Early Analysis of the 2021 Schedule

[sflegend89]

Browns play ravens back to back games. First time in 30 years

I really have to question the sloppy schedule making this year, we ended up with some completely wonky home/away stretches and super condensed divisional play in the AFCN

[alien bird]

I really have to question the sloppy schedule making this year, we ended up with some completely wonky home/away stretches and super condensed divisional play in the AFCN

The condensed divisonal play isn't unique to the Ravens, but it's a questionable way to create a schedule. You play the teams in your division in 6 of the 18 weeks, so why have a team play 5 of those games in the last 7 weeks, or in the case of the Washington Football Team, 5 of the last 5 weeks? On the flip side, both Miami and Atlanta only play division teams in only 2 of the last 7 weeks. The lack of balance is curious.

[WrongBaldy]

R2Fly, thanks for that ... Bc

[Jfoh]

I expect them to blame the weird schedule on having to adapt to the 17 game season. Would have been too simple to make every team play that extra game four weeks from the season end. Then finish with three straight division games. Baseball can figure out inter league play and have September set aside for division only games.

Enough of this crap about every team wanting prime time games. If you do not win six games you do not deserve a prime time game. Those thanksgiving Lions bears games were some of the worst pro games to watch. Sorry Jac nobody cares. Sorry Cinci nobody cares.

[Ravenswintitle]

I disagree. Sure the better teams get more prime time games but I like being able to see teams I haven’t watched. That’s one reason I enjoy TNF

[RAVEN2FLY]

I expect them to blame the weird schedule on having to adapt to the 17 game season. Would have been too simple to make every team play that extra game four weeks from the season end. Then finish with three straight division games. Baseball can figure out inter league play and have September set aside for division only games.

Enough of this crap about every team wanting prime time games. If you do not win six games you do not deserve a prime time game. Those thanksgiving Lions bears games were some of the worst pro games to watch. Sorry Jac nobody cares. Sorry Cinci nobody cares.

Thats some what true. Cowboys got 5 primetime games this year and they went 8-8. NFL want teams that draw numbers in ratings. So they want to put the big market teams on display on primetime along with the better teams. Its funny they have 10 teams with 5 prime time games each and 7 of them are in the NFC.

But growing up I was a lions fan and typically the only time I got to see them play was on Thanksgiving. So I'm not going to knock the tradition. Its probably about 6 or 7 teams I don't really watch a whole game of them playing.

[ed from Bel Air]

Ah, the age-old philosophical question: If a man is talking in a forest, and his wife is not there to hear him... is he still wrong?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Can I use this?

[HotInHere]

Can I use this?

Not sure where I stole it from, but it’s definitely not original. Common wisdom rarely is.

[ed from Bel Air]

Enough of this crap about every team wanting prime time games. If you do not win six games you do not deserve a prime time game. Those thanksgiving Lions bears games were some of the worst pro games to watch. Sorry Jac nobody cares. Sorry Cinci nobody cares.

I generally agree with this. I think every team gets one PTG (everyone has to have a Thursday game). I think the better teams should get the majority of the Sunday night and Monday games so we can all see better match ups.
What ticks me off is when I have to watch Cowboy/WFT games in prime time in years when they both stink. For that matter I hate watching Cowboy games on prime time irregardless of who they play in years when they are not relevant. (Which has been a lot recently).
But I’m pretty sure the NFL is not going to agree with me on this.

[rhapsody]

Intriguing list

1) @ LV - Going to be tough as the visiting team in Vegas's first home game with fans. We'll get a good look at what kind of home field advantage the Raiders actually have. Jon Gruden is 6-8 as a head coach in Week 1 games. I don't think this is a trap game because it's week one. (W)

2) KC - Getting this one out of the way early, and second Prime Time game in a row, on a 6 day week. There will be so many story lines. The media wants no major injuries for sure. I'm uncomfortable saying the Ravens get over the hump, but I will because it's a home game. The fans really need to show out on this one. (W)

3) @ DET - The Lions get this home game sandwiched between road games @ GB and CHI. I really don't know what to think of this game, so I will default to history, and history says the Lions are a poorly run franchise and will need time for the new roster to gel. (W)

4) @ DEN - Third road game in four weeks to open the season. Better now than later I think. The Broncos could open the season 3-0 with games against both New York teams and Jacksonville. If they do, that would have a big impact on their confidence. I will use this as a game the Ravens would win on neutral terms but won't within context of the schedule. It also hedges my bet with the Chiefs game. (L)

