Ravens / Cowboys

**RagingRaven** · 12-16-2008, 04:05 PM

With the playoffs in our own hands does this game scare the sh#* out of anyone else. We are underdogs playing away in a meaningful game to a good Cowboys team plus they have all the extra emotion of this being their last game in their old stadium. I love our team but i have little trouble seeing Romo and Witten hooking up often and their D stopping our O good enough for them to win. I can usually see a way to win a game but i am having trouble with this one.

**Galen Sevinne** · 12-16-2008, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by RagingRaven

With the playoffs in our own hands does this game scare the sh#* out of anyone else. We are underdogs playing away in a meaningful game to a good Cowboys team plus they have all the extra emotion of this being their last game in their old stadium. I love our team but i have little trouble seeing Romo and Witten hooking up often and their D stopping our O good enough for them to win. I can usually see a way to win a game but i am having trouble with this one.

Dallas is +4.5 currently. I would have to take that. This is one of those games where the excitement will be high in Dallas and if the Ravens are not careful, this one could get away from them in a hurry. i see Dallas 30 Ravens 17. ugh.

**RAVENOUS52** · 12-16-2008, 04:28 PM

As usual, it all comes down to our defense's ability to force turnovers and score. If they can give us an early lead, perhaps L-Train, Mason/Clayton and Stover can do enough to get us past the Cowgirls.

**pyite32** · 12-16-2008, 04:58 PM

This game will look like the Indy game.

**Jeremiah W** · 12-16-2008, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by Galen Sevinne

Dallas is +4.5 currently. I would have to take that. This is one of those games where the excitement will be high in Dallas and if the Ravens are not careful, this one could get away from them in a hurry. i see Dallas 30 Ravens 17. ugh.

come on. The line is fair. I can see how Dallas is favored, but I will be shocked if they get close to 30 points. I also expect our offense to play a lot better this week. Dallas does not have the same personel the Steelers do on defense, and our O line is a lot better than the Steeler line. Flacco missed 2 tds to Mason. He was open the protection was there, everything but the ball in the right window. This will be a playoff game feel for real, and I expect both teams to play up, and I like a lot of our matchups. If we get half as many hits on Romo as the Giants did, the guy is going to get hurt, and the offense flat out sucks without him.

**Dave Lap** · 12-16-2008, 05:18 PM

The Cowboys have been a very up and down team. Let's hope we get the "down" Cowboys.

If not, I don't like our chances very much.

Then again, this has been such an unpredictable year anything can happen.

**RAVENOUS52** · 12-16-2008, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Jeremiah W

come on. The line is fair. I can see how Dallas is favored, but I will be shocked if they get close to 30 points. I also expect our offense to play a lot better this week. Dallas does not have the same personel the Steelers do on defense, and our O line is a lot better than the Steeler line. Flacco missed 2 tds to Mason. He was open the protection was there, everything but the ball in the right window. This will be a playoff game feel for real, and I expect both teams to play up, and I like a lot of our matchups. If we get half as many hits on Romo as the Giants did, the guy is going to get hurt, and the offense flat out sucks without him.

Which matchups would those be besides our front seven against their running game?

**Jeremiah W** · 12-16-2008, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by RAVENOUS52

Which matchups would those be besides our front seven against their running game?

First of all I like our front 7 vs the 7 guys they will use to block them or run the ball in every single snap on defense. That is 14 of the 22, and in 3 wide I like our chances to stop the run with 6.

If we stop the run on 1st and 2nd down with a 7 man front, and force them to throw on 3rd and long all day, I think they will throw more picks than tds, and Tony Romo will get injured.

I also like our running game against the front 7 of Dallas. I think they will have to use the SS in the box presnap on 1st down, and if we are agressive and Joe makes the throw, we can get some good one on one match ups of WR on CB and even better Heap one on one with a small saftey or a pass rush or run stopping linebacker.

Terrence Newman had a great game, but has had a really rough season. The other CBs are suspect as long as Ware and Rattliff the NG are under control. I think Brown can handle Rattliff one on one, and they can chip and combo Ware, or let Gaither block him one on one on 3 step drop and short passing plays.

The Dallas D can be had. They have some good parts, but they have some serious holes they have been able to cover up recently. I think Cam can dial up some calls to iso the suspects and grind down a rather small front 7.

