Honestly, I cannot see any legitimate reasons for the preseason hype (media driven, of course) for Baltimore. Their best playmakers are way past their prime (Smith Sr. and Forsett), they lost their best defensive player (Ngata) and have sustained key injuries on defense. Not to mention their QB is the antithetical Andy Dalton (bad in regular season, killer in postseason).

The only thing they have going for them is Harabaugh. But other than him, it seems like they've only gotten worse.

Can anyone enlighten me on this unfounded hype?

(09-09-2015, 11:33 AM)clevelandsdad Wrote: Honestly, I cannot see any legitimate reasons for the preseason hype (media driven, of course) for Baltimore. Their best playmakers are way past their prime (Smith Sr. and Forsett), they lost their best defensive player (Ngata) and have sustained key injuries on defense. Not to mention their QB is the antithetical Andy Dalton (bad in regular season, killer in postseason).

The only thing they have going for them is Harabaugh. But other than him, it seems like they've only gotten worse.

Can anyone enlighten me on this unfounded hype?

Not a lot of hype really.............. I'd rather not have the hype at all and fly under the radar. I've seen them being ranked mostly between 8-15. Steeler are ranked #5 currently in the NFL power rankings. They are more favored.

I don't think there is a lot of hype or talk about them. What I think you are reading into is that most media know and seen that they have been constantly in the playoffs and/or going deep in the playoffs for years. They play "winning" football....which is won in the trenches on both sides of the ball. So it's more likely to they have a good season than a bad one.

(09-09-2015, 01:19 PM)Bmoreblitz Wrote: Not a lot of hype really.............. I'd rather not have the hype at all and fly under the radar. I've seen them being ranked mostly between 8-15. Steeler are ranked #5 currently in the NFL power rankings. They are more favored.

I don't think there is a lot of hype or talk about them. What I think you are reading into is that most media know and seen that they have been constantly in the playoffs and/or going deep in the playoffs for years. They play "winning" football....which is won in the trenches on both sides of the ball. So it's more likely to they have a good season than a bad one.

I'm mainly referring to SI picking them to win the Super Bowl and Profootballtalk.com claiming they are # 2 in their power rankings. It's the perception that they are this dominant team.

Now I agree that Baltimore is a pretty good team and have been playoff powerhouses. But I don't see why anyone thinks they are better than Green Bay, Seattle, Indianapolis, etc.

One of the best coaches in the NFL, no concerns at the QB position, and a perennial contender that over-performs in the playoffs.

On paper they're no better than GB, SEA, or INDY. Come January, they're no worse.

(09-09-2015, 05:11 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: One of the best coaches in the NFL, no concerns at the QB position, and a perennial contender that over-performs in the playoffs.

On paper they're no better than GB, SEA, or INDY. Come January, they're no worse.

Oh...  I know.  They choked that game away to the Patriots almost  as well as the Packers did in Seattle.


In reality they are a safe pick. I'd be shocked if they won it all this year, but I didn't see 2012 coming until Jacoby Jones, or whoever it was, made that catch vs. Denver. I hear a lot of hype about Indy this year too.

(09-09-2015, 10:10 PM)jason Wrote: Oh...  I know.  They choked that game away to the Patriots almost  as well as the Packers did in Seattle.


In reality they are a safe pick.  I'd be shocked if they won it all this year, but I didn't see 2012 coming until Jacoby Jones, or whoever it was, made that catch vs. Denver.  I hear a lot of hype about Indy this year too.

I wouldn't call losing by less than a TD on the road against the SB champs a "choke". I'm surprised they did as well as they did considering the state of their secondary going into that game. 

(09-09-2015, 10:54 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I wouldn't call losing by less than a TD on the road against the SB champs a "choke". I'm surprised they did as well as they did considering the state of their secondary going into that game. 

Weren't they up 14 twice in that game?  Up two scores in the 2nd half?  That's choking away a game. It doesn't matter if they were an underdog coming in.  Green Bay wasn't favored to win in Seattle either.  They certainly choked that game.

(09-09-2015, 11:00 PM)jason Wrote: Weren't they up 14 twice in that game?  Up two scores in the 2nd half?  That's choking away a game. It doesn't matter if they were an underdog coming in.  Green Bay wasn't favored to win in Seattle either.  They certainly choked that game.

The Packers choked via two errors/blunders when the game was essentially won for them. The Ravens defense performed as they were expected to. The fact that the Ravens offense just happened to play really well and get up by 2 scores twice doesn't mean that they choked. The Pats offense just eventually caught up.

(09-09-2015, 10:54 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I wouldn't call losing by less than a TD on the road against the SB champs a "choke". I'm surprised they did as well as they did considering the state of their secondary going into that game. 

Ravens had a good team last year no doubt but has that changed this year.

(09-09-2015, 05:11 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: One of the best coaches in the NFL, no concerns at the QB position, and a perennial contender that over-performs in the playoffs.

