We're gonna be good!

**Ravens75** · 09-03-2012, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

They will be good, just not good enough, this year. Just cuz we been to the playoffs 4 straight years, doesnt make us a lock. Not unless Flacco comes out and plays at a manning/brady level. Our defense is going to get eaten alive this year, strong against the run, but all these top shelf QB's we face are going to have their way.

You are making this assessment based on the preseason with no game planning and starters playing at maybe 3/4's speed? Will the Ravens have a few shoot outs? Absolutely but they may still win some grind it out games because they can run the ball and control the clock when needed. A lot of the teams that they play outside of the division have good pass rushes but are ordinary against the run. That's something the Ravens can and will take advantage of. In the end this is an 11 win team which is going to place them as the 3rd seed. Going through Houston and NE in the playoffs is going to be the downfall this year but you never know.

**ballhawk** · 09-03-2012, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Corey

I've been saying this all offseason. Harbaugh is the Joe Flacco of coaches. When we win its because some defensive coordinator put together a great defensive game plan or because Ozzie Newsome is great at assembling talent to put on the field. When we lose, its because Harbaugh didn't call a time out or Harbaugh challenged to many plays or not enough.... Its the same thing with Flacco. When we whooped the Steelers week 1, every player except Flacco got credit. The defense got credit, Rice got credit, Boldin got credit, hell even Bryant McKinnie got credit. Flacco got nothing. And when we lose, of course it is always all Flacco's fault. Hell sometimes when we win, it's Flacco's fault that we didn't win by more.....

Rant over.

I thought everything was always Cam Camerons fault :-)

And LOL at you guys who get offended when anybody makes a projection of anything less than 12-4. The team has some serious question marks. Nothing wrong with tempering expectations a little bit. Name another team in the nfl that has gone to the playoffs the last 5 years in a row. I dont think there is one. Every team, no matter how talented, has a down year every once in a while.

**Lime in the Coconut** · 09-03-2012, 09:55 AM

I think it all depends on the offense this year, which is scary for Raven fans IMO. We're all so used to the defense dominating and the offense being able to do enough to win. I think this is the year that the offense takes off. Jim Caldwell has been a huge addition and I think has had some input on the offense as well. There's no reason why we can't be a top offense with all the weaponry we contain. We're young and deep at WR, we have two young TE's who are getting better, and we have an all pro RB who can do it all. Pierce and Rainey are going to be great compliments to Rice. I also think the OL is going to be better than what people think, especially if they can keep up this no huddle offense.

The defense took a hit when Suggs went down. However, it's always been next man up. Paul Kruger, IMO, can have a ten sack season because of his repertoire of pass rush moves. Sure, he'll struggle at times, he'll make mistakes, but Kruger will step up this season. I also believe McClellan has really gone under the radar. He's a tough guy to deal with on the edge and he has the strength to set the edge well like he did all preseason. I think they'll be OK. Do I expect us to be like we were last year with sacks? No, but I think we have enough talent right now to keep QB's off guard. My breakout player on defense this year is Jameel McClain. The lost weight has helped him IMO. He looks fast, he's attacking the ball, he knows his assignments. To me, he really looks a lot better from last season. The secondary will be a bright spot as well.

I just feel that we can take this division again and make a deep run. It just may be different from what we're used to seeing. Not that the defense will fall off the map, but that the offense will soar to new heights.

**Paintballguy** · 09-03-2012, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Terpsfan82

Rice wasn't the feature back. It was McGahee and McClain. And let's be honest - Flacco really wasn't asked to do much besides manage the offense.

Explain how this team didn't do shit with Boller then.... Why does Flacco come in and take the team to two AFC Championships and 4 playoff appearances?

**Corey** · 09-03-2012, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

I thought everything was always Cam Camerons fault :-)

And LOL at you guys who get offended when anybody makes a projection of anything less than 12-4. The team has some serious question marks. Nothing wrong with tempering expectations a little bit. Name another team in the nfl that has gone to the playoffs the last 5 years in a row. I dont think there is one. Every team, no matter how talented, has a down year every once in a while.

Last season was the first time that the Colts missed the playoffs since 2002. That's 9 straight.

From 2003 to 2007 the Patriots did it. (They missed in 2008)

From 2000 to 2004 the Eagles did it. (2005 they missed)

The Seattle Seahawks even did 5 straight from 2003 to 2007.

That's 4 from the last decade and I am sure if you go back even further there are more similar runs. When the talent, coaching and chemistry is there. Its not that uncommon.

**ballhawk** · 09-03-2012, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Corey

Last season was the first time that the Colts missed the playoffs since 2002. That's 9 straight.

From 2003 to 2007 the Patriots did it. (They missed in 2008)

From 2000 to 2004 the Eagles did it. (2005 they missed)

The Seattle Seahawks even did 5 straight from 2003 to 2007.

That's 4 from the last decade and I am sure if you go back even further there are more similar runs. When the talent, coaching and chemistry is there. Its not that uncommon.

