What are our chances of repeating as SB champs?

**Dark&Stormy** · 02-24-2013, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

That's where coaching comes in, and there is the old adage, that you get to the playoffs and anything can happen. Our regular season this year wasn't anything to write home about. I blame Cam for about 95% of that. We could have repeated after 2001, but we lost our entire offense, Jamaal Lewis, before the season started. We still made the playoffs with a QB that was about to quit and a scrap pile of running backs and wide receivers. I think this team has the potential to have a much better regular season than last year. That can build momentum that can lead to a nice playoff run. I think the firing of Cameron is one of the biggest cases of addition by subtraction in the history of sports.

Totally agree. And here's hoping Rice and Pierce have a healthy training camp and preseason.

**ed from Bel Air** · 02-24-2013, 01:45 PM

I would put our chances around 12.5% (1 in eight) provided we can keep Boldin and Ellerbe, and Ozzie can find a solution on the line for our left tackle position. That could be a free agent (possible), a first round draft choice (possible), bringing back a motivated, in shape McKinney, (doubtful), or drafting a right tackle and moving Oher to left tackle (possible, but not ideal).

With Webb back next year, a healthier Ngata and Suggs, I think we make the playoffs, and at least get through the first round. After that we have as good a chance as anyone. Ozzie will find depth at the linebacker and the secondary, If we can get a pass rusher and solidify the left tackle position I think we have a decent chance to repeat.

I just think these days, it is even tougher to repeat then it was in the pre-salary cap era. But what we have going for us is Ozzie, the coaching staff, and the fact that these days, every team has holes somewhere.

One thing that does concern me is the Bengals. Young, up and coming team, with a good front 7, quality receivers, a recent history of decent drafting, and a lot of cap room. If their QBcontinues to progress they will be tough for years.

**bacchys** · 02-24-2013, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Purpleguy

That's where coaching comes in, and there is the old adage, that you get to the playoffs and anything can happen. Our regular season this year wasn't anything to write home about. I blame Cam for about 95% of that. We could have repeated after 2001, but we lost our entire offense, Jamaal Lewis, before the season started. We still made the playoffs with a QB that was about to quit and a scrap pile of running backs and wide receivers. I think this team has the potential to have a much better regular season than last year. That can build momentum that can lead to a nice playoff run. I think the firing of Cameron is one of the biggest cases of addition by subtraction in the history of sports.

I think that team might have repeated if Leon Searcy hadn't gotten injured. Grbac had what heart he had beaten out of him that season. That wasn't a great pass-blocking O-line, other than Ogden, even during the SB run of the year before. The problem with Billick's calculus about Dilfer is he disregarded the importance of his toughness. Grbac had the better arm and passing skills, but he was nowhere near as tough as Dilfer.

Even so, I don't think the Ravens would have gone 10-6 and back to the playoffs with Dilfer handing off to Terry Allen and Jason Brookins. I also think the Ravens would have looked better in Pittsburgh in the playoffs that year if Billick had gone with Cunningham instead of Grbac that game.

**Bigfish** · 02-24-2013, 03:15 PM

I don't think our chances next year will be as good as this year, maybe 5%. The reason is there are holes at defensive tackle and ILB that will be hard to fill without any money to sign solid free agents. Signing Ellerbe will help but he I don't have a lot of faith in him playing a full season and stepping up his game. Joe's contract is going to be crippling and next years team will be without many of our free agents to go along with the lose of Lewis and Birk to retirement.

**AirFlacco** · 02-24-2013, 04:02 PM

Here's a list of all the SB winners.

Everyone thinks they'll win the next one too but NE is the only team that won 2 in a row since 2000 plus a third one.
Before that Denver won 2 in a row in 98 and 99 with Elway and of course NE had Brady. Before that in the pre-cap era
Dallas won 2 in a row and so did SF but since 2000 with the league reaching parity only NE has won back to back SBs.

Like Billick said, a million things have to go right just to get in the SB and with the guys that will leave the Ravens
it's impossible to keep a SB team together in the CAP era. Such is the business of the NFL.

Here's the SB history.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/superbowl/history/winners

**lowrider** · 02-24-2013, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by iggyman555

1/32 = 3.125%

So this says that our chances are no better then Cleveland, Jets, Carolina, etc., etc. I'm not buying that. The expectations for this team by the entire football world will be to at least make the playoffs. Once you get there anything can happen.

**Ravenswintitle** · 02-24-2013, 05:49 PM

It will be a challenge because after winning the SB, players want to get PAID. In this case Flacco is the poster child and he's going to get really PAID.

Still enjoying this one for now, thank you very much ;)

**Spider Webb** · 02-24-2013, 06:06 PM

I don't think comparing this Ravens team to past Super Bowl winners is relevant. Just because there haven't been that many teams that repeated means absolutely zero. New season, new trends, new statistics etc. I think the better question would be what are chances are at repeating as AFC champs. We've been to the divisional round of the playoffs 5 straight years. 5 straight years we've been a top 8 team. 3 of those years we were top 4, and this year we all obviously know what happened. When you look at the AFC next year I think the Ravens have a great chance at getting back to the Super Bowl.

The AFC East is only sending Patriots. The other teams aren't playoff teams. The AFC South is sending the Texans and Colts again, AFC West has Denver, maybe Chargers make some noise, but I doubt it. Currently, we're the big dog in the AFC North. I could see the same playoffs teams next year as this year. IF we can have a strong regular season, get the number 1 or number 2 seed....watch out. Flacco is no longer the young up and coming QB. He's a vet and he takes over in the playoffs.

**darb72** · 02-24-2013, 07:05 PM

If we make the play-offs, we should have a decent shot.

Texans, Colts, Broncos, Pats, Ravens, WC team should be the six from the AFC. Pats can't beat decent teams in the play-offs, Peyton chokes, Texans and Colts have good teams but not much experience. It'll depend on how the cards fall.

**Beerracuda** · 02-24-2013, 08:41 PM

I'd say our chances are as good as anyone's, and better than most. Certainly our chances are much better than the perennial losers (KC, Carolina, Cleveland, Jax, Buffalo...etc), but at the very least even with the other top teams in the NFL (NE, Den, SF, GB, etc). ALL teams have issues that need to be addressed in the offseason, some more than others, obviously. Considering our front office, most if not all of those issues will be addressed. And considering the fact that the core of our team should remain intact, I'd put our chances at about 6-1, which is about 16-17%.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 02-24-2013, 08:49 PM

I'm not a big fan of our chances...I think this will be a bit of a reloading year and its very possible with our cap situation and number of holes on our roster that we could take a step back...I wouldn't be surprised if we had an 8-8 type of year.

But I'd expect us to be right back at it if we do suffer a year like that.

**lovefootball** · 02-24-2013, 11:12 PM

I'll wait and see during the season. Ravens have been a team of destiny this last year and it could go on for a while. Still Wacco for Flacco and all the Ravens.Never say never on this team. Unlike all the talking heads at the beginning of the 2012 season who said no postseason for the Ravens because of Suggs injury. No I in team.