Ravens @ Patriots AFCCG

[Betterthanmost]

If you up for it, check the playoff game vs them. I am interested to know how OL got beat so bad.
Ravens Patriots January 2010 playoffs 1st Quarter 14-0 - YouTube

check the other parts on the page.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

The Ravens being old men on D is a big myth. Outside of a couple players they are quite young

Really? I saw them play yesterday. I do not wear glasses or contacts...
They looked slow however Yates looked lost.

 

[SVN]

Koppen > Connolly

Neal > Waters

Healthy Mankins > healing Mankins

In short, unless Mankins is healed, this line is weaker at all 3 interior positions. If Mankins is healed, it will be weaker at 2 of the 3 interior positions.

this + the fact that ngata really mauled koppen a lot is the biggest worry the patriots have this game . I expect the ravens to copy the fins 2nd game gameplan and try and push up the middle...

 

[Flyin Elvis]

Anybody missing Danny Woodhead at all? I know I am, I wanna see more of him. I think he could be a good factor on Sunday if we used him for screen plays more often (beat Baltimore at their own game). I mean, he returns kickoffs, and gets a few carries here and there, but i was watching some of his 2010 highlights last night, and i gotta say, he is far too impressive not to be used every other run/screen play. I think people have forgotten just how good he is....

 

[robbomango]

Anybody missing Danny Woodhead at all? I know I am, I wanna see more of him. I think he could be a good factor on Sunday if we used him for screen plays more often (beat Baltimore at their own game). I mean, he returns kickoffs, and gets a few carries here and there, but i was watching some of his 2010 highlights last night, and i gotta say, he is far too impressive not to be used every other run/screen play. I think people have forgotten just how good he is....

I'd like to see the backfield more involved in the passing game as well. Woody had 4 carries for 25YDs and no receptions not sure if he was targeted either!?.

 

[SVN]

I expect woodhead to be the in the backfield a lot and wont be surprised if some of us ..me included start complaining about it and asking for law firm. There have been games where they have overused him and the offense has kinda stalled..

 

[juny]

Can't really draw too much from the 09 playoff game. But the one concern is that the left side of the OL is the same and they were torched the last time around. They will have to play a lot better on Sunday.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Waters is better than Neal? Really?

Care to explain that?

He is. Run blocking. Pass blocking, etc. He still is an elite player. maybe not as good as he was a few years ago.

Neal was a solid OG. Thats where it stops.

Care to explain why you think Neal is?

 

[SeymourTrophies]

We actually should have lost to them last year...a wide open WR Mark Clayton dropped an easy pass from Flacco at the 4 yard line as time was running out which would have won that game for them.

It was a lucky day.

That was in '09. Clayton also wasn't wide open. He dropped the ball in anticipation of getting whacked by McGowan and another nameless soldier. Which he did.

As many have stated, '09, even before Welker was injured, was our worst team in many moons. Belichick mailed it in early with the Seymour trade on D, and A Football Life illustrates just how disgusted BB was with that offense all season long, which is much of why Hernandez and Gronk were selected in the subsequent draft.

 

[PatsSox363804]

Anybody missing Danny Woodhead at all? I know I am, I wanna see more of him. I think he could be a good factor on Sunday if we used him for screen plays more often (beat Baltimore at their own game). I mean, he returns kickoffs, and gets a few carries here and there, but i was watching some of his 2010 highlights last night, and i gotta say, he is far too impressive not to be used every other run/screen play. I think people have forgotten just how good he is....

Woodhead cant pick up a blitz. Frankly I don't want to see him back there at all this game.

 

[IllegalContact]

Koppen > Connolly

currently, this is a push. connolly has been pretty steady. besides, cody is a step down from the 2009 kelly gregg

Neal > Waters.

nope....neal was already partially broken at this point. waters hands down. besides, ray lewis is 37 now and not the same player

Healthy Mankins > healing Mankins.

can you quantify this? otherwise, it is meaningless

In short, unless Mankins is healed, this line is weaker at all 3 interior positions. If Mankins is healed, it will be weaker at 2 of the 3 interior positions.

this is only your opinion.....seems bereft of fact

sam aiken (cough, cough), julian edelman(cough, cough), chris baker(cough cough)

 

[The Brandon Five]

Connolly is 6'4" 313. Much larger than Koppen.

Neal was good but Waters is MUCH better than Neal.

Mankins is Mankins.

If this line does its job, TB will put up 35 on this defense.

Waters is better than Neal? Really?

Care to explain that?

Neal > Waters

Brian Waters is a two-time All-Pro and six time Pro-Bowler (including this season). Neal never went to a Pro Bowl. He was voted #67 by fellow players in that list of the NFL Top 100. Only two guards were ranked higher: Carl Nicks at 55 and Mankins at 39.

NFL The Top 100 NFL Players of 2011

 

[IllegalContact]

Brian Waters is a two-time All-Pro and six time Pro-Bowler (including this season). Neal never went to a Pro Bowl. He was voted #67 by fellow players in that list of the NFL Top 100. Only two guards were ranked higher: Carl Nicks at 55 and Mankins at 39.

