Pats vs Ravens :Expert Picks

[Rob0729]

Flavor of the week!

Actually, I think both the Cards and Dolphins could actually win this week. In fact, I wouldn't be against either one. I think the Cards' defense is legit and I think the Jets are closer to what we saw vs. the Steelers (who are a mess right now) than what they did against the Bills.

 

[Sicilian]

Bigger problem is that it could easily become 1-3 with the next game, also, on the road at Buffalo. The Bills are a different team and are heading in the right direction.

Winning the game this week in Baltimore is far bigger than some may realize.

They beat a weak KC team after giving up 48 to the juggernaut Jets offense. I'm not saying we can't lose (division games on the road are always fluky), but the Bills don't scare me.

 

[Rob0729]

Bigger problem is that it could easily become 1-3 with the next game, also, on the road at Buffalo. The Bills are a different team and are heading in the right direction.

Winning the game this week in Baltimore is far bigger than some may realize.

I am not buy the Bills right now. they beat a bad Chiefs team that has given up 75 points this season. And they let Matt Cassel throw for 301 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT. CJ Spiller is the Bills' entire offense and their defense is not living up to expectations. If the Pats shut down Spiller, they win that game in a route. Fitzpatrick has been mediocre in two games.

 

[PP2]

The Madden simulation did pick for us, so there is hope!

 

[BananaRepublican]

I don't know how anyone can blame any media from predicting the Ravens this week after the debacle sunday AT Gillette and the controversy regarding WR

People do allow sentiment generated by the previous week to dictate how they feel about the current week. Boy, we wish it was that simple.

One matchup I LIKE is our defense against that hurry up offense and against Ray Rice. In fact I would be tickled silly if they contain Rice and force Flacco to live without that security blanket.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I don't know how anyone can blame any media from predicting the Ravens this week after the debacle sunday AT Gillette and the controversy regarding WR

I take your point, but in the past no matter how much weight was on the other side of the scales, having Brady and Belichick on your side were usually enough to tilt more than one vote the Pats way.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Baltimore had a debacle of their own against Philadelphia. They're both good teams coming off of mini-meltdowns. The overwhelming picks for the Ravens are a little strange to me, in that context - I'd expect them to be more picked because of home-field advantage, but not by that wide of a discrepancy.

Oh well - Pats will show them on Sunday.

How do you possibly compare the two games??

The Pats were a 14 point favorite at home expected to blow out the Cardinals and the Ravens were a 3 point underdog at Philadelphia

More than 50% of the nation expected Philly to win......NO one outside of Arizona gave the Cards an iota of a chance.

I think the Pats will put on a much better performance than last week on Prime Time because I can't remember the last time they stunk up the field on SNF or MNF and have veteran pride that will refuse to be embarrassed than that offense and special teams circus they gave the home crowd last week.

That being said,I am not sure if a much improved effort will be enough to win at Baltimore....It will be interesting at worst.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't know how anyone can blame any media from predicting the Ravens this week after the debacle sunday AT Gillette and the controversy regarding WR

I have no problem with it, but the Ravens showed a lot of cracks this past Sunday. I have been saying for a while that their defense is declining which was supported by Sunday's performance. And Flacco is easily rattled if hit (although he can be a stud if he isn't).

Unleash Chandler Jones on Flacco and run Ridley on the Ravens' less than great run defense and I think the Pats have a good shot of winning.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I take your point, but in the past no matter how much weight was on the other side of the scales, having Brady and Belichick on your side wereusually enough to tilt more than one vote the Pats way.

'Were' is the key word here......I am convinced that the media has decided that the Belichick/Brady combo is no longer as lethal as it once was and its on its way downward.

A Pats win on sunday night and the media will once again applaud the two for still being the best combo in the business.

 

[BananaRepublican]

Winning the game this week in Baltimore is far bigger than some may realize.

Why? The Ravens always manage to lose to nobody teams, so the chance of tie breaker problems is minimal to me. In fact I'd be tempted to bet against the Ravens next week if they beat the Patriots.

The Patriots are not the finished product right now. It would have been nice but it just didn't happen that way. In a way the losses now would not be a determining factor as much as how the team responds to the adversity. The 2001 team proved that. The Giants have proven that. Gut check time.

