Ravens #5 in Preseason Power Rankings

[akashicrecorder]

PFT has put the Ravens in fifth place of the 32 teams in their Preseason Power Rankings. We're behind the Giants, Patriots, Packers and Niners, probably in that order. (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...timore-ravens/)

As team strengths PFT cites Ray Rice anchoring the offense and Ngata, Reed and Lewis anchoring the defense. Torrey Smith and Jimmy Smith are also hailed as emergent stars. Curiously though, Lardarius Webb is absent from this section. They say, as many have been saying (fan and analyst alike), that the Suggs injury will hurt but won't be a dagger, since the Ravens' D has been too good for too long with too many different players for the D to be doubted.

As weaknesses PFT names our at times horrific special teams: on kicking (Billy Cundiff "is not a good kicker"; that's sort of true), on returning (David Reed is speedy but fumble-prone, and of course single-handedly cost us Seattle), and on covering returns (we weren't great at that WITH Nakamura here; and now Naka's gone.) Our aging offensive line is worthy of concern, too.

But of course, the biggest question mark (put under Weaknesses on PFT) is Joe Flacco. They trot out the usual stuff about his lower comp %, fewer yards and fewer TDs last year--with, predictably, no mention of the revolving door of drop-prone young receivers he was throwing to. This is a big head-scratcher, IMO:

if Lee Evans hadn’t dropped a pass from Flacco in the end zone late in the AFC Championship Game, we’d probably be talking right now about what a big step forward Flacco had taken in leading the Ravens to the Super Bowl. This year the Ravens need Flacco to really take that big step forward.

What is this? The writer has already said Flacco did all he could do and that the failure was not on his end! Anyway, most people I have talked to since the AFCCG have pretty much the same opinion of Flacco they would have had if Evans had caught the ball. Everyone saw the drive, everyone saw a great throw to the Super Bowl, everyone saw a drop.

What do you guys think? Of our ranking, our strengths, and our weaknesses?

[GOTA]

PFT has trouble attracting viewers in the Summer. These lists are darts thrown in the dark hoping they'll drum up some controversy.

[wickedsolo]

PFT has trouble attracting viewers in the Summer. These lists are darts thrown in the dark hoping they'll drum up some controversy.

:word


That said, I do think 4th or 5th is appropriate though. I think the 49ers only real leg up on the Ravens is the fact that they play in a pretty weak division, so getting 10 to 11 wins will be substantially easier for them than Baltimore.

[NOLARavenFAN]

:word


That said, I do think 4th or 5th is appropriate though. I think the 49ers only real leg up on the Ravens is the fact that they play in a pretty weak division, so getting 10 to 11 wins will be substantially easier for them than Baltimore.

Our ranking is 0-0, tied for first and last.

[wickedsolo]

Our ranking is 0-0, tied for first and last.

Purely basing it on last year and subjectively based on off-season acquisitions and losses.

[The Excellector]

Going into the season, I can't really knock a top five ranking, as long as the top five teams are correct, in my opinion.

San Fransisco added Randy Moss to their offense and maintained most of their group. Even at his age, Moss is an upgrade over Crabtree, who dropped two or three key third down passes in their game against New Orleans that would have ended it earlier. They also play in a weaker division. Seattle and Arizona are both still looking for their QBs. Jeff Fisher could provide the Rams with a spark.

The thing about Green Bay that gets me is that I just don't see how Aaron Rodgers can come out with a better year than he had last year. Everything was set up for them to take it last year, but his WRs/TEs (Considered one of the best groups in the league), really let him down against the Giants. However, they are still a top 5 team.

New England quietly added Brandon Lloyd on the outside, before drafting some nice defensive prospects. However, their schedule was pretty weak last year. It will be interesting to see how it plays out for them this year. What will always keep them in it is that they are usually good with winning the games they are 'supposed' to win.

Baltimore lost Terrell Suggs, but have survived the lost of key defenders in the past. The Ravens also have a lot of young talent, on the up and up.

Who knows what you'll get from the Giants.

[kris21054]

I just love how they had a vote if ppl thought this was ranking was ok after they posted it. They didnt put a poll up for any other team.

[wickedsolo]

I just love how they had a vote if ppl thought this was ranking was ok after they posted it. They didnt put a poll up for any other team.

Yes they did.

They had a poll for every team.

Poll questions were "Too High", "Just Right", or "Too Low".

[leachisabeast]

Pre season power rankings are such a waste of time, because they are never really accurate at the end of that respective season when you go back to them. The 49ers before the 2011 season were lucky to be anything higher than 20 on most power rankings, the Bunguls were supposed to be the worst team in football in many power rankings, and look how that turned out.

When you look at our team on paper we should probably be #1 or 2, but with the offseason happenings, we are nobody's favourite team because we didn't win the offseason as usual. You compare our roster to any team in the NFL, you will find it hard to say that there is a better team in the NFL than us on paper.

The list is hard to argue with anyway.

[kris21054]

Yes they did.

They had a poll for every team.

Poll questions were "Too High", "Just Right", or "Too Low".

Oh wow I must have completely missed it. I didn't read all the teams just the Ravens and it came up on my Twitter feed. Thanks for the clarification

[GOTA]

Anyone know where they ranked the World Champion Giants this time last year?

[wickedsolo]

Anyone know where they ranked the World Champion Giants this time last year?

Pretty sure they were top 10 or so.