Thursday night opener - Ratbids @ Donkys

[Rob0729]

Jacoby Jones is vastly overrated because of a good playoffs last year, but he fits the Ravens offense - good running game backed up by a middling big-armed QB who can throw it deep and pray for a catch or PI call - pretty well. Looks like there's a chance he may be done for the year, in which case they're really going to be struggling because the defense can stack the box, bracket Torrey Smith, and force Flacco to throw short and medium passes to guys like Marlon Moore or Dallas Clark, who can't close his dominant hand all the way due to nerve damage, which is far from Flacco's strength as a passer.

Oher may have escaped serious injury, though.

Yeah, Jacoby Jones is a #3 WR posing as a #2. He is nothing special. The problem is that he is worlds better than the guys around him. We saw why the Pats didn't sign Dallas Clark when they were looking at receivers. Ed ****son clearly hasn't fixed his dropsies. Stokely is old and done. Their best receiver outside of Jones and Smith is that guy with Reche Caldwell eyes and dreadlocks.

 

[Rob0729]

I think the Ravens gambled on Flacco actually becoming an elite QB, much as the Giants gambled on Eli actually becoming an elite QB. Both teams will lose those gambles, because what they have at QB are average/above average QBs who are capable of prolonged hot streaks, which is not the same thing. That's why the loss of a guy like Boldin, who wasn't great at separating, but was great at winning the '50/50' balls, is going to take time for Flacco to overcome if, indeed, he can. Having said that

Smith
Jones
Clark
****erson
Stokely
Rice
Pierce

isn't a dumpster fire like I wish it was, and Pitta's on the in-season IR, so it's not 100% impossible to think of him returning, just yet.

Just as a side note, Elam is eventually going to be ready to take over at safety for them. I've got to think that Pees is praying that happens closer to week 6 than week 16.

I think you are overrating their receiving corp. Smith is a #2 WR posing as a #1 and as we saw last night can be easily taken out of games for long stretches. I don't think Clark, ****son, or Stokely could make make the Pats' roster even with their question marks at WR and TE (Belichick must agree on at least two of them since he passed on Clark and Stokely when they were free agents). Jones is a #3 WR and not a great one posing as a #2.

The loss of Pitta ruined their entire offense. Pitta was going to be their primary receiver with Smith being the #2. Now Smith has to be the primary guy, but he can be out muscled and taken out of games. Clark should just retire, but he was the best available.

I will stick to my original prediction of about 8-8 or 9-7 if everything goes right the rest of the way. But they are trending down after last night.

 

[Deus Irae]

I think you are overrating their receiving corp.

Because I said it was not a dumpster fire? Your own words:

Assuming Jones and Oher are not out long, the Ravens' offense won't be the disaster we saw last night.

 

[Colorado]

Peyton has always been, and always will be, a playoff choke artist.

Personally, I don't think either is true, but if you say that about Manning, you would certainly have to say the same about Brady and the Patriots, post 2004. It's been a nine year string of regular season greatness, postseason ineptitude. It's going on a decade since the last title.

 

[Deus Irae]

Personally, I don't think either is true, but if you say that about Manning, you would certainly have to say the same about Brady and the Patriots, post 2004. It's been a nine year string of regular season greatness, postseason ineptitude. It's going on a decade since the last title.

Yes, if you ignore the fact that the Patriots have had huge injury issues in pretty much every playoff loss post-2004, you can come to that conclusion. It won't make the conclusion particularly fair or accurate, but you can come to it.

The problem is that Brady didn't choke in either Super Bowl game. He led his team down to the lead at the end of each game.

Manning, on the other hand, threw a lovely pick-6 in that Saints game.

 

[upstater1]

Personally, I don't think either is true, but if you say that about Manning, you would certainly have to say the same about Brady and the Patriots, post 2004. It's been a nine year string of regular season greatness, postseason ineptitude. It's going on a decade since the last title.

Postseason ineptitude?

Really. I can think of 3 or 4 inept games out of 12. Ravens x 2, Jets, Giants in 07. Brady played well against the Colts in the Championship game in 06, he tore it up. Not his fault that certain things happened.

