Anyone else still surprised?

**FadeToBlack** · 02-18-2013, 10:22 PM

This team can't win on the road, yet that's all they did in the playoffs.

Flacco was wildly inconsistent all season, yet he posts 11 TDs and 0 INTs against the best teams in the league for 4 consecutive weeks.

The team got WORSE as the year went on, yet was at their BEST in the post-season.

I've heard all the explanations (we had our ideal OL personnel, we had injuries all year, etc.) but it still seems highly unlikely this team would wind up winning the Super Bowl given what we saw against the Eagles in the 2nd half, against the Texans, against Charlie freakin' Batch, against the Broncos in the first game, etc.

Pretty awesome surprise.

**Jayc00** · 02-18-2013, 10:47 PM

A lot can change when the OC that's been holding the team back get's fired.

**Paintballguy** · 02-18-2013, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Jayc00

A lot can change when the OC that's been holding the team back get's fired.

+1 Jim Caldwell is my most favorite Raven. I laughed when these "analysts" kept saying it was going to be an issue that he's never called plays in the NFL. He's much more of an offensive mind then people give him credit for. Since Caldwell took over, Flacco has thrown 15 tds 1 int.

**kronusthebonus** · 02-18-2013, 11:12 PM

Caldwell + McKinnie. I'd say that 75% of it. The other 25% was the focus that was brought when Ray announced he was going to retire.

**myfavoriteboxer** · 02-19-2013, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by kronusthebonus

Caldwell + McKinnie. I'd say that 75% of it. The other 25% was the focus that was brought when Ray announced he was going to retire.

McKinnie is so important because putting him in instantly upgraded 3 of the 5 line positions. And Flacco played the best five-game stretch of his career (NYG + playoffs) which you probably can't definitively say is Caldwell taking over, but man, what a correlation.

**Section 502 Raven** · 02-18-2013, 11:14 PM

it was an incredible ride. i'm still enjoying it and leaving the reality of why the incredible ride happened for a later date.

**ballhawk** · 02-18-2013, 11:26 PM

Everybody got healthy at the right time.

Plus, once the handcuffs came off Joe, the offense finally reached the potential that we have seen glimpses of over the last two years. That's why I think it is so important that they keep both Jacoby and Boldin, and hopefully pick up where they left off going into next season.