biggest obstacles to a Ravens SB win this year

**bmorebirds_24** · 07-22-2007, 08:04 PM

i go to all the home games myself and i can pick who our best defensive player is its Ray Lewis he is a motivatior he knows the game and makes everybody around him better(AD)...our oline is better this year terry is better then pashos brown better then muliatalo and grubbs not proven but anybody is better then vincent i dont care how much he worked out he just aint go it mcnair had 2 bad games last year and it just so happen that one game was a playoff game but he won us games i think we are set to make a serious run and as much as people talk about we gotta play the colts patriots and chargers do you people relize they got to play us we are no push over

**jonboy79** · 07-22-2007, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Mista T

our FO's inability to retain him is a huge loss, .

Who said they even tried? I wouldn't say that is inability. I would say, from what I saw and read that they made a conscious decision NOT to re-sign him. They felt it was in the best interest of the team as a whole to let HIM go, to leave some room for other players to be retained.

**RavenFanatic2k6** · 07-22-2007, 11:36 PM

McNair's health, as far as I'm concerned, is numero uno on the list. If he gets hurt for any extended period of time, we are done. After that, I would say our schedule, and just health in general.

**Heap86** · 07-23-2007, 01:48 AM

1. Injuries, One of the reasons we had such a good team last year was that our core players stayed healthy, one bad injury can turn a great team to a bad team.

2. Running Game and Overall Offense. McNair has a full year under his belt, and should have no playbook setbacks. McNair's arm is a concern, but this team does not exactly had a legit deep threat reciever, and unless Yamon Figurs is intended to fill that role, the deep game could still be a problem. Barring injury McNair should have a better year than last year. Is Willis McGahee an upgrade? I Believe so. He gives our Offense the ability to be less predictable with the run game. I think McGahee lost interest in playing in Buffalo, and his play last year proved it. A change of scenery and a new motivation to play will bring out what Willis was intented to look like. I think the O-line will only improve by getting younger, but the Right Side of line is in a state of limbo right now. Hopefully Ben Grubbs and Chris Chester will impress enough to unseat Keydrick Vincent and Mike Flynn, and Adam Terry will be albe to grasp the Right Tackle postion. The Offensive Question Marks are the biggest Factor to a Ravens Superbowl Run.

3. Will The Loss of AD be a huge hit to our Defense? I would say No, and history can back me up on this one. Just about every Defensive Player we have lost to Free Agency in the Billick Era has been replaced quickly. We freaked out when guys like Hartwell, Weaver, Baxter and Demps left, but it did'nt take us to long to forget about those guys. But, AD is the kind that player that is a dime a dozen, a jack of all trades type player, it may be a little more difficult to plug in a guy and get equal production. In my opinion we have the Defensive coaching and Personnel to keep this Defensive Beast killing Offenses. AD's void could be filled in my a commitee of Players, JJ, Suggs, and Possibly Cody, Barnes, or Haley. I have a feeling Rex Ryan already knows who to put out there.

4. Special Teams. This has been a huge part of this team winning games for quite awhile. Our FO invested a High pick in this years draft for a player who looks to be a solid kick/punt returner. But what becomes of B.J. Sams? is he no longer in the Ravens future or was the pick of Figurs intended to be a boost to our recieving corps. This looks to be another question mark, most teams don't use high draft picks on players expected to compete for a roster spot, so you have to assume that either B.J. Sams is on his way out or Figurs was picked for a boost to the Offense. I'm still not sure what to make of the Figurs pick hopefully we will get our answer soon.

5. Coaching. What changes will Rick Nueheisel bring to the Offense? Several times last year I was left scratching my head with alot of Offensive playcalling from our Head Coach, Most of it from the Divisional Playoff game(if you want to call it a game). We will need to see a more consistant level of successful playcalling from Billick and Nueheisel if this team wants to be a Superbowl Contender. Some of the playcalling last year was just plain stupid, along with some clock management issues. This is another big area of concern for this team.

6. Schedule. This is a concern, but not a big one. If this team can get it together there so should be no problem beating top NFL teams. One Advantage is that the majority of the Elite teams we play this year we play at home. First place schedules are always brutal, but the great teams still win.

Overall I think we have a decent shot to hoist the Lombardi early next year, but call me a positive thinker.

**sailorsam** · 07-23-2007, 08:10 AM

1) re: Schedule; how long since the Ravens have beaten the Colts or the Pats? 'if you want to be the best you have to beat the best.'
2) I think everyone agrees that AD will be missed, but as has been mentioned, losing Hartwell and Sharper and others never killed the D.
3) McNair had a bad playoff game, but give the Colts some credit; their D was very underrated, and they had Frank Sanders back for the playoffs.
I think everyone agrees the playoffs are almost a lock; everything will come down to January against the Pats or the Colts (or both!). here's hoping for some home field action then.
personally, I'm very concerned about the Bengals. They always play us tough and seem to win at leat one of our games each year.

**Fcowher** · 07-24-2007, 10:34 AM

The biggest obstacles are Mcnair staying healthy and maintaining his arm strength throughout the season. Secondly as hard as their schedule is the Ravens are going to have to be dominant at home. The fans will have to really bring the funk and the NOISE at the home games this year. Would love to see 8-0 @ home this year but the 12th man will have to be a true factor.

**evade6317** · 07-24-2007, 10:52 AM

McGahee and the O-line are the biggest question marks for the Ravens success. If McGahee can't be the dual threat the team needs, and the O-line breaks down, the Ravens won't win a playoff game.

**festivus** · 07-24-2007, 10:56 AM

Lack of depth at OT and at QB, in that order.

**Bez513** · 07-24-2007, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by festivus

Lack of depth at OT and at QB, in that order.

Don't know about that. I think for once we have a decent group of OL that can plug in if needed. As for QB I think Boller is one of the better backups out there. He's been a starter and has matured in this system. I think he filled in nicely last year and did a good enough job.

I think we have a tough schedule especially those late games with the Patriots, Colts and Steelers. Injuries to McGahee scare me...but injuries in general are never good.

**Art-Florida** · 07-24-2007, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by festivus

Lack of depth at OT and at QB, in that order.

A case can be made for more depth at tackle, certainly. One more good one next yeat should ice it.

But quarterback? Let's go down the list...

Steve McNair - The old warrior is wearing down but he wants a superbowl win bad. That ought to motivate him enough this season. Next season is a mystery though. The health and the arm say it all.

Kyle Boller - Hug him or revile him, but he's a young guy. No point in discussing the pros and cons, it's been done to death.

Drew Olson - Has not shown that well in camps and Europe. This next training camp should determine his fate.

Troy Smith - All the weapons. Great potential despite a terrible finale in college. Will be in the midst of any 'QB of the Future' struggles.

Cullen Finnerty - Also has all the weapons. His college career was off the charts, but are dismissed by many folks because of the Division II stigma. Underestimating this kid is a big mistake. He'll battle it out with Boller and Smith down the road for numero Uno.

**festivus** · 07-24-2007, 01:33 PM

Guys the question was Super Bowl *this year*. We have a crop of very young OL and QB prospects, and a competent backup qb. But if McNair, or Ogden or even Terry went down in week four with a torn tricep, I don't see the SB this year. I stand by my :2c:.

**Fanman** · 07-25-2007, 02:05 PM

Unless Billick learns how call a game like a man...and not like a scared little b-tch like vs Indy in the playoffs this team has NO shot at the SB. Good teams put teams away. The offense still struggled in the redzone last year after Fassel was canned.

I think the weapons are now there w/ McGahee. I still have no confidence in Billick calling the plays.

FM