Pats/Ravens Expert picks

[Kontradiction]

That's great news! It's called AIF, or the Average Idiot Factor. Overwhelming picks of one team usually mean the other wins. That's what I expect here.

You mean the Super Bowl XLII factor?

 

[ausbacker]

I think it would be more relevant to compare the recent history, since both of our teams are drastically different than what they were 3 years ago...
Last two games we played against each other, we scored a combined 54 points, both games in Foxboro... 27 point average for those two games, and we have a much better offense now, at least on paper, so it really shouldn't be a big surprise if we manage to get 30 again.

The Ravens O is only better on paper. They don't scare me to be honest nor does the declining level of play on defense.

 

[Lansdowne]

You mean the Super Bowl XLII factor?

More like SB XXXVI factor. Despite what the Vegas odds may have been at those times, I think more people were giving the Giants a chance at winning against the Pats than the Pats winning against the Rams. Though that may have just been a product of wishful thinking since everyone outside New England hated the Pats as of '07 whereas they were considered lovable underdogs in '01 (at least to those who weren't outraged by the Tuck Rule... I knew people who rooted against the Pats just for that).

 

[QB12]

Greenie and Golic on M&M this morning picked the Ravens to win and cover.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

Greenie and Golic on M&M this morning picked the Ravens to win and cover.

Is this really informative? I mean Greenie is an obvious Jets homer and Golic is usually going to take his side, if not make a dumb prediction due to too many hits to the head.

 

[The Brandon Five]

8. ILB's: Edge Pats (slim)

I don't know Kontra...are you thinking that Spikes is that much better than McClain that it makes up for Lewis vs. Mayo (advantage Lewis)? Or are you looking at Guyton/Mayo/Spikes/White vs. Lewis/McClain/Gooden/Ellerbee/Phillips?

 

[Rob0729]

I can see why the experts are picking the Ravens. Through the first five weeks of the season, they have been better than the Pats.

That said, I like the Pats this weekend for a number of things. I do think this a game the Pats had circled on their calendar and they want some redemption for probably the worst playoff loss of the Belichick era. The bye week obviously favors the Pats too especially Belichick's record coming off the bye. I think the defense did show signs of improvement in Miami (although they got a ways to go) and I think they will improve on it. Flacco has been off almost all year and Ray Rice has too except for last week. The Pats are also at home.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

That's what shocks me is the fact they are at home where Brady hasn't lost since he was in his 20s. The NFLN crew said something like 'amazing defense' in reference to both teams, then stated how they like NE against Rice, so they are saying Flacco is going to beat us through the air which is laughable.

They said NE is fine on offense without Moss but point out how the Mossless Pats have no chance against Baltimore. So who are we fine against? Buffalo and Cleveland? I think it's cool to pick against them but to write them off like they are the Chiefs is upsetting.

 

[Dscola]

Good morning Pats fans.

I am a Baltimore Raven fan entering to talk football not smack, so lets do it.
Many of you seem to think that the Raven offense has been less than stellar which is true, but think about why.

Prior to last week, we,ve played 3 of 4 on the road to 3 top 5 defenses.
Won on Monday Night Football on the road to the New York Jets opening their new stadium.

lost on a short week on the road to a divisional opponent when our Qb played possibly the worst game of his career.

Won a home game against the Cleveland Browns where Ray Rice ran for 80 yds on 15 carries before hurting his knee. Joe Flacco threw 3 TD passes and picked up the D after Petyon Hillis thrashed us for 150 yds.

Won on the road again to a divisional opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers. No running game as Ray Rice, McGahee and McClain were hurt. Regardless of the fact that Rothlisburger was playing or not, the Steelers were 3 and 0.

Back home against a very good Bronco offense who a week earlier, held Chris Johnson to 50 yards rushing. Ray Rice and McGahee ran for over 200 yards. Beat the Broncos convincingly in all phases. Save for 1 td at the end of each half, the score isn't even close.

Our team has played a brutal first part of the schedule and has come out 4 and 1.

This team can win a shootout, a close game, a grinder, or blowout. They are extremely balanced in all phases of the game.

Do I expect us to come into Foxboro and destroy the Pats, by no means. But I do think it's betteer than a 50% chance that they win.

Here's to a good game with no injuries on either side.

 

[scout]

1. QB: Edge Pats

2. RB: Edge Ravens

3. WR's: Even (Mason may be > Tate, but I want to see how Tate does in the flanker role first, Boldin > Branch, Housh < Welker).

4. TE's: Edge Pats

5. O-Line: Even

6. D-Line: Edge Ravens

7. OLB's: Edge Ravens

8. ILB's: Edge Pats (slim)

9. Safety: Edge Pats (changes with the return of Reed)

10. CB: Edge Ravens

11. Coach: Edge Pats

That's the way I see it right now. On the WR ranking, I might be overly optimistic about Tate, as Mason is solid. But I decided to come down on the positive side. Right now its Pats - 5, Ravens - 4 with two even areas and one that I can definitely see trending toward a Ravens edge.

