The Ravens

[farn]

I wish nothing but the worst to both Indy and Baltimore. They can both burn forever. And each time they crash and burn : I will laugh out loud.

 

[Ring 6]

Somewhat related to this topic, if history is any indicator, the Pat's should get the Saturday night divisional game this year as the 2 seed, forcing Baltimore to play on Sunday...if we can win we get another extra day to prepare for the AFCCG

We are already preparing for Baltimore.
We will have a defensive gameplan unlike any weve had before.

 

[TomPatriot]

We are already preparing for Baltimore.
We will have a defensive gameplay unlike any weve had before.

This has the added benefit of actually being true, I think.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I’m actually excited and hoping for a rematch with Baltimore. Not that I’m thinking it’s a win. They very well may lose. As a fan I get some euphoria of cheering my team against the odds. Of course I’d rather see them play at home with the 1 seed but there’s something to be said about winning a championship on the road in January.

Those two Pittsburgh wins as well as the KC win are just on another level as far as gratifying. Have had some great home wins which have been awesome too. Indy, Bmore14x2 etc.

No doubt Baltimore is excellent this season, quite an accomplishment with the scheme they’ve been using to possibly to break that 41 year old Pats record. With a game plan, film on what happened last game, ball security, Good health, they may just be able to come up with a little more magic.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

It would be curious how many total possessions the Raven have in a game versus the NFL average since they chew clock and shorten the game making each possession all the more valuable.

Ultimately do the pats force Lamar to throw and go heavy on defense. Disrupting the timing of the tightends is critical. I jam them at the line with my linebackers and chip them with my ends... Easier said than done against that running team

 

[Ring 6]

It would be curious how many total possessions the Raven have in a game versus the NFL average since they chew clock and shorten the game making each possession all the more valuable.

Ultimately do the pats force Lamar to throw and go heavy on defense. Disrupting the timing of the tightends is critical. I jam them at the line with my linebackers and chip them with my ends... Easier said than done against that running team

Ravens offense is #1 in plays, yards, time and points per drive. Patriots D is #1 in all of those as well.

 

[PatriotsLegacy]

I’m not saying be afraid of them. I’m saying respect them. They’re in elite company with the stuff they are doing this year. But there’s no better duo than BB and TB12 who I would argue have NO company in terms of all time greats.

Ingram being hampered will set them back, but they have a lot of time to rest him now with home field clinched and a bye in the playoffs. If it’s a serious or lingering injury they still have Gus Edwards who is a load, and could step into the #1 role without too much drop off. Honesty I think it’s Lamar’s mobility and the RPO that make their engine go. You could probably put a lot of RBs around the league with Lamar and get similar results.

I post a lot about remodeling the Pats as a run oriented team in the future. I think it makes sense with looming QB uncertainty in our future, but also as an answer to these running attacks like the Ravens and 49ers. I think ball control, and long sustained clock eating drives are key to beating them. Dominate possession and keep Jackson on the sideline. You have to be able to run the ball to do that. And not just him, but Mahomes, Watson, etc. They can’t beat us if they have a clipboard in their hands while we are running it down their throats.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Ravens offense is #1 in plays, yards, time and points per drive. Patriots D is #1 in all of those as well.

I'm more curious number of drives(possessions)

 

[wheresmosi]

Only need 92 yards to break the all time single season rushing record set by our 78 Pats. And their QB (who is also their leading rusher) leads the NFL in passing touchdowns. Man they are going to be a load to handle that’s for sure. I hope they come up short of the record, but it just shows how historically good that team is to even have a shot at it. TB12’s biggest challenge to date perhaps and that’s saying something.

Relax--the 78 team will still have the record for the most yards in a 14 game season.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'm more curious number of drives(possessions)

2019 NFL OFFENSIVE DRIVE STATS | Football Outsiders

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

2019 NFL OFFENSIVE DRIVE STATS | Football Outsiders

There we go.. just what I suspected.. each drive all the more valuable

 

[RobertWeathers]

There we go.. just what I suspected.. each drive all the more valuable

Exactly. Need to limit their possessions and maximize ours.

 

[Ring 6]

Exactly. Need to limit their possessions and maximize ours.

I’ve never seen much relevance in number of possesssions or length of possession. If you score in 1 play it’s better than not scoring in 12.

 

[ivanvamp]

I was at the Sunday night Baltimore game.

If Watson would have caught the pass the play before the the Thomas INT, I have no doubt we would have won.

By the end of Q1 the defense started to figure it out. KC is more of a threat.

Then Baltimore figured it out in turn. And in the second half, the Ravens only had two possessions. Here were their two possessions:

13 plays, 81 yards, nearly 7 1/2 minutes, touchdown
14 plays, 68 yards, nearly 9 1/2 minutes, touchdown

So whatever adjustments the Patriots made in the second quarter, the Ravens adjusted right back and their offense was unstoppable in the second half.

They're going to be a massive, massive problem in the playoffs. Not invincible, but a real problem to deal with.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I’ve never seen much relevance in number of possesssions or length of possession. If you score in 1 play it’s better than not scoring in 12.

As an offense, I agree. All that matters is if they score. From a defensive PoV I don't agree.

Look at it this way, if the Ravens and Chiefs score 3 points a drive and the NEP offense score 2 points a drive, would you rather have the Ravens or Chiefs with the ball 7 times a game or 10?

 

[RobertWeathers]

As expected, no word on severity

 

[Uptown]

 

[Ring 6]

Relax--the 78 team will still have the record for the most yards in a 14 game season.

78 team played 16 games

 

[Ring 6]

As an offense, I agree. All that matters is if they score. From a defensive PoV I don't agree.

Look at it this way, if the Ravens and Chiefs score 3 points a drive and the NEP offense score 2 points a drive, would you rather have the Ravens or Chiefs with the ball 7 times a game or 10?

But it doesn’t work that way.

You have to outscore the opponent.
If your drive puts up points you are better off.
If you score points you increase your own points per drive

if you score a td in one play the worse thing that can happen is you get the ball back right where you started wrt the score.
If you eat time and don’t score the best thing that can happen is you get the ball back in the same shape, but if they score you lose ground.

Sure a terrible team should hope for a short game so fluke would have more impact but given your example it doesn t much matter how Amy possesssions if you accept they score more per possession. Winning is about getting points on your possession and not letting them get points on theirs.

Trading points for clock is a losing proposition unless you are protecting a large lead.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Exactly. Need to limit their possessions and maximize ours.

If we beat KC and Baltimore, I think we win the SB...