HomeoftheBRAVENS

At this point it's not even hope.Our schedule is tough,our secondary is horrendous,we have very little if any pass rush and we lack playmakers in the passing game.We're more than likely going to get that top spot unless we beat JAX(who we struggle against even when we're good) in the head to head.

Our secondary hasn't been the same since Graham left.I think Ozzie was hoping Arrington would play the way Graham did but that hasn't worked out.I think the reason our DB's from the draft have been failing is because of the coaching.Elam was never used the right way and I remember Pees admitting that he put too much on Brooks plate before he was injured last year.

The Steelers losing yesterday felt good for two reasons. 1.because they lost 2.because it got the Chiefs off of our backs in the race for Joey Bosa

Suggs is the no brainer IMO,but to be interesting I'll say I would go back to march and instead of signing Kyle Arrington and Kendrick Lewis,I would match the Jets offer to Buster Skrine and allow Webb to walk.

If Bell/Hill was kicked out of the league last September and Brown/Green walked in free agency last March,Pittsburgh and Cincinatti would not be ok right now.We've lost Pitta,Jones,Torrey,Mcphee and Ellerbe in the last 3 off seasons.All of whom were drafted by us and are in their mid 20's.That's the reason we don't have a proven youn nucleus right now.And if you're trying to say that those guys plus the guys we still have like Wagner,Osemele,Williams,Mosley and Gillmore aren't enough drafted playmakers in the last 5 drafts(not including the most recent one because it's too soon to expect much from them)then your expectations are too high.The only way to really top that is to have the success that Seattle had from 2010-2012 and that was some stars aligning themselves perfectly type of stuff.Our drafts from 09-14 have been better than Pittsburghs,Greenbays,New Englands,The Colts(with the exception of 2012) and have kind of been on par with the Bengals.We've gotten about 3 playmakers from the draft per year every year except 2009.That's a very high success rate.

So you'd rather us go 6-10 and miss both the playoffs and the opportunity to draft the best player in the draft just so we can have a few cheap wins this year?It's time for us to start practicing delayed gratification.The NFL is a war and if we have to sacrifice a few battles to win the war at the end of another season than so be it.

Outside of Osemele,the 2012 draft was ugly,but why are you only looking at the top two picks from 2013?We have a starting RT who played outstanding last year and is playing well now considering the injury he suffered late last year and the surgery he had in the offseason and we also have a stud DT tearing it up against the run.Both of those guys came from that draft.We also found Juice in that draft.

"[W]here’s the youth, with Smith planning to retire, and Forsett already 30 years old? " - Clifton Brown One guy got himself kicked out of the league and the other is in SF because we decided not to pay him.Anyone who questions Ozzie's draft record in the last five years is an idiot.I may not agree with him on draft day because he always drafts defensive players with the top picks,but we usually walk away from the draft with three or four guys who are impact players.Our biggest problem has been us not holding onto guys in FA and injuries halting the promising careers of Pitta and Webb.

Stats don't always tell the whole story.

I wouldn't want to invest too much in him either.It's sad that he has to get into so many stupid incidents.He's only 26 years old and just 2 years ago was looked at as a top 5 pass rusher in the league.Now we're saying he's not worth more than the minimum.If I were Ozzie/Harbaugh,I'd almost be willing to go as high 1 year/$2M just to see if we could bring back 2011/2012 Aldon.That would be monstrous with Suggs,Doom,Jernigan and maybe Bosa(I think we're that bad and I'm rooting for that top pick).

I don't think Harbaugh will be willing to give second chances after what happened a year ago.

The 2016 FA class is pretty much blahhh at every position we have a need at.The only guy who I like is Gipson and I'm not sure if he'll reach FA or if our FO will be willing to give him the contract he's going to demand.I also wouldn't mind us giving Aldon Smith a contract,but I think Harbaugh wants to stay far away from problematic guys like him.I read someone mention Josh Gordon.You can forget about him for the same reasons.

Offseason: " Man,'insert random UDFA WR on the practice squad here' is a stud.He just needs a chance.We don't need to sign 'insert proven FA WR whose name alone will get you a million negs in march'.Plus there's that other guy we drafted in the seventh round.We don't need to resign Torrey.We're crazy deep at WR.It's the deepest spot on the team." Reg season: "What the heck?!!!Why is Flacco forcing the ball to one guy.Why is he forcing balls into bad coverages and throwing ints.Stop apologizing for him.Our receiving corp is solid.What is his problem?????"

That stat is misleading.If he really is 0-8 when throwing the ball 40+ times,then it's because he only gets to throw that much in games that we're behind in and are about to lose.If we're down two td's or something like that in the fourth quarter,we're more than likely going to lose that game and Flacco is going to end up with 40+ throws because we don't have time to run the ball.It's not like we'd automatically lose if the game plan was to throw that many times.

"I for one thought in all seriousness this was the year Flacco would be a MVP candidate by throwing over 4500 yds with 30 TD and less than 10 INTs for the season" What in the world made you think that with the WR and TE corp we went into the season with?I'm not trying to be antagonistic,I'm just dumb founded that you and a lot of others actually thought we had that type of passing attack.

I don't see why so many people think the 2010 draft was so bad just because the first two picks were bust.We got Pitta,Jones and Dickson that year.That's a great haul.That's two above average starters and a competent backup who played like a starter for one year.If Pitta was taken in the first,Jones in the second and Dickson in the third(which I think he was),then you guys would be saying we did well that year.

The turning point of our season came on the play that Suggs went down.I didn't think it would be this ugly but I knew we more than likely wouldn't make the playoffs without him.

I forgot to add that Tucker was a UDFA in 2012 so he was another one of those "free draft picks" that you can throw in there.

You forgot to add McPhee to that 2011 class and Dannell Ellerbe was a UDFA in 2009 so I would add him to the 2009 class also because I consider UDFA's to be free draft picks from that year.

Every good player we have is injured lol.

I wonder if the browns will let Gibson test free agency next year.I'd love to steal him from them.

Is there a rule against starting threads after a game?I wanted to comment on that CJ Mosley thread.His play needs it's own thread.Shoving everything into one thread is a conversation killer.I'm not trying to call out any mods with this post either.

Gillmore being out is a big deal.We need Gillmore to get healed for this offense to move the ball.His presence was missed in Pittsburgh.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000067516/Givens-52-yard-catch He beat Sherman for a 52 yard catch in his rookie year.Thats something I cant see anyone else on this roster outside of Smitty doing.