NFL The Top 100 NFL Players of 2011

neal was great, but he never played the way waters did this season

 

[everlong]

Ngata is going to offer a stiff test for Waters. We're going to find out just how good he is this Sunday. I'm sure they've faced off at some point in their careers but I don't we have anybody who actually watched a KC vs Baltimore game and dissected the line play.

 

[Metaphors]

Comparing the situations to 2009 seems a little odd. Comparing the 2011 OL to the 2009 OL seems very odd. I agree that the Pats OL will be the key in this game, but the only comparison that seems valid is how they are playing now compared to how the Ravens are playing now. Consider:

- The Ravens got 0 sacks, limited pressures and 2 QB hits against the Texans in 35 dropbacks.

- The Pats OL is better than the Texans OL in pass protection, though this is somewhat influenced by scheme and QB decision-making...so to be fair, lets call them comparable.

- The Denver pass rush is slightly worse (but comparable) to the Ravens pass rush.

- The Broncos got 0 sacks, limited pressures and 2 QB hits against the Patriots in 34 dropbacks.

This says to me that the Ravens need to have a better scheme this week to generate the pressure they need. The idea that the Ravens can just show up and pressure Brady into a poor game doesn't fit with the reality today.

That being said, it all comes down to execution. If Light gets faked inside and gives Suggs a clean rush at Brady, bad things will happen. If the Ravens come up with a rush scheme that the Pats are unprepared for, bad things will probably happen. If the Pats linemen flake out and make mental mistakes in protection...well you get the idea.

But if you are trying to predict what should happen based on what we know today, the Pats should do a solid job giving Brady the time he needs. That usually results in a positive outcome for the Pats offense.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I think the game we should look at is the Chargers Ravens game from 12/18. The Chargers are about as close to the Pats offense that the ravens faced all year. And the Chargers blew them out! Two things stick out from that game:
1.) The Chargers got up early and the Ravens were lost after that. They picked off Flacco on consequtive drives.
2.) in the 4th quarter, with the Chargers up, they went on an all run 9 minute drive that ended in a FG and took up pretty much all of the 4th quarter.

The Ravens scored their 2nd TD in garbage time. Much like Denver, the Ravens are built to play with the lead or in a very close game. If the Pats don't turn the ball over, they should get ahead, and once ahead, they should not have to look back.

The ravens also have two very ugly losses this year, at Seattle and at Jacksonville. Those are teams that they should have beaten (and if they did, this game would be in Baltimore).

Let face it, the Ravens play in a division where they have to face the Steelers granted and they did beat them twice and once quite handely. BUT they also have the Bunguls and Cleveland, They played the AFC South and the NFC West this year, not exactly a killer schedule. Rivers was the best QB they faced, and he killed them.

 

[SVN]

I think the game we should look at is the Chargers Ravens game from 12/18. The Chargers are about as close to the Pats offense that the ravens faced all year. And the Chargers blew them out! Two things stick out from that game:
1.) The Chargers got up early and the Ravens were lost after that. They picked off Flacco on consequtive drives.
2.) in the 4th quarter, with the Chargers up, they went on an all run 9 minute drive that ended in a FG and took up pretty much all of the 4th quarter.

The Ravens scored their 2nd TD in garbage time. Much like Denver, the Ravens are built to play with the lead or in a very close game. If the Pats don't turn the ball over, they should get ahead, and once ahead, they should not have to look back.

The ravens also have two very ugly losses this year, at Seattle and at Jacksonville. Those are teams that they should have beaten (and if they did, this game would be in Baltimore).

Let face it, the Ravens play in a division where they have to face the Steelers granted and they did beat them twice and once quite handely. BUT they also have the Bunguls and Cleveland, They played the AFC South and the NFC West this year, not exactly a killer schedule. Rivers was the best QB they faced, and he killed them.

Chargers have a different offense..Much more vertical passing game and a better pass rush. Our offense is really the tight ends and welker in the middle and if baltimore crowds the middle of the field and rushes and gets to brady with 3-4 peopl..they have a chance..same thing the jets did last yr . Even the dolphins had a great plan vs the pats the 2nd time around.

 

[IllegalContact]

Chargers have a different offense..Much more vertical passing game and a better pass rush. Our offense is really the tight ends and welker in the middle and if baltimore crowds the middle of the field and rushes and gets to brady with 3-4 peopl..they have a chance..same thing the jets did last yr . Even the dolphins had a great plan vs the pats the 2nd time around.

LOL....kinda like when the broncos tried it and branch caught the rope for a TD

You can't leave the sidelines open against any good QB.

 

[PatsFan2]

The Ravens Defense is known to cause fumbles i am sure BB is stressing to the Boys HOLD ON TO THE BALL. I don't think Riddley will be dressed Sunday.

 

[Keyser Söze]

The Ravens Defense is known to cause fumbles i am sure BB is stressing to the Boys HOLD ON TO THE BALL. I don't think Riddley will be dressed Sunday.

Agreed, he'll probably be cut too.