We're on to Baltimore

[Kdo5]

I agree. Some people are just outright making stuff up with Flacco's failures, etc. For the record, here are his last 5 playoff games:

5-0 record
13 touchdowns
0 interceptions

They've certainly proven themselves to be a worthy foe. Luckily, if our OL holds up and our defense (finally, we can say this!) does too, we should be able to move on. It probably won't be easy though, as many are expecting a dogfight. The hope is that our defense can cause a turnover or two and really help things out.

My main concern is seeing our receivers jammed at the line and funneled towards the middle of the field with 7+ in coverage (when they don't blitz), which will buy their front four an extra second or two to get to Brady.

Dang. Didn't know those were Flacco's recent playoff numbers. Should be interesting to see him against us again, this time w/healthy legs. He was easy pickings last season.

 

[Sicilian]

for some levity

http://www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/minihane-baltimore-gonna-come-here-and-win

I would rather listen to Gilbert Godfrey and Tony Mazz get in a mega phone shouting match for 8 hours than give Kirk Minihane a click.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Fold the tents.

Cash in your chips.

Cower in the corner.

No shot.

No chance.

Might as well not even show up.

We lost this game last Saturday.

Hide under the covers until September.

 

[IllegalContact]

Torrey Smith was on the 2012 Ravens. The ones that played in a frigid AFCDG in Denver (13 degrees at kickoff, windchills near 0). He acquitted himself pretty well, 3 catches for 98 yards and 2 TD's.

When was the last time Browner or LaFell played in really cold weather? It cuts both ways and won't have an impact. Flacco and the Ravens DL has proven they can play great in freezing weather and those are the important guys.

I didn't know Browner was an offensive player........it cuts both ways when the home team is not prepared to take advantage of it. The Broncos were old in the cold and it showed especially with champ Bailey who single handedly gave the game away. I'd love to see the Ravens try that same game plan Saturday. As for LaFell, the Pats have plenty of targets who have played in the cold.

either way, the Pats are kicking the **** out of the Ravens......book it

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I agree. Some people are just outright making stuff up with Flacco's failures, etc. For the record, here are his last 5 playoff games:

5-0 record
13 touchdowns
0 interceptions

They've certainly proven themselves to be a worthy foe. Luckily, if our OL holds up and our defense (finally, we can say this!) does too, we should be able to move on. It probably won't be easy though, as many are expecting a dogfight. The hope is that our defense can cause a turnover or two and really help things out.

My main concern is seeing our receivers jammed at the line and funneled towards the middle of the field with 7+ in coverage (when they don't blitz), which will buy their front four an extra second or two to get to Brady.

His 5-0 record is mainly off of their super bowl year in 2012 as they failed to make the playoffs last year.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Don't our players practice in the cold on a fairly regular basis?

 

[OhExaulted1]

either way, the Pats are kicking the **** out of the Ravens......book it

The disrespect card? Let the media play it.

A beatdown will be forthcoming.

 

[OhExaulted1]

His 5-0 record is manly

How dare you!!!

(Totally taken out of context)

Edit: Saw your fix, just funnin'

 

[Froob]

So we're chicken littles if we don't think Pats win 59-0?

 

[ensoul]

Not too worried about Flacco or the raves offense, or the pats defense for that matter. What concerns me is the pats offensive. You have to think that the ravens are going to be blitzing all game and the pats line has been a mixed bag all year.

I expect a low scoring game. Final score will be something like 17-14.

 

[Oswlek]

Dang. Didn't know those were Flacco's recent playoff numbers. Should be interesting to see him against us again, this time w/healthy legs. He was easy pickings last season.

He's been impressive, but it should be pointed out that three of the five passing defenses were bottom 5 or so units, plus anyone with a realistic perception of Denver's pass defense in 2012 knew they were paper tigers. Flacco has only had one really good game against a very good defense in his run.

I can't deny feeling some trepidation, but the recent run strikes me as being largely a product of small sample size. One upon a time, Brady was unbeatable in the playoffs as well.

 

[IllegalContact]

The disrespect card? Let the media play it.

