Ravens breakdown.

[BobDigital]

I think you are overrating Harbaugh here. Since the SB they have ended up 3rd in their division 3 times in a row. Now, I am not saying he is a bad coach but second best ? Really ?

Similarly, I think you are overrating their safeties a bit. They can be attacked in the secondary and probably will. Given their DL I wouldn't be surprised if we spread it out a lot and might even get to finally see the return of some no huddle stuff.

After taking a handful of steps into the right direction the Ravens are just the right opponent to see how the defense reacts when put under more stress and pressure. Also, I am thankful that we get Ravens and Denver so late in the year to get a final test run to find other obvious holes that we have in our defense. Everything that gets highlighted now has a change of being addressed for the playoffs.

I don't think their safeties are great btw but i do think they got 1 pretty good one and another okay enough option. I just don't want Brady to take too many risk and look for the 1v1. Things like going to Edelman 2v1 deep will more likely be punished in this game.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't think their safeties are great btw but i do think they got 1 pretty good one and another okay enough option. I just don't want Brady to take too many risk and look for the 1v1. Things like going to Edelman 2v1 deep will more likely be punished in this game.

Its all about patience and letting the game plan play out. Our offense BY FAR is at its best when it pushes the ball down the field and at its worst trying to play 'stay on schedule for 3rd down'. Always has been, and the chief criticism I give the coaching staff over its time here is that they tend to revert to that in big games against good teams. It forces too many conversions to move down the field, and you end up with an offense that is doing very well not putting up points because one play (a drop or a miscommunication, or missed block) misfiring.
We need to take advantage of the style of defense Bmore plays, and the players they have and get the ball down the field, but do it smartly by picking the shots. Mitchell should be a key in this game, and Hogan as well. Use Edelman and Lewis and White (as well as Bennett) to move the chains and make them cover the shorter areas, and/or blitz, then hit Mitchell, Hogan (or Edelman or Bennett) in the intermediate to deep range.
This should not be a 23/32/190 game for Brady is should be a 23/32/350 game.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Ravens are the AFC's gathering threat

Please warn when the link is fspn

 

[SVN]

there is going to be a lot of man to man covering in this game vs pats WRs. they need to get open.

 

[Tony2046]

Mitchell should be big in this game.

I agree.

I love this match up. It's time for a season gut check. Guarantee Brady and his two 14 point comebacks are up for it.

Other than the Cardinals game this will be the biggest game of the year thus far.

I hope it lives up to its billing.

I expect big games from all phases and some big plays from Mitchell and Hogan.

I also hope to see a frustrated Capt Clorox near the end of the game.

Super pumped.

Great breakdown BD.

 

[Tony2046]

Really good post Bob.

First for me Harbaugh isnt 2nd best coach. Ozzie is probably the best GM in NFL. His drafts are very good. So its easy coaching with good players to play.

Last year they had some serious injuries and almost all games they lost in final minutes until Flacco goes down.
They have really good run d so we ll see how Blount and co will do. Maybe not Blount but more Lewis.
So probably more Brady and WRs. Dont know what is wrong with Bennet.

I am not wooried about our run D. Before season i thought they will be top 3 run D in league.
I am worried about pass D and Rowe hamstring injury.

Tough game for sure, but have feeling that pass offense will do something in this game.

He's a good coach but I'd probably go with Andy Reid as 2nd best.

 

[Tony2046]

I tried to say the same thing in another thread and someone hinted that I should re-register as FraidyCat...

Humans simply do not understand the purpose of the flight or fight instincts in a cat. So frustrating.

They do not run to save their lives rather to whoop your ass at a later and unsuspecting time.

 

[SVN]

I don't think their safeties are great btw but i do think they got 1 pretty good one and another okay enough option. I just don't want Brady to take too many risk and look for the 1v1. Things like going to Edelman 2v1 deep will more likely be punished in this game.

We need somone to make plays in the seam up the middle. Thats where gronk made his money .Now teams will flood the middle and try and make us play outside. Hopefully bennett can be that guy

 

[SVN]

 

[long distance]

From Hill:
The Ravens have given up just four rushing touchdowns all year and one was to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Only five rushers have generated 40+ yards- Browns RB Isaiah Crowell (133 yards, 1 TD), Jets RB Matt Forte (100, 1), Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott (97), Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi (61), and Bills RB LeSean McCoy (58, 1). Even Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell could only gain 32 rushing yards.

I should clarify. They’re not just 1st for 2016. They’re the best run defense dating back to 1989, when Football Outsiders’ dataset begins. Better than the 2000 Ravens. Better than the 2007 or 2008 Ravens. The Best.

