And here we go again... when will the media learn.

**MinnesotaRaven** · 05-02-2013, 03:54 PM

They actually have us trending downward after the draft? Seriously. WTF? Idiots. But we knew that... They just seem to prove it time and time again though.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100...2013-nfl-draft

**HoustonRaven** · 05-02-2013, 03:58 PM

Not sure why this is a media indictment.

It's an opinion piece from one analyst.

**MinnesotaRaven** · 05-02-2013, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Not sure why this is a media indictment.

It's an opinion piece from one analyst.

It was on the front page of a of a major NFL "media outlet". Every prediction or ranking publication is opinion. Opinion from members of the media.

It's a ridiculous opinion IMHO.

What's even more more ridiculous, is that they have us moving down 4 spots to number nine... As reigning Superbowl Champions we should be starting at the top of every ranking until we have been beaten in a real game. I know what they're doing... prognosticating, etc. It's just ridiculous. To have team we swept last year 5 spots ahead of us... and another team we dominated once and almost beat with our backups ahead of us.... after we arguably got younger, faster and better.

This is the same media that says all the old guys like Ray and Ed were washed up... but yet when we replace them with younger and potentially better talent they say we are weaker and lost leadership (and I mean better on the field now, not comparing to Ed's and Ray's prime).

**HoustonRaven** · 05-02-2013, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by RedSkins Fury

It was on the front page of a of a major NFL "media outlet". Every prediction or ranking publication is opinion. Opinion from members of the media.

It's a ridiculous opinion IMHO.

It's on the front page of a professional sports league web site, not a media outlet. CNN, MSNBC, FNC, SI etc are media outlets.

Flame away if you feel. I just don't get the obsession some folks on this board have what some talking head has to say about our team, especially one that's rather obscure.

I shall bow out of this thread as gracefully as I entered ... :D

**MinnesotaRaven** · 05-02-2013, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

I shall bow out of this thread as gracefully as I entered ... :D

Haha... I'm not flaming... and there was once a time when I was not so hard on the media. But enough is enough...

As far as this guy. He was once a Sports reporter for Fox Sports, covering the NFL for 7 years. I will stop referring to him as media and call him what he is. He's an NFL editor and analyst.

Anyhow just throwing the news out there. We've been downgraded again.... But I agree, these things don't really matter.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 05-02-2013, 04:14 PM

He's another Joe Flacco doubter.

And people need to be prepared for a bunch of media love for the Bengals in our division yet again.

**HoustonRaven** · 05-02-2013, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

He's another Joe Flacco doubter.

And people need to be prepared for a bunch of media love for the Bengals in our division yet again.

Yep. Kinda like the Browns in 2008, IIRC.

Everyone was fawning over their roster in May. Well, we know how that worked out ....

**MinnesotaRaven** · 05-02-2013, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

And people need to be prepared for a bunch of media love for the Bengals in our division yet again.

Another thing that cracks me up is "The Ravens Play the 5th Hardest Schedule..." Bwhahaha...

Does he realize that of our 16 games, 14 of those are against the EXACT SAME TEAMS? This is splitting hairs... and should have little to do with any predictions being made. Far more important is when you play what teams and how that relates to the injury situation of those teams at the time. Strength of schedule only has meaning in hind site and rarely plays out the way it's designed.

**Bigfish** · 05-02-2013, 04:22 PM

The reason for dropping us 4 spots is based off of:
1. Reed not coming back.
2. Tough schedule.
3. The Bengals are the most balanced team in the AFCN.

It's an opinion, and all 3 of those points can be argued.

I remember analysts felt the same about the Bengals last year. Did losing Reed tip the scales?

The strength of schedule is a prediction of how strong the teams on the schedule will be next year based off of the same analyst opinion. At the end of the year the schedule could end up actually being stronger or weaker. When you're #5 there's not much space to go up.

By Reed being #1 on the list shows he values his legacy and leadership more than his age and diminished play. I don't expect Elam to be a significant downgrade from the 35 year old Reed, but obviously he does.

Be prepared for more of the same before and during the season. If analyst were accurate, the Ravens never win the Lombardy last year.

**BcRaven** · 05-02-2013, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by RedSkins Fury

They actually have us trending downward after the draft? Seriously. WTF? Idiots. But we knew that... They just seem to prove it time and time again though.

Gotta love the "experts." It's all subjective anyway. In my mind, the reigning Super Bowl Champions, created a brick wall on defense adding Doom, Canty, Huff, Spears, Elam, A. Brown, B. Williams, and Simon to a team that already had Suggs, Ngata, Upshaw, Webb, J. Smith, Art Jones, McPhee, Graham, McClellan, and Bynes. Oh and the Bengals, who he lists ahead of the Ravens, have Dalton and we have Flacco. If anyone underestimates the 2013 Ravens, they are in for a nasty surprise... Bc

**Ravenswintitle** · 05-02-2013, 04:27 PM

Power rankings are good in college and meaningless in the pros

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**leachisabeast** · 05-02-2013, 05:13 PM

Elliot Harrison is one of the biggest Ravens haters out there, I wouldn't buy too much into this, I think most of the media have been complimentary about us after how we replaced what we lost and perhaps got better through the draft etc... Harrison is almost as bad as Heath Evans when it comes to the Ravens. In almost every article/power ranking I've seen him do, he's somehow had the Ravens ranked lower than most think they should be.