5) IND - QB questions surrounding the Cots... will Carson Wentz's ship be righted by now with Frank Reich back in the fold? I'm going to say no. Colts open with a rough schedule and the Ravens get the extra day for the Monday Nighter at home. (W)

6) LAC - The Justin Herbert game. Ravens have a short week but get to stay at home. The Chargers have to play @ KC and vs CLE the two previous weeks. By now, early season injuries are having a major impact across the league... but I can't account for who so I have to assume full health. I don't think the Chargers have quite the horses on defense to pull off this potential swing game. (W)

7) CIN - Three straight home games after the 3/4 road games to start the season. This would be a terrible loss, just don't see that happening. Burrow will be running for his life again this season, but watch for their young trio of OL picks (Carman, Smith, Hill) to develop later. The Bengals have a lot of winnable games on their own schedule, but this ain't it. (W)

8) MIN - another home game and this time coming off a bye. Will the Ravens get complacent? Ehhh they're not a team that typically does that off a bye week. Minnesota is my easy pick to win a Rodgers-less NFC North but the deck is stacked against them in this game. (W)

9) @ MIA - on the road again, on a short week, against a team presumably coming off a high against the woeful Texans. Fair or not, there's a reason Tua Tagovailoa almost got the Josh Rosen treatment. You need good QB play to beat the Ravens; it simply will not happen otherwise in the Lamar Jackson era. But schedule-wise, this is a tough game and a potential loss. (W)

10) @ CHI - ten days to prepare for what will likely be a rookie QB. Even with a road game, I think this is one of the easiest games on the schedule. (W)

11) CLE - here we go... the end of the schedule ramps up difficulty big time, starting with the critical home game vs. CLE. You've probably noticed I have the Ravens with just one loss heading into this game. The Browns are going to be fired up but I'm going to stick with a home-and-home split. (W)

12) @ PIT - it's hard to picture the road game against the Steelers as a trap game but it kind of is. My brain is telling me that the Steelers will be fallen apart by now, but my heart says, no, it's still the Steelers road game. I've given the Ravens too many breaks and it's time for adversity to kick in. (L)

13) @ CLE - ...and here the adversity kicks in. I can only imagine the narratives following consecutive road losses to Pittsburgh and Cleveland, especially after starting the season 10-1. The sky will temporarily be falling. (L)

14) GB - the biggest Wild Card on the entire schedule. If Rodgers plays, the Ravens have to deal with him after road games against their division rivals. If he doesn't... well, it's a win, period. I can only shrug my shoulders and go with the surer outcome, because the Ravens still have a good chance to beat the Packers led by Rodgers. (W)

15) @ CIN - The Bengals will likely be a mess by now, and they don't have Marvin Lewis anymore to make late season runs at the Ravens. (W)

16) LAR - It feels way too far ahead to accurately project these games after a full season of injuries, firings and replacements. The Ravens are likely to lose a home game at some point during the season... but I can't see it. I don't see where it happens. Maybe it's here. This feels like a coin flip. (L)

17) PIT - In this scenario the Ravens have lost 3 of 5 and it's time to put the Steelers to bed. They do that. The city of Baltimore rejoices. (W)

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FINAL RECORD: 13-4, AFC North Champs (Browns 12-5, Steelers 9-8, Bengals 5-12)

Very well reasoned. A supporting perspective: We have a number of new and changed pieces (especially on the Oline) that need to develop and gain continuity. We could lose to some inferior teams early and some close ones to stronger competition later, and wind up at a floor of 11-6. Or we could brush off the early weaker teams and manage the later ones with our gained strength, going 16-1.

This is a powerful team which has just gained an outstanding draft. 13-4 sounds easily justifiable.

[Desert Raven]

Intriguing list

1) @ LV - Going to be tough as the visiting team in Vegas's first home game with fans. We'll get a good look at what kind of home field advantage the Raiders actually have. Jon Gruden is 6-8 as a head coach in Week 1 games. I don't think this is a trap game because it's week one. (W)

2) KC - Getting this one out of the way early, and second Prime Time game in a row, on a 6 day week. There will be so many story lines. The media wants no major injuries for sure. I'm uncomfortable saying the Ravens get over the hump, but I will because it's a home game. The fans really need to show out on this one. (W)

3) @ DET - The Lions get this home game sandwiched between road games @ GB and CHI. I really don't know what to think of this game, so I will default to history, and history says the Lions are a poorly run franchise and will need time for the new roster to gel. (W)