Fair enough. Earlier in the thread i said if we make the playoffs it will be because flacco plays close to a brady/manning level. We will go as far as he takes us this year. And im one of his biggest supporters, so yea i could see it happening. But i could just as easily see us narrowly missing out. The roster just has nowhere near the depth this year as it did in 2010/2011. Thats my opinion, i dont think its unreasonable at all.

**Ravenswintitle** · 09-03-2012, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Corey

I've been saying this all offseason. Harbaugh is the Joe Flacco of coaches. When we win its because some defensive coordinator put together a great defensive game plan or because Ozzie Newsome is great at assembling talent to put on the field. When we lose, its because Harbaugh didn't call a time out or Harbaugh challenged to many plays or not enough.... Its the same thing with Flacco. When we whooped the Steelers week 1, every player except Flacco got credit. The defense got credit, Rice got credit, Boldin got credit, hell even Bryant McKinnie got credit. Flacco got nothing. And when we lose, of course it is always all Flacco's fault. Hell sometimes when we win, it's Flacco's fault that we didn't win by more.....

Rant over.

there is some truth to that and I'm guilty of doing it too.

**Terpsfan82** · 09-03-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Paintballguy

Explain how this team didn't do shit with Boller then.... Why does Flacco come in and take the team to two AFC Championships and 4 playoff appearances?

You're actually comparing Flacco to Boller? Flacco was asked to manage the offense. That's a fact. In no way shape or form does that mean he's the equivalent of Boller.

**Paintballguy** · 09-03-2012, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Terpsfan82

You're actually comparing Flacco to Boller? Flacco was asked to manage the offense. That's a fact. In no way shape or form does that mean he's the equivalent of Boller.

Not comparing... I'm just saying what's the difference between having Boller and Flacco at QB. Flacco made this team relevant. You can't deny that. I don't care if he "managed' the offense or whatever buzz word you have to use. The fact is he's won games.

**Filmstudy** · 09-03-2012, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

That's another point, if the Bengals are so good, and are going to over pass us because we don't have Suggs, who exactly do the Bengals have bringing pressure from the outside? Carlos Dunlap is hurt.

Dunlap is out for a bit, but not as long as Suggs and to date has not been an every-down player. Geno Atkins is outstanding from the inside, as you must realize by the way you worded, but they have a legitimate need for another outside rusher.

**Terpsfan82** · 09-03-2012, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Paintballguy

Not comparing... I'm just saying what's the difference between having Boller and Flacco at QB. Flacco made this team relevant. You can't deny that. I don't care if he "managed' the offense or whatever buzz word you have to use. The fact is he's won games.

For the season in question (2008), Flacco was asked to manage games. That's the only season I was referring to. Was he a factor in some of the wins? Definitely. Did he "win" games? Debatable.

**Corey** · 09-03-2012, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

Fair enough. Earlier in the thread i said if we make the playoffs it will be because flacco plays close to a brady/manning level. We will go as far as he takes us this year. And im one of his biggest supporters, so yea i could see it happening. But i could just as easily see us narrowly missing out. The roster just has nowhere near the depth this year as it did in 2010/2011. Thats my opinion, i dont think its unreasonable at all.

I respect that but I just don't see it. I suppose we could have a year like 2007, where everything that can go wrong does and half of our starting lineup is sitting on the sideline by the final game.

But IF this team stay's healthy, that's a lot of people that have to flat out fail for us to be bad enough to miss the playoffs.

And I also think people are overvaluing Suggs just a little bit. All the "Ravens defense is going flop without Suggs" talk reminds me of all the talk when Reed missed the first 6 games of 2010. If we were to believe the critics our pass defense wasnt going to be able to stop anything. Teams were going to be lighting us up through the air all game long. Not only did it not happen but we actually had one of the best pass defenses for the first half of that season.

When Mattison was the DC, WITH Suggs we had no passrush worth mentioning and still very average play from the offense and we made it both years. I guess my point is we've had obstacles to overcome before and we did it. I don't view this years obstacles as any harder to overcome than anything the team has been faced with in the past.

Originally Posted by Terpsfan82

For the season in question (2008), Flacco was asked to manage games. That's the only season I was referring to. Was he a factor in some of the wins? Definitely. Did he "win" games? Debatable.

It's not as easy as it seems for coaches to tailor a game plan that takes the burden off of a young QB and puts that young QB in position to succeed. Mainly because every defense you face knows thats what you want to do and will do every thing in their power to force you lean on that young QB to win. That's why Harbaugh's first year here was so impressive. Teams knew we wanted to run, rather HAD to run, and Cameron and co. still found ways to do it.

Flacco had has share of failures when we were forced to put the game on his shoulders, all 3 Pittsburgh games that year. But he also had some success, we wouldn't have beaten the Titans in the playoffs without him. He made two of the clutches throws of his career on that final drive. That Dallas game, we all remember the back to back runs at the end to cap it, but before that Flacco hit a one armed Mason in the back of the end zone to put us up by two scores?, and force Dallas into an all out passing affair which our D feasted on.