**Galen Sevinne** · 12-16-2008, 08:24 PM

seriously who is going to cover Owens....Williams....Witten? If a quarterback has a quick release or can scramble and make things happen like Rothlessberger, we struggle. We don't have the d-backs to get physical with an of those three guys I mentioned which means we have to play off them. Romo will throw quick slants and outs all night long...like rothlessberger did on the final drive. If our guys come up, then the threat of going long occurs.

This is a horrible match up for us this week. We have one of the best teams in the NFl but like Pyite says...this game might look a lot like Indy.

**RAVENOUS52** · 12-16-2008, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Jeremiah W

First of all I like our front 7 vs the 7 guys they will use to block them or run the ball in every single snap on defense. That is 14 of the 22, and in 3 wide I like our chances to stop the run with 6.

Okay, I already said BESIDES our front 7 against their running game since we win that matchup 9 times out of 10.

If we stop the run on 1st and 2nd down with a 7 man front, and force them to throw on 3rd and long all day, I think they will throw more picks than tds, and Tony Romo will get injured.

Speculation and doesn't give me a matchup that we win, per se, just a "what if" scenario.

I also like our running game against the front 7 of Dallas. I think they will have to use the SS in the box presnap on 1st down, and if we are agressive and Joe makes the throw, we can get some good one on one match ups of WR on CB and even better Heap one on one with a small saftey or a pass rush or run stopping linebacker.

I do think we may have a decent day running against them, but the "what if" stuff doesn't match up with what our offense has produced the last couple of games at home. What happens when we hit the hostile environment of Texas Stadium? Will they allow Flacco to be aggressive and if so, does he make the accurate throw? I do hope you're right though...

Terrence Newman had a great game, but has had a really rough season. The other CBs are suspect as long as Ware and Rattliff the NG are under control. I think Brown can handle Rattliff one on one, and they can chip and combo Ware, or let Gaither block him one on one on 3 step drop and short passing plays.

I don't know if we win that matchup against Ware. IMHO he's an even better pass rusher than Harrison. Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on how fast Joe can react and release the rock.

The Dallas D can be had. They have some good parts, but they have some serious holes they have been able to cover up recently. I think Cam can dial up some calls to iso the suspects and grind down a rather small front 7.

Rhetoric aside, this still doesn't show me why you like a lot of our matchups. Your matchups are dependent on too many variables and although I think the Ravens will find a way to win, (call it the Ray Lewis factor) I don't think we matchup particularly well with the Cowgirls.

**Dade** · 12-16-2008, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Jeremiah W

First of all I like our front 7 vs the 7 guys they will use to block them or run the ball in every single snap on defense. That is 14 of the 22, and in 3 wide I like our chances to stop the run with 6.

If we stop the run on 1st and 2nd down with a 7 man front, and force them to throw on 3rd and long all day, I think they will throw more picks than tds, and Tony Romo will get injured.

I also like our running game against the front 7 of Dallas. I think they will have to use the SS in the box presnap on 1st down, and if we are agressive and Joe makes the throw, we can get some good one on one match ups of WR on CB and even better Heap one on one with a small saftey or a pass rush or run stopping linebacker.

Terrence Newman had a great game, but has had a really rough season. The other CBs are suspect as long as Ware and Rattliff the NG are under control. I think Brown can handle Rattliff one on one, and they can chip and combo Ware, or let Gaither block him one on one on 3 step drop and short passing plays.

The Dallas D can be had. They have some good parts, but they have some serious holes they have been able to cover up recently. I think Cam can dial up some calls to iso the suspects and grind down a rather small front 7.

You basically outlined the Ravens gameplay for every game. Stop the run, force 3rd long and get turnovers.

What holes do you see in the Dallas D?

We dont have the secondary to cover TO, Williams, Crayton and Witten.

It all comes down to which Dallas showes up Sat.

**Jeremiah W** · 12-16-2008, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by RAVENOUS52

Rhetoric aside, this still doesn't show me why you like a lot of our matchups. Your matchups are dependent on too many variables and although I think the Ravens will find a way to win, (call it the Ray Lewis factor) I don't think we matchup particularly well with the Cowgirls.

Dallas on O personel wise reminds me of Houston. I think the ability to stop the run without using a saftey should allow the CBs to play up and jump routes with plenty of inside lb looks and deep help. The best defensive game plans have been the ones with top passing attacks where Rex practicly invited the run. Our CBs can hold up against any passing attack as long as they are healthy and the front 7 is doing its thing.
It is a most magnificent 7, like the movies. They ride together, and they are going to get it done as long as the long arm of the law does not interfere.