4) @ DEN - Third road game in four weeks to open the season. Better now than later I think. The Broncos could open the season 3-0 with games against both New York teams and Jacksonville. If they do, that would have a big impact on their confidence. I will use this as a game the Ravens would win on neutral terms but won't within context of the schedule. It also hedges my bet with the Chiefs game. (L)

5) IND - QB questions surrounding the Cots... will Carson Wentz's ship be righted by now with Frank Reich back in the fold? I'm going to say no. Colts open with a rough schedule and the Ravens get the extra day for the Monday Nighter at home. (W)

6) LAC - The Justin Herbert game. Ravens have a short week but get to stay at home. The Chargers have to play @ KC and vs CLE the two previous weeks. By now, early season injuries are having a major impact across the league... but I can't account for who so I have to assume full health. I don't think the Chargers have quite the horses on defense to pull off this potential swing game. (W)

7) CIN - Three straight home games after the 3/4 road games to start the season. This would be a terrible loss, just don't see that happening. Burrow will be running for his life again this season, but watch for their young trio of OL picks (Carman, Smith, Hill) to develop later. The Bengals have a lot of winnable games on their own schedule, but this ain't it. (W)

8) MIN - another home game and this time coming off a bye. Will the Ravens get complacent? Ehhh they're not a team that typically does that off a bye week. Minnesota is my easy pick to win a Rodgers-less NFC North but the deck is stacked against them in this game. (W)

9) @ MIA - on the road again, on a short week, against a team presumably coming off a high against the woeful Texans. Fair or not, there's a reason Tua Tagovailoa almost got the Josh Rosen treatment. You need good QB play to beat the Ravens; it simply will not happen otherwise in the Lamar Jackson era. But schedule-wise, this is a tough game and a potential loss. (W)

10) @ CHI - ten days to prepare for what will likely be a rookie QB. Even with a road game, I think this is one of the easiest games on the schedule. (W)

11) CLE - here we go... the end of the schedule ramps up difficulty big time, starting with the critical home game vs. CLE. You've probably noticed I have the Ravens with just one loss heading into this game. The Browns are going to be fired up but I'm going to stick with a home-and-home split. (W)

12) @ PIT - it's hard to picture the road game against the Steelers as a trap game but it kind of is. My brain is telling me that the Steelers will be fallen apart by now, but my heart says, no, it's still the Steelers road game. I've given the Ravens too many breaks and it's time for adversity to kick in. (L)

13) @ CLE - ...and here the adversity kicks in. I can only imagine the narratives following consecutive road losses to Pittsburgh and Cleveland, especially after starting the season 10-1. The sky will temporarily be falling. (L)

14) GB - the biggest Wild Card on the entire schedule. If Rodgers plays, the Ravens have to deal with him after road games against their division rivals. If he doesn't... well, it's a win, period. I can only shrug my shoulders and go with the surer outcome, because the Ravens still have a good chance to beat the Packers led by Rodgers. (W)

15) @ CIN - The Bengals will likely be a mess by now, and they don't have Marvin Lewis anymore to make late season runs at the Ravens. (W)

16) LAR - It feels way too far ahead to accurately project these games after a full season of injuries, firings and replacements. The Ravens are likely to lose a home game at some point during the season... but I can't see it. I don't see where it happens. Maybe it's here. This feels like a coin flip. (L)

17) PIT - In this scenario the Ravens have lost 3 of 5 and it's time to put the Steelers to bed. They do that. The city of Baltimore rejoices. (W)

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FINAL RECORD: 13-4, AFC North Champs (Browns 12-5, Steelers 9-8, Bengals 5-12)

Pretty much agree except can probably see losing to KC again instead of Denver who they should handle fairly easily. Also think Miami will be another out of division loss instead of the Rams a week after beating up on the Bengals late in the season. If not Miami then GB or Indy. One loss each to Steelers and Browns sounds right and they end up with a 13-4 record.

[sflegend89]

I disagree. Sure the better teams get more prime time games but I like being able to see teams I haven’t watched. That’s one reason I enjoy TNF

I feel like every team deserves a minimum of 1 primetime game, every fanbase deserves to see their team on the national scale ONCE a season at the very least

The better/higher profile teams should obviously get more nationally televised games (AKA higher ratings for the NFL/Networks).. but complaining over only having 1 primetime game for a mediocre team.. boohoo