Whitlock picks Ravens to win the Super Bowl

[primetime]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=whitlock/060720&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1

Is this guy kidding? Baltimore over Washington in the Super Bowl? I can understand Colts over Dallas, etc. etc. But Washington, with no QB, and Baltimore, with, uh, no QB (the Titans went real far with McNair the last two years). Yeah, sure dude.

And he thinks stiff Joey Harrington is going to beat out Daunte Culpepper by midseason. So much for the Dolphins this year, huh? I mean at least he's not offering the same as the crowd but man, this guy's on crack.

 

[Remix 6]

why not? Their D was pretty good last year even with Lewis gone..and Ed Reed hurt a few games.

They added Trevor Pryce and Ngata to help on the DL and Lewis will run free again. McAlister and Rolle are a solid duo. LBs are good..Scott filled in nice for Lewis last year..Adalius Thomas is 1 of the most versatile players and played well..Suggs is a DE/OLB . great pass rusher. Offensivly..if the OL can get it together..McNair to Mason like old days..Heap is a top 5 TE..Clayton is an upcoming star. Demetrius Williams is a good deep threat rookie. Lewis had the off season to work..the OL wasnt great last year considering the talent they had and what could have been. I see them as contenders...its a strong possiblity but..looking at their schedule..could be tough. Redskins. Lost Arrington..added Archuleta, Carter which is an improvement in the pass rush. Their LBs are talented even without Arrington led by Marshall and Washington. Sean Taylor has his troubles aside..look for a big season from him. Added offensive weapons..already a great OL when healthy..Portis is a top 5 back in my opinion and with Al Saunders..he might be able to produce Holmes/Johnson #s. and lost some weight to be able to go back to his explosive/speed style that he played with in Denver and as a Hurricane. He came in..had to deal with power running game..he wasnt suited for it but put up great #s. It all depends on if Brunell can play well consistently or not.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Well, the NFL is all about unpredictability but ... wow! Just, wow!

 

[jimleehunt]

imo whitlock is one of the less-knowledgable national nfl writers. ive read him for years and half the time hes clueless. that being said-tho i dont think the ravens are legit SB contenders-they ARE legit playoff contenders. they should be much better this year. washington will also be better-but i dont see any way they could beat out carolina for the SB. the skins are similar to their archrivals-both are good in all areas except for the most important-qb. with all his flaws,delhomme is light-years better than brunell and bledsoe. but the skins are a likely playoff team. giants fans can start crying now since they will finish 3rd in that division-they have no defense. what he says about colts/edge is pretty true,tho i think the colts take a step back this year.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Even more bizarre is this statement:

9. Brett Favre will regret his decision to return to the Packers by Week 4, when John Madden won't be around on "Monday Night Football" to explain away Favre's terrible performance against the Eagles.

I'm bummed Favre didn't grow a pair this offseason and tell the Packers he wanted to be traded to the Dolphins. Favre, 36, still can play football at a high level. He's just not capable of elevating a weak team to a higher level anymore. He's like Michael Jordan playing with the Wizards.

Favre's spending his last year or two in the league running plays called by the former offensive coordinator of the 49ers -- Mike McCarthy, a product of the Mike Nolan coaching tree, not the Bill Walsh tree -- is just about the dumbest thing imaginable.

I hope Packers fans are happy they're holding Favre hostage in Green Bay rather than allowing him to finish his career with dignity in a winning environment.

:wha:

 

[pats1]

No, crack isn't good for you, Jason.

 

[Seymour93]

No, crack isn't good for you, Jason.

If Whitlock was on crack-cocaine, he wouldn't weigh 400 lbs.

 

[Haterproof]

imo whitlock is one of the less-knowledgable national nfl writers. ive read him for years and half the time hes clueless. that being said-tho i dont think the ravens are legit SB contenders-they ARE legit playoff contenders. they should be much better this year. washington will also be better-but i dont see any way they could beat out carolina for the SB. the skins are similar to their archrivals-both are good in all areas except for the most important-qb. with all his flaws,delhomme is light-years better than brunell and bledsoe. but the skins are a likely playoff team. giants fans can start crying now since they will finish 3rd in that division-they have no defense. what he says about colts/edge is pretty true,tho i think the colts take a step back this year.

I really can see Washington winning the NFC.BB vs Gibbs would make a classic Superbowl.Please don't tell me you're falling for that Carolina hype as well .

