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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
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    Balt-Wash corridor
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    A Tribute to the 2014 Baltimore Ravens

    A don't know what the hell is going to happen tomorrow, but I'm not optimistic it will put us into the playoffs. It's very plausible we finish 10-6 and out. I can't be mad about it. In 2008 the Pats finished 11-5 and out, while we got the last wild card spot over them due to tiebreaker, and advanced to the AFCC. What goes around comes around. Anyway: before tomorrow comes, and we all get mad about it or thrilled about it, I want to say something.

    The last time a Ravens team get this destroyed by injuries, esp in the secondary, was 2007. And wow, what a difference between today and 2007. In 2007, the team basically gave up. After the bye week, they really only showed up for one game: against the Imperfect Patriots. That game was maddening, because the awesome football they played that night only proved how much they were just mailing it in the other 6 or 7 games that half of the season.

    This year has been exactly the same, yet totally different. And the differences are worth celebrating.

    The CB position has been a smoking crater most of the year. Starting tailback gone, abruptly. They lost another safety this past weekend, and both starting OTs. And yet every week they keep scuffling along and making most of the plays they can. They've been competitive almost every game – even this past week they were clawing back in the 4th Q. They are focused as hell. Scrappy, even.

    Honestly it looks like coaching. It's not as simple as, "they're good this year, they were bad in 2007." That 2007 squad was a lot of the same players that went 13-3 in 2006 and to the conf champship game in 2008: there was a helluva lot of talent there. This year's team is many of the same players that struggled to go 8-8 last year. Football Outsiders has had them a top-5 team almost all season in DVOA, but watching them I've thought that is a mirage. They're just not THAT talented. But they are a winning team already, and have a great chance for 10. They've never had a losing season under Harbaugh.

    Actually the difference feels like three things: personality of the players, quality of coaching, and the presence of an actual QB. I've never been in their locker room even one time, and have no right to psychoanalyze a single member of the organization; but what the hell.
    • Personality: The Ravens of Billick, Rex and Ray Lewis were a little "Big Time": they only cared about the big games, marquee matchups. Against bad teams they would play down to that level. These 2014 Ravens have a boring, button down, detail-oriented air to them. Obviously Harbaugh exudes that: but many of the players seem to have that personality too (not just the QB). Even T-Sizzle to an extent.
    • Coaching: Billick's record is excellent of course; but Harbaugh's is almost unbelievable. Harbaugh's coaching staff is experienced and professional; and it has much better balance offense/defense than any of Billick's staffs. And Harbaugh's focus on process, on the next practice and the next meeting, is palpable even thru the media.
    • Actual QB: Flacco may notbe Aaron Rodger; but if you're a player, it's gotta be a helluva lot easier to believe that Flacco gives you a chance to win, vs believing that Boller does.

    The difference between 2007 and this year is a nice thing to appreciate, as this season draws to a close. Yes, we let some wins get away. But we are still rebuilding from the Super Bowl, a more complete rebuild than any this organization has undertaken since 2001. Completely new offense, new receiver, new running backs, new TE, new O-line. And obviously we're not done yet, with the rebuilding. Still need a secondary and a WR corps; might still need a RB; probably need some young OLBs. Yet in this rebuilding year we're going to win 9 or 10 games and stay in the playoff discussion until the final weekend (at least!). Let's appreciate the scrappy, try-hard Ravens of 2014. They play very hard and give what they have.

    Hat's off to 'em.





  2. #2

    Re: A Tribute to the 2014 Baltimore Ravens

    I am thankful for the pay as we play option





  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Houston, TX Y'all
    Posts
    34,414

    Re: A Tribute to the 2014 Baltimore Ravens

    Agreed.

    I said in another thread that this was such a quirky season I really can't be mad or dissatisfied as a fan.

    Ray Rice, insane number of injuries, etc and we are still holding a winning record?

    That's a testament to our coaching staff and our organization as a whole.





  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Perry Hall, MD
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    36,089

    Re: A Tribute to the 2014 Baltimore Ravens

    Quote Originally Posted by HoustonRaven View Post
    Agreed.

    I said in another thread that this was such a quirky season I really can't be mad or dissatisfied as a fan.

    Ray Rice, insane number of injuries, etc and we are still holding a winning record?

    That's a testament to our coaching staff and our organization as a whole.
    Agreed.

    And let's not forget to be thankful for the NFC South. ;)
    Follow me on Twitter @RSRLombardi





  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Monson MA, home of Tree House Brewing
    Posts
    6,484
    Blog Entries
    3

    Re: A Tribute to the 2014 Baltimore Ravens

    Quote Originally Posted by HoustonRaven View Post
    Agreed.

    I said in another thread that this was such a quirky season I really can't be mad or dissatisfied as a fan.

    Ray Rice, insane number of injuries, etc and we are still holding a winning record?

    That's a testament to our coaching staff and our organization as a whole.
    Steve Bisciotti OTOH may disagree, IDK.





  6. #6

    Re: A Tribute to the 2014 Baltimore Ravens

    Quote Originally Posted by TL24x7 View Post
    Agreed.

    And let's not forget to be thankful for the NFC South. ;)
    While that's true, we had to compete with a division of two other teams with 10+ wins

    Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2





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