The Ravens Are A Very "different" Elite Team In The Nfl

[True]

The elite teams in the NFL are ones who are playoff contenders. Teams that you do not want to face. Yeah there is a lot of negative going on about a Ravens ballclub that is 9-4, but feels like it's 4-9 instead. But looking around the league and the other great teams:

Patriots - Easily the best team in the league with quality wins, but got blown out by the Browns post Moss (though still on a tremendous roll).

Falcons - Best team in the NFC, stellar record at home, but got destroyed by a Vickless Eagles.

Steelers - Have scored 1 offensive TD in the last 3 games, got owned by the Pats/Saints.

Saints - Had an ugly loss against a no show QB Cardinals and Brees picked off 4 times against the Browns.

Jets - Are starting to become exposed as overrated by barely beating bad teams and humiliated by the Pats on MNF.

Bears - lost to the Seahawks, Redskins, and annihilated by the Pats in their own house.

The Ravens? Haven't been blown out at all this season. Only team to have a 4th quarter lead in every game, and have not lost a game by more than 5 points. The only team to actually beat the Ravens this year, are the Ravens themselves. Despite what happened on MNF against the Texans, I don't see a highly potent Saints offense suddenly coming into M&T Bank and blowing the Ravens out. They play all teams tough and close. They have yet to play their best football so I can only say..they haven't peaked yet! Perfect time for the playoffs to get into championship mode. The Ravens shouldn't be afraid to go up against any team at home or on the road. This team has a ton of veterans who want that ring badly and can rally together to not make errors or mistakes when it counts the most.

[flynismo]

Well, [b]if[/b] we ever put it together, we're easily the best team in the league, maybe by a wide margin.

[b]If[/b] pigs had wings, that would be strange.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='True' timestamp='1292396591' post='576115']
They have yet to play their best football so I can only say..they haven't peaked yet!
[/quote]

I agreed with everything you said except for his. As much as I'm a fan and as much I love the Ravens, I think we may have seen the best from this unit. The inability to run the football, bouts of inconsistency on offense, questionable play-calling in key situations and defensive 4th quarter collapses have been on display all year.

I [i]still[/i] think this team can win a Super Bowl but I don't really see noticeable improvement from either the offense or defense. Thankfully, the kicking game is stellar and the return game is really coming on.

I'm praying the switch from Yanda back to guard and Cousins at RT will solidify the o-line somewhat but after what I saw Monday night, I just don't know.

[Bltravens]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1292398125' post='576122']
I agreed with everything you said except for his. As much as I'm a fan and as much I love the Ravens, I think we may have seen the best from this unit. The inability to run the football, bouts of inconsistency on offense, questionable play-calling in key situations and defensive 4th quarter collapses have been on display all year.

I [i]still[/i] think this team can win a Super Bowl but I don't really see noticeable improvement from either the offense or defense. Thankfully, the kicking game is stellar and the return game is really coming on.

I'm praying the switch from Yanda back to guard and Cousins at RT will solidify the o-line somewhat but after what I saw Monday night, I just don't know.
[/quote]
Every year a team wins a Super Bowl despite a glaring weakness and the next year Im always like how the hell did that happen? Seriously...how the hell did Scott Shanle and Scott Fujita effectively cover Dallas Clarke in the Super Bowl last year? How the hell did that onside kick work? How the hell did the Colts find a defense in 2006 to win the Super Bowl despite Manning being average? How the hell did the Giants pull off the greatest upset of all time in 2007 by abusing the Pats stellar Oline with only 4 rushers all game long? Thats just off the top of my head...every year a team with a chance to win, gets a boost from a unit on their team that under performed all year long.

I'd like it if in a couple years I could say to myself "how the hell did the Ravens pull that off"?