The bottom line, who's offense would you rather have? I'd take the Patriots.

 

[flynismo]

FWIW, here is what one Colts fan is hoping the result will be...

I'd be mad at the world too if I were a Colts fan...

 

[jmt57]

Some local picks, these from Comcast SportsNet New England:

NFL Picks: Week 6

It might be way too early to start talking like this, but I don't think we can understate the importance of this game for New England. The merits of a victory are obvious. If the Patriots can overcome all the bye-week adversity and last season's playoff demons, and beat Baltimore, then it could be the rallying point of something special. It will give the home fans an a chance to immediately embrace the Pats' return to their glory day mentality, and . . . OK, I've gotten carried away. But a win on Sunday sets an essential tone for the post-Moss Patriots Era. It provides them with immediate confidence and justifies all the crap the team went through since last taking the field. With a win, the Pats sit at 4-1 and head out to San Diego feeling fantastic.

On the other hand, a loss just complicates everything. It gives credence to those who feel the Pats offense can't thrive without Moss, and that the decision to trade him may sabotage the season, or even the rest of Brady's prime. These people will be misguided, but they'll now have their own rallying cry. Now there's a lot more riding on that tough game in San Diego, and the Pats won't have as much confidence on their side. Especially once Justin Beiber releases a new track dissing Belichick's defensive schemes.

The Pick: Patriots (-3)

The above pick was from Rich Levine; the video below is Tom Curran going with the Ravens +3, based on the opinion that "Baltimore right now is probably the most daunting team the Patriots have faced this year, and that includes the Jets."

Quick Slants: Curran's Quick Picks



Kirk Minihane of WEEI.com is going with the Ravens (+2.5)

patriots - Week 6 NFL picks: Could this be the end? - WEEI | Kirk Minihane

Baltimore (+2.5) over NEW ENGLAND

The idea of this as a "revenge game" for the Patriots is just dopey. I'm pretty sure if they beat the Ravens on Sunday that the NFL won't go back and change the result of last year's playoff whipping. Tough to get playoff revenge in October. And also this: The players don't think like that. They just want to win this game to get to 4-1. Nothing else matters. I don't believe, with 6:18 left in the third quarter on Sunday, Tom Brady thinking about last January is going to help him get out of the way of a blitz any faster. Revenge games sound great but what does it really mean? The reality is that the Ravens were a better team that day and they have gotten better. We still don't know about the Pats, but it's tough for me to say that this team -- with this defense and now without Moss -- is even the equal of the 2009 group. I think they'll be better at the end of the year, but on Sunday they lose a close one to a Baltimore team that I still feel is one of the three best in the NFL. Call it 24-21.

Michael Hurley of NESN is going with New England simply because the Pats have done the opposite of what he expected in every game thus far.

Week 6 NFL Picks Relying on Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning - NFL - NESN.com

This one, frankly, makes no sense, but at this point I'm coming close to abandoning hope on logical Patriots picks. I gave them no chance to beat the Dolphins or the Bengals this year, and they had both games won on the opening kick of the second half. I thought they'd beat the Jets and dominate the Bills, and neither happened.

So really, I think the Ravens are a nightmare for the Patriots, but I'll throw my eggs in the Tom Brady-Deion Branch basket and see what happens. It's also never a bad idea to stick with Bill Belichick coming off a bye (8-2 record).

Against the spread (Pats -2.5), the Boston Globe is split by gender; Shalise Manza Young and Monique Walker are going with the Pats, while Christopher Gasper and Jim McBride take the Ravens.

Globe staff's pro picks: Week 6 - Boston.com

 

[AzPatsFan]

Every good team has "just one of those games" every once in a while, including the Pats SB clubs. The Pats found themselves down 24-0 before all the fans even sat down.

Everyone seems to forget that the Pats beat the Ravens last year too.

Some say that the Ravens are improved. I both agree and also disagree. You can't take an Ed Reed out of a D without being somewhat less on D. And the Killer is another year older at 36. Don't forget that their D-line leader is playing on a bum knee, so he isn't himself, but something less.

Where the Ravens are better is at QB and WR. Flacco has a few more games of experience, and the new receivers, especially Boldin, is an improvement. But Heap is hurting and not his old self, too. Don't forget Rice wasn't practicing last week with a bum wheel.

I have learned to never bet against a Team that was humiliated. Football is a game of emotion, and the Pats have been carrying a grudge for that Playoff game.

 

[swheeler23]

The Patriots do not have to beat the ravens to be considered a good team. They just need to play a close game. No shame in losing to the best team in football. I just want them to be competitive, unlike the playoff game.

 

[jmt57]

Video: NFL Live Pats-Ravens breakdown - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Schlereth on why he likes the Ravens to win: “When you’re playing football, the team that controls the line of scrimmage wins nine times out of 10. And I think the Baltimore Ravens can control that line of scrimmage, get that running game going and keep Tom Brady and that offense off the field.”

