Jamison Hensley: The Ravens will finish 3rd in the AFC North.

**bmorecareful** · 06-19-2012, 12:24 PM

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/pos...h-more-or-less

Hensley predicts the win totals of each AFC North team... presumably by picking numbers out of a hat. (He took John Clayton's numbers and gave his own assessment at the end of each section.)

He has the Steelers winning 11 games and the Bengals winning "double digit" games. He has the Ravens winning 9 games to put us at 3rd in the division, because "this is the year when the off-the-field distractions cause the Ravens to drop off a bit."

Thoughts?

**wickedsolo** · 06-19-2012, 12:31 PM

Off-field distractions? You mean like Flacco dealing with contract negotiations...oh right, he's been to every voluntary and mandatory practice this off-season thus far (minus last week due to baby).

Hensley predicted that the Ravens would be swept by Pittsburgh last year too.

I think it's funny how he talks about Baltimore's off-field distractions, yet the Steeler's top receiver is almost a lock to hold out into the season and Roethlisberger's interactions with Todd Haley have been less than stellar. That won't hurt them one bit though, huh?

**bmorecareful** · 06-19-2012, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Off-field distractions? You mean like Flacco dealing with contract negotiations...oh right, he's been to every voluntary and mandatory practice this off-season thus far (minus last week due to baby).

Hensley predicted that the Ravens would be swept by Pittsburgh last year too.

I think it's funny how he talks about Baltimore's off-field distractions, yet the Steeler's top receiver is almost a lock to hold out into the season and Roethlisberger's interactions with Todd Haley have been less than stellar. That won't hurt them one bit though, huh?

I was hoping somebody caught this. It's absolutely incomprehensible that he would say the Ravens will be derailed by off-field stuff but the Steelers won't because "as long as they have Roethlisberger and a top-5 defense, they'll compete for the Super Bowl."

He also knocks the Ravens for losing some veterans like Suggs and Grubbs, yet makes no mention of the fact that the Steelers have lost at least 7 starters from last year (Ward, Farrior, Smith, Mendenhall, Hampton, Gay, Starks) and a few more players will be replaced by rookies who they HOPE will be upgrades (Mike Adams, David DeCastro.)

Literally half their team from last year is gone at this point. Call me crazy, but bets are against them upgrading at EVERY spot. They've also got a new OC that Roethlisberger has already publicly fought with and their top WR is holding out.

Meanwhile, the Ravens have only lost 3 starters, swept the Steelers last year, and were a pass away from the SB. But they're going to be 3rd in the division this year. That's not even talking about Cincinnati, a team that hasn't had back to back winning seasons during most Ravens fans' lifetimes.

**Irish Raven** · 06-19-2012, 12:56 PM

ESPN being controversial for the sake of it and getting people talking
Mission accomplished

I doubt he even believes what he writes, just has a boss telling him to stir up

He's no Kevin Van Valkenburg, at least KVV has talent

**DrUnk** · 06-19-2012, 12:58 PM

Maybe it's just me, but he seems to shit on the Ravens alot, now that he's gone national.

**Terpsfan82** · 06-19-2012, 01:06 PM

He also said that Flacco is the third best QB in the division. I miss James Walker.

**callahan09** · 06-19-2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by DrUnk

Maybe it's just me, but he seems to shit on the Ravens alot, now that he's gone national.

Oh yeah. He tries VERY hard "not to look like a Ravens homer."

**goodandfast** · 06-19-2012, 01:09 PM

Hensley is and always has been a hack.

**flraven** · 06-19-2012, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by DrUnk

Maybe it's just me, but he seems to shit on the Ravens alot, now that he's gone national.

I think he feels the need to be like that, since he still lives in Baltimore and doesn't want the other fans in the division to dismiss him as a homer. That being said, wicked's comment earlier hits the nail on the head. I believe the Steelers have far more question marks than the Ravens do, headed into the season.

**Jayc00** · 06-19-2012, 01:13 PM

I discredited it at the title when I seen "Jamison Hensley".

**HoustonRaven** · 06-19-2012, 01:17 PM

I usually defend Hensley but this is an obvious attempt to stir the pot.

**HoustonRaven** · 06-19-2012, 01:21 PM

I usually defend Hensley but this is an obvious attempt to stir the pot.

John Feinstein talks about ESPN and their reporting style in one his books. Maybe this last one? Anyway, he calls their style "Cheerleading".

He describes it as catering to the larger market teams / players, combined with being very hesitant about reporting off the field issues since it might jeopardize their access to them.

Not the Hensley is doing this here but it certainly is starting to have that feel.