On paper they're no better than GB, SEA, or INDY. Come January, they're no worse.

Rose colored glasses

As I mentioned many times, you can't keep letting guys go and continue to get lucky. The Ngata loss will haunt them. The McPhee loss will haunt them (Suggs gone for the year so depth ad McPhee could have replaced him

On offense, they looked horrible today and I mean horrible

Their defense played well today overall, but the Broncos offense (Manning) also played horribly today

On paper now, they are a 7-9 team at best

(09-13-2015, 08:59 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Rose colored glasses

As I mentioned many times, you can't keep letting guys go and continue to get lucky. The Ngata loss will haunt them. The McPhee loss will haunt them (Suggs gone for the year so depth ad McPhee could have replaced him

On offense, they looked horrible today and I mean horrible

Their defense played well today overall, but the Broncos offense (Manning) also played horribly today

On paper now, they are a 7-9 team at best

Wow after ONE game you come to this conclusion huh.

The better team won today. But was hardly the blowout many were predicting.
But you are still wrong on so many levels. The loss of McPhee  and Ngata was not seen or felt. The Ravens D looked great.

The Offense was terrible. Luckily they won't face too many teams with a pass rush duo of V Miller/ware and CB Harris/Talib.

Suggs injury hurts but that has nothing to do with offseason losses.

Losing Suggs now makes them 7-9?!?!?
That's got to be the dumbest logic/post I've ever read.

Hahahahahahaha, another humorous post from luvnit.

7-9 at best? Their secondary just shut down Manning and they were a dropped TD away from winning in f*cking Denver.

But I'm the one looking through "rose colored glasses" because I point out that they have one of the best coaches, they're always contenders, and Flacco is a stable QB? You sound stupid

They played ok on defense, but Manning was also awful today. Missing wide open receivers and throwing wobbly ducks.

(09-13-2015, 10:28 PM)Joelist Wrote: They played ok on defense, but Manning was also awful today. Missing wide open receivers and throwing wobbly ducks.

WTH!! Manning is one of the greatest. Regardless holding a team to 219 offense is a great Day on defense not ok

I think the Ravens are getting by on their historical reputation to an extent when it comes to preseason rankings. That said, Flacco is a very streaky qb. Some days he looks like bottom-third of the league quarterback. The rub is that when he gets hot, it carries over for a few games and he seems to do it at all the right times. Just when you're ready to write him off, you turn around and he's on fire in January.

(09-13-2015, 10:07 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Hahahahahahaha, another humorous post from luvnit.

7-9 at best? Their secondary just shut down Manning and they were a dropped TD away from winning in f*cking Denver.

But I'm the one looking through "rose colored glasses" because I point out that they have one of the best coaches, they're always contenders, and Flacco is a stable QB? You sound stupid

I could have played corner in my wheelchair and shut Manning down today.

He looked like he had no arm strength or ability to put the ball where he wanted to put it.

He looked like a DIII college quarterback, at best, and you're hyped up over "almost beating him"?

Ravens lost Suggs........  you're screwed.

(09-13-2015, 10:33 PM)Bmoreblitz Wrote: WTH!! Manning is one of the greatest. Regardless holding a team to 219 offense is a great Day on defense not ok

You watched Manning play today and you saw him play like one of the greatest?

His throws had no strength and no velocity.  I mentioned it in the preseason and his passes looked even worse today.

(09-13-2015, 10:07 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Hahahahahahaha, another humorous post from luvnit.

7-9 at best? Their secondary just shut down Manning and they were a dropped TD away from winning in f*cking Denver.

But I'm the one looking through "rose colored glasses" because I point out that they have one of the best coaches, they're always contenders, and Flacco is a stable QB? You sound stupid

We will see who is closer, your 11-5 prediction or my 7-9 in January.

Then we can discuss who was really stupid

(09-14-2015, 09:47 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: We will see who is closer, your 11-5 prediction or my 7-9 in January.

Then we cam discuss who was really stupid

Man you are sitting on a wish for the Ravens to be 7-9.

(09-14-2015, 02:34 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: I could have played corner in my wheelchair and shut Manning down today.

He looked like he had no arm strength or ability to put the ball where he wanted to put it.

He looked like a DIII college quarterback, at best, and you're hyped up over "almost beating him"?

Ravens lost Suggs........  you're screwed.

You watched Manning play today and you saw him play like one of the greatest?

His throws had no strength and no velocity.  I mentioned it in the preseason and his passes looked even worse today.

Regardless if you make EXCUSES for P Manning it was a good Defensive showing for both teams.

Preseason you said Suggs is old and not a big deal. Now you say losing Suggs. They are screwed??!

You can't make up your mind with anything.
Losing Suggs is huge but not a season ender.

(09-14-2015, 09:47 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: We will see who is closer, your 11-5 prediction or my 7-9 in January.

Then we cam discuss who was really stupid

Sounds good. Let's see if "7-9" really is "best case"