Edwards on why he likes the Patriots to win: “New England plays a different brand of football ... they’re going to take the Ravens’ strengths away from them. In other words, they’re going to play outside the numbers with bunch formations, moving tight ends outside the numbers to get guys out of the box so when they want to run the ball they have the ability to do that.

“But when they really want to do is throw short passes and let their athletes make plays outside the numbers, and that is why, to date, the New England Patriots are the highest scoring team in the National Football League.”

Mike Reiss and Tedy Bruschi breakdown the Pats defense vs Ravens offense, and Pats offense vs Ravens defesnse:
Bruschi's Breakdown: New England Patriots' offense must spread the wealth against Baltimore Ravens - ESPN Boston

Mike: We'll also keep our eye on special teams, which has been a hot topic of conversation with Ravens coach John Harbaugh. He's concerned about Brandon Tate and his two kickoff returns for a touchdown. Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff is tied for the NFL lead with 11 touchbacks. As for a prediction, I think this is a game that will come down to one or two plays. With the Ravens playing their fourth road game already this season, I think it's a good spot for the Patriots. I'll go New England, 24-21.

Tedy: This is a tough Ravens team, but I think we could be seeing an offensive rebirth with Tom Brady spreading the ball around to every receiver with a flying Elvis on his helmet. Jerod Mayo breaks through this week and makes a big play that wins the game. Pats, 24-17.

 

[Shrekk]

as a jet fan I cant believe im torn over who to root for lol.

is it a capital crime to say i dislike the ravens more than the patriots right now? hahaha.

Ray lewis annoys the heck out of me especially all the media worship he gets. A no name from the browns lands a clean hit on a receiver and is fined and badmouthed in the media. But ray lewis delivers the same type of hit and he gets praised and people talk about how tough and cool he is, orrrrr when he is penalized he complains to reporters after the game is over like a 7 yr old.

 

[jmt57]

The Patriots do not have to beat the ravens to be considered a good team. They just need to play a close game. No shame in losing to the best team in football. I just want them to be competitive, unlike the playoff game.

Wow, is that what the team has come to be in your eyes, or maybe from the viewpoint of some other Pats fans? Just hoping to keep the score close, and count that as a moral victory should that happen?

 

[Haterproof]

Every good team has "just one of those games" every once in a while, including the Pats SB clubs. The Pats found themselves down 24-0 before all the fans even sat down.

Everyone seems to forget that the Pats beat the Ravens last year too.

Some say that the Ravens are improved. I both agree and also disagree. You can't take an Ed Reed out of a D without being somewhat less on D. And the Killer is another year older at 36. Don't forget that their D-line leader is playing on a bum knee, so he isn't himself, but something less.

Where the Ravens are better is at QB and WR. Flacco has a few more games of experience, and the new receivers, especially Boldin, is an improvement. But Heap is hurting and not his old self, too. Don't forget Rice wasn't practicing last week with a bum wheel.

I have learned to never bet against a Team that was humiliated. Football is a game of emotion, and the Pats have been carrying a grudge for that Playoff game.

This will definitely be a tough game. Yes some people do forget that the Pats did beat the Ravens in regular season last year. If I'm not mistaken. Was the playoff loss 2 the Ravens Brady's 1st loss against them?

 

[SVN]

Video: NFL Live Pats-Ravens breakdown - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston




Mike Reiss and Tedy Bruschi breakdown the Pats defense vs Ravens offense, and Pats offense vs Ravens defesnse:
Bruschi's Breakdown: New England Patriots' offense must spread the wealth against Baltimore Ravens - ESPN Boston

not sure if i like this. bruschi has been wrong everytime with the pats pick.

 

[jmt57]

Some more picks, these from papers of some NFC teams.


DMN staff picks (10/15) | DMN NFL Picks | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News
Dallas Morning News: Eight out of nine are taking the Pats to win; against the spread (Pats -2.5) they're more evenly split, 5-4 in favor of the Pats.

NFL Staff Picks
Six out of eight at the New York Daily News are taking Baltimore plus 2.5 points.

Week 6: Sam Farmer's NFL picks - chicagotribune.com
Sam Farmer of the Chicago Tribune says "Patriots are excellent after week off, so this should be interesting. Still, Joe Flacco should feast on a porous secondary." and predicts the Ravens will win 24-20.

Detroit News NFL picks: Week 6 | detnews.com | The Detroit News
The Detroit News is split 2-2 against the 2.5 point line.

Mike O'Hara's NFL picks: Don't be surprised if Lions win again | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Ravens (4-1) at Patriots (3-1): It's the Patriots first game since destroying the Dolphins and trading Randy Moss to the Vikings during the bye. This is a rematch of last season's AFC wild-card game, when the Ravens scored four rushing TDs and harassed Patriots QB Tom Brady all game. Two Pats streaks to remember: Brady has won 22 straight at home in the regular season, and coach Bill Belichick has won seven straight after the bye.
* Betting favorite: Patriots by 3
* Pick: Patriots*

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/10/15/1762688/panthers-will-go-a-week-without.html

Time to find out if the Ravens really are the NFL's best team right now. Ravens 28, Patriots 21.