 

[luuked]

We need somone to make plays in the seam up the middle. Thats where gronk made his money .Now teams will flood the middle and try and make us play outside. Hopefully bennett can be that guy

For the first time in a while I feel fine with other teams trying to flood the middle. The presence of Hogan and Mitchell is a big upgrade for us in that sense. I honestly don't think the Ravens have the skill in their secondary to deal with all of our players.

On the flipside the Ravens haven't shown that they can actually run the ball consistently. I wouldn't be surprised if we invite them in to proof that they can with a lighter box and more DBs in coverage.

Maybe that's why I am more relaxed than others about the game.

 

[SVN]

For the first time in a while I feel fine with other teams trying to flood the middle. The presence of Hogan and Mitchell is a big upgrade for us in that sense. I honestly don't think the Ravens have the skill in their secondary to deal with all of our players.

On the flipside the Ravens haven't shown that they can actually run the ball consistently. I wouldn't be surprised if we invite them in to proof that they can with a lighter box and more DBs in coverage.

Maybe that's why I am more relaxed than others about the game.

For sure they will make them run. Chung needs to have a big game with pitta. Rowe's injury isnt a good thing for this game.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Similarly, I think you are overrating their safeties a bit. They can be attacked in the secondary and probably will. Given their DL I wouldn't be surprised if we spread it out a lot and might even get to finally see the return of some no huddle stuff.

If you remember the segment from Belichick's two-part "A Football Life", Brady came up with a way to attack Ed Reed that worked in the game. The current safeties are not Ed Reed, so I would bet that Tom can come up with a way to attack them.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Mike Lombardi has been high on them for the past couple of months, so it will be interesting to hear his take on this game.

 

[SVN]

Mike Lombardi has been high on them for the past couple of months, so it will be interesting to hear his take on this game.

he thought dallas beating baltimore was a very big deal as he considers ravens a legitimate threat. in fact he thinks the biggest threat to the pats comes from AFCN not AFCW.

 

[luuked]

he thought dallas beating baltimore was a very big deal as he considers ravens a legitimate threat. in fact he thinks the biggest threat to the pats comes from AFCN not AFCW.

Think he is about to jump onto the Chiefs bandwagon. Especially if they beat the Raiders on Thursday.

 

[Ring 6]

From Hill:
The Ravens have given up just four rushing touchdowns all year and one was to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Only five rushers have generated 40+ yards- Browns RB Isaiah Crowell (133 yards, 1 TD), Jets RB Matt Forte (100, 1), Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott (97), Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi (61), and Bills RB LeSean McCoy (58, 1). Even Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell could only gain 32 rushing yards.

I should clarify. They’re not just 1st for 2016. They’re the best run defense dating back to 1989, when Football Outsiders’ dataset begins. Better than the 2000 Ravens. Better than the 2007 or 2008 Ravens. The Best.

no

 

[IllegalContact]

pfffft........the ravens could not beat the jets on the road......

their defense is substantially softer on the road

may not be a blowout, but I'm not expecting much from this bunch

 

[Jackson 2]

From Hill:
The Ravens have given up just four rushing touchdowns all year and one was to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Only five rushers have generated 40+ yards- Browns RB Isaiah Crowell (133 yards, 1 TD), Jets RB Matt Forte (100, 1), Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott (97), Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi (61), and Bills RB LeSean McCoy (58, 1). Even Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell could only gain 32 rushing yards.

I should clarify. They’re not just 1st for 2016. They’re the best run defense dating back to 1989, when Football Outsiders’ dataset begins. Better than the 2000 Ravens. Better than the 2007 or 2008 Ravens. The Best.

Serious question: Then how have they lost 5 games?

 

[SVN]

Think he is about to jump onto the Chiefs bandwagon. Especially if they beat the Raiders on Thursday.

Look, lets be fair. I know I am going get killed here for saying this but its really BB +Brady combo which is the ultimate equalizer. And its a big big factor. Without them, you compare rosters , we arent any better than most teams .Yes we have some great players but no one is way over than most contenders other than maybe AFC South. So all the respect the pats get is really because of brady and BB. Here in the bay area , the local radio is obviously excited about the raiders. once gronk got hurt, all the hosts e.g Lorenzo Oneal etc said the pats are good but not the same. Lincoln Kennedy was on - said raiders and chiefs are the two best teams in the AFC and he sees pats losing two more 1 to miami and 1 to the giants .But then he claimed he had thought pats wont win without brady in the 1st 4 games and now with brady you never know. That is about of respect BB/Brady have that people dont really want to say anything about NE which is -ve.