 

[Rob0729]

How do you possibly compare the two games??

The Pats were a 14 point favorite at home expected to blow out the Cardinals and the Ravens were a 3 point underdog at Philadelphia

More than 50% of the nation expected Philly to win......NO one outside of Arizona gave the Cards an iota of a chance.

I think the Pats will put on a much better performance than last week on Prime Time because I can't remember the last time they stunk up the field on SNF or MNF and have veteran pride that will refuse to be embarrassed than that offense and special teams circus they gave the home crowd last week.

That being said,I am not sure if a much improved effort will be enough to win at Baltimore....It will be interesting at worst.

We don't know how most teams are going to be this year based on two games. Lines are based on reputations in week two, not who is actually better. I don't know for sure, but I would bet the Texans and 49ers were huge underdogs in week 2 of last year and the Jets and Eagles were big favorites.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

'Were' is the key word here......I am convinced that the media has decided that the Belichick/Brady combo is no longer as lethal as it once was and its on its way downward.

A Pats win on sunday night and the media will once again applaud the two for still being the best combo in the business.

While I don't think we should be going off the deep end, it's not insignificant that there was only one pick for the Pats (Win or Lose, not against a spread that had them picked by double digits). I think you'd have to go back ten years to find the last time that happened (except maybe the week after Brady went down in 2008).

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I have no problem with it, but the Ravens showed a lot of cracks this past Sunday. I have been saying for a while that their defense is declining which was supported by Sunday's performance. And Flacco is easily rattled if hit (although he can be a stud if he isn't).

Unleash Chandler Jones on Flacco and run Ridley on the Ravens' less than great run defense and I think the Pats have a good shot of winning.

I believe that Belichick will have something up his sleeves that we may not have a clue is going to happen,such as screen passes and smart plays that move the chains and ground the clock.

I look at the winner of this game being the team that forces the most turnovers and has the best running game.

IMO The game will be decided not on Brady vs. Flacco's performances,but on the legs of Rice vs. Ridley

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

While I don't think we should be going off the deep end, it's not insignificant that there was only one pick for the Pats (Win or Lose, not against a spread that had them picked by double digits). I think you'd have to go back ten years to find the last time that happened (except maybe the week after Brady went down in 2008).

The last time I recall picks that lopsided was in the 2004 AFCCG with most of the analysts picking the 15-1 Steelers at home over the 14-2 Patriots

 

[PlainOldEd]

Good. Post Tedy's prediction all over the locker room the rest of this week. Get these guys pissed off.

exactly! I love this.:rocker:

 

[BananaRepublican]

......NO one outside of Arizona gave the Cards an iota of a chance.

Is an iota bigger than a millimeter?

The great thing about picks is that they cannot take into consideration things that will happen the day of the game like the AH injury, or the weather, or ST breakdowns. Doesn't matter who picks what. I'd pay more attention to the work of a good psychic than a good football analyst. Remember how bad Will McDonough was at picks? Knowledge and smarts can definitely fail when it comes to future events.

 

[BananaRepublican]

The last time I recall picks that lopsided was in the 2004 AFCCG with most of the analysts picking the 15-1 Steelers at home over the 14-2 Patriots

What good analyst wouldn't call it for Slash at home?

Har ...

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

We don't know how most teams are going to be this year based on two games. Lines are based on reputations in week two, not who is actually better. I don't know for sure, but I would bet the Texans and 49ers were huge underdogs in week 2 of last year and the Jets and Eagles were big favorites.

Unless key injuries decimate their roster,I think you can bet your house that Houston,Baltimore and New England will be 3 of the 6 AFC Playoff teams,even before the week 1 kickoff

 

[Alfred]

They beat a weak KC team after giving up 48 to the juggernaut Jets offense. I'm not saying we can't lose (division games on the road are always fluky), but the Bills don't scare me.

They just do not scare me either but they are a very improved Buffalo team and playing a divisional game at home will be a major factor for them, especially against a team that the law of averages is in their favor.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

What good analyst wouldn't call it for Slash at home?

Har ...

That was not Slash at QB

It was Roethlisberger's rookie season...he was fantastic his rookie year.