 

[RayClay]

Once again, the press loves exciting new additions over solid improvement at strong spots.

Of course this means?????? for the Baltimore D as new players are worked in.

You'll never see this headline.

Patriots retain same defensive line!!!!!!!!!!

Yet the young talented Pats line is a lock to be improved just by playing together.

They just a don't a get it.

 

[desi-patsfan]

i was kinda waiting for people to jump on the Mcnair + Ravens D = Super bowl band wagon. Looks like that wagon has a lot less room now.

 

[captain stone]

If both McNair and JLewis make it through an entire season, I'll be fairly suprised. McNair has lost his escapability, Lewis his explosiveness. The Ravens' running game, without Chester Taylor, appears to be below average; thusly, their dependancy on the passing game increases. I just don't see McNair surviving as a pocket passer, waiting for 15-20 yard routes to open.
As for the Redskins, while they may have improved their WRs, they have not improved their QB. As Ford Fairlane would say: Case Closed.

 

[Aldogg]

I like the Ravens this year to surprise people. I wouldn't go as far as the Super Bowl for the Ravens, but also part of me says if we see them in the playoffs, it isn't going to be a cakewalk with a healthy Lewis and Reed and them finally having a QB. The Ravens are my sleeper team in the AFC this year.

 

[Kdo5]

Who the hell is this Whitlock? Never saw anything from him on ESPN until today.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

I couldn't disagree more. Where do they find these guys that do sport writing....in an office?

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

why not? Their D was pretty good last year even with Lewis gone..and Ed Reed hurt a few games.

They added Trevor Pryce and Ngata to help on the DL and Lewis will run free again. McAlister and Rolle are a solid duo. LBs are good..Scott filled in nice for Lewis last year..Adalius Thomas is 1 of the most versatile players and played well..Suggs is a DE/OLB . great pass rusher. Offensivly..if the OL can get it together..McNair to Mason like old days..Heap is a top 5 TE..Clayton is an upcoming star. Demetrius Williams is a good deep threat rookie. Lewis had the off season to work..the OL wasnt great last year considering the talent they had and what could have been. I see them as contenders...its a strong possiblity but..looking at their schedule..could be tough. Redskins. Lost Arrington..added Archuleta, Carter which is an improvement in the pass rush. Their LBs are talented even without Arrington led by Marshall and Washington. Sean Taylor has his troubles aside..look for a big season from him. Added offensive weapons..already a great OL when healthy..Portis is a top 5 back in my opinion and with Al Saunders..he might be able to produce Holmes/Johnson #s. and lost some weight to be able to go back to his explosive/speed style that he played with in Denver and as a Hurricane. He came in..had to deal with power running game..he wasnt suited for it but put up great #s. It all depends on if Brunell can play well consistently or not.

I understand anything is possible but come on. Come on. The Ravens D is good but not that good. Whitlock is a moron for picking the Ravens. At least he hasn't jumped on the bandwagon and picked Colts and Panters which is the popular pick.

 

[Kdo5]

I couldn't disagree more. Where do they find these guys that do sport writing....in an office?

ARGH BIG HEAD, BIG HEAD!!

 

[Haterproof]

I understand anything is possible but come on. Come on. The Ravens D is good but not that good. Whitlock is a moron for picking the Ravens. At least he hasn't jumped on the bandwagon and picked Colts and Panters which is the popular pick.

New England and Carolina is the popular pick.

 

[Yankees/Colts]

If both McNair and JLewis make it through an entire season, I'll be fairly suprised.

Boller will be QB for at least 8 games.

New England and Carolina is the popular pick.

Colts are the favorites in Vegas.

 

[thechris]

I love bold predictions, but I will completely shocked if the Bengals win only 6 game this season.

 

[mcdonut16]

4. Peyton Manning will not miss Edgerrin James.

That's not a statement about James' talent. He's a talented back. I just think Indy's passing attack puts so much pressure on a defense that James' replacement(s) will find enough running lanes to make the Colts' running game serviceable.


This may be the most ridiculous thing in the article and is a contradiction of facts and his own statement. I invite anyone to check out Mannings statistics in 2001 and 2002, the year Edge got hurt, and the year he played but was not fully recovered, as proof of what now Edge will mean to Manning. It's right there for anyone to see, yet I have not seen a single press member show these stats as proof of what Edge meant to Manning and that offense. No one wants to criticize Manning. A serviceible running game will not cut it for the Colts. Serviceible is not Edge. Therefore he will be missed.