[Tiznut]

The fact that we have never been blown out makes our losses harder to deal with imo

[AZravensfan]

[quote name='Tiznut' timestamp='1292415114' post='576167']
The fact that we have never been blown out makes our losses harder to deal with imo
[/quote]

To me it makes it easier to deal with. If we had a game where we got blown out like say...the Jets just had then I would be highly upset. Everyone loses and losing close games i can deal with until the playoffs come around. That time of year I want to go undefeated!

[Twistidfunk]

The Saints will be a good test and I also like the fact we have been in every game. It is a good sign but our offense really needs to step it up and keep the defense off the field. I think our D is peaking but they can't be on the field for most of a football game.

[True]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1292398125' post='576122']
I agreed with everything you said except for his. As much as I'm a fan and as much I love the Ravens, I think we may have seen the best from this unit. The inability to run the football, bouts of inconsistency on offense, questionable play-calling in key situations and defensive 4th quarter collapses have been on display all year.

I [i]still[/i] think this team can win a Super Bowl but I don't really see noticeable improvement from either the offense or defense. Thankfully, the kicking game is stellar and the return game is really coming on.

I'm praying the switch from Yanda back to guard and Cousins at RT will solidify the o-line somewhat but after what I saw Monday night, I just don't know.
[/quote]
I completely understand where you're coming from. It's really frustrating when you know the Ravens have the very ability to win the games they've lost and could easily have been 11-2 or even 13-0 due to how close their losses have been. But Bltravens brought up a great point about how the playoffs are a completely different area than the regular season. I am not going to say anything about what happens in the playoffs when the regular season is still going on. The playoffs are an entirely different area.

In the playoffs anything can happen. The Colts in '06 suddenly had a great defense that carried them in the playoffs to the SB. The Giants in '07 were 4-4 down the stretch yet their pass rush won the SB. The Cards in '08 got blown out in their last game against a Matt Cassell led Pats and made the SB. Hell the Saints lost their last 3 games last year and still were strong in the playoffs.

"Any Given Sunday" is a staple of the post season.

[funky141]

Eite team, yes with issues but most teams have some sort of problems to deal with. This year it will be the Ravens offense that carries them. Score points and score often to help a aging defense.

[CorvusCorax]

Football is the game of life. Struggles happen. It's how you overcome those struggles. Monday night, the defense came back and showed that they are indeed championship caliber.

Now that struggle is on the offense.

[PuRock]

[quote name='CorvusCorax' timestamp='1292431102' post='576301']
Football is the game of life. Struggles happen. It's how you overcome those struggles. Monday night, the defense came back and showed that they are indeed championship caliber.

Now that struggle is on the offense.
[/quote]

Then I wish my life was like the Patriots. Always scoring. Doesn't matter the circumstances.

[CorvusCorax]

[quote name='PuRock' timestamp='1292431367' post='576305']
Then I wish my life was like the Patriots. Always scoring. Doesn't matter the circumstances.
[/quote]

Don't we all wish we can score lol!

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='Bltravens' timestamp='1292399679' post='576134']
Every year a team wins a Super Bowl despite a glaring weakness and the next year Im always like how the hell did that happen? Seriously...how the hell did Scott Shanle and Scott Fujita effectively cover Dallas Clarke in the Super Bowl last year? How the hell did that onside kick work? How the hell did the Colts find a defense in 2006 to win the Super Bowl despite Manning being average? How the hell did the Giants pull off the greatest upset of all time in 2007 by abusing the Pats stellar Oline with only 4 rushers all game long? Thats just off the top of my head...every year a team with a chance to win, gets a boost from a unit on their team that under performed all year long.

I'd like it if in a couple years I could say to myself "how the hell did the Ravens pull that off"?
[/quote]

You're very right. Good post.

[Shammy]

your right ... the ravens the past few seasons (2008, 2009) have been theyre own worst enemy ...

[Jamal]

[quote name='funky141' timestamp='1292427334' post='576248']
Eite team, yes with issues but most teams have some sort of problems to deal with. This year it will be the Ravens offense that carries them. Score points and score often to help a aging defense.
[/quote]
The defense has carried us for [b]most[/b] of the season actually. As of right now, the offense is just about average.