A beatdown will be forthcoming.

the ravens are smoke and mirrors........one minute they're king ****, the next minute the chargers are running laps.

this year is the 2nd fewest sacks the OL has given up in Brady's career........just sayin

 

[The Brandon Five]

His 5-0 record is mainly off of their super bowl year in 2012 as they failed to make the playoffs last year.

How can he be 5-0? In their 2012 Super Bowl run they won 4 games. The only game that could have been before those 4 would have to be a Super Bowl, which he had not yet played in. In 2011, they lost their last playoff game (AFCCG) to the Patriots.

4-1 in his last 5.

EDIT: I see what I did there. They are counting the win over the Steelers and the four 2012 games.
My bad.

5-1 in his last 6.
6-1 in his last 7.

Whatever.

 

[Sicilian]

Some of the posts regarding the Ravens schedule got me thinking, so I did some rudimentary (VERY) stat crunching in excel. Basically, I took the two teams (Ravens and Patriots) and compared the points they scored versus an opponent, and subtracted the average that that team was giving up against the rest of their schedule for a season. For example, Minnesota gave up 30 points to the Patriots and on average gave up 20.87 to everyone else, so the Pats get a +9.13 for that matchup. I did the same in reverse for the two defenses. I did it quickly, so didn't bother subtracting or adding defensive scores, so this is flawed, but I figured those things tend to wash out over a long stretch. The results:

Patriots opponents averaged 21.67 PA outside of the NE game. Pats scored 7.58 points per game above this average

Baltimore opponents averaged 23.17 PA outside of the Balt game. Ravens scored 2.40 points per game above this average

Patriots opponents averaged 22.61 PF outside of the NE game. Pats allowed 3.04 points per game less than this average

Baltimore opponents averaged 22.39 PF outside of the Balt game. Ravens allowed 3.51 points per game less than this average

In summary:

Pats offense = +7.58 PF/G
Pats defense = -3.04 PA/G

Ravens offense = +2.40 PF/G
Ravens defense = -3.51 PA/G

So it seems the biggest difference in schedules, statistically, is that the Pats played tougher defenses along the way, and fared well against them overall. The Ravens didn't fare as well, and against worse defenses. The two defenses faced (again, statistically) similar difficulty, and both held opponents about a FG below their average.

Not a scientific study by any means, but interesting enough to me to get a conversation started.

 

[patfanken]

Before we all get carried away by Flacco's very impressive and well earned playoff stats. Lets remember that Tommy once had stats like that at the start of HIS playoff career. So even the greatest of the great ones eventually gets relatively humbled by the pressures of the playoffs. Why wouldn't it be reasonable to think, that against a top 3 secondary, playing on the road, that THAT day might be coming to Jump ball Joe sooner than his minions think?

 

[OhExaulted1]

the ravens are smoke and mirrors........one minute they're king ****, the next minute the chargers are running laps.

this year is the 2nd fewest sacks the OL has given up in Brady's career........just sayin

Me thinks Nate Solder plays really pissed off this weekend....just sayin'

 

[OhExaulted1]

Don't our players practice in the cold on a fairly regular basis?

Actually, I think our players love it. The colder it gets, the meaner they get. They're totally anti-global warming, and not for the reasons you'd think.

 

[OhExaulted1]

I want to hate him, but at the same time I reserve judgment about Suggs. I've poured bleach on plenty of my *****es. Best remedy, *****es just need a right hook to the eye to get her to shut the f@(K up.

#RayRiceschoolofhowtotreatwomen



http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...uggs-girlfriend-claims-he-punched-her-in-neck

 

[The Gr8est]

He's been impressive, but it should be pointed out that three of the five passing defenses were bottom 5 or so units, plus anyone with a realistic perception of Denver's pass defense in 2012 knew they were paper tigers. Flacco has only had one really good game against a very good defense in his run.

I can't deny to not feeling trepidation, but the recent run strikes me as being largely a product of small sample size. One upon a time, Brady was unbeatable in the playoffs as well.

And once upon a time Brady's favorite receiver was the guy who was open.

Then Randy Moss happened.

(Runs away quickly to bomb shelter)

 

[Ring 6]

And once upon a time Brady's favorite receiver was the guy who was open.

Then Randy Moss happened.

(Runs away quickly to bomb shelter)

Brady's favorite receiver has been and still is whoever is open. The distribution changes when you put a guy on the field who gets open all the time.