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11-14-2017, 08:47 PM #1Pro Bowl Poster
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Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
(1) The remaining schedule (Weeks 11-17): They face only two legitimate playoff contenders (Lions, Steelers). They face only three veteran QBs (Stafford, Roethlisberger, Dalton). They will be favored in six of the seven games (if they establish themselves coming out of the bye).
(2) In their most recent outing, they outplayed the Titans and should have won 23-10. Five critical mistakes (two untimely penalties, Flacco's first interception, a shanked punt, and Harbaugh's decision to forego an easy FG (down 16-6)) cost them a very big win.
(3) TWO critical mistakes (Weddle's missed tackle against the Bears in OT; Harbaugh's 4th down decision against the Titans) are the the prime reason they are 4-5 instead of 6-3.
(4) Steelers rarely sweep Ravens (last time was 2008); Ravens have won three of the last four sweeps (2006, 2011, 2015).
(5) This season in the AFC, 9-7 is a realistic qualifier for the sixth seed.
What it will take to actually clinch a playoff berth:
- Eliminate the critical mistakes (the ones which come too late in a game to overcome);
- Avoid more critical injuries (the ones that impact their win-loss record);
- Starting in Green Bay, win back-to-back games (would be first time since Weeks 1-2; avoid the emotional letdown after a victory; get their confidence back); you cannot SUSTAIN success without them.
P.S. Obviously, this thread is for the "glass half full" subset of Ravens fans (of which I am a charter member).
CCxLast edited by Corvus Corax; 11-14-2017 at 08:59 PM. Reason: added postscript
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11-14-2017, 11:24 PM #2Legendary RSR Poster
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Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
One Solid Reason Ravens CAN'T Make The Playoffs :
We stink! Our offense offends the fan-base (except for Tuck(ick)er) and our defense is commanded by Dean Pees. Any questions? ... Bc
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11-14-2017, 11:54 PM #3
Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
Make the playoffs through the back door and then what? Get clobbered on Wilcard weekend, at maybe Kansas City?
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11-15-2017, 08:41 AM #4
Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
Got to buy a ticket to the raffle to be in with a chance of winning. Win at Green Bay and I'll be all in for us making it to the playoffs.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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11-15-2017, 08:44 AM #5
Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
I saw this reasoning when we were eyeing up the likes of Case Keenum and Mitch Trubisky. Look at how that turned out.
7-9 is on the menu boys.
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Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
I appreciate the optimism but a lot of this is stuff you could have said weeks ago. If you told me back before W1 that in 6 of their first 9 games they'd play Kizer, Bortles, Manuel, Trubisky, Keenum, and Moore, I'd be ready to buy my playoff tickets then. So the fact that they play Hundley, Savage, Brissett and Kizer again over the second half really means nothing to me.
Above anything else I just don't see this team as consistent enough to win 5 or 6 out of their last 7. The only thing they are consistent at is being inconsistent.
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11-15-2017, 09:09 AM #7
Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
Burn it down
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11-15-2017, 12:15 PM #8
Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
"The Ravens are not taking Jimmy Smith at 26!" -- Me, the day before the 2011 Draft
"On their way to the podium, the Ravens FO is going to collectively step over my dead body and select...Breshad Perriman." -- Me, the day before the 2015 Draft
Missed it by That Much: The story of 'Get Smart' and the modern day Baltimore Ravens
@BigPlayReceiver
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11-15-2017, 12:43 PM #9
Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
Master of 'Gifs for dummies'
"The world called for wetwork, and we answered. No greater good. No just cause." - Kazuhira Miller
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11-15-2017, 05:22 PM #10Regular 1st Stringer
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Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
Yeah, the AFC is pretty top heavy, and who knows, maybe 8-8 or 9-7 could make the dance this year. I agree with that. But hell, the way my dirty birds have been playing, will we even win another game all year if the team doesn't come from Miami, FL? You gotta win games before you can worry about if 9-7 makes the dance. I say that we focus on getting a winning record outright first, and then we worry about play-off scenarios and if our fate is in our own hands or not.
So I know that this is a message board and we're all fans, so its fine, I like to worry about play-off scenarios too. Its part of being a football junkie. But I tell you. If I was a head coach or coordinator, or position coach, nothing would drive me crazier than seeing my players talk about play-off scenarios and scoreboard watching around the league. That would be automatic wind sprints on my team.
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11-15-2017, 05:49 PM #11
Re: Five Solid Reasons Ravens CAN Make The Playoffs
1) The Ravens that tormented rookie and backup QBs are gone. This is a team that loses to the Bears and Mitchell Trubisky AT HOME. They can lose to anyone.
2) The Titans game was very winnable, but the fact is the Ravens never led at any point in the game. They could not impose their will.
3) Weddle is barely above average and TEs are abusing Jefferson in coverage. Mistakes will happen again.
4) Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense are both at their worst since 2008. Extrapolating from past history is risky. A sweep by PIT is very possible.
5) A WC spot is likely there at 9-7. I just don't know if the Ravens can seize it.
I'll take a playoff berth over draft spots any time, but this team has sapped me of any confidence. The schedule is ripe for them to make a run, but until they string together a couple of wins and show SOMETHING on offense, it's hard to envision a playoff run.
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11-15-2017, 05:57 PM #12Legendary RSR Poster
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