I keep hearing about how Brady choked against the Giants in 2012. People seem to forget that he broke the all-time record during that game for consecutive completions. He didn't have a superb game but he did play pretty well. It all came down to that throw to Welker.

Brady has also gotten them to the championship game 4 times in the period you are describing as inept.

It takes some games to get there. No one remembers his stellar games against the Texans or the Broncos, I guess, because he beat those teams badly. They focus on that ridiculous Jets fluke in 2011 instead.

Be fairhanded in assessing him.

 

[dales804]

Did anyone see that Harbough said he didn't even know about the Welker non-catch until after the game? Weren't his own players telling him to challenge? And how many NBC replays were shown of it with Michaels and Collinsworth asking if they're going to challenge. Something's not adding up here.

 

[Rob0729]

Because I said it was not a dumpster fire? Your own words:

Fine we are parsing words. I will concede that I may have been wrong in what I am said about overrating them.

But I think their receiving corp is pretty much hot garbage. It is their running game that will save their offense from being a complete disaster.

 

[upstater1]

I had no problem, at all, with reading comprehension. The problem here was that you wrote a really stupid post. Don't blame others for your piss-poor attempt at stirring up something that's not there.

So, when I pointed out all the errors in your post, you come back with the very weak stuff above. Face it, my comparison wasn't apples to oranges. It was apples to apples. When the Patriots beat the Phins 49-28 in 2007, it was practically the exact same score!!!

Check these links out:

Running it up: Belichick, Pats take no prisoners - NFL - ESPN

Patriots Blow Out Win 49-28 over Miami. Dan Marino CBS Thinks they were running up the score. Are you kidding me Dan! - NFL - Forums - Pregame.com

https://www.google.com/search?q=pat...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

 

[Raymond]

Did anyone see that Harbough said he didn't even know about the Welker non-catch until after the game? Weren't his own players telling him to challenge? And how many NBC replays were shown of it with Michaels and Collinsworth asking if they're going to challenge. Something's not adding up here.

Can you imagine BB not challenging that play?:nooo:

 

[chasa]

Personally, I don't think either is true, but if you say that about Manning, you would certainly have to say the same about Brady and the Patriots, post 2004. It's been a nine year string of regular season greatness, postseason ineptitude. It's going on a decade since the last title.

Ohhh snap peytonmanning version of christiancat has arrived.

 

[Anteros]

Holy Crap! 46 Fantasy points!

I couldn't even finish watching the first half last night due to working this morning and I come home to this fact. The Forehead got me 46 fantasy points. If I lose this game my team sucks.

 

[dannydyn]

So, when I pointed out all the errors in your post, you come back with the very weak stuff above. Face it, my comparison wasn't apples to oranges. It was apples to apples. When the Patriots beat the Phins 49-28 in 2007, it was practically the exact same score!!!

Check these links out:

Running it up: Belichick, Pats take no prisoners - NFL - ESPN

Patriots Blow Out Win 49-28 over Miami. Dan Marino CBS Thinks they were running up the score. Are you kidding me Dan! - NFL - Forums - Pregame.com

https://www.google.com/search?q=pat...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Let's not forget all the b1tching and moaning that TFB would get if it were his pass Welker dropped last night (that set the TD). Everyone would cry foul and demand to put an " * " next to that 7 TD stat.

 

[captain stone]

So Welker & PayaTon scored a lot of points during a home game in September. Wonderful.
Let's see how they do during an outdoor game (home or road) in January.

 

[shmessy]

Did anyone see that Harbough said he didn't even know about the Welker non-catch until after the game? Weren't his own players telling him to challenge? And how many NBC replays were shown of it with Michaels and Collinsworth asking if they're going to challenge. Something's not adding up here.

Not only that, but Harbuagh (and every other HC in the NFL) wears a headset to the upstairs box.

Somebody was not doing their job and should have their desk cleaned out today.

 

[dales804]

Not only that, but Harbuagh (and every other HC in the NFL) wears a headset to the upstairs box.

Somebody was not doing their job and should have their desk cleaned out today.

Exactly. Either someone should be fired or maybe there's problems in Mile High like so many accuse of happening at Gillette (i.e. communication issues, headsets going out, etc.).