Ravens
The superior Ravens Defenee has aged notably. Defensive seasonal stats for the Ravens are way down. All three of thedefensive Ravens superstars are playing injured. Lewis has a bad triceps and is gutting it out while he plays the last few games until retirement. Suggs has a bad wheel and only recently rejoined the team, only a shadow of himself. The superb ball hawking Safety has slowed to a crawl, getting by on craftiness and little else; and may announce his retirement as well.
This is the last go round for the Ravens Defesne of old. But they may be able to summon enough for one more Super Bowl run.
OTOH the Ravens Offense has gotten better. Flacco as a QB has matured noticeably. Some of the Offensive line issues have been solved. Ray Rice the RB, is in his prime. There is even an adequate reserve now. The receiving corps Torry Smith, Aquin Boldin and TE Dennis Pitta are all producing consistently now. So the Offense is measureably better.
New England Patriots
The Patriots are a mirror image of the Ravens. Their poor Defense of 201 has developed and will soon become one to be feared in 2013 and 2014. Now they are mesureably better, but still uneven and somewhat inconsistent.
To the 2011 core, they added Chandler Jones, Justin Francis, and Trevor Scott and moved Jermaine Cunningham and Rob Ninkovich to the Defensive line. Vince Wilfork remains an immoveble rock in the middle of the line. Meanwhile letting Anderson and the injured Carter walk in FA.
They added Donta Hightower and got back a healthy Spikes beefing up their LB crew while freeing up Mayo to be even more of a tackling machine. In the secondary, they added CBs Aquib Talib and Alfonzo Dennard, acquired Safeties Tavon Wilson and Steve Gregory and moved Devin McCourty to Safety and Kyle Arrington to slot CB. The transformation was total, the results very encouraging.
The Defense was reorganized is very young, big, and very speedy, while retaining the ability to produce turnovers. The Run defense is better, the pass defense significantly better.
The Offense has changed little except they initiated a new LOT in Nate Solder, have seen a maturing Marcus Cannon, Ryan Wendell, Dan Connolly take their palces as regualars and have Donald Thomas and Nick McDoanld able to playh as proven reserves, along with Cannon. The TEs have gotten deeper behind Gronkowski,(injured), and Aaron Herneandez with Hoomananui and Fells providing depth. The WRs were augmented with Brandon LLoyd and the return of Deion Branch, to add to star Wes Welker.
The real change was the maturing of a talented RB corps along with the healthy and strong OLine. Ridley, Vareen, Woodhead and Bolden provide a deep and now more dependable and experienced RB group. The maestro Tom Brady returns and is having a usual impeccable season.
On net, the Pats Offense remains the most talented in the league, and now even deeper than last season.
In summary the Ravens have gotten better, and also worse. While the Patriots have gotten better and better, IMHO.
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