PoeDinkum

Welcome to the party.

As I wrote earlier, without any in game injuries we were losing 31-17. Lose Monroe in the first quarter and we will be lucky to put up 17.

No screens nor misdirection. LOoonng day ahead folks.

First series reveals we cannot man up our units. It will take some creativity on both sides of the ball just to have a chance to keep this within 10 points.

Like a drum.

Hat's off to Pees for the call! And the FG, the ball must really be flying there.

Let's go Lewis. Read the man's eyes for an INT.

Lol. That's funny.

Correction. He will pick us apart.

Refs so excited to help Manning out they can't help but throw flags even when obvious tipped ball.

Predicted 31-17 Broncos. Brace yourselves people..

Monroe has become an absolute waste.

Defenive front is much too predictable. We need more folks stacked at the line to confuse Manning.

Ugly as expected. Zip for creativity. Need to regroup for serious two. We must invite them to bum rush and blitz and burn them when they do. To Harb's credit, he like' smashmouth football, but sometimes genyes coaching means misdirection as well.

SSS has come to play. Screen here please.

Screeens early. They are quick.

Not feeling good myself. My earlier prediction this week of Denver 31- Ravens 17 was based on being without Jernigan, Melvin, and Perriman. We lose more during the game then it could get out of hand quickly. The only silver lining is that I expect us to be .500 at the bye. Between the schedule and the injuries I just see us struggling pre-bye and regrouping post-bye for a potential run.

G-R-E-A-T post! Love to see analysis and a conclusion that doesn't give in to either extremes (read "sky falls" at 4-12 to undefeated and a SB victory). Is it gametime yet?

Obviously glad to see the NFL back on tonight, even if it is Pats in Steelers. The season is underway! I feel like I have to qualify my predictions this year based on the health of this team in comparison to the week's opponent. For example, if we were to play the Raiders this week with Jernigan and Melvin questionable/doubtful, Taliafaro sidelined, etc. I'd still say we get the job done. However, it's not Oakland but Denver - actually Denver on the road. So, while I hope we win, and do believe that an earlier post identifying that playing press and taking away short throws from Manning to force him to attemtp to muster up the strength to go deep could work, hope don't get the job done. On the record, I predict Denver 31- Baltimore 17.

While all teams have to deal with injuries as part of football, now more than ever it is obvious that injuries to our starters will sink this team like a stone. We don't have the depth nor the favorable schedule to overcome these things two years in a row. I can see a final record anywhere between a healthy 11-5 division winner to an injury plagued 7-9 third place for this team. I do think they will be .500 at the bye, come back with 3 straight victories to give much needed hope to playoff dreams. However, we lose to Miami and Seattle, rebound against the Chiefs and are faced with division rivals to either win the division outright, make the playoffs as a wildcard or suffer losses to miss the playoffs. While it would be easy and gain less negs to say we find a way to go 10-6 and make the playoffs, I am going on the record at 9-7 and missing the playoffs this year. I will be rooting for this team to prove me wrong, but I just have a bad feeling about this upcoming season. Just wanted to be on the record and hope to eat crow. See you guys Sunday.

Revising some of what I posted a week ago as it is obviously still relevant... Look folks, people are entitled to their own opinions about personnel, especially in a thread labelled "Vent Thread." It is a copout to respond to criticism and second-guessing of draft strategy with mundane arguments such as 1) ...you are not a professional what do you know 2) ... OZ has done a great job for years, pipe down 3) ...you weren't in the war room and have no idea, etc. Now I am not saying that EVERY contra-opinion is valid, has merit, and/or has to be accepted, but let's do our best to persuade one another with some sort of information without blanket statements about lack of scouting qualifications or question one another's fandom. The experiences people have had watching, playing, coaching, and/or learning this sport at various levels leads them to perceive and conceive what works and what doesn't. They share their opinion, seems natural to me. Personally, I was pretty grumpy this time last week about Crockett's selection, but what has persuaded me to see the pick more favorably is not folks questioning my allegiance to OZ, the team, or whether I luvs me some Flacco, but folks rationally explaining the perceived value of the pick... Fact is some draft venters will be right as some of the players being complained about will not be on this roster in 3 years, and some of the draft defenders will be correct too as some of the players will. We won't know how it plays out until games are played. In the meantime keep the stats, videos, information coming, but enough with ad hominem or authoritative arguments. Bring on some preseason, puhlease!

Yup, that's why we take him off the board at 99 and pick up Gillmore with 134.

Agreed. In fact I think we would have had to nab him at 99 rather than Crockett. I guess they didn't like Desir's average speed, or believed more in Crockett? Dunno, but I would have rolled the dice that Crockett would have been there still at 134 as obviously Desir wouldn't.

Look folks, people are entitled to their own opinions about personnel, especially in a thread labelled "Vent Thread." It is a copout to respond to criticism and second-guessing of draft strategy with mundane arguments such as 1) ...you are not a professional what do you know 2) ... OZ has done a great job for years, pipe down 3) ...you weren't in the war room and have no idea, etc. Now I am not saying that EVERY contra-opinion is valid, has merit, and/or has to be accepted, but let's do our best to persuade one another with some sort of information rather than blanket statements about lack of scouting qualifications or question one another's fandom. By analogy, I don't have to be a professional chef or cook with the kitchen staff to perceive that I don't like what I read on the menu. And yes, sometimes, even my favorite, go to restaurant can mess up a meal from time to time. Course, in fairness, I have tried things I thought I wouldn't like and been pleasantly surprised, and I hope that's the case with Mr. 3rd round "Davey" Crockett himself. Bring on some preseason, puhlease!

Here's my initial reaction to day one. Just an opinion, a course-- Cincy got a solid player; Pit reached; Clev actually did something right, FOR ONCE. Heh. On our end, we failed to address a position of need, nor traded down for value and/or picks. I believe CJ Mosley has less ceiling than many are giving him credit for. Hope our folks assessed his injury situation correctly as it obviously was a factor for other teams. I understand the rationale behind the pick, BUT when I factor in the man's injury history, our moving up for Art Brown last year, other needs we have, and what Cincy and Clev did in round 1...my heart has yet to get behind it. Still many rounds to go...GO RAVENS!