We are an excellent team, but not elite. I'd say we are a second tier team. If we can get better on offense, we might have a chance to become elite.

[RavensAllTheWay]

I still think were the same team we were the last two years. I hate to say that, but that second Steelers game was a chance for us to prove that we were as good as advertised. That was the game that would determine whether or not we take the next step. And we didn't come through, but not only that, we lost in typical Ravens fashion. Not only the Steelers game, but what about the Pats game? Before that game, I thought we were unbeatable, easily the best team in the league. Then we blew a 4th quarter lead and lost, which brought me back to reality. Then the Falcons game. We lost and it hurt so bad, it was disappointing and it seemed to bring us all together. It gave us a feeling that we would NEVER want to have again. But the same thing happened against Pit.

Its the same problems and the same humps year after year that this team can't get past. Maybe we've been committing a lot fewer penalties this year, but what about the Steelers game? Our biggest game of the season and we return to the undisciplined 09 form. Just like the Pats game. I remember saying this after that Pats game and I'll say it again, but all the things that killed us last year came back in the clutch with the game on the line, so we ended up losing.

The only difference between the offense this year and last year is that the passing game has gotten better while the running game has gotten worse, but its still the same offense. Same coordinator, same bad play calling (and it seems to have gotten worse this year), same offensive line minus Gaither. Only difference is the weapons at WR, but even that doesn't solve the discipline issues, the poor tackling, the dare I say [i][/i]choking.[i][/i]

So really, this team (at least in my eyes) has not taken the next step yet. And who knows how much time before the window of opportunity closes.

[hawkprey]

[quote name='Shammy' timestamp='1292443777' post='576508']
your right ... the ravens the past few seasons (2008, 2009) have been theyre own worst enemy ...
[/quote]

I can't even begin to point out what's wrong with that post.

[AlaskanRavensFan]

I have to agree with true on this one. Teams are defined by stats for the most part during the regular season, but the post season doesn't have much to do with the regular season. The Pats and their fans, for instance, probably thought that they would demolish us last year in the post season, but quite the opposite happened. I thought we'd have a chance to do some things and pull out a win, but I certainly didn't see us beating them like we did. There was nothing in the regular season of 09' to indicate that we could do that to a team of the Pats caliber. Similarly, our victory against the Pats did not in any way carry over to the Colts game. It looked as if a completely different team had taken the field.

Hopefully, the Ravens can find some motivation to execute better the rest of the way.

[ravensfan2430]

The Ravens are an elite team because they have yet to play better than average in ANY game this year, but are still 9-4. I'd love to see them play 3 and 1/2 quarters well.

[cursona pirate]

i really like this thread a lot

[BloodRaven]

Our D is 4th in points allowed.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='BloodRaven' timestamp='1292484180' post='577064']
Our D is 4th in points allowed.
[/quote]

I think they're last in 4th quarter points surrendered though.

[TSizzle00]

[quote name='funky141' timestamp='1292427334' post='576248']
Eite team, yes with issues but most teams have some sort of problems to deal with. This year it will be the Ravens offense that carries them. Score points and score often to help a aging defense.
[/quote]

Its a myth that the Ravens defense is old. Lewis, Reed, Gregg are the only main starters who are over 30.

[ellicottraven]

Our elite status will be cemented if we beat the Saints at home... and hope to God that the Jets get a win against the Steelers. We deserve to win the division and have at least one playoff game at home! I agree with most of what you laid out, but the truly elite teams are simply consistent and win when all is lost. The mark of an elite team is when you have a team by it's collective throat you squeeze and not let up! We sadly are unable to do that consistently. That is the only part of our team that doesn't look elite to me. Otherwise we are the best team roster-wise across the league but haven't found a way to put all phases of the game together yet. Hopefully we will beginning next game and bulldoze our way to the SB!!!