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I think we saw some of the"Ravens Effect" at play in Sunday's dismantling of the Bills. Some worried about the effect of playing that bruising Ravens defense two weeks in a row. The worry was that it would wear us down mentally and physically and leave us vulnerable against the Bills. I think it actually had the opposite effect. Compared to the Ravens' brutal physicality, the Bills must have semed like warm butter for our offense to slice and dice through with ease. I think those two back-to-back games with Baltimore actually gave us an edge going into the Bills' game. The Ravens' D is so much better than Buffalo's. Heck, I'll even go further than that. I think the Ravens team that we played in the WC round is better than Buffalo. The Ravens outplayed us in many respects in that game. I think being able to grind out a win against a tough division opponent like Baltimore actually helped us when we faced the Bills.
Thanks, Ratbirds!!! You are useful after all .
Agree or disagree?
"Knowledge is preferable to ignorance. Better by far to embrace the hard truth than a reassuring fable. "
---CARL SAGAN
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I think the Ravens games had a different emotional affect on the team. They had a chip on their shoulders about the Buffalo situation. But they were pissed off about the Baltimore week 18 game because of the coin toss thing and in the wildcard because of the dirty play from the week before. Anger can lead to playing tight. Plus Baltimore was built to play in the nasty pounding AFCN and specifically to play against Burrow and company.
Absolutely playing the tough games beforehand helped them against Buffalo and will help against KC. Nothing intimidates them and that pays off this time of year
Winning makes believers of us all
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Thanks to the Steelers and the Ravens. They set the standard for what it takes to win the AFC North for two decades and the Bengals had to learn to match or better that level.
Then you add in Joe Burrow.
Only users lose drugs.
:-)-~~~
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^^^
I disagree with the above poster. I think those bruising, physical back-to-backers with Baltimore helped helped set the stage for what we saw yesterday--- a molestration of the Bills.
"Knowledge is preferable to ignorance. Better by far to embrace the hard truth than a reassuring fable